You have planned the dream wedding of a lifetime in a far off destination where friends and family will join you from around the world.. You know you should have a photographer to capture the event, but are not sure the smartest way to plan for such a special occasion. There is a lot to consider, so here are some tips and advice for finding and choosing a photographer for a destination wedding of distinction.
You are in a tough position. Your planning a wedding from a distant location and you may not even be able to go the venue or resort your wedding will take place at to do any pre-wedding planning. It looks as though you will have to rely on your party planner, or the resort that will be hosting your wedding for making major decisions.
Relying on your resources. Not always a good idea.
Resorts will almost always have staff photographers or local artists to recommend for couples getting married. However, more often than not, the availability of talent can often be limited if you are planning a wedding in many destinations such Mexico, the Caribbean, or other exotic destination.
If you have hired an event planner to produce the event, you might be surprised to learn that many event planners are not in the know of who is who in the wedding industry. Most event producers tend to stick with their old reliable contacts rather than reaching for something fresh and new unless the client pushes the issue. While this can be good, because they have a relationship, it may not always be in your best interest. Mention a few notable people in the industry based on your own research, and you may find that the planner in fact does not know much if anything about who is the best in their field. More times than not, you do not choose a planner for the choices they have available. You choose a planner based on their ability to carry through with event design, organization, and timeline as that is the real job of a great planner. There are there to make sure the details of the wedding day are not overlooked.
Flying in the talent
More often than not, hiring a photographer to fly to your destination wedding is your best option for both quality and peace of mind. It makes sense because unlike other services for the wedding experience, photography is the product that you work on after the event is over. Having the ability to meet with the photographer in person to discuss albums and options makes a lot of sense opposed to trying to reach them by phone in a foreign country. It is also the only way of knowing that you have hired a photographer capable of capturing the experience you and your guests are having to a high standard.
Considerations
There are a lot of things to take into consideration when hiring a destination-wedding photographer. Are they used to traveling with 30+ thousand dollars worth of equipment? Are they comfortable being in a poor country with all of this equipment? Believe it or not, when you carry around tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment your life can be in danger in foreign countries. I can remember a time while on assignment in the Caribbean when hotel employees tried to break into our room just after midnight seeking our equipment. My wife was in the shower, and I startled the men when I caught them and they ran off. This was at a five star resort, so it can happen just about anywhere. Imagine if your wedding photographs were in the camera bag and they did succeed? You may think of this as a dream assignment, and you would be right. But it is work, and it is stress for the photographer to be responsible for the equipment, and in turn your wedding photographs. Therefore it is important to hire a photographer that takes the job seriously and one that knows the consequences of leaving their cameras unattended.
It is smart to have your wedding photographer arrive a day early and leave two days after the event. Arriving early makes sure that if the airline industry has a meltdown, they can find a way to get there on time. Staying late allows your photographer the time to backup your photographs to multiple disks. You never want your photographer to put film or digital chips through an airport scanner if it isn’Äôt backed up on a hard drive or a CD. It is possible for it to be erased if they do.
Have your photographer stay in the same resort as the wedding. The truth is, you want your photographer to have creature comforts and feel fantastic about the wedding experience. Never put your photographer up in a dive down the street while guests stay at a five star resort. It just makes sense that if they are living the experience, they can convey it on film much better than if they are not.
Make sure that if transportation needs to be provided that it is readily available. I remember a wedding my wife and I were photographing in Trinidad. The wedding was for the owner of the hotel we were staying in. They did not plan on transportation and called a taxi to take us to the brides house. Not only did the driver not speak English, he also had no idea where he was going. All worked out in the end, but it was a mistake that could have easily gone wrong.
Weekend and Honeymoon Coverage
There is no doubt that you are going to want your memories of this occasion covered at peak. Many couples think beyond the wedding itself having their photographer photograph rehearsal dinner and a guest brunch the day after the wedding. Or better yet, have your photographer cover a week of special events on your honeymoon and create a honeymoon album filled with romance, scenery, and details. It is always good to ask about it, because you may find that the photographer finds a way to make it worth your while.
Destination weddings are incredibly exciting, which is all the more reason wedding photography should be a priority that stands above all else. After all, you will want to remember this amazing experience with the utmost clarity. Although a lot to consider, these tips should make you think with more depth about the importance of thinking things through and few tips about how to make sure your destination wedding is photographed with style.
Biography; Charles Maring
Celebrity photographer Charles Maring is among the worlds most famous wedding photographers capturing the weddings that make the headlines. He is a foremost expert in digital photography and among the dream team of International educators, and wedding experts. Charles and his wife Jennifer serve Manhattan, New England, and the world creating inspiring photographs that are published widely. Creators of Together In Style an online wedding talk show, the Marings are bringing expert advice to the table from professionals in every area of expertise. Charles divides his professional and person time between his Manhattan and Connecticut homes with his wife Jennifer. Visit Charles personal web site at www.maringphoto.com to view his photography and learn more.