Melia Caribe Tropical: Q&A Related specifically to this hotel

Anyone know if this fee applies if the photog stays as a guest at the resort? I'm planning on bringing a photographer with me from home.

P.S. In any case, that is a CRAZY fee!!!! They are going to lose a lot of wedding business over that - possibly mine!

Does anyone know if a 6pm ceremony time will leave us in the dark? Would there be time for a photo shoot after the ceremony, or would the sun be completely gone?

Thanks!

OMG what a crazy charge! This is a stupid move on Melia's part if they want to keep up their wedding business! Photography is soo important to most brides, and I don't think anyone will pick that resort if they're stuck paying that price.

If it was me, and I had an outside photographer and it was too late to switch I'd probably just pay for a room for the photographer for the night ($200 a night versus $1000)

Hi Melissa,

The sun typically sets in the DR at around 6:30pm. I think leaving the ceremony until that late will leave you in the dark. It would be okay if you were planning on doing pictures before the ceremony.

We are having our ceremony at 5:00pm which leaves enough time for a champagne toast, some pictures with daylight and some pictures as the sun is setting.

HTH!!!

This is so crazy to me! They are a lot of brides that will decide to have their weddings at the Melia if they keep this fee as most of the other hotels do not require such a high price for bringing your own photographer. I am getting married at the PPR and since they are affiliated with the Melia I emailed them immediately to make sure they were not adopting the same policy and thank gosh they did not!!

The fee is insane. I suppose their owner has his own photo company and wants to promote it instead. The worst business decision ever,made out of desperation! It would've been a better decision to look into the problem and see why their photo company is not used by many,maybe try to improved their photo skills. They are basically forcing others to use their on site photo company who is not qualified to take images.

This naturally makes quite a difference ,Who you arrange everything with a customer and on the wedding day someone als makes you Wedding Photos !! This is the difference I shoot all the weddings and work alone !in all the hotels in Punta Cana !!

Here are is a link to our photos: wedding pictures by eloping789 - Photobucket

I'm still working on my review, but to give Melissa an idea of the ceremony time/sun - we got married at 4 pm and had plenty of sun (so much that you'll notice I'm squinting a lot - LOL), but the sun starts to set around 6 or 6:30 and it's almost dark by 7pm so it all depends on what you want. A sunset ceremony would be beautiful!