Do most couples use a local photographer?

Although some couples prefer to bring a photographer from home, most book a photographer who is based in their wedding location.

Using somebody local has a number of advantages.

Firstly, you won’t have to pay for their travel expenses and hotel accommodation as you would for a photographer that you bring with you. Nor will you be paying them for their time during travel days.
Secondly, they will be very familiar with the wedding venue and its surroundings, and with other local vendors such as wedding planners, hotel staff etc.

Thirdly, they will know where the best locations and times are for photographs, and how best to work with the light, which if you are flying to a warmer climate will be stronger and more directional. Also most likely they will have their own “secret locations” that they can take you to for a “day-after” romantic shoot.

Fourthly, in many countries there are local labor laws which prohibit photographers from overseas working in that country, even just for one wedding, unless they have first obtained a work permit. Make sure you check applicable laws before you decide to bring in a professional from home – they may be denied entry to the country.

To offset this, sometimes there may be a language barrier, and you will need to do business with the local photographer by phone and email rather than in person. Of course you need to check their website and other samples to make sure they are offering work of the standard that you are looking for. If you can manage to take a trip to your destination before the wedding to visit resorts and hotels and meet vendors, ask the photographer if you can do an “engagement shoot” with them – it’s a great way to get to know your photographer, and you’ll get some great images for your “save the date” cards!

What are the biggest photo pitfalls for a beach wedding?

The two most important factors to consider when planning a beach wedding are location and time – the time of day, and the time of year!

If you plan to get married on a beach, you need to find out as much as you can about its location, which direction it faces, what the composition of the beach itself is like, whether it is crowded or secluded, and if it is overlooked or shadowed by nearby buildings or trees. A beach that is sunlit in the afternoon in January may be shaded in June.

Seasons

For the Caribbean, June through October is hurricane season, with the peak risk normally in September. You will get good deals on accommodation and flights in low season, but there is obviously a risk of bad weather, or even having to cancel or postpone your trip if a hurricane does come by.

Location

The beach right in front of your hotel may be the obvious place to get married, but it may not be the best. Be prepared for it to be crowded and noisy, with people playing beach games, running into the water, playing music or shouting. A wedding ceremony often gathers a crowd of onlookers – this may bother some people. Remember that other vacationers will probably also appear in the background of some of your photos! If privacy is important to you, find out if there is a more secluded beach that you can use, even if it means arranging taxis for you and your guests to get there and back.

The direction that the beach faces is very important, especially if you plan a sunset wedding. If the setting sun is directly in front of you, you may be staring straight into it. Vice versa, the sun may set behind the hotel buildings or trees and not be in your wedding photos at all. If the sun does not set over the ocean, it will make the effective time of sunset up to half an hour earlier.

Time of day

Without a doubt, the most popular time of day for a destination wedding ceremony is about an hour before sunset. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, in tropical locations it’s just too hot and bright on the beach to be comfortable except for the hours just after sunrise and before sunset. Sunrise weddings can be nice, but not surprisingly few couples are keen on getting up very early in the morning in order to be ready for a sunrise ceremony!

Not only has the day cooled off, but also the light is normally a warm golden color shortly before sunset, which makes the most of the tropical atmosphere and enhances the look of your photos.

Take the advice of your local photographer and wedding planner regarding the exact time that the ceremony should start. You should leave plenty of time to complete the ceremony and family group photos, and some pictures with just the two of you, before sunset actually happens. If you plan your ceremony to start at sunset, your photos will end up being taken in the dark! Sometimes Jewish couples will opt for a sunset start time, in accordance with their faith, but then they normally arrange for photos to be taken before the ceremony, or on another day.

In the tropics, the sun sets at a steeper angle than it does in temperate zones, which means that it disappears below the horizon more quickly and twilight is much shorter. A local photographer will know about this and can plan the timing of the photo shoot accordingly, whereas someone from your home town can be caught out.

The ceremony for a beach wedding is usually very short and informal compared to a normal wedding service in a house of worship – ten to twenty minutes is typical, a little longer if you want to include any special items such as readings by friends or family, lighting of unity candles or a “sand ceremony”, or breaking of a glass. So aiming the ceremony to start about 60-70 minutes before sunset usually gives enough time for the ceremony, family group photos and romantic shoot with the bride and groom to be completed.

