Paradisus Punta Cana payment

[EVKnowsitall]

Originally Posted by maridr2012 

 

TishaJules: I was able to get out of the $1,000 for external photographer only because I booked my wedding in 2011, prior to this policy which went into effect this year. I was lucky to get grandfathered in. But I'll tell you, I also haven't been overly impressed by Arrecife's work - I guess I just don't like their style for my personal preference. I was prepared to fly in my own photographer and pay for his flight and give him one of the free rooms I'm getting comp'd as a kickback and save a few bucks. By the way...ask your DestinationWeddings agent about that if she hasn't brought it up to you. My FI's brother works with a fabulous photographer who wouldve done it for free if we would pay his flight and room..and like i said, with the free room it wouldve turned out pretty cheap and he'd get a great vacation (I would've flown him in for the weekend). But I didn't have to go that route luckily Anyway, I have read posts by other brides saying that they were able to get out of the fee by making the photographer a "guest" at the wedding...meaning paying for that headcount and also paying for a day pass which is $120. It still works out cheaper than $1,000. Hope that works for you!

 

That trick doesn't work. If you say the photographer is a "guest" and they see the person photographing you, they will smack you with the fee. A bride who tried that posted in one of the forums that they said he had to put the camera away. I was prepared to try it but she said they watched over her wedding like a hawk and anyone who took out a camera they questions. She ended up with very few pictures. Not worth the risk if you ask me. Either roll with Arrecife or pay the fee and you won't have to worry about it. I tried a few tricks with my WC and she was sick- she kept saying "as long as you are aware any outside photography will incur a $1,000 fee." I think maybe too many people have used this trick in the past and they are privy to it now. 

 

It sucks- its a shitty policy. I almost didn't have my wedding at Paradisus because of it.

[EVKnowsitall]

Originally Posted by EVKnowsitall 

 

 

That trick doesn't work. If you say the photographer is a "guest" and they see the person photographing you, they will smack you with the fee. A bride who tried that posted in one of the forums that they said he had to put the camera away. I was prepared to try it but she said they watched over her wedding like a hawk and anyone who took out a camera they questions. She ended up with very few pictures. Not worth the risk if you ask me. Either roll with Arrecife or pay the fee and you won't have to worry about it. I tried a few tricks with my WC and she was sick- she kept saying "as long as you are aware any outside photography will incur a $1,000 fee." I think maybe too many people have used this trick in the past and they are privy to it now. 

 

It sucks- its a shitty policy. I almost didn't have my wedding at Paradisus because of it.

Slick* not sick haha I'm sure she's fine

[maridr2012]

Oh wow...that poor bride that tried to get the photographer in as a guest and ended up with only a few pics, that blows!  You're right, its a suck-ass policy.   Like I said, I was very lucky to get grandfathered in.  But, I feel like you only have 1 wedding (well, hopefully, lol).  And 5, 10, 20 yrs down the road, all you will have left to look at will be your photos and video.  I feel like that is one thing that you really need to invest in and is well worth the cost.  Obviously if you can find ways to make it more budget friendly, go for it!  But...you've gotta be happy with your photographer!  At least that's my take on it 

[TishaJules]

LOL.....One year from Today I'm getting married and I"m so nervous and confused even with a year to plan!!! I got my first invoice and they already jacked it up by a thousand bucks and I"m like...."WHAT THE HECK!!!" LMAO.

[TishaJules]

thank you so much! I"m going to think about what I should do. I have so many friends that are fabulous photographers. Paying for their vacation stay would probably be the better choice!  If they are guests at my wedding, paying an outside vendor fee also sounds foolish to me. They are guests at my wedding taking photographs with their camera's!

[EVKnowsitall]

Originally Posted by maridr2012 

 

Oh wow...that poor bride that tried to get the photographer in as a guest and ended up with only a few pics, that blows!  You're right, its a suck-ass policy.   Like I said, I was very lucky to get grandfathered in.  But, I feel like you only have 1 wedding (well, hopefully, lol).  And 5, 10, 20 yrs down the road, all you will have left to look at will be your photos and video.  I feel like that is one thing that you really need to invest in and is well worth the cost.  Obviously if you can find ways to make it more budget friendly, go for it!  But...you've gotta be happy with your photographer!  At least that's my take on it 

Definitely agree with you! We sucked it up and paid the fee. Photos are too important to us to compromise on the quality. I say cut corners somewhere else if you can.

