Photography - Disney vs. Outside Photographer

[TiffinyKaye]

I have a feeling I know what the answer is going to be from the majority of brides...but I want to hear from a lot of you (since this will extend beyond an MK or Epcot session).

Who is using Disney for their photography, or has used them? If you did use Disney, are you pleased with the results for the price? (I already know how Carrie feels, and totally agree).

For those using an outside photographer, how did you make this work in your budget? I'm primarily interested in those with Wishes weddings, because we're stuck in a position of where we likely don't have the cash to meet all the minimum expenditures with a photographer on top of it all.

Tiffiny

 

[andeesings]

I have a feeling I know what the answer is going to be from the majority of brides...but I want to hear from a lot of you (since this will extend beyond an MK or Epcot session). Who is using Disney for their photography, or has used them? If you did use Disney, are you pleased with the results for the price? (I already know how Carrie feels, and totally agree). For those using an outside photographer, how did you make this work in your budget? I'm primarily interested in those with Wishes weddings, because we're stuck in a position of where we likely don't have the cash to meet all the minimum expenditures with a photographer on top of it all. Tiffiny

LittleKittyMarie just used DPS for her Epcot wedding... And the photos are SPECTACULAR. They had Cricket and she looks ABSOLUTELY stunning. Go check out her planning journal!

 

[TiffinyKaye]

How easy is the planning journal to find? I'm honestly a little intimidated about finding specific threads on this board, since there are so many.

 

[andeesings]

How easy is the planning journal to find? I'm honestly a little intimidated about finding specific threads on this board, since there are so many.

Let me see if I can link it. I suck at it but I'll try, lol. In case I'm UNSUCCESSFUL, she's been updating so if you click at the top here "Planning our Happily Ever After" and look for "Wishes in Catsablanca" it should be reasonably close to the top page. She does keep updating! But let me try to link (I'm on a smartphone app so)

 

[andeesings]

Yeah I'm an idiot and I totally can't do it. But you can either search for LittleKittyMarie, that's her name, or in the Planning Our happily Ever after she's on the second page after you click Load more Threads. The thread title is definitely Wishes in Catsablanca (spelled like cat on purpose) you can also search that way.

 

[TiffinyKaye]

I will have to look. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm trying to find examples of superb photography from DPS because my fiance and I are so on the fence about it now. Seriously--we're rethinking the entire Disney wedding. Getting married in Disney is TOTALLY an awesome idea...but only if we have the pictures to look back on. I will NOT pay the arm and a leg that Disney wants if I can't reasonably expect some phenomenal pictures. With all the bad examples I've seen...I think I need some good ones to reassure me that this is still a good idea...

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Anyone else?

 

[andeesings]

Also- why don't you contact some outside photographers and just see what they charge? The nice thing about an outside photographer is that you have some flexibility in terms of what you can do in terms of fitting them within your budget. I'm SURE some would be willing to work with you to fit what you have in mind into your budget. Then perhaps you can stick closer to your wishes minimum and still have a photographer you trust.

 

[elphie101]

Using The Roots is more important to me than having a DFTW - if we had decided to do an at home wedding we still would have contacted them! But I have been following their blog for years so I honestly never considered Disney photography.

You can certainly request a specific photographer - the PJ already mentioned with Cricket's work definitely features the best Disney photography I've seen by someone who's still works there - but the risk is Disney makes no guarantees.

Definitely research outside photographers - they may give a discount if you are a Disney bride, having a weekday wedding, picking a date when they are already in the area, etc. It's also not unheard of for some photogs to work with your budget and change their prices/packages for you can afford.

 

[Sarah727]

I have been talking with an outside vendor--their prices for 7-8 hours are coming in between $2200-$3000. I think that is a pretty standard price. I would not want to roll the dice with who I could get with Disney--and I think their packages start around $3000.

 

[rrali33tt]

IMHO Disney charges way too much money for their photo packages for what they give you. The fact that you don't get to choose who you get as a photographer and that you don't get the rights to your photos is what made me not go with Disney right off that bat. (plus the hefty price tag). The ONLY benefit I saw to using Disney was that you can schedule a MK photoshoot I think 1 year out.

What it comes down to is the style you like. If you have a particular style you cant necessarily choose that with Disney. That made me very uncomfortable. I don't like not knowing what I am paying for.


First, I emailed the popular disbride photographers. ( Randy Chapman, Misty Miotto, the Arndts, Roots, Regina Hyman and many more) tog et a list of their pricing. I then spent countless hours looking at their photos, looking the boards for past brides' photos to see who I liked best and compared the price. I think this approach worked best for me.

My fiancee and I are paying for the entire wedding ourselves and I have a huge family so its costing me a ton. I didnt want to spend 5k on photography. I ended up going with D&V. I wanted two photographers and they had a really good price. After our engagement shoot I knew they were the best choice because they were so easy to work with and my photos came out great.

good luck with your search!

 

[Mel*Pie]

I've been absent from the DFTW board for a while so I don't know if there has been a change... Can you use an outside photographer for in-park portrait sessions and in-park ceremonies/receptions? I'm sorry if this is common knowledge!

 

[lurkyloo]

Only for ceremonies and receptions, not for the Magic Kingdom Bridal Portrait Session.

 

[Mel*Pie]

Nice! What about bridal portraits in the other parks?

 

[Lorelei528]

Nice! What about bridal portraits in the other parks?

I believe this is also a no....

It's just for ceremonies and receptions etc.

 

[lurkyloo]

Right — any kind of shoot that takes place before the park opens has to be done by Disney.

 

[Dvcmbr09]

I was wondering if we plan on having bridal portrait session in both MK and Epcot, could we do MK one morning and Epcot another morning? Reason being I love MK and want photos in park while dark and light out and DF loves Epcot and wants same things there.

 

[holula]

You can do that, we are having our shoots on two different days because of availability. Epcot WS doesn't open until 11am though so if you have a late MK shoot your Epcot pics will probably be in the light anyway.

 

[Mel*Pie]

Right — any kind of shoot that takes place before the park opens has to be done by Disney.

Thanks, Carrie! And thanks, Lorelei528!

I hope they don't change their policy again by the time I eventually start planning. I'm technically not even engaged yet! On the plus side, we did start looking at rings together this past weekend!