What is the beach made of?

Check whether the beach is sandy, or made of pebbles or grit. Some Caribbean islands for example have beaches made of a black volcanic grit rather than the soft white beach sand that you may imagine. Find out also whether the beach is flat or sloping, and how much space there is between the water’s edge and the high tide line. If you plan on having many guests and want to seat them all, there needs to be room for this.

If the beach faces the direction of the prevailing wind, you will find weed and other flotsam gets washed up on it. Hotels often sweep the beach to remove such debris, but often they do it in the morning so it may have accumulated by the time your wedding takes place.

Wind and sun

On the coast there is almost always a breeze blowing – and sometimes this can turn into a strong wind, so be prepared. You can’t control the weather, so it’s best not to plan too elaborate decorations that may not stand up to being blown around, and the hairstyles of the bride and bridesmaids should be designed with practicality in mind. If you want to wear your hair long and down on your shoulders, don’t expect it to be perfectly in place in all the photos. If a slightly windblown look bothers you, opt for a more ‘controlled” hairstyle!

Even in temperate climates the sun at the beach can be deceptively strong, and in the tropics you can get sunburned very quickly – the cooling breeze will make the sun feel less fierce than it really is. Make sure you wear a good strong sunblock if you are going to be out on the beach in the run-up to your wedding, and wear clothing that won’t leave you with unsightly strap-marks when you do at last put on your wedding-dress.

This advice applies to grooms and groomsmen even more than to the ladies – a very common sight at destination weddings is a lobster-pink groom with a “panda-eyed” look after spending a couple of days lying on the beach without sunblock…

Clothing for beach weddings

If you are getting married in a hot climate, be practical and choose clothing that is lightweight and breathable. We have encountered grooms and groomsmen who have rented a full woolen morning suit with waistcoat and top hat and gloves from a store in London or New York, and as a result they have fried on a tropical beach! Natural fibers such as linen or cotton are much better. If you want to wear a suit then make sure it is lightweight. Many grooms opt for khaki or white linen pants and a loose open-necked shirt.

The bride will of course want to pick an amazing dress, but she too should keep the climate and location in mind. A long train is not very practical on the beach. You will get hot and you will get sandy, so don’t expect to keep your clothes spotless, either! Check also to see if the fabrics will show or disguise perspiration – photographers can retouch photos very effectively these days but it’s better if they don’t have to!

It’s worth considering taking time out to change your clothes for the reception, so as to be more comfortable and feel fresher.

How do you plan for the best shots at a beach wedding?

Photographers like ourselves who specialize in beach and destination weddings will use a variety of techniques to make your pictures look as good as possible. Posed portraits before the ceremony with the bride and groom and bridesmaids and groomsmen and family members will usually be taken in the shade, so as to keep you cool, prevent you from squinting, and to avoid harsh contrasty light on your faces. Once the ceremony is over and the sun has gone down far enough to make it more comfortable on the beach, the photographer can take shots in full sun. They may pose you with your back to the sun and use flash, again so you don’t have the sun in your eyes and to make the sunset part of the composition. After the sun has set is a favorite time for close-ups and individual portraits, as the broad light from the sky above is very soft and flattering.

It’s a good idea to get these family group shots done right after the ceremony.  This allows guests to relax with a drink while your photographer takes you and your new spouse off for some romantic sunset images together on the beach. You may also want to arrange for some shots in the gardens of the resort where you are staying, before the ceremony, or even a “getaway” photo session in casual clothes on a different day from the wedding, perhaps at a different, more secluded location.

Bride’s makeup for an outdoor wedding (any do’s and don’ts?)

Using a local make-up artist is obviously a good idea as they will know what works in their climate and will have suitable products to hand. By and large it’s best to keep makeup for beach weddings light and subtle and natural – dramatic makeup that would work for a sophisticated urban wedding and reception may look overdone in a more relaxed tropical environment.

Make sure that a bridesmaid or friend can carry a small make-up bag for the essential “touch-ups” that will inevitably be needed.