How to choose your Destination Wedding Photographer.

If you are dreaming about a destination wedding, you probably are thinking about the incredible Tuscan hills filled with vineyards.

Perhaps walking down the aisle surrounded by ancient olive trees in Puglia or Spain.

Or saying your “I do”s standing at the end of a white pavement overlooking the Mediterranean sea in Greece.

No matter where you see yourself saying your vows, the images built in you mind are breathtaking landscapes creating the perfect background for your wedding photos.

And there are many questions looking for answers when it comes to choose the perfect destination wedding photographer.

As I have been lucky enough to capture some weddings around the World I gathered  some questions I got asked over the years by my couples, and I tried to answer them.

• What is the most important thing I should search in a destination wedding photographer?

When it comes to choose your destination wedding photographer, trustworthiness is the best quality to look for.

Trust can be built from the consultation, possibly face to face, through the engagement photoshoot, to the creation of the wedding album.

Remember that the communication between the couple and their suppliers is pivotal and can turn the result of your special day into your dream wedding.

With good communication you can build the trust you need and the confidence that every piece will fall into the right path.

I won’t lie, I heard terrible stories by my clients forced to choose a supplier recommended by the venue, without having the chance to brief them properly and, ultimately, didn’t deliver what they were looking for.

• Do I choose a photographer based in my home town or abroad?

This is a tough question.

When it comes to choose your wedding photographer, generally, you need to take in consideration their style first.

With a destination wedding style is even more important because it is different in each country.

This means that couples could not get the style they are used to in their hometown. Therefore may not like the style of a photographer in a foreigner country.

For example, this is one of the reason I was hired to photograph a destination wedding by couples living in the UK: my style suited better what they were used to and were looking for.

• Is the language a real obstacle?

Short answer, I’m afraid, it is.

The lack of communication or not being able to understand each other could drive your photographer into missing some important moments for you.

For example, one of my dearest clients hired for her Spanish destination wedding a photographer recommended by the venue who could speak little English.

This led to having the majority of guests who couldn’t understand him while giving directions nor they could interact when moments arose.

Thankfully this doesn’t happen all the time, but it is important to take language barrier into consideration.

Bonus Tip: if the photographer is bilingual, English and the language spoken in your chosen country for your destination wedding, it’s a plus!

• Is it not more expensive to take a photographer from my hometown abroad?

It all depends where the photographer is based.

However nowadays (even with all Covid restrictions) travelling abroad is cheap enough that couples can actually fly the photographer from their hometown without breaking the bank.

• Do they need to know well the venue?

This recommendation works well for any weddings, not just for the destination ones.

Ideally it would be good for the photographer to know the venue or the area where the wedding is taking place.

However, photographers who have been in a venue many times tent to reproduce the same photo over and over again. The result is that couples could ended up with the same photos of someone else’s, losing its uniqueness.

Instead of asking whether or not your destination photographer has worked in a certain venue, I’d rather checked if they will have a walk around the location beforehand in order to be ready for your big day.

Where do you stand?

I am a destination wedding photographer based in London, UK, which is useful when it comes to build the trust you need for your destination wedding.

Nonetheless I was also born and raised in Italy, which means I am perfectly bilingual Italian and English, which came handy in the past to coordinate groups speaking different languages.

On top of that the bilingualism can give an extra help on the wedding day to couples. For example, if you are planning to get married in Italy, I can be an important bridge between you and everyone working at the venue .

Especially when it comes to destination weddings in Italy, I know I can move easily around because I know well my people, my country and my culture.

Any last tips?

Choosing a photographer who is based in your hometown can be useful to build the trust you need for your wedding day but also it gives you more chances to tell your story.

Getting married in a foreign country can give your wedding day the exotic look you dreamt of but having your engagement photoshoot in your hometown narrates the full love story of you and your partner.

If you are looking for some wedding inspirations why don’t you check out some of the destination weddings I photograph, such as the incredible seaside wedding of Claudia and Paolo or the rustic and intimate italian wedding of Freya and James?

If you have already a good idea of how your wedding will look like and want to get in touch you can simply follow this link.