An Expert’s Guide to Finding a Destination Wedding Photographer in France

Destination weddings are booming at the moment and rightly so, from the incredible weather and the fairytale feel of a wedding abroad to the fact its essentially a mini holiday for you and all your nearest and dearest. Europe is especially popular for Brits due to its locality, with the romantic regions of France being top of the list for many a couple. But when it’s not your country of birth, where do you start with picking suppliers and what should you be looking out for? Do things operate differently there? Luckily we chatted to the incredibly talented wedding photographer Romain Didier, otherwise known as The French Wedding Photographer to get all his tips and advice, to help make the process of picking your photographer as smooth and as lovely as possible.

1. What’s the best way to find a wedding photographer in France?

To me, finding the right photographer for your wedding is a little bit different than finding other suppliers. Mainly because you really have to make sure that their style meets your taste and needs. I would say that looking around on Instagram is a good way to start. If you are not on Instagram, Google is a good way too. Search for ‘wedding photographer + the venue your are getting married at’ to see some good options.

2. How do I find a style of photographer I like? How do we know what style will suit us best as a couple?

Good question. But speaking from experience, I can say that it’s almost impossible to explain why you will have a crush on some pictures and not on some other. Because a photo is speaking to your deepest and sincerest emotions. The photographer you’ll like the most will be the one you will identify with the most. And you will know that it’s them and not anyone else. You will love everything from them, from their pictures to their state of mind and philosophy.

3. What’s generally the most popular style of photography in France?

I will say that they are the same as everywhere else, you will find every type of wedding photographers in France, from Moody to Fine Art. I’m not really sure that you can classify or identify photographers from their nationality, as I’ve been covering weddings all across the globe recently.

4. Once we’ve found a handful of photographers we like, what’s the next step?

It’s really important that you take a good dive into their work. Dig through their websites, check their portfolios and don’t hesitate to get in touch and ask to see more if you are uncertain. The good thing with photographers is that if you hire a real professional, what you pay for is what you get and you can actually see what they are capable of, and that’s bonus. Make sure that the way they edit suits you too, as the post production is crucial.

5. Do we meet the photographer in person or online?

I prefer to meet online. Mainly because it’s less time consuming for everyone and generally most of my clients are from abroad. If you live close by you can meet in person but it’s not essential. The most important thing is to talk, try to sense if you feel comfortable with him/her. Make sure that you and him/her get along very very well, because in the end, they will be by your side on your most special day.

6. What should I do if there’s a slight language barrier between us and the wedding photographer?

Once again, if you are a 100% sure that this is the right photographer for you, that their style is what you want and nothing else, then language shouldn’t be a problem in the end. You will find a way. You can ask to have all the legal aspects of your commitment written down for review before hand to sign anything, so this way you have your legals covered. But really in the end, what you’re expecting the most from your photographer is for them to deliver stunning pictures of your wedding, not to speak out poetry ;)

7. During the interview and first meeting with the photographer, how do I know that we’ll be the right fit? What are key indicators to look out for?

Believe me you will know! Again, just have a casual conversation, ask for their taste in music, in food, what’s on their standard to do list and key moments for a wedding. Try some humour too. It’s really important that you feel comfortable with them and that you picture yourself totally at ease with them on your special day. Try to see if they are shy or not, if they are intrusive or not, discreet or not.

8. Do French photographers tend to get the same key shots as photographers in the UK? Are there any shots I specifically need to ask for?

Hmmm good question. I would say they it’s pretty much the same everywhere, but speaking from experience, I know that they are some slight differences. For example in UK weddings, the wedding breakfast speeches are very important to capture, more so than in France, so don’t hesitate to provide your photographer with a detailed plan with timings of the day. This way they will know what’s going on and what to focus on.

9. How do I learn more about the photographer’s work ethic, and generally how they like to work?

That’s really something you must discuss during your initial call with them. Try to deal with all the practical question before the call via email, and then use the initial call just to chat and have small talk, so you can try to feel the vibe between you.

10. Should I expect a second shooter at the wedding, or just the one?

Second shooters are always a really good idea so if you have the budget for it, go for it. It means more pictures, more different moments captured, a different perspective. I find when I work with a second shooter it allows me to be even more creative because they can take care of the common shots like the group photos, and I can use my time to be more creative and try new things. In comparison to this, when I’m alone at a wedding I have to cover everything, from the rudimentary shots to the creative ones, so there’s less time to capture a large scope of everything.

11. Do we need to pay the photographer’s travel costs? If so, how much should I budget for?

That’s something every photographers deals with in their own way. Some like myself will include travel costs in the initial package for French weddings but when I’m asked outside of France, then it’s an additional cost for my client. Some other photographers will charge you with transport fees for anywhere, so be sure to check this in your initial call.

12. How long should I expect to wait before receiving photos back from the photographer?

Personally I’m delivering my clients back around 6 to 7 weeks after the wedding, but this can vary depending on the photography so it’s important to ask up front.