Destination and Hawaiian weddings are beautiful, but it can be hard to hire a Hawaii wedding photographer when you’re hundreds of miles away. For tips and tricks on how to book the perfect photographer for your island wedding, keep reading.

Conduct an Interview Over the Phone
graduation photographer

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the extra cash to pop over to Hawaii to interview potential photographers. So, in lieu of an in-person interview, insist on a phone discussion with at least three different Hawaii wedding photographer companies. Because your photographer will be with you throughout your wedding day and responsible for your photo memories, you want to get a good personal feeling.

When interviewing a photographer over the phone, ask him or her about their personal style (journalistic, candid, traditional, etc), favorite photo spots in the area and exactly what you can expect for your fee. During the interview, try to get a feel for the person as well as the service.

Review Their Portfolio

Hiring a photographer over a long distance can be difficult, but the Internet lets you browse portfolios and get samples via email in seconds. A good photographer should already have an online portfolio that you can review. If they don’t, then maybe you should look into someone else.

When you review a prospective photographer’s portfolio, look beyond the quality of their web design or flashy gimmicks and get right to the photos. Ask yourself if they tell a compelling story? Do you like the style and feel? Would you hang those photos in your home? Do the people look good or washed out?

Ask for Client Referrals or References in Your Area

Whether you’re hiring a wedding photographer for a destination wedding or a local one, you should always get references from past clients. You want to be able to ask a previous customer how they enjoyed the service, if they’d hire the photographer again and both the photographer’s strengths and weaknesses.

Bring Your Own Photographer From the Mainland

Many professional photographers will travel with you, but it can be expensive. If you’re prepared to spend the extra money, bringing a photographer from home allows you to meet the individual in advance, review their work personally and choose the photographer that you actually want.

However, bringing your photographer with you from home can be very expensive. In addition to the photographer’s fees, you will be responsible fro their airfare, transportation to and from the airport, hotel accommodations and a per diem for food. To save money, many brides book their photographer’s hotel at a nearby, cheaper alternative rather than at their own, more expensive resort.