Nevada-Las Vegas

so...does anyone use the photographer included in wedding package price?

when i was looking into package (specifically at Caesar's) i was excited because photography was included and you could add on hours as you wanted, for a pretty reasonable price.  and then, you can just buy the discs and you have all your pictures.

but now that i'm getting more comfortable with the Boards and looking at planning bios and such - it doesn't seem like any of you are using the included photographer. 

should i be looking at outside photographers?  who are you all using?  is anyone using the included photographer?

i need some expert advice here.  thankfully i'm still VERY early in my planning process.  but we're going to Vegas in 2 weeks to hopefully book our ceremony and reception site and i don't want to "get sold" on something i don't really want by any of the wedding coordinator people. 

Re: so...does anyone use the photographer included in wedding package price?

  • jccswljccswl member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm glad you're asking now and not waiting till last min. like I did. We thought we would use the photographer that Caesars provided since it was included in the package. Then I realized that I wanted more time than the ceremony and the one hour after. I really wanted getting ready pics, reception pics, strip pics, and at the Vegas sign, so that's when I started shopping around, but I waited too long, so I asked my reception coordinator for a recommendation and she gave me a great one in Diggs, and used them for everything but the ceremony.

    Anyways, my advice would be if you decide to go with Caesars photographer, ask your ceremony coordinator for a contact, and call them to tell them what you want. We had NO communication and I met my photog 15mins before, I felt so disconnected with them. And hold off with buying the CD with all the pics, they'll send you a letter about 3months later with a discounted offer to buy that CD.
  • JoeyA_VPJoeyA_VP member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Almost all of the standalone chapels and casino resorts have their own in-house photographer, and I believe that most people use them during the ceremony and for the short time after (they usually capture some key traditional photos and formals). 

    In many cases, an outside photographer is hired for photos before and/or after the ceremony, and possibly throughout the rest of the day.  Oftentimes the chapel does not allow outside photographers unless you pay a fee.

  • atlcatloveratlcatlover member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I used the in-house photographer for my ceremony only.  And FWIW, I loved him!  I looked at photos from all the in-house photographers and personally chose who I wanted to have, and am very pleased with my pictures.

    Like most everyone else, I did hire an outside photographer for the rest of the day which also worked out great.  Every ceremony location is different, but at the Wynn he was allowed to be at the ceremony and take pictures from his seat just like any other guest.
  • Lulu80301Lulu80301 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I chose an outside photographer for a few reasons-

    The first is that I wasn't crazy about the photographer provided by MB for the ceremony. After looking at the company's work I wasn't impressed. So I am using them for the ceremony just because I have no other choice. I wouldn't want to use them for more pics because I'm not fan of thier work.

    It was also really important to me to take pics all over Vegas, and preferably at night, for the types of shots I wanted, so that was my reasoning for hiring an outside photographer, whose work I was more impressed with.


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  • edited December 2011
    I hired an outside photgrapher for taking pictures before and after the wedding.  For the ceremony itself, we used the chapel photographer since we didn't want to pay the $700 outside photog fee (Wynn).  At that time, we were not going to buy pics outside of our package.  But after the wedding, we ended up buying all the pics from the ceremony and paid about $1700.

    In a way, I wish I paid the outside photog fee and had my own photographer take pics at the ceremony, since it would be cheaper.  But at the same time, the wedding chapel photog did a good job too and was more familiar with the space.

    But I think if you hire a las vegas photographer, they would be familiar with all the chapels already so you might just want to pay the outside photography fee since it will be cheaper than if you buy the pics from the chapel photographer.
  • edited December 2011
    I booked time with the photographer that is included in my package just because FI wanted to then I started doing research about her and am not really please with the reviews. I really wanted getting ready pics as well as pics after the alloted time so I went ahead and booked someone else that does more the style I want and a lot less posing style pictures. I want a more photo journalistic style of pictures than the lady does that is with my venue. But its good you are asking all of these things now instead of later. Good luck and happy planning!  
  • MNVegasMNVegas member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am using the Chapel of the Flowers photographer for ceremony and onsite pics. I have hired Todd from Bently & Wilson for late afternoon photo tour.
  • SunnyCanadianSunnyCanadian member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    We're planning on paying the $200 outside vendor fee to have our own photographer shoot the ceremony at Caesar's so that we get the style of pictures we want.

    If we used the in house photographer and wanted all our pics on CD, they charge $400. So really, I'm saving myself $200 by spending $200 to have my own photographer shoot the ceremony!

    Wow - Wynn's vendor fee is so high!

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  • edited December 2011
    Chapel of flowers doesn't have an outside vendor fee you simplay have no choice but to use their photographer.  I have Todd booked for a strip tour after.
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