35 Photography Tips for Destination Weddings

1. DO allow time to do formal portraits alone. I know this sounds obvious, but since a destination wedding is such a nontraditional experience, couples often forget to allow time to run around and do portraits. — Laura Grier

2. DON’T be rigid. Hire a photography professional who you know will do a good job and whom you are comfortable with, and leave the rest up to fate. — Elizabeth Belts Kauffman

3. DO be yourself. Destination weddings are exciting and fun. You’ll feel like you’re on the best vacation of your life. Just be yourself and enjoy your day; the pictures will reflect the happiness of it. — Eugenio Wilman

4. DON’T be cheap. If you think you’ll get unforgettable images from a friend or amateur who will sell you the image files for $1,000, you are sorely mistaken. Professional photographers have to make a living from their work. If they’re truly professional, you should to expect to pay professional rates. Trust me, there’s a reason well-regarded photographers charge what they do. They deserve it, and they can get it because they are in demand. But in the end, they are worth every penny if your photography is important to you. But let me add that photography isn’t that important to everyone, and that’s completely OK. I would say if you honestly just want a few snapshots of the ceremony, find the cheapest thing you can. But if remembering the day is important to you, a professional will make all the difference you can imagine. In the end, the photography is the only thing that’s truly going to last from that day. And here is the kicker: Good photography is not for today or even next year. Photography is for 10 years from now, for 20 years from now — when you want to be able to look back on your day or show your children what your wedding was really like. Truly great images become heirlooms. — Barry Nelson

5. DO bring your own photographer. Usually you get so much more for your money. I tell my brides and grooms that if they put me up for additional days on the trip, I’ll have my camera on those days and will document all of the fun, not just the wedding day — which I think is the entire point of destination weddings. So they get a photographer for multiple days for the price of my usual one-day wedding rates, plus travel costs. Such a deal! — Laura Grier

6. DON’T fixate on posed photos. Art happens when you let the day unfold and you’re able to capture the completely unexpected moments! — Emma Dodge Hanson

7. DO capture whoever is the oldest one there. In five years, you’ll be grateful for the moment three generations of women were together laughing. — Emma Dodge Hanson

8. DON’T skimp on photography. Your destination wedding isn’t cookie-cutter, and it’s not the time for someone to be figuring out the basics. Weddings away are a huge logistical challenge for an inexperienced photographer. Many things outside of our control can go wrong, and gear can’t be replaced on an island. Hire a well-traveled pro who is prepared for any circumstance, and the photos will be so worth it. — Maurice Ramirez

9. DO check the local calendar. Make sure you check out dates for special holidays and celebrations in the area you’re considering for your destination wedding. When you book your wedding event, it could be during one of the busiest times of the year for that particular location. — Serena Lee

10. DON’T use the package photographer. If your photography is important to you, make certain your destination will allow you to use your own photographer. You’ll never get the images you really want without knowing your photographer’s style and getting to meet with him or her before the fact. If your images are important to you, using the hotel’s photographer is a big mistake. They just don’t have the care and more importantly the skill to give you anything more than simple snapshots. — Barry Nelson