As you mentioned, if I have to use mySQL, isn't it better for me
to go with PHP+mySQL - easier to learn and deploy? Can I just
start out with a framework like Symphony instead?
Well, if all you have is PHP + MySQL in your provider, there is no
"which is better" question, is it?
You might want to look at http://phptal.org/ a library that provides
a templating system similar to ZPT. The advantage is the better
separation between presentation and business layers.