Luxury Weddings

XP: Entertainment company bringing their own photo/video?

Our entertainment company just wrote me an e-mail saying they plan to give us some extras. Here is one of the things they said:

Also we will have our own video / photographer at the event to take footage of the event for our own use as well as pictures for us. We do this at most events . We will give you access to all of this after the event if you would like.

I feel like that's a little weird. We have 2 photographers and 2 videographers already. I'm not sure how they would feel about this. I'm not sure how I feel about this. We picked high-quality, expensive people for our photo/video. Like most of you, we spent days visiting with photographers/videographers and looking through photos to find people who shared our vision and did extraordinary work. I don't want people we didn't select getting in their way. I have no idea how good these people are. The only good that would come of it is we'd have photos to display on our tv screens. We found out pretty late in the game that our photographer isn't really a fan of handing over her photos before she's had a chance to edit them.

Should we tell him no, he can't bring these people? Is this normal? Has anyone else had their entertainment company bring their own photo/video, and if so, did they get in the way?

Re: XP: Entertainment company bringing their own photo/video?

  • I would also check with your photographer because they might have a clause in their contract to be your exclusive photographer.

    Honestly though, this annoyed me when I read it and it isn't even happening to me. First of all, that's not an extra for you. That's a way for them to record themselves and promote their own business. Second, to me that is a lot of people walking around with cameras. Third, how are your guests going to feel about possibly being put into advertisements for this company?

    If it was me, I would tell them that I didn't agree to that in our original contract and it's not ok for them to do that.

    image
  • When we were considering an officiant there was one that did the same thing. He had "extras" including a musician, floral arrangements, etc. We already had these "extras" booked and when I explained this to him he downplayed my other vendors, implying that his was better.
    We realized he was just selling his services and our gut was to drop him. 2 days later we found an amazing woman to officiate.
    My advice is to trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is. :)
  • If they wanted to shoot your wedding for promotion material, they should have disclosed it upfront and included it in your contract. They can't come back to you and tell you they are doing that- you have to agree to it. I agree with @tammy as well- you need to make sure this does not violate your other contracts. If it does, just simply tell them that it's in violation of your photographer's agreement and that you will not be able to accommodate any additional people at your event.

     







  • It turns out that both my photographer and videographer contracts state that they have to be the exclusive photographer and videographer. Done deal. Even if I wanted him to bring these extra vendors, I couldn't allow it. Thank you!
  • Good! I might have been tempted to tell them that even if my other contracts didn't say that.
    image
  • KatWAGKatWAG member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    If they wanted to shoot your wedding for promotion material, they should have disclosed it upfront and included it in your contract. They can't come back to you and tell you they are doing that- you have to agree to it. I agree with @tammy as well- you need to make sure this does not violate your other contracts. If it does, just simply tell them that it's in violation of your photographer's agreement and that you will not be able to accommodate any additional people at your event.
    I agree with this. I would say no. It doesnt benefit you to have any more vendors running around especially if they arent there for you.
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  • KDM323KDM323 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    yeah, they do not get to use YOUR wedding as a promo shoot opportunity.  That is just really really bad form and would make me question the vendor, tbh.
    *** Fairy Tales Do Come True *** Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • AJuliaNJAJuliaNJ member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited June 2013
    I wrote to the entertainment company saying our contracts with our photographer/videographer preclude the use of other such professionals. In fact, our videographer contract says they can LEAVE if another videographer is there. I made it very clear they weren't invited.

    Then, I spoke with my planner yesterday and she brought it up. She said this was done at every event she works on. She said she would call my videographer and photographer for permission. At the time, I was like, "I guess..." but now I have late onset anger and I don't want them there even if she does get permission. We are paying A LOT of money to have well-established professionals shoot our wedding. I don't want this DJ's amateur house photographers getting in the way. What if they take a photo of my work friends' table and then our real photographer comes around and they are fatigued with photos and don't understand there are 2 different photography vendors. I am so upset right now. I have only 3 weeks to go so getting rid of this DJ is not really an option.
  • KDM323KDM323 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Do you mind if I ask who your dj is? I am also in NJ and this makes me nervous
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  • I don't understand how that is normal??? If it truly was normal, then they should have gone over that with you when you booked them. It seems like they waited until the last minute to spring it on you, which sucks. I would let the wedding planner handle it, but definitey tell her your concern and make sure she conveys to them that you do not want any intrusion at all on your other vendors or guests!

     







  • AJuliaNJ said:
    I wrote to the entertainment company saying our contracts with our photographer/videographer preclude the use of other such professionals. In fact, our videographer contract says they can LEAVE if another videographer is there. I made it very clear they weren't invited.

