Planning a destination wedding comes with a whole new level of excitement… and a whole new set of decisions. One of the biggest? Finding a wedding destination photographer who actually gets you.
Not just someone who can hop on a plane and take pretty pictures (although, you *can*, but I wouldn’t recommend it), but someone who understands travel logistics, different landscapes, unpredictable weather, cultural norms, and the emotional weight of saying “I do” somewhere far from home.
Whether you’re planning an Amalfi Coast cliffside ceremony, a Tuscan villa weekend, an weekend wedding adventure in the Grand Tetons or a fly-to-you elopement in a city that means everything to you both, here’s how to find the right destination wedding photographer for your day.
10 Tips For Finding the Best Wedding Destination Photographer
1. Start With Photographers Who Specialize in Destination Weddings
Not every wedding photographer is automatically a great destination wedding photographer. Shooting in unfamiliar locations takes adaptability, research, and experience working in varied lighting, terrain, and timelines.
Look for photographers who:
- List destination wedding photography as a core part of their services
- Have full galleries from multiple states or countries
- Understand travel timelines + scouting
- Are comfortable directing when needed and stepping back when moments unfold naturally
If they have experience in places like Italy, Mexico, the Mediterranean, Iceland, the Tetons, or Europe, that’s a huge bonus — it means they know how to navigate international weather patterns, tourist seasons, transportation, and local customs.
2. Look for a Photographer Whose Style Matches the Destination
Your travel wedding photographer should match the feeling of your location.
For example:
- Italy destination wedding photographer → beautiful tones and textures of the environment/scenery, romance (if you’re into that), soft movement, documentary & candid in-between moments
- Coastal or Mediterranean → true-to-color with incredible light & shadows with a strong emphasis on the architecture and water (or whatever is the most important to the couple)!
- Mountain elopement destinations → earthy, documentary, atmospheric tones, adventure-esque vibes
- City destinations → bold composition, texture-heavy, motion-filled storytelling, favorite activities
Location and style go hand-in-hand, so browse full galleries from similar destinations — not just the highlight reels featuring on their IG.
3. Review Full Galleries (Not Just Instagram Highlights)
I know I touched on this a bit in #2, but imma say it again because it’s THAT important. This is the #1 rule when hiring a destination wedding photographer.
Ask to see:
- A full wedding gallery from a destination
- A full engagement or pre-wedding session
- At least one event in a location with tricky lighting (midday sun, dark villas, cliffs, forests)
- A full travel-day structure or timeline example
A great destination wedding photographer shows consistency, not curated perfection.
4. Ask About Travel Experience (Not Just Travel Fees)
Don’t get me wrong, travel fees do matter — but travel experience matters more.
Questions to ask:
- How often do you travel for weddings or elopements?
- Do you handle your own flights + accommodations?
- Do you arrive early to scout and adjust for the weather?
- What happens if travel delays occur?
- Do you have a backup equipment plan?
Experienced destination photographers know how to build buffer time, navigate airport logistics, and scout new locations quickly.
5. Understand Their Approach to Location Scouting
The best photographers don’t rely on just Google Maps or Pinterest.
They:
- Arrive early to walk through your venue
- Scout sunrise vs. sunset lighting options
- Plan alternate locations if weather shifts
- Know how to avoid crowds at popular spots (I’m looking at you Positano + Santorini)
- Build timelines around natural light
Your photographer should feel like your travel guide + support system — not just a vendor. Hint, that’s me!
6. Consider a Photographer Who Offers Multi-Day Coverage
This is especially important if you’re:
- Hosting a welcome party
- Doing an adventure/sight-see day
- Planning a pre-wedding session in your destination city
- Wanting the full story preserved
Many destination wedding photographers offer weekend or multi-day experiences so you remember the whole journey — not just the ceremony (and that’s kinda the whole point, right?)
7. Trust Your Connection (Your Photographer Travels With You)
You’ll be spending hours and possibly multiple days with your photographer in a new country. Choose someone you feel safe, comfortable, and excited to be around.
Pay attention to:
- How they communicate
- Whether they feel grounding or chaotic
- If they’re adaptable
- If they ask genuine questions about your story
- If your personalities click
Connection is everything in destination photography.
8. Price Transparency: What to Expect
For 2026–2027, destination wedding photography pricing generally includes:
- Coverage (6, 8, 10 hours, or multi-day)
- Travel fees (flights, accommodations, rental car, per diem)
- Optional pre-wedding or adventure session
- All photos in an online gallery
- Timeline planning + location support
- Vendor recommendations
Some photographers offer all-inclusive packages where travel is pre-built into the price — others charge travel separately. Neither is right or wrong; it just depends on what fits your budget and planning style.
You can find see a glimpse of my destination wedding photography packages here, but I’ll go ahead and share the low-down with you below!
