You have planned the wedding of your dreams in an exotic wedding destination and you are really excited about it. But you’re stuck with a major decision regarding what to do with the photographer: do you bring a destination wedding photographer to your destination wedding, or hire a local wedding photographer there? There are pros and cons associated with both. Let’s take a look at them in detail.
What is advantageous, hiring local photographers or taking a personal photographer?
If you are planning a wedding in a far away exotic destination, in most cases it will be up to your wedding planner present there or the management of the resort where you will be having your wedding for these things. You may not be able to visit the location ahead of time or visit more than once to see how things work there.
Your local wedding/event planner can recommend local wedding photographers for your wedding, but they may not be the best. In most cases, these recommendations are based more on personal relationships than on the result of the work. Although it may be a pocket-friendly decision, it definitely might not be the best one. Wedding photographs will stay with you forever, so my personal opinion is to try your best.
Flying in a destination wedding photographer with you seems to me the best option. You can personally meet the person ahead of time and decide if you like their style or not. An opportunity you’ll never get when you hire local photographers based on your event planner’s recommendations. Fly your wedding photographer at least one day before your wedding, and let him stay for at least two days after the event, so he has plenty of time to take pre- and post-wedding photos.
Flying in a wedding photographer definitely comes with a lot of additional costs. Along with the photographer’s fees, you will have to pay for them, airfare, hotel accommodation, etc. Many people, in order to reduce these costs, arrange cheaper accommodation for the photographer at the wedding destination. I personally don’t think it’s a very good idea. If you take the photographer with you, make sure they enjoy their stay; your content will be displayed through your images.
How to find local destination wedding photographers?
But if you’re going to hire local destination wedding photographers, be sure to interview at least three local photographers. Talk to them on the phone; ask about their style, their tastes, their choices, plans about your wedding. Ask them to send you their online portfolio and also ask for references. If your event planner recommends someone, check with your hotel to see what they think of the photographer. You do some homework before you decide who to hire. After all, you will be reliving your wedding through these photographs your whole life, so you should definitely be sure of your decision.
