TIPS FROM A REAL BRIDE-TURNED-TRAVEL AGENT
Planning a destination wedding comes with a lot of exciting decisions: choosing the resort, picking the perfect ceremony location, planning travel for your guests, and creating a wedding experience that feels personal to you. But one of the most important decisions you will make is hiring a destination wedding photographer.
Your photographer is the person responsible for capturing the emotion, scenery, details, and once-in-a-lifetime moments from your wedding day. For couples getting married at an all-inclusive resort, this decision can feel even more complicated because you may be choosing between a resort photographer, a preferred vendor, or an independent destination wedding photographer.
In this episode of the Be All Inclusive podcast, we sat down with Taylor Martz, owner of Vibe Thrive Travel, to talk about what couples should know before choosing who captures their big day. Taylor brings a unique perspective because she was a BAI bride first, and now she helps other couples plan their own destination weddings.
Here’s what Taylor, James, and the Be All Inclusive team want every couple to know about finding the right wedding photographer for their destination wedding.
RESORT VS. INDEPENDENT PHOTOGRAPHER
Let’s start with a truth bomb: not all resort photographers are bad, but you often do not know exactly who you are getting.
Many all-inclusive resorts work with large photography companies or in-house photo teams. While that can be convenient, it may also mean you are assigned a photographer shortly before your wedding day. You may not have a chance to speak with them ahead of time, review their full wedding galleries, or understand their personality and shooting style before they show up with a camera.
When you hire an independent destination wedding photographer, you are choosing someone because their style, personality, communication, and overall approach feel right for you. You have seen their portfolio. You have reviewed real weddings. You have had a consultation. Most importantly, you feel comfortable with them.
That connection matters.
Your wedding day will be emotional, fast-paced, and full of moments you cannot recreate. The right photographer does more than take pretty pictures. They help you feel relaxed, confident, and present throughout the day.
“Photography is a personal choice. It’s not just about skill—it’s about connection,” shared James, BAI Founder and former wedding photographer. “The right photographer puts you at ease. And that makes a big difference in your photos.”
Before choosing between a resort photographer and an independent photographer, ask about outside vendor fees, resort policies, editing style, full galleries, photo delivery timelines, and whether the photographer has experience with destination weddings at all-inclusive resorts.
THE CASE FOR THE FIRST LOOK
If you are planning a destination wedding, chances are you already like doing things a little differently. So here’s one idea worth considering: have a first look.
A first look is a private moment where the couple sees each other before the ceremony. For some couples, this feels less traditional, but for destination weddings, it can make the entire day flow better.
Taylor shared that skipping a first look was one of her biggest regrets from her first wedding. After the ceremony, the couple felt rushed trying to take portraits, make it to cocktail hour, enjoy time with guests, and catch the best lighting before the sun went down.
“When I look back, I didn’t even enjoy the photo session. I had a headache and we were stressed,” she said. “I never hear brides regret doing a first look. I only hear regrets from those who didn’t.”
Doing a first look can:
- Ease pre-ceremony nerves
- Create a private, emotional moment before the day gets busy
- Allow more time for couple portraits and wedding party photos
- Help you enjoy more of cocktail hour with your guests
- Give your photographer more flexibility with natural light
- Result in more relaxed, authentic wedding photos
For destination weddings especially, timing is everything. A first look can help you avoid rushing through portraits after the ceremony and give you more time to actually enjoy the experience you planned.
HOW TO ACTUALLY FIND THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER
Once you decide what kind of photography experience you want, the next step is finding the right person. This is about more than picking someone with a pretty Instagram feed. You want a photographer who understands destination weddings, resort timelines, lighting, travel logistics, and how to work quickly when the day is moving fast.
If you want a photographer who is not from the resort’s preferred vendor list, here are a few ways to find one who fits your style and budget:
- Use Instagram strategically: Search your resort’s location, wedding venue, and destination hashtags. Browse tagged photos from real weddings at or near your resort. Many independent photographers tag the destinations and venues where they work regularly.
- Join Facebook groups: Destination wedding Facebook groups are full of real couples sharing reviews, photos, advice, and vendor recommendations. BAI operates several destination wedding Facebook groups where couples can learn from others who have already gone through the process.
- Ask to see a full wedding gallery: Instagram shows highlights. A full gallery shows how a photographer captures the entire day, including getting ready, ceremony details, family photos, reception lighting, dance floor moments, and everything in between.
- Look beyond styled shoots: Styled shoots can be beautiful, but they are not the same as real weddings. Real wedding days have timelines, weather, guests, emotions, and pressure. You want someone who can capture beautiful images in real-life conditions.
- Ask about destination wedding experience: A photographer who is great locally may not automatically understand resort weddings. Ask if they have photographed beach ceremonies, rooftop weddings, tropical lighting, humid weather, travel events, and fast-paced resort timelines.
- Pay attention to personality: You will spend a lot of your wedding day with your photographer. Choose someone who makes you feel comfortable, heard, and confident.
- Consider an engagement or resort preview shoot: If you are visiting the resort before your wedding, scheduling a shoot with your photographer can be a great way to build trust and get comfortable in front of the camera.
The goal is not just to find the “best” photographer. The goal is to find the best photographer for your wedding, your personalities, your budget, and your vision.
DON'T LET THE SUNSET SNEAK UP ON YOU
Destination weddings often take place in stunning outdoor locations—but that means lighting matters more than ever.
Many couples don’t realize that if your ceremony ends near sunset, you might lose the chance for well-lit portraits. Talk to your planner and photographer about the best ceremony time to get the photos you want. Pro tip: the “golden hour” (right before sunset) is magic.
“We always help our couples choose ceremony times with lighting and flow in mind,” Taylor said. “You don’t want to look back and realize you missed your own rooftop cocktail hour because it got dark too soon.”
A NOTE FROM TAYLOR:
"WHY I JOINED BAI AFTER BEING A BRIDE"
Taylor’s love for destination weddings runs deep. It is not just because she loves travel or beautiful resorts. It is because she understands what it feels like to be a bride making big decisions from a distance.
As a former BAI bride, Taylor experienced firsthand how important it is to have support, guidance, and honest advice throughout the destination wedding planning process. After going through it herself, she wanted to help other couples feel that same sense of confidence and care.
“I didn’t just want to be in travel because I love travel. I wanted to recreate the experience I had with BAI for other couples,” she said.
That bride-to-agent perspective is exactly why conversations like this matter. Destination weddings are not one-size-fits-all. Every couple has different priorities, whether that is photography, guest experience, budget, resort style, ceremony location, or wedding weekend events.
Having someone in your corner who understands both the emotional side and logistical side of planning can make the entire process feel less overwhelming.
FINAL THOUGHTS: IT'S YOUR WEDDING, MAKE IT PERSONAL
From your photographer to your ceremony timeline, your wedding day should reflect who you are. Do not feel boxed in by what is traditional, easy, or expected.
If you want to do a first look, do it.
If you want to skip cake, skip it.
If you want to hire an independent destination wedding photographer because you love their work and feel connected to them, that is worth considering.
Your wedding photos will become one of the few things you keep long after the day is over. They should feel like you. They should tell the story of your destination wedding honestly, beautifully, and emotionally.
And if you need help planning a destination wedding that feels personal from start to finish, the Be All Inclusive team is here to guide you every step of the way. From choosing the right all-inclusive resort to understanding vendor policies, ceremony timing, guest travel, and wedding day flow, we help couples plan with confidence.
For more real stories, advice, and destination wedding inspiration, follow us on Instagram at @beallinclusive. Or DM us your questions — we might just answer them in our next podcast episode.