Sandals and photographers - please help!

SabrinaB · May 4, 2011

Hi All, i've tried to read as much as i can about having a friend/guest photograph your wedding at a Sandals resort and not have the resort photographer. (I'm getting married at the Royal Bahamian.) From what I can gather from this forum (and others) is the person has to be a guest at your wedding and actually stay at the resort themselves, is this correct? My issue is this: one of my really good friends is a photographer and I've always wanted him to shoot my wedding, and he's all about it. Unfortunately, he and his wife can't really afford to stay at Sandals and they were just going to stay at another hotel/resort and come to Sandals on Friday and Saturday (for the wedding) with day passes. Will it still be possible for him to shoot the wedding? Will all the staff know he's not an actual sandals guest, and actually enforce this "rule?" He's still an actual guest of mine and I'll be paying for him and his wife for the reception. Any suggestions, advice, or info would be so much appreciated! I had tried asking my TA, and i feel like she's really a Sandals spokesperson so she was kind of salty about me not using the resort photog, so she wasn't all that excited to answer any of these "loophole" questions for me. Anyway, again, really appreciate some info or if anyone's done it themselves. THANK YOU!!

TATrisha · May 4, 2011

I've done it to photograph a wedding at Sandals Negril (Sandals was sold out). Honestly... I wouldn't recommend it. They definitely knew and they definitely weren't big fans of it!

futuremrswalls · May 8, 2011

The answer is no. They have to stay at the resort and they can escort them off the premesis. As our payment to our photographers we paid for a few nights at the resort (and their airfare). Would it be plausible for you guys to do this for them?

SabrinaB · May 9, 2011

thank you so much for your responses. I'm going to work on having them stay at the resort with us so there are no worries or issues. So, with them as actual resort guests, wedding and reception guests, he will be completely allowed to take pictures conflict-free, correct? Futuremrswalls, just confirming you didn't have any issues not using the resort photographer then, and your "photographer" was able to shoot photos as they wished? Just want to cover ALL the bases! Thanks again!

wilsonj2 · May 10, 2011

Maybe you could just pay the difference for them to stay at the Sandals resort with you? I am paying for my photographer friend fly out and to stay with us. I talked to a TA who told me she had a bride bring her own photographer and decline all Sandals photography. You lose the free 5x7, but your friend will be able to freely take pictures without having to compete. Otherwise, I've heard the Sandals photogs can be quite annoying trying to take pictures at the same time. There is a form you can sign at the resort, and Sandals will not send out a photographer. I don't think they really advertise this option.

Originally Posted by SabrinaB

thank you so much for your responses. I'm going to work on having them stay at the resort with us so there are no worries or issues. So, with them as actual resort guests, wedding and reception guests, he will be completely allowed to take pictures conflict-free, correct? Futuremrswalls, just confirming you didn't have any issues not using the resort photographer then, and your "photographer" was able to shoot photos as they wished? Just want to cover ALL the bases! Thanks again!

TATrisha · May 10, 2011

You must discuss this adhead of time with your wedding coordinator. Sandals resorts have strict clauses that don't allow you to use third party vendors, even if they are guests at your wedding. There has been lucky recently with brides, such as wilson, who are able to sign away the Sandals Photographer, but this must be planned in advance.