Photographer STRESS!!! Help!

[jerzshortstuff]

Heres my dilemma if anyone can chime in and help:

 

I booked HDC for the TTD. I thought it was $250, but then he said thats only if you use him for your ceremony as well. If not, its $300. We are currently not using ANYONE for our ceremony bc we are on a tight budget to begin with. I said ok whatever, its only $50 more and his reviews are good. He kept telling me to send deposit but wouldn't confirm a date/time until he received the deposit. So I sent the money. Then he says he wants to do it the day after our wedding at 8:30am. I plan on partying the night of my wedding til the wee hours of the morning, and I am sure some of you can relate. I asked if we could do it later, and he said he will confirm me for 5pm the day after our wedding, but that if someone else books between now and then, he will have to change the time. I said ok, but I am kinda mad. What was the point of me making a "reservation" and putting a deposit down, if hes not even going to hold the time/date. Its like he's gonna hold it unless a better offer comes his way.

 

So today I email him asking if he has a la carte pricing for wedding ceremonies, and he sends me a price list back with his *new* pricing. These prices are more money with less items.

 

So now I am at a point where I might be looking for a new photographer altogether. I really don't want to be stressing at the last minute because a better offer came along and he decides he doesn't want to do our TTD session.

 

Can anyone recommend cheaper photographers for the Punta Cana area?

[OceanWonderland]

I think that's a pretty good price, but maybe they have better TTD prices in Punta Cana than Cancun.

 

I would suggest asking him if you can do the TTD two days after your wedding, in the morning. That way you can recover the whole next day after your wedding and relax. That's what we did, and it was much better. I would have been too tired the day after the wedding. Plus, I think they prefer to do 8:30 because the lighting is really good in the morning and it makes for better pictures. Just depends, do you want all bright light pictures, or do you prefer a sunset type of TTD? I'm sure he'd be fine if you want to wait another day and do the AM because then he can still do a wedding later on that night (if he is scheduled). Might not hurt to ask.

 

Good luck!

[jerzshortstuff]

The funny thing is, I told him we would be there for four days after the wedding and we could do any day. The pricing is pretty cheap, that's why we went with him. BUT, keep in mind the package include 1 hour of photos at your resort and pics on a CD. Nothing more.

 

I want to stick with him because the reviews are great, I hope this is just a fluke and the service we get there will be phenomenal! Or that we find a better deal elsewhere lol

[summafool1]

Yeah I can see why 5 pm may be hard because he may get a whole wedding to do that day? and 5 pm is cutting in the middle? Thats what i would assume...So I would ask again if you could do it 2 days after your wedding at 8 30 am...good luck!

[richarsd]

I have HDC booked for our TTD too and am in the same situation as you...one of our family guests is a wedding photographer so she's doing the ceremony/reception...we only hired Arnaud for the TTD. And the price/process I went through was the same as you stated above. I think $300 is quite reasonable for a TTD session. I agree with the other posters that 5 pm is probably difficult for them to commit to because it means them possibly declining an entire wedding that day. If I was a photographer, I'd probably be reluctant to commit to that too...$300 versus a possible $1000 is a big difference. I would ask if you can do the TTD 2 days after the ceremony at 8:30 am...that is what I asked for upfront and he had no problem with it. Goodluck!

[jerzshortstuff]

thanks girls! I think I'm gonna just relax and know that they have a great reputation. I am sure if he cannot do 5pm on the day after, he will make time on another day. I don't think he will screw us completely... at least I hope not! And maybe I'll get lucky and my parents will pay for him to do our ceremony

 

I think the TTD pics are better anyway. Most of the time its those "romantic" pictures that you have hanging on your walls not ceremony pics ya kno?