Hiring a photographer for your destination wedding

Sep 2, 2021

Hiring a destination wedding photographer comes with more logistics than hiring one at home. Marrying far from home lets you celebrate in a place you will never forget, and your photos are a big part of how you remember it.

A couple in white walking apart through long rows of lavender in the low sun

Once you have chosen your venue, move quickly on the photographer. Here is what to check when you hire one for a wedding far from home.

Check whether the venue has its own photographer

A château dining room set with round tables, pink flower arrangements and a crystal chandelier

Ask the venue whether you can bring the photographer you want. Some venues prefer their own, and some include one in the price that you cannot cancel. Their style may not be yours, so check this before you sign with the venue.

Choose a photographer you like, local or travelling

If the venue lets you bring your own photographer, you still need one whose work speaks to you. Start by asking couples who married at the same place who they chose. Otherwise, search for photographers local to the venue, or for destination wedding photographers who work there.

A couple embracing among rows of lavender as the sun sets behind them

Ask about travel and hotel costs

A destination wedding means arranging travel and rooms for your guests and for the suppliers covering your day. Many photographers make it simpler with packages that include most or all of their expenses as well as their fee.

Others quote only for the photography and add their travel costs to the final invoice. You can agree a travel budget with them in advance. Keep in mind that a discount usually means fewer hours or fewer photos.

My prices include travel within France. For a wedding outside France, I quote travel for that wedding.

Ask when your photographer will arrive

Many couples think of the photographer only for the ceremony and reception. At a destination wedding, especially somewhere far away, you will probably want them for more than one event, so make sure they arrive at least a day before. Maria and Max came from the USA for three days at Château Belle Époque, near Bordeaux, and my second photographer and I photographed all of it, from the barbecue by the pool on the first day to Sunday brunch.

Maria and Max kissing at the edge of the pool in front of the old glasshouse at Château Belle Époque

More on this in my article on destination wedding pros and cons.

Destination or local photographer?

Bring a photographer from elsewhere if you love their style: the cost can be the same as a local one, or even lower. Take as long as you need to choose. Many couples only think about it once they compare their photos with other couples’.

On a tight budget, a local photographer makes sense: it is a competitive field with a lot of talent. Photographers who travel either ask you to cover their travel or include it in their price, so compare like with like. At a popular venue, you will find both easily.

Watch for upselling and hidden costs

If you like a photographer’s work and they have the package you want, stick with it. Professionals are upfront about their costs, and you should not accept any charge that is not in the contract.

My full days are 10 hours from €2,800, or 12 hours for €3,100, and everything is on the packages page.