FYI for Houston photographers re: Hotel Zaza

[LadyShutterBug]

If your bride is getting ready at Hotel Zaza, and wants you to shoot "before" pics in the hotel room, be forewarned that this is against Hotel Zaza's policy and they have begun enforcing it. My bride was not informed of this policy when she checked in-- evidently it is in the fine print on the document you sign at check-in.

If she is having her wedding there, obviously it's no problem.

If she is not having her wedding there, my best advice to you is to inform her of this policy. If you're the gamblin' rule-breaker type, take a small bag that conceals your gear, walk directly to the elevator, and go directly to your bride's room. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not make eye contact with the front desk staff. Do so at your own risk, because you are not a hotel guest and can be asked to leave or charged with trespassing.

I try not to bother my bride via phone on the wedding day (many of them don't even have their phones turned on)... so I walked to the front desk and asked for her room number. They located her room and would not give me the info (understandable) and said they would call to get her permission. I was asked for my name, which I provided. I was then asked "and why do you need access to her room?" so I responded that I was her wedding photographer. I was immediately reprimanded with the whole "we don't allow that" business... so I responded that the bride is certainly not aware of that, so I needed them to discuss it with her.

I would like to clarify that I was NOT asking to photograph in any of the common areas of the hotel, just in the bride's suite. I made this abundantly clear to the front desk person.

I have never had any complications at any hotel with this sort of stuff (Omni, Houstonian, St. Regis, Icon, Magnolia, Intercontinental, Four Seasons... none of them bat an eye), but my bride had a real issue at Zaza this weekend.

After 45 minutes of, *ahem* "negotiation" on the part of the bride, her sister, and her coordinator... the manager finally said, "she may go up with ONE SMALL CAMERA, but she cannot take that equipment up there." I was in disbelief that they would speak to a guest on her wedding day in the manner they did.

I had a rolling pelican case (1560) and a small monopod (seriously, a small one, it's used as the flash stick). I'm not sure what they were afraid of. I don't really get into that case for the before stuff, I just had it with me because I don't like leaving it in the car. I think they just finally caved because the arguing parties were so persistent. Luckily we had a pretty loose timeline and were able to work around the lengthy delay.

At any rate, consider yourself warned.

[Tom]

It has been like that for a couple years. Another reason to like the Think Tank Airport Security - it looks like pretty much any black roller bag.

I've heard that a staffer noticed flash going off from the window at night, lighting up over and over from outside and they shut down a photog that had rented a room to shoot boudoir.

[LadyShutterBug]

I guess luckily I haven't had an issue until now... but seriously. WHACK.

I can get behind them not wanting someone doing a true "photo shoot" in their rooms, especially boudoir (although honestly, as brandy-brand-branding as they are with their over-the-top and sensuous/sinful/spoily stuff, it seems like they cater to that kind of crowd)... but the more pj stuff that is really and truly about the subject and not the decor? Seems petty. I guess they've chosen to be all or nothing.

[hdctx]

Telling a guest, a bride no less, that her photographer isn't allowed to shoot her getting ready is way over the top. Maybe that should be posted on all the wedding boards. The drop in bookings might change their minds. Short sighted, shallow minded .....

[kayumangi]

Originally Posted by hdctx

Telling a guest, a bride no less, that her photographer isn't allowed to shoot her getting ready is way over the top. Maybe that should be posted on all the wedding boards. The drop in bookings might change their minds. Short sighted, shallow minded .....

Slight misunderstanding Dave. The policy only applies to "guests" who are NOT having their wedding done at the Zaza. If your bride is having her reception there, you pretty much have access anywhere.

Hilton Americans has the same policy for a quite a few years now too. If clients really want a hotel setting, Hotel Icon is very very accommodating, or even maybe a more private place like the Rice Lofts.

[auddii]

Originally Posted by kayumangi

Slight misunderstanding Dave. The policy only applies to "guests" who are NOT having their wedding done at the Zaza. If your bride is having her reception there you pretty much have access anywhere.

True, but it seems that the getting ready photos are fairly standard. If a bride wants those photos but is not having her wedding and/or reception at the Hotel Zaza, then she should not plan on staying there that night or at least have an alternate place to get ready.

Finding out the night before when you sign in your check in forms (if you read all the fine print) really limits your options. If brides want getting ready pictures, they may choose other hotels to stay at the day before/night of the wedding, and that's bad for Zaza's business, but that's their choice.

[groovyone]

There are threads about this dating back a couple years. It seem it has been their policy for some time now.

[kayumangi]

Originally Posted by auddii

True, but it seems that the getting ready photos are fairly standard. If a bride wants those photos but is not having her wedding and/or reception at the Hotel Zaza, then she should not plan on staying there that night or at least have an alternate place to get ready.

