One of the first things to do after setting a wedding date and booking a venue is to hire the photographer. A good wedding photographer can be booked up to 9 months in advance so it isn’t something you want to wait on. But how do you hire a photographer if you’re planning a destination wedding?
A great starting point for finding a photographer that is asking the venue for their list of local recommendations. Using this as a starting point, you can see if any of the photographers resonate with you.
Look through all of their wedding albums and see if their style matches the visions that you have in your head. You want someone that’s compatible, and that can deliver quality work.
Hiring a wedding photographer is more difficult when you can’t meet with them face to face. Being able to talk and discuss wedding plans, ideas and interviewing them is a great way to see if they can meet your high standards.
You may find that it is actually easier to hire a destination wedding photographer.
Those are photographers who are willing to travel to the location of the wedding and take your photos. This means that you can look at and meet with talented photographers, and choose one to come with you for your big day.
If you have a favorite wedding photographer who lives in another state or country, you can hire them too. That’s what’s really great about destination wedding photographers, you aren’t limited to just one spot. You can choose someone from anywhere!
What to look for in a destination wedding photographer
Experience
Whether it’s a destination wedding or not, you always want an experienced wedding photographer. Someone who has done weddings before and knows the timeline. They understand the rush and can help you feel at ease.
Not only that, but you need a photographer that is able to shoot in the area your wedding is being hosted. There’s a big difference between taking photos in the city and taking photos in a tropical environment. Your photographer needs to be able to prepare for both to ensure that there isn’t a mechanical failure and that the photos turn out great.
Willing to travel early
If you’re taking your wedding photographer to a new-to-them place, it’s really helpful that they arrive a few days early. This gives them a chance to scout out the local area and venue. Which means that when you’re ready for your pictures, they’ll already know where to go and what to do to get the best shots.
It also means that you don’t have to worry about them getting lost on your big day. Scheduling their flight too close to the wedding day could result in plane delays and not having a photographer at the wedding.
They work with you on the budget
Good photographers are worth their weight in gold, and sometimes paying for them can feel like just that. A good photographer will help you with the budgeting. Let them know what you can afford, and see if they have packages or payment plans available to help ease the cost.
Traveling with your photographer means the added expenses of their travel, lodging, and possibly other needs. Your destination wedding photographer should help you to know the exact costs that you’ll be expected to pay so that there are no surprises and you can budget accordingly.
Talent and Style
Make sure that when looking through your photographer’s wedding albums, you look for their style. Every photographer has their own way of doing things, and it should be easy to spot a trend. Are they more “in the moment” catching candid shots or do they stick with more basic poses? Consider their style and make sure that it matches your own.
Also, make sure to look at their whole portfolio and not just the favorited images online. This will help you see if their quality is cohesive. You want to look for someone who isn’t heavy-handed with the editing as that could be a sign of covering up for a lack of experience.
Compatible with you
When looking for your wedding photographer you should look for one that is so compatible with you that you feel you could be friends in real life. If you think you can see yourself sipping cocktails or catching a football game together, they might just be your perfect cameraman.
After all, they’re going to your wedding and spending 90% of the day with you. They’ll share in your nerves, tears, smiles, and frustrations. They’re going to meet your closest friends and family too. The more connected you feel to them, the more comfortable you’ll be, and you’ll see the results in the photos.
Remember to ask how long you really have them for
You paid to bring them to the location days in advance and probably have them staying 1 or 2 days after the wedding too, so how long do you really have them for? Do you get to keep them all day/night if the events run long?
If your wedding photographer offers it, ask about capturing the moments up until the wedding and the first day after. This way you will have photos showing your whole wedding story and not just a day from it. Thereby making more memories shareable with future generations.
Hiring a wedding photographer is one of the most expensive things you’ll pay for.
Unlike cake, flowers, decor, and music, you won’t be able to eat, smell, see or hear it until after the wedding is over. Meaning that there needs to be a great level of trust between you and your photographer. You can’t go back in time and relive the wedding day over, so make sure you take the time to choose a destination wedding photographer that is right for you.
