What should I look for when choosing my wedding photographer ? Session 10. How large an area should I search for a professional wedding photographer.

The simple answer to this is that there really are no limits as to how far you can expect a really good wedding photographer to travel, if you’re prepared to pay most would go wherever. If your wedding is going to be somewhere you are not familiar with, a strange city or country for example, then you may save yourself a lot of worry by taking someone you know or have met a few times from your own area.  In addition it makes all the after wedding bits and pieces so much easier, viewing your images, ordering your album and prints. We have already talked about the Pre-Wedding shoot or engagement photographs, but suffice to say having a local photographer allows for building up of a good ‘working’ relationship that is unlikely with a photographer at a destination unless the destination photographer is really good at communicating and willing to meet up more than just on the day of the wedding.

Finding a great professional wedding photographer is made much easier these days, whether by searching the internet, asking friends and family for personal recommendations or looking through magazines for advertisements that catch your attention. Any savvy, reputable photographer has a web-site showcasing his or her style and philosophy, and these galleries are a great place to narrow your search to those you want to contact.

A photographer who travels more than an hour and a half to a wedding will probably want to stay the night nearby so that he or she is fresh and stress free to give you the best of attention and quality – a long traffic jam or the like, is a good way to take the edge off the creativity, and you really don’t need to be worrying about why they have not turned up yet.

I am putting in an article I feel really worth reading if you are going to a far destination for your wedding, the author expresses things well.

Bringing a Photographer to Your Destination Wedding

By  Robert Evans

As with most wedding professionals, a photographer who travels for a wedding will expect to have expenses paid. If you decide to bring a top class wedding photographer to your destination wedding, it is reasonable to expect to pay for the photographers round-trip airfare, accommodation, transportation, as well as a per diem to cover food, tips and other miscellaneous expenses incurred while traveling.

Some photographers might even charge an additional fee for a “weekend buyout.” This covers any revenue that might be lost because the photographer would be out of town and unavailable to return home for a Sunday event. A photographer might also charge for actual travel time. Of course, fees and expenses will vary from photographer to photographer and depend greatly on your wedding location. Each photographer works differently, so ask very detailed questions in order to get very detailed answers.

If your photographer does charge you a weekend buyout fee, you might want to negotiate that he or she shoots your rehearsal dinner and/or Sunday brunch for free in exchange. Having your photographer photograph the rehearsal dinner is a great way for him or her to get to know family members and meet your guests ahead of time. It can make a huge difference to everyone involved when the group is familiar and comfortable with the photographer.

If your wedding is on a Saturday, arrange for your photographer to arrive on the Thursday before so he or she has plenty of time to settle in, scout the location, and perhaps adjust to a new time zone. He or she will then be ready to shoot the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, if need be. The photographer can choose to fly home after the wedding on Sunday or extend his or her stay until Monday to enjoy a long weekend. (Note: If your wedding falls Monday through Thursday, you may be able to negotiate a better rate since most wedding photographers’ busy days are Friday through Sunday.) The client should be responsible for paying for the first three nights of the photographer’s stay. The fourth night is optional but sometimes covered as a gesture of appreciation for a job well done. If your wedding happens to be out of the country or the photographer has to fly more than eight hours to reach your wedding, you should pay for a minimum of five nights, giving he or she enough time to arrive and be fully rested before working the long hours associated with shooting your wedding weekend.

When it comes to destination wedding planning, it is hard to put a price tag on piece of mind. By making this greater financial investment, you will be able to better control the quality and style of your photographs. You will also be able to choose a person with whom you feel comfortable spending the day or entire weekend. You will know what to expect before the big day unfolds.

I can make you look beautiful for nothing.

To ensure your confidence in our wedding photography we offer the pre-wedding shoot before you sign the contract.

Call us for details 01747 830123, or complete the enquiry form.