Destination weddings are always so exciting! I love exploring new places, meeting incredible couples, and capturing their stories in gorgeous new locations. I recently traveled to Maryland to photograph a destination wedding, and it was such an absolute JOY to experience this new place while getting to document my couple’s story.

But I know that if you’re planning a destination wedding, it can come with a whole lotta extra details that need to be accounted for. The last thing you need to be worried about is whether your photographer’s flight has arrived or how they’re getting to the wedding or if your wedding photos will end up in an airport’s lost luggage department.

This is why whenever I travel for a wedding I take every precaution to make sure that all of my travel logistics will go off without a hitch. In fact, I only take on a select number of destination weddings each year to ensure that I can dedicate the time, energy, and careful planning that each one deserves!

Curious about what goes on behind the scenes when I travel for destination weddings? Here’s a look at how I handle every detail so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

1. Making Travel Arrangements

I keep my travel process simple, smooth, and meticulously planned so that you don’t have to worry about a thing. Far ahead of time, I thoroughly research the area and put together an estimate for the average cost of flights, Airbnb’s/hotels, transportation, etc. Travel fees are separate from the overall wedding package, and I always make them custom for each location so that they’re as accurate as possible for my couples! Then I go ahead and handle all the booking—flights, accommodations, and transportation—so everything is lined up and ready to go well before your wedding day.   

When I travel for weddings, I also aim to arrive on the earliest flight available the day before the wedding (or two days before for international weddings). This allows for plenty of buffer time if a flight gets delayed and it also gives me time to be as prepared as humanly possible for the wedding the next day.

2. Let’s Talk Gear

When it comes to traveling for weddings, I’m extremely careful with how I transport my gear to ensure not only that it’s working and ready to use on the wedding day, but also that it makes it back home safe and sound to San Diego! My Wandrd photography backpack has become my absolute lifesaver for travel weddings. It’s designed specifically to fit perfectly under airplane seats, meaning I never have to put my gear overhead or risk checking it. That means zero stress about lost, stolen, or damaged equipment.

This bag holds everything I need—my cameras, lenses, flashes, laptop, and even backup hard drives—and literally never leaves my side throughout the entire trip. Whether I’m on a plane or in an Uber, it stays securely at my feet or on my back, keeping it safe from start to finish. (Seriously, it’s one of my favorite travel purchases ever!). And even though this bag always stays on my person during the entire trip, I still make sure it has an AirTag in it for extra safekeeping. You can get one here!

3. Keeping Your Images Safe

My first priority anytime I travel is keeping the wedding images safe and preventing things like theft or damage from travel! First, I always shoot with cameras that have dual memory card slots, meaning that every time I click my shutter the image is saved onto two memory cards simultaneously. As soon as I return to where I’m staying, I immediately back up all of the images so they’re stored in three separate locations—two SD cards and my hard drive.

4. Bonus! Why It’s Good To Have A Photographer From Out Of Town

Something I love about traveling for a wedding is how completely artistically inspiring it is to be in a new place. Stepping into a brand new location feels like a huge breath of fresh inspiration. Being from out of town allows me to see everything with fresh eyes in a way that local photographers may not. It sparks a new sense of creativity and an excitement, which helps me capture the wedding in a way that is totally unique to the couple and the place we’re in!

The wedding in Maryland that I mentioned previously was the perfect example of how all of these travel details come together seamlessly. Keep scrolling to see some of my favorite shots from this wedding day!

Also if you’re thinking of planning a destination wedding I’d absolutely love to chat! Head on over to my contact page and get in my inbox!