Wellingotn peeps, can you recommend

Well after reading the new rules and the clarification of a certain question (quoted below)

Katherine wrote: tictacjunkie wrote: Hmm, half the questions I ask involve asking "does anyone know of a good...Blah Blah?". Or recommending certain brands of wipes etc for sensitive skin which as a parent of children with severe eczema I know it's hard to find that info. So is that not allowed now? Or what about statements like "I prefer sleepsuits to gowns"? Or I went to BlahBlah movie & it was crap? Thank you for bringing this up. There is a pretty clear difference between someone posting something like, for example, "My sister has opened a new baby shop in Wellington named XYZ, go check it out!" and something like, "Can you recommend some good baby shops in Wellington?" Product reviews should be posted in our Product Review boards, but in general, recommendations -- as long as they are genuine personal opinions -- are not frowned upon.

I would like recommendations of accommodation in the central Wellington area (preferably CBD) with two bedrooms

and

A photographer in the Wellington region as I want to get both glamor shots and family photos while we are down on holiday.

TIA

lilfatty, I can personally recommend Simon Hoyle of Southlight Studio in Wellington. He has done a few shots for the magazine in the past, and I've found him to be amazing. If I lived in Wellington, I'd go to him for my family photos.

Our talented magazine photographer Fiona Tomlinson does travel -- it would be worth getting in touch with her to see if she's planning to do any shoots in Wellington anytime in the near future. Her website is www.fionatomlinson.co.nz. She does the vast majority of our photography shoots for the magazine and she is wonderful, with a great manner.

Have you checked out wot if.

There are the Brandon Street apartments, self-contained accommodation with 2 bedrooms.
They're located off Lambton Quay near Kirkaldies.

If your going for the weekend, most hotels have cheap deals, as welly is pretty dead on the weekend.

If your after more hotel style, James Chancellor is good, they have a good weekend rate.

Depends on if you want to be down Lambton Quay end or Courtney Place, Manner Mall.

The Duxton does a great weekend rate close to Courtney Place, there's also Central City Apartments on Dixon Street they're self contained accommodation too.

I've stayed at all of them, and they're all really comfy.

The only place I stayed that wasn't up to scratch was IBIS pretty average and my room stunk.

Photographers talk to the guys at Wellington Photographic Supplies (WPS) they have a few photographers working from there who aren't expensive.

Our wedding photographer was Stuart Maclaren. He had great ideas for shots that were a bit quirky and wqas great to work with. His website is maclarenphoto.co.nz . Also, a friend of my sisters has just started doing this sort of stuff, is really reasonable and you get all your shots on a cd. She did some for us when we were down recently and of the ones we've seen, they look pretty good.  If you want her details, let me know.

I hear Kylie Cassidy is good. Infact, she is coming to ChCh in Nov to take pics. Super excited. She is here on the 6th of Nov.

oh bums, I thought my idea was really good

Oh and photos = Kylie, I wanted her to do Lily's NB pics but she came early so the money for her pics ended up going on an almost never used breast pump!

Or Woolf Photography up Cable Car Lane next to the cable car, they did MY baby photos! And my photos used to be their selling poster but they're a bit $$.

Would also recommend Simon Hoyle but I think his studio is out in Eastbourne so a bit of a road trip from the CBD (or you can take the Eastbourne Ferry).

Esther Bunning was the Wgtn photog of the year last year - I haven't used her but friends have and her work is stunning. Good for glamour and family shots.

I also hear Jo Frances is a good family photographer - not sure if she does glamour though.

Thanks clover .. I was looking at the Quest, so thats good to know.