Hiring a photographer for your destination wedding

When you finally decide to get married with the person you love, you want everything to look perfect. Your wedding photos are a big part of the memory you will create, that’s why so many people enjoy a destination wedding. It gives them the chance to marry in a unique location and celebrate their union in a place no one will forget. It is a challenge, but one that offers a lot of rewards in the long run, especially when it comes to shared experiences.

Once you have chosen the best venue for your destination wedding, you need to move fast and pick the best photographer for that particular day. In the following lines, we are going to discuss how to hire a destination wedding photographer, because when you marry in a place that is far from home, you need to handle quite a bit of logistics. There is a lot you need to consider when it comes to having the right photographer in your chosen location.

Check if the venue has a photographer and if you like him

One of the many reasons why people hire wedding planners is because there is a lot you need to keep track of. If you are planning a destination wedding, you will want to check with the venue to make sure they allow the photographer you want to work there. A lot of these places would prefer that you choose their own talent, but usually they are not fitting your style. Keep in mind that many venues choose to work with their professional, that included in price and you can not cancel his service.

You probably want to hire a destination wedding photographer or local rather than from the venue

If your venue of choice doesn’t have any issue with you bringing over the photographer you want, you still have to find a professional that resonates with you. If you don’t have a clear idea about whom you should hire, first thing you can do is to ask people who have married in the same place about their choice of photographer. If not, just search for the local tallent in google or for the destination wedding photographer.

Consider any additional expenses? (Travel and hotel fee)

As we have already stated, destination weddings demand a lot of logistics. You will have to make arrangements related to transportation and lodging for your guests, as well as the vendors covering your wedding. A lot of photographers make these arrangements easier on the couple by offering a series of wedding photography packages. These packages include almost if not all of the photographer’s expenses as well as their commissioned fee.

All my prices includes travel fee and any expences around the Europe. If your wedding is outside Europe, there can be additional costs.

Other photographers hand over quotes that only cover for their photography services. They are the ones that will remind their clients at all moments that they’ll bill all additional expenses related to their trip on their final invoice. You can come to an agreement with them about the budget they will be handling. Keep in mind that asking for rebates also decreases the amount of time or the number of photos they will be taking of the wedding.
How many days in advance your photographer will arrive

A lot of people think they will be hiring a wedding photographer just for the wedding and reception event. If you are planning a destination wedding, especially on an exotic location, you will probably need the photographer for more than one occasion. Make sure your selected photographer arrive at least 1 day before the wedding.

You can read more about destination wedding in my article: Destination Wedding Pros and Cons

Cons of destination wedding photographer

You love his style, the cost is the same or cheaper than the local one, they are more artistic.
Take as long as you need to choose the right photographer. This is not something that many people take their time thinking about, especially when they compare their wedding photos to the ones of other couples. A lot of photographers are very talented and have a great imagination when it comes to taking unique pictures.

Going local is just good business sense if you are on a limited budget. Wedding photographers is a genuinely competitive field and one that is full of talented folks. Remember that hiring outside talent can cost a smaller amount of money. Some of them ask you to cover travel costs and other expenses, but some include this in their price. If you are getting married in a popular venue, finding a destination photographer will not be that difficult.

To give you a price idea of local photographers, I made own reseach around Europe and USA:

My price for All-Day Europe Destination Wedding is starting from 1500 Eur.

Be careful with wedding photographers that try to upsell their services. If you like their work and they have a package that you want, stick to your choice. Remember those who are true professionals are very upfront about their expenses, so you don’t have to accept any hidden charges that are not in the contract.