Finding out the night before when you sign in your check in forms (if you read all the fine print) really limits your options. If brides want getting ready pictures, they may choose other hotels to stay at the day before/night of the wedding, and that's bad for Zaza's business, but that's their choice.

I don't think Hotel Zaza will be loosing much. In fact, I think it's another selling point for them to compel brides to have their wedding reception held there, artsy decor and all, I dunno just guessing.

[hdctx]

My point was that whatever they gain, they are shooting themselves in the foot and unnecessarily angering guests and potential customers. The bride they jerked around will tell her friends and probably never, ever stay in a Zaza property again.

[brad]

It was a draconian response to a real problem - elaborate photo shoots of boudoir sets using their decor as the backdrop. There was some scuttlebutt about damage to the rooms, etc.. as well as heavy furniture being moved.. noise in adjacent and below rooms.. so they reacted by shutting down all photography. Yes, harsh... not arguing that point.

Hopefully they will relax the policy some as things like this happen... but I don't expect them to sign off on having anything elaborate in their rooms again.

[LadyShutterBug]

Originally Posted by kayumangi

I don't think Hotel Zaza will be loosing much. In fact, I think it's another selling point for them to compel brides to have their wedding reception held there, artsy decor and all, I dunno just guessing.

i doubt it will make or break anyone's decision to have a wedding there (it's pricey and you're either that type or you aren't). they're small and boutique enough that they aren't concerned.

[S-Man]

I feel I should add my $.10 from my experience this past weekend, because I had no idea what to expect since I had never shot there before.

I was hired to cover an anniversary party there, and this is what I learned.

If you have a lot of gear, such as a setup for a photobooth, you'll have to unload at the commercial loading dock, then go park (two blocks away) walk (run, if you're not there extra early) back to the hotel, pick up your gear (hope it's still there), borrow a wheeled flatbed truck, squeeze through the hallways and into the small elevators, and have to do the same thing at the end of the night.
Just be sure to get there at least an hour early regardless of the amount of gear you have. Between parking and walking back to the hotel and finding your location, it's going to take you some time.

It's really, REALLY dark in there. (At least in the two ball rooms/Dining Room I was in). Be sure you have plenty of lighting gear. (I have plenty of light, but something was making my Cybersyncs act up. They weren't firing consistently, but the next day they worked like a charm. I can only suspect some type of interference in the rooms I was in.)

Don't venture out of the rooms you're hired to shoot in, since a giant in a suit with an earpiece will scold you about how you're not allowed to take pictures of the hotel.

Does anyone know where to get a policies list from them? Just to have on record?

[LadyShutterBug]

I would just ask your clients to provide their policies. They don't mind you shooting around the hotel if the event is being held there... Even the magnificent seven suites if they aren't occupied. The desk staff asked if I had filled out paperwork, evidently the event staff has something for photogs to sign. This was not the case last time I shot a wedding there (September of last year).

My husband has worked the photo booth there a few times. He takes his own wheels so it hasnt been an issue. He generally arranges with the valets to have his truck easily accessible. We still giggle about the coordinator who misunderstood the size of the booth and had actually gone so far as to arrange for lifting the booth up and through a window, lol. Uh, yeah, it fits in an elevator.

[FireHeart Photography]

I just shot a wedding there with no issues at all - the staff was very accomidating to me and my assistant... my bride was on the piano in the lobby and no one said anything to us. Security is very tight there as they have many high profile clients - we did see two ladies of the evening getting arrested as we were leaving for soliciting under cover cops... it's an interesting place to shoot and would do it again... I met with the hotel manager and catering coordinator in a pre meeting with my bride... they said I was welcome to shoot there anytime just let them know... so got a completely different vibe than what the OP's experience was. My bride was also dropping about 25k for her 40 guest wedding there so maybe that made a difference too.

[LadyShutterBug]

Originally Posted by FireHeart Photography

I just shot a wedding there with no issues at all - the staff was very accomidating to me and my assistant... my bride was on the piano in the lobby and no one said anything to us. Security is very tight there as they have many high profile clients - we did see two ladies of the evening getting arrested as we were leaving for soliciting under cover cops... it's an interesting place to shoot and would do it again... I met with the hotel manager and catering coordinator in a pre meeting with my bride... they said I was welcome to shoot there anytime just let them know... so got a completely different vibe than what the OP's experience was. My bride was also dropping about 25k for her 40 guest wedding there so maybe that made a difference too.

as i mentioned before, this is not an issue if your bride is getting married at the hotel. the reason i started the thread was to warn others who may have brides GETTING READY at the hotel. they will not allow you to take pictures IN THE ROOM while the bride is having makeup done, dressing, etc. and in most cases, the brides will not be aware of this.

it's fairly standard for brides to want the photojournalistic "before" pics, and i have never had an issue with it at any other hotel.