 

Save all your emails! I created a separate email account just for the wedding so that I would have record of prices we were quoted on. They have to honor it. An email is considered an informal contract.

[maridr2012]

Yeah you have to keep a close eye on those invoices!  Did they give you the calculator so you can see what your costs will be?  I did that and it helped me alot to plan accordingly so there werent any big surprises.  Yesterday I finished paying all the extras, and now the only thing left to pay is the photographer and the decorations from Carribbean Celebrations...then I'll be done, FINALLY!  Although I'm really looking forward to the wedding, I almost can't wait for it to be over so I won't be so broke and have some money in our accounts again, lol.  It's kinda scary when you're sending out big lump sum payments in the thousands!

Originally Posted by TishaJules 

LOL.....One year from Today I'm getting married and I"m so nervous and confused even with a year to plan!!! I got my first invoice and they already jacked it up by a thousand bucks and I"m like...."WHAT THE HECK!!!" LMAO.

[TishaJules]

Originally Posted by EVKnowsitall 

 

Definitely agree with you! We sucked it up and paid the fee. Photos are too important to us to compromise on the quality. I say cut corners somewhere else if you can.

 

Save all your emails! I created a separate email account just for the wedding so that I would have record of prices we were quoted on. They have to honor it. An email is considered an informal contract.

That is exactly what I did!! I created a seperate email account just for the wedding and my maid of honor goes in and organizes the emails that come in.  Because my fiance is HORRIBLE at checing the emails, but wants to know everything, the important emails will go into the wedding binder.

 

As for the Photographer as a guest...I really need to have an big conversation with my WC and my Destination Wedding Coordinator because they both said as long as my friends are guests at my wedding, they can't take pics.  Who are they to say my guests can't take pics! This is really concerning me.  Pictures last a lifetime! My marriage is for a lifetime!

[TishaJules]

Originally Posted by maridr2012 

 

Yeah you have to keep a close eye on those invoices!  Did they give you the calculator so you can see what your costs will be?  I did that and it helped me alot to plan accordingly so there werent any big surprises.  Yesterday I finished paying all the extras, and now the only thing left to pay is the photographer and the decorations from Carribbean Celebrations...then I'll be done, FINALLY!  Although I'm really looking forward to the wedding, I almost can't wait for it to be over so I won't be so broke and have some money in our accounts again, lol.  It's kinda scary when you're sending out big lump sum payments in the thousands!

Yes! it was in the same email as the invoice.  That $1000 jack up was just in Taxes!! ARGHHHHH. LOL.  I guess I will be going way above my budgeted price because there are just some things we cannot skimp on! LOL.  

Did you order seperate decorations from Carribbean Celebrations?  Extra's? 

[EVKnowsitall]

Originally Posted by maridr2012 

 

Yeah you have to keep a close eye on those invoices!  Did they give you the calculator so you can see what your costs will be?  I did that and it helped me alot to plan accordingly so there werent any big surprises.  Yesterday I finished paying all the extras, and now the only thing left to pay is the photographer and the decorations from Carribbean Celebrations...then I'll be done, FINALLY!  Although I'm really looking forward to the wedding, I almost can't wait for it to be over so I won't be so broke and have some money in our accounts again, lol.  It's kinda scary when you're sending out big lump sum payments in the thousands!

 

Woo hoo so close. I want to see pictures. I'm looking forward to my wedding but I feel the same way- I want money so I can LIVE again. We have to constantly turn down social invitations. We sold our Yankee and Jay Z tickets that we had purchased just to have some more money. I'm a teacher and with all the budget cuts they really can't pay us for after school work but whenever they can- I stay and work a little later. We take our lunches from home... the sacrifices we make! I want to be done paying for everything but we have quite some time before we reach that point.