Hotel for out of town photographer

kimfield

Do you put the photographer up in the resort/spa you are staying at or is it okay to have them stay in a typical hotel instead of the resort? I am flying my photographer in for our destination wedding and am uncertain of the protocol.

atomicphoto

Usually you should just be paying them a set "travel fee" and they will select their own lodging. If you are getting a special rate for booking a block, and it is comparable to the local lodging, you might as well book them at your resort... at least this way they have no excuse to be late on the wedding day! 

StephBeanWed61502

I'll be honest, I'd put them in the same resort, since I think it would probably make the photographer's job much easier.  Also, if you put the photographer in a different hotel, you really ought to provide the photographer with transportation to/from your wedding venue. Also,  I believe many resorts also charge a "resort fee" to anyone entering the property for the day who is not a guest of the resort, so that may also add to the hidden costs of having the photog at another hotel.  All in all, I think it would be a little stingy to stick her in some crap hotel while she's there to photograph you getting married at a fancy resort.

kcbee

I think you should put the photographer in the resort you'll be in. Do they specifiy where they would like to stay? We are looking into an out of town videographer and he says he must stay at the official wedding hotel. 

I just think all around it would be much easier for them to be right there and also nicer, on your part.

WhitewallMike

Put them up at the resort.  The extra couple hundred dollars will be well spent, considering the photographer's increased access to your wedding guests.

brandon_ent

Everyone is right. They need to have the best access to you and your guests. Not only that, if you put them in a different hotel, that is just one more thing that can go wrong... Traffic, accident, etc.

RachelDlite

Having gone to a destination wedding and helping plan one, resorts will charge you a fee for "guests" that are staying outside the resort but comes in for your wedding. THey may also charge a vendor fee if the vendor is not staying at your resort.