    Then, I spoke with my planner yesterday and she brought it up. She said this was done at every event she works on. She said she would call my videographer and photographer for permission. At the time, I was like, "I guess..." but now I have late onset anger and I don't want them there even if she does get permission. We are paying A LOT of money to have well-established professionals shoot our wedding. I don't want this DJ's amateur house photographers getting in the way. What if they take a photo of my work friends' table and then our real photographer comes around and they are fatigued with photos and don't understand there are 2 different photography vendors. I am so upset right now. I have only 3 weeks to go so getting rid of this DJ is not really an option.
    I've never heard of this before.  I'd stand your ground and tell them you don't want them there.  If it wasn't in the contract when you signed, then it shouldn't be a problem.  Also, unless you have several hundred people attending your wedding, it's going to look ridiculous if you have 3 photographers and 3 videographers running around at your wedding.
  • @JoanE2012, we are having a fairly intimate affair with 100 people. It would look INCREDIBLY ridiculous to have 6 people documenting it. 

    It's definitely not mentioned in the DJ contract. It doesn't say they wouldn't bring photographers and videographers though. However, it also doesn't say they won't bring clowns, elephants, and strippers, but you kinda just don't think they're going to, KWIM? 
  • AJuliaNJ said:
    @JoanE2012, we are having a fairly intimate affair with 100 people. It would look INCREDIBLY ridiculous to have 6 people documenting it. 

    It's definitely not mentioned in the DJ contract. It doesn't say they wouldn't bring photographers and videographers though. However, it also doesn't say they won't bring clowns, elephants, and strippers, but you kinda just don't think they're going to, KWIM? 
    @AJuliaNJ - I hear ya.  When it comes down to it, you're hiring them to provide DJ services only.  They should not be sending anyone else not related to DJ services.  I would call and talk to them.  It might be one of those things where they will send a photo/video person as long as the client doesn't object.  If you do object, they may say no problem and not bring them to your event.  

    I would also use the "exclusivity" clause of your other vendors when talking to the DJ company.  Tell your wedding planner you don't want them there, even if your other vendors okay it.  Good luck....please let us know how it works out!
  • I'm curious - how did this end? You didn't allow them, right?

    (Our contract also states that they are to be the exclusive photographer/videographer. However, our venue also needs proof of insurance for each vendor.)
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    image 293 (Adults) Invited
    image198 Yes (+ 12 children and 3 babies)
    image95 No
    image0 Unknown

  • KDM323KDM323 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I was just going to say - how did this turn out?
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  • AJuliaNJAJuliaNJ member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited July 2013
    We sent a very direct e-mail saying they were not to bring the photographer and videographer. We wanted it in writing. They then became passive aggressive. They revoked the free platform they were going to give us for our sweetheart table (we never asked for it anyway). They called saying that they ordered the wrong size piping and draping and tried to get us to pay the difference. In the end we had piping and draping that wasn't as high as the ceilings (no big deal).

    We were planning to have a slideshow during the reception of us getting ready and our pre-ceremony, and ceremony photos. The DJ's role was to provide the screens and show a slideshow. After we said they couldn't bring their own people, they called up my actual photographer and told her that in order to have a slideshow of our images for the day of the wedding, they not only needed her to provide the photos but to make a slideshow out of them in a movie program. When she said she would not do that, they called me and said I had 3 choices: get the photographer to do it, send him photos we already have (not of the day of the wedding) and we'd have to pay some production company he works with to make the slideshow, or we had to allow him to bring his own photographer. I asked if I could just make the GD slideshow and he refused to tell me which program I'd need. In the end, we paid our photographer to bring an extra assistant to make the slideshow. Much better to give her the money than the DJ or planner.

    On the day of, the DJ was basically okay. His emcee auctioned off our centerpieces, which we checked off as "don't do" on our form, and had to say, "Just joking!" when he learned the vases actually belonged to our florist. That kind of sucked, but I don't think that many people cared that much about bringing them home anyway. People loved him. He played great music and did a good job of getting and keeping people on the dance floor. I'm glad he was able to fulfill the duty he was hired for.

    The planner blew off 2 meetings with us the week of the wedding, and then showed up at 2pm and I barely saw or talked to her. It was such an odd time to show up given that the MUA and hair stylist came at 9am, and the photographer and videographer came at 1. I would have thought she would be helping us coordinate the vendors, but then again, I thought she would do a lot of things she didn't end up doing.
  • Sorry for the long post. In the end the wedding was amazing. We had fun and all the drama leading up to it was completely forgotten the day of the wedding. 
  • I'm sorry the DJ and palanner were such a PITA leading up to the wedding. the planner especially should know better and they are there to help ease the stress of planning and preparations. I'm so glad it all worked out in the end for you.

     







  • Wow - interesting. Sorry to hear that there were some odd things in there and promises broken.

    Were the planner and entertainment under the same umbrella/package/company, or just two separate vendors that were both only so-so?
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    image 293 (Adults) Invited
    image198 Yes (+ 12 children and 3 babies)
    image95 No
    image0 Unknown

  • Wow - interesting. Sorry to hear that there were some odd things in there and promises broken.

    Were the planner and entertainment under the same umbrella/package/company, or just two separate vendors that were both only so-so?
    They were separate. We hired the planner first and she recommended the DJ. She works with him all the time.
  • Wow sorry to hear about that all, glad the day worked out for you anyway!

    Anniversary

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