wedding planners/photographers/vendors

[Andrea J.]

thanks!!

Originally Posted by leighfrompoole

Hi Andrea,

I was sorry to read that the wedding site is a problem area, but I can certainly see why it is and also the time it must take up. You have your work cut out there, as we say. However, you and the team are certainly appreciated. I have learnt so much about Aruba since I joined this forum and I'm very thankful for that. I take some posts on the forum the way I take Tripadvisor.... In the same week, ten people will love their holiday and rate it five stars and one person will give it one star and say that they will never go there again????? the negatives on the wedding site are very few out of many good ones and some are self-serving with ulterior motives, some will have had a geuinely bad service. Unfortunately, such is life....perhaps we need to go back to the saying: 'If you've got nothing good to say about someone, then don't say anything at all' (or say it constructively) : ) Keep up the good work

Re: about vendors Self promoting/unfair soliciting/ulterior motives...this can be seen a mile off, so therefore ignored by me .... However, if a post is congratulating the vendor for the service they've had then there's the promotion in itself right there and the replies from that vendor are warranted...... ; )

[ricky59]

read many threads, but comment on only a few that i can relate to. in this section the one thing that has bothered me for quite a while. this area has quite a few sketchy threads? for personal self promotion? when i read threads stating this photographer ruined our day, their pictures were bad, etc etc.
the minister was not what we expected, the dj ruined our night, the hotel wedding planner did not have a clue.
sorry if anyone feels offended, but i believe this one section can be very beneficial $$. and also could hurt other's who perform services on the island, some have no clue of this forum's influence, which is not fair.

[Andrea J.]

ricky this is a category that requires much moderator's time and effort.
it is difficult on a good day and on its worst day it is a train wreck.

this category gets many views
and is the category that can be very beneficial for brides and grooms.

the aruba tourism authority is in the process of considering new rules and separate log in for this category.

we have not ruled out " suspected hoax"

we have had in the past, certain vendors undermining other vendors (their competition).

we, the moderators and the ATA have to tread carefully and make sure what we do and say here is appropriate and right on.

some days i wish i had a CLOSE feature for the whole category.

weekend of july 9/10 i spent upwards of 8 hours on this section, and emailing and communicating with the ATA about problems.

it is a chore and i hope all realize that their words can make or break an individual and their business.

Originally Posted by ricky59

read many threads, but comment on only a few that i can relate to. in this section the one thing that has bothered me for quite a while. this area has quite a few sketchy threads? for personal self promotion? when i read threads stating this photographer ruined our day, their pictures were bad, etc etc.
the minister was not what we expected, the dj ruined our night, the hotel wedding planner did not have a clue.
sorry if anyone feels offended, but i believe this one section can be very beneficial $$. and also could hurt other's who perform services on the island, some have no clue of this forum's influence, which is not fair.

[Jason_Margarita]

The worse thing about it, is that Aruba is a very small Island and bad reviews for one vendor affects all of us. I was talking to a bride yesterday who told me, "photographer's down in Aruba are not very good are they? I've been reading aruba.com and they get bad reviews" so it don't matter who gets a good review, what people remember are the bad reviews, and it don't matter who gets it! It might be one specific photographer, but at the end of day "photographer's" in Aruba are bad, and that hurts all of us!!! And this is just one forum, I've been reading bad reviews on theknot, tripadvisor, brides.ca and a few other forums...for some reason the bad reviews get posted EVERYWHERE!!!!

[ricky59]

unfortunate that the hard work by the moderator's is spent policing this area.
this is a great site, and no matter how many times i'm on the island, it's a pleasure reading and commenting on other's.

[Andrea J.]

lisa and i thank you for your kind words

[Arubalisa]

We are volunteers trying to do the best that we are able.

Andrea deserves 99% of the applause and appreciation.

[Andrea J.]

Thank lisa. Untrue though

[pillaijetti]

Jason, I wouldnt worry so much about one bad review for on vendor. When we read good reviews after good reviews about a certain vendor ( ahem, ahem.... not naming any names here) we just formed a good impression in our minds. In any industry there will be bad apples/ They do not necessarily pull every one else down. Whoever asked you out of all people to confirm that a photographers there are not good, lol, did not do their research or just wasnt thinking straight for that moment.