From the West Coast to the South of France, the world is full of delightful destinations. And as a wedding photographer, I love traveling and capturing love stories around the globe. 

Also, having photographed many destination events, I have a unique perspective on what a couple might want to capture at their wedding abroad. Because a destination wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime happening and should be preserved with care. 

Here are some of my tips on which elements to capture at your destination wedding for an album filled with photos you’ll cherish.

What Makes The Location Unique

You chose your destination for a reason, so it’s important for us to show why you selected it and what you love about it. I call this capturing the atmosphere of a place. For example, the south of France is known for lemons, so we might get photos in a lemon tree garden.

We could also look around for impressive architecture and historical sites. And flowers and plants unique to the area’s landscape. These elements will make your wedding photos stand out from the rest because it showcases a location’s essence.

The Venue

Of course, you’ll want photos of the venue you carefully chose, among many others. And the venue is always a highlight of wedding photography but even more so when it’s located somewhere spectacular. 

There are several ways to photograph a venue to capture the destination and your wedding. There are outdoor portraits in the gardens or against the beautiful architecture. We could place the wedding gown outside so that it hangs off of a glass door so that you can also see a reflection of the unique landscape in the background (ocean, mountains, etc.). 

We can place details, like shoes, jewelry, and the bouquet, in strategic places as well. Near a piece of art inside the venue, for example. Getting ready in the bridal/groom suite, venue decorations, and ceremony/reception details are all lovely things to capture at your venue. 

Wedding Weekend

If you’re having a destination wedding and extending the celebration for a few days, it gives you the perfect opportunity to capture additional images of the festivities. 

Are you going on a sailing expedition? Exploring the city? Hiking nature trails or doing yoga on the beach? Or maybe you’re just lounging by the gorgeous tranquil pool at your venue. Whatever the experience, let your destination photographer tag along and capture the beauty, fun, and love you have for this location. 

You might even think about meaningful things for the two of you. Let’s say you’re getting married in Paris, which happened to be the first place you traveled to as a couple. We could get photos at the little café where you shared a kiss and a macaron. It’s just a little extra memory to add to your wedding album!

Intimate Moments

Once the wedding day gets started, there won’t be very many moments when you and your partner will have alone time together. So it’s essential to take some time during the day to just be with one another and enjoy where you’re at.

We can stroll around the venue and get some gorgeous portraits of the two of you or find a “secret” spot away from everyone else where you can share some time, and I can capture the moment with the beautiful scenery as your background.

If the weather isn’t cooperative or you would like photos indoors, that’s okay too. The magic is in being together. That will show through the photographs. The French Riviera, Amalfi Coast, Lake Como – these are all beautiful destinations I’ve traveled to and photographed. And I can’t wait to travel to many more! If you have a place in mind and would like me by your side, please reach out!