Just a note: Everything I offer is custom built according to the couple and their plans, so I provide a full range of services to make sure your destination wedding photography experience is everything you’ve envisioned. Here are some of the options you can expect when you work with me as your destination wedding photographer:
- Full Wedding Day Coverage: From getting ready with loved ones to the private last dance under the stars, I’ll document the full story of the day. No matter how short or long your day is, we can build the perfect amount of coverage for you.
- Couple/Adventure Sessions: Your destination is full of picturesque locations for engagement or couple photos. Getting married in a favorite destination but longing for photos in the city, countryside, winery, favorite trail as well? We could take a road trip the day before or after the wedding.
Inquire for your destination wedding photography here!
9. Book Early (Especially International Weddings)
Couples planning Italy destination weddings, Greece elopements, France château celebrations, or Colorado-to-Europe mountain elopements are booking photographers 12–24 months out.
If your date is:
- Summer in Europe
- A holiday
- A bucket-list destination for many photographers
- An iconic location (Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Santorini)
…start inquiries now.
10. The Right Destination Photographer Will Feel Like a Teammate
Here’s the truth: the right photographer will help you slow down, breathe it all in, and actually feel your day.
They’ll give you:
- grounding energy
- confidence in unpredictable travel
- emotional support
- creative direction when needed
- real, documentary moments you’ll cherish for decades
The right person isn’t just a photographer — they’re part of your story.
What It’s Like to Work With Me as Your Destination Wedding Photographer
If you’re wondering what it actually feels like to bring me along for your destination wedding, here’s the real answer: it feels like traveling with a friend who happens to have cameras strapped to her hips.
My approach to destination weddings is super simple — I want you to feel at home, even when you’re halfway across the world.
- No stiff posing.
- No spending your whole day “performing.”
- No Pinterest-copycat moments.
Just you two, in your natural element, soaking in the place you chose because it means something to you.
An Inside Look At My Destination Wedding Process
1. Connection First — Always
Before we even get on a plane, I spend time getting to know you both. Your dynamic, what makes you feel comfortable, what makes you light up, how you want your day to feel. My job isn’t just to take pictures, it’s to make sure you feel grounded enough to actually live your day instead of worrying about what’s happening behind the camera.
2. I Handle Travel Like It’s Second Nature
Travel days can be chaotic, but I’ve done this enough times to know how to build in wiggle room, navigate delays, and still show up early to scout your location. Whether we’re wandering tiny cobblestone streets in Italy, hiking to a lookout in the Tetons, or exploring a coastal town before your ceremony — I make sure we’re not rushing or stressed. You get to be fully present; I handle the rest.
3. Documentary, Unposed, Real Moments
My style is documentary and candid. That means I’m not here to make you hold a dozen stiff poses or fake emotions. I capture the way you naturally connect — the quiet moments, the laughter, the movement, the little glances you don’t even realize you’re giving each other. Especially with destination weddings, so much of the magic is in the in-between moments: the winding streets, the ferry rides, the sunset walks, the slow mornings.
4. Every Couple Is Welcome Here
Inclusivity is a huge part of my work. Whoever you are, however you love, and wherever you’re choosing to celebrate — you’re safe with me. My job is to create a space where you can be fully yourselves.
5. Multi-Day Coverage If You Want the Full Story
A lot of my destination couples choose multi-day coverage because the best parts of the trip aren’t always on the timeline. Welcome dinners, wandering the city the day before, getting gelato at midnight, brunch with your people, all of it deserves to be remembered.
6. Support Without Taking Over Your Planning
I’m not a planner, but I am the person who will help you choose locations, plan around the best light, suggest timing that feels natural, and give you tips to keep your day flowing. Supportive but not overpowering. Helpful without hijacking. Basically, you get a calming presence who’s always paying attention so you don’t have to.
Not convinced? Let me share a story…
When I was heading to Italy to photograph Rowan & Kelsey’s wedding, I set out looking for a headshot photographer for myself while I was there. I wanted either some updated headshots or some couple photos for myself and my partner. But you know what? I was completely unable to find anyone!
I knew what I wanted: someone with a clean, true-to-life look and who focused on honest emotions and moments instead of overly posed editorial work (which is beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but just not what I was looking for).
Another thing that was important to me was to find an LGBTQ+-friendly photographer based near my location in Italy. As you can imagine this limited my search even more. In addition to that, I had a hard time even getting anyone to email me back, much less have a phone call to get to know each other.
In the end, I didn’t find that photographer and missed out on a chance to get the photos that I really wanted. But it made me so grateful that I could be that photographer for my couples!
Traveling to Italy for Rowan & Kelsey’s wedding was a dream come true! Read about how it went and my 5 Tips for Planning an Italian Elopement.
Get In Touch to Plan Your Destination Elopement
If you’re planning a destination wedding or elopement and you want photography that actually feels like you, not staged, not stiff, not stressful — I’d love to be there with you. Let’s talk about what you’re planning on a free discovery call.
