8 Tips for Destination Weddings
Some tips and suggestions that I’ve come up with over time concerning destination weddings. Feel free to comment and leave your own down below.
1. Plan for the Worst Scenario: What if the photographer’s flight is cancelled or delayed?
When in doubt, remember Murphy’s Law: And Murphy was allegedly an optimist.
You’ve planned the wedding. You’ve hired the photographer to fly in because you love their work. It speaks to you. It sings to you like the sirens to Odysseus, and you book them. Everything is set to go and you’ve arrived early at your destination wedding. All is good, you’re sipping Margaritas and Mojitos in the hotel pool while you enjoy the tropical sun. You saved money and booked the ticket for the photographer to fly in a day before the wedding so that you could maximize the money on the decorations and flowers at the reception. While sipping your 2nd Margarita, you hear the local weather news…
Hurricane Isabella is coming and will make landfall – Just in time to cancel all flights landing at the local airport.
Including your photographer’s flight.
This situation ALMOST happened to me. The bride and groom bought a ticket for me to land and arrive the day before the wedding, only for me to find out the day before I was scheduled to fly out and meet them that a hurricane was coming and would make landfall THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING.
I wouldn’t make it in time. All of the plans that the bride had put together for over a year were now going to just be memories without me there to photograph her wedding.
This was the situation until 2 hours before I went to bed when I updated the weather report and found out the the path of the hurricane had altered; it would miss the wedding location by several miles.
I got lucky that time, but what if I hadn’t?
The moral of the story: plan ahead and assume that something may happen to delay or cancel the flight of your photographer.
Try to have them come in AT LEAST TWO DAYS EARLY. That way if something happens that cancels or delays the flight (like a hurricane/typhoone) your photographer can regroup and reschedule another flight to make it there in time.
Another set of reasons that can only benefit you the bride: Scouting the location and jet-lag serum. The extra days gives your photographer time to scout the location out and pick spots with perfect light to photograph everyone, while the added time will also give your photographer a chance to adjust to the time zone difference.
2. Get an experienced photographer.
This one seems obvious enough, but I recommend a photographer that has some experience traveling and photographing weddings. Are they aware of the laws that may be involved with travel to other countries? Are they familiar with travel protocols and what type of equipment to pack for destination weddings? Do they know what is required to work and take pictures in your chosen location? These are considerations that must be taken whenever you elect to bring your own photographer to your destination wedding.
3. Give your photographer time to photograph you and your significant other.
We get it. Your schedule is important. Everything has to be running. You even gave yourself extra time should you need to have something done with your hair or your makeup doesn’t sit right with you.
Did you schedule time for us though?
While we are professionals and are expected to get the necessary shots, it can only benefit you and your groom years from now if you schedule time for us to formally photograph you. Personally, I’m all about the “First Look” option that some brides are choosing to do, where they meet with the groom right before the ceremony. The “First Look” session lasts from about a half hour to an hour and gives us photographers time to get more images of you and your husband together by yourself. It’s more intimate and in the end gives you more time to relax after the ceremony ends and the transition to the cocktail hour and reception begins.
4. Plan your wedding with your guests in mind.
A friend of mine said the two most important things your guests will remember are 1. The Food. 2. The Music. At the time he worked for a reception banquet hall, so he got to see weddings all the time from the point of view of a guest. Remember, keep in mind that most of your guests will never remember the exact details that you planned out for the flowers, the displays, or chair covers, but they will always remember if the food was good and if they had fun to the music on the dance floor.
5. Plan out extra events during your destination wedding i.e. tours and hikes, etc. Aside from the obvious wedding deal, you’re there on vacation and to enjoy the scenery also.
6. Pack appropriately.
Take your clothing into consideration with the climate. You may reside in Chicago, but the weather in Aruba demands different footwear when you de-board the plane. And don’t forget to leave enough room for your dress.
7. Properly warn your friends.
Tell your friends about the destination wedding FIRST before you ask them to stand at your wedding. The advanced warning will give them time to assess their finances and check their schedule, allowing them to give you ample warning and gracefully decline if they need to.
8. Two Words: Woo. Saw.
This is a wedding. YOUR wedding. It’s supposed to be the happiest day in your life. Take a deep breath and relax. Keeping your head down to the ground and working can keep you distracted. Remember to raise your head up once in a while and smell the flowers =D
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Tags: Chicago, Destination, Photographer, Photography, Tips, Wedding
