A destination wedding is many things – exciting, glamorous, and full of extra logistical considerations and questions!

Here are the answers to the most common questions about destination wedding photography.

What is Considered a Destination Wedding?

I photograph weddings within 2 hours of Pinehurst, North Carolina without any additional travel fees unless travel will be required after midnight or before 6am (You don’t want me falling asleep at the wheel and risking your images – or my safety!)

Outside of 2 hours drive time but up to 6 hours of drive time (This spans much of the Mid-Atlantic region) will require 2 days of travel, mileage reimbursement, and 2 nights of hotel accommodation. I always plan to arrive at your wedding locale a minimum of 12 hours before the first planned event when traveling by car so I would be on location for a total of three days – one day before and one day after the wedding.

Any wedding that takes place further than a 6 hour drive from Pinehurst is officially a destination wedding and I will be more than happy to provide you with a custom proposal that includes all aspects of your event.

Are Travel Fees (flights, rental cars, hotels) Included in your Proposal for Destination Wedding Photography?

Yes, I will include any and all travel related fees when preparing your proposal for your destination wedding.

What travel fees can I expect to be included in my Proposal?

This may include travel fees to help ease the cost of me being away from the office and my home, mileage reimbursements for auto travel, flight expenses, baggage or shipping fees for equipment, hotel accommodations (preferably at the same hotel that the bride will be staying at), per diem to cover meals while traveling, and either a rental car or ride share services depending on where the wedding is located (rural vs urban). Any visa fees will also be included in your proposal.

Other costs may be included based on the specifics of your event.

Who is Responsible for Booking Travel for the Photographers?

I will be responsible for booking all travel related reservations for myself and any additional photographers as necessary.

When will you Arrive for my Destination Wedding?

I always plan to arrive a minimum of 12 hours before the first event of your wedding if I am traveling by car.

If air travel is required to reach your destination, I will plan to arrive a minimum of 24 hours before the first planned event of your wedding. This allows for delays with travel as well as provides time to scout the wedding locations prior to the event.

What if you are not able to procure a travel visa for my location?

If I am unable to procure the required work and travel permits for your wedding location your deposit will be returned to you.

This is why booking early is especially important for destination weddings!

What is the Cancellation Policy for Destination Weddings?

Destination weddings follow my standard cancellation policy but with additional provisions for travel related expenses. Any travel expenses that have already been paid by the photographer after the initial retainer and contract are received that are not able to be cancelled or refunded will still be due to the photographer.

A copy of my contract which includes the cancellation policy is available upon request.

What is Included in a Typical Destination Wedding Collection?

Your destination wedding proposal include all of the same things as my standard wedding collections – a set number of wedding day coverage, online gallery, digital files that are high resolution and fully edited, as well as an 8×8 standard album.

Your custom proposal covers all travel related fees and also allows you the option to further customize your coverage to add additional events such as welcome parties, after wedding brunches, etc.

The sky is the limit!