So you have decided to get married abroad. Some might think about beautiful beaches in Mexico or Brazil. Some might think about the beautiful castles in Germany or even about the extraordinary landscapes in Italy. No matter where your dream wedding might take place, it is not always easy to know how to choose your destination wedding photographer… But it is not as hard as you may think! That’s why we prepared some great tips that might make your life a little bit easier (:
How to choose your Destination Wedding Photographer
TIMING IS IMPORTANT
Deciding for a destination wedding is not so hard. After all, it is a dream come true for a lot of couples to think about all the possibilities that a destination wedding provides! However, this is the same reason why you will have to be ready to spend a little extra time for planning and figuring out the details.
After you decide your wedding venue and the date of the wedding, it is really important to find someone that will eternize your big day. And why should this be a priority? Well, usually brides and grooms book up their wedding photographer with at least one year in advance. When it’s about destination weddings this can happen even earlier. So if photography is an important thing for you, it should be one of the first things you decide. And since the wedding photos will be the only thing left after your wedding, why not make sure you get it right?
THE PRICE OF A GOOD WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Take your time researching your options and hire the best photographer you can afford. Even if it means cutting back some other areas that are less of a priority… I know that expensive doesn’t necessarily mean quality and you might be lucky enough to find an inexpensive photographer with a great work. But usually experience and quality are related to price. And you get what you pay for…
I’ve seen brides crying of happiness and emotion when they receive their wedding photos and albums, but I’ve also heard about couples regretting deeply of not making more effort to have a good photographer. It might sound obvious that I am saying that since, well, I am a wedding photographer. But this is the same advise that I give to all my closest friends and family. So, please don’t make the same mistake as these couples.
Now let’s see some practical advise about how to choose your destination wedding photographer.
LOCAL OR DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
The first thing is to decide if you want to have a photographer in the region you will get married or if you will take your photographer with you. If you are getting married in a resort it is common that they will offer you a partner photographer. But usually, they do that to maximize their profits and, most of the time, this is not the best choice. So if you are considering this, first ask to see a complete wedding photographed by the resort photographer to make sure you like the style. It is important to have with you someone that will register your wedding in a way that you will be happy to see later.
Another option is choosing a local photographer by your own research. This is not easy, since it’s most likely you will not know anyone who got married there that can give you advice… So why not ask google or instagram? These could be good places to start. There are also great associations that list the best photographers of any region, like Fearless Photographers, ISPWP and WPJA. The pros of finding a local photographer is that probably you will have no (or less) adicional expenses and they usually know the secret hotspots of the area. The con is that, being used to photograph in that place they could work in “auto-pilot”.
You can also fly a photographer from your hometown or another country. The nice thing is that when you think about a destination wedding photographer, you can thing about anyone in the world. You are not limited to the wedding photographers in your destination. Of course that this might increase a little bit the costs of the photographer, but if you really love their work then it’s something to think about. When I got married in Germany I brought a photographer from Brazil and one from Portugal ♥. I know that a good photographer don’t need to see the venue before taking any pictures. Actually, being in a place for the first time could be a great source of inspiration…
That’s why I believe if you find someone that blow your mind with the beauty of their photography and that lives close to the wedding venue, you probably have a winner!
FINDING YOUR STYLE
With so many photographers around the globe sometimes it’s hard to know what you really like. Vintage, alternative, romantic, modern, documentary, classic… Don’t get lost trying to figure out exactly which style fits you. Instead let your heart decide. It’s sounds cheese, I KNOW! But how could you choose better the one that will register one of the biggest days of your life? If you love the pictures and can say that you wish these were your wedding photos, then you know it: that’s your style. Even if sometimes you cannot really explain why you love it so much. Is it the colour? The angle? The fact that you have a lot of fun watching the pictures? All you know is that your are touched. By photos of strangers. And that’s enough.
IT’S ALL ABOUT CONNECTION
Although it is super important to find a photographer that has your style, it is even more important to find someone you feel comfortable with. Your wedding photographer will spend most of the day with you, and will be close to your family and friends. So it doesn’t matter if you will meet in person or over Skype, but make sure that you spend a little time with them to see how you feel. This will not only guarantee a better time for you in your big day, but will also influence in how the pictures will look like.
Don’t you love those spontaneous moments photos? It’s all about connection!
So now you have all the information about how to choose your destination wedding photographer to make a good decision. What are you waiting for? Send me a message and let’s talk!