What does it actually take to become a destination wedding photographer? Learn exactly how to attract dream destination couples, get paid to travel, and scale your business to bold new heights with destination weddings.
HERE’S THE THING:
Booking destination weddings isn’t about luck, going viral, attending expensive international workshops, or desperately offering free travel.
It’s about positioning, marketing, pricing, and systems that make couples confident hiring you—no matter where they’re getting married.
If you’re a wedding photographer and you're wondering how to become a destination wedding photographer, this page will show you exactly how to do it—and where to go next for step-by-step training.
Why Destination Weddings Are a Smart Move for Photographers
Destination weddings allow photographers to:
✔️ Work with higher-budget clients
✔️ Shoot in visually stunning locations
✔️ Stand out in a crowded local market
✔️ Build a recognizable, travel-focused brand
✔️ Feel creatively fulfilled and endlessly inspired
But most photographers struggle because they don’t know how to market themselves as destination wedding photographers, how to price travel weddings, or how to get clients without already living in a “destination” location.
The good news? A direct path to destination weddings exists...
All it takes is strategy—and the boldness to say YES to it!
(for real, though...)
Becoming a destination wedding photographer isn’t about getting lucky or waiting for the right couple to magically find you.
It’s about strategically positioning yourself so couples seek you out—and feel confident choosing you, even from thousands of miles away.
Here are the three non-negotiables that make that happen.
01
You need
DESTINATION
EXPERTISE
Being an incredible photographer is just the baseline. Destination couples expect more.
They’re planning a wedding in a place they may not know well, navigating logistics, timelines, travel stress, and unfamiliar vendors. Before they book you, they need to believe one thing:
You know what you’re doing—at their destination.
Destination expertise is what transforms you from “a talented photographer” into a trusted guide. It’s the confidence you project when you speak about locations, light, timelines, travel days, and the realities of getting married somewhere far from home.
The harsh truth? Couples won’t book someone they have to educate. They book the person who makes them feel calm, supported, and certain.
When they see YOU as the expert, trust happens—and bookings follow.
02
You need a
TARGET
DESTINATION
If you try to be a destination photographer “for everywhere,” you end up feeling like an option instead of the obvious choice.
The fastest way to build trust is to niche down and claim a destination. When you anchor yourself to a specific place, everything changes:
• Your work feels more intentional
• Your messaging becomes clearer
• Your brand instantly feels more valuable
Suddenly, you’re not just someone who will travel—you’re someone who belongs there.
Claiming a target destination allows you to stand out in a crowded market, communicate expertise without saying a word, and show couples that you are uniquely equipped for their wedding.
That clarity is what turns curiosity into confidence—and confidence into bookings.
03
You need to understand
DESTINATION
COUPLESʼ NEEDS
Destination couples aren’t just planning a wedding.
They’re planning an experience.
They care deeply about how the entire journey feels—from travel days to wedding weekend to the memories they bring home.
Every decision they make runs through one filter:
“Will this vendor add stress… or elevate our experience?”
They’re looking for vendors who get it—who understand that communication, reassurance, flexibility, and foresight matter just as much as beautiful images.
When you truly understand the mindset of a destination couple, you stop selling photography—and start offering peace of mind, confidence, and an elevated experience.
And that is what makes you unforgettable.
When you have destination expertise, a clear target destination, and a deep understanding of destination couples, you stop chasing destination weddings…
…and start attracting them.
Common Mistakes Photographers Make with Destination Weddings
✘ Waiting to be “chosen” instead of positioning themselves
✘ Attending expensive workshops abroad that only deliver content—not strategy
✘ Offering free travel instead of strategic pricing
✘ Neglecting building relationships with planners and venues
✘ Relying only on Instagram without a long-term marketing strategy
✘ Assuming it will take years (and lots of luck) to ever book destination weddings
But, my friend, you can avoid years of trial and error by following a strategic, proven system.
Introducing:
Education for Destination Wedding Photographers
If you’re ready to finally break through and start booking destination weddings, you’re in the right place! I’ve created in-depth, proven, action-packed education specifically for photographers who want to book destination weddings—on repeat!
YOU’LL LEARN:
⭐️ How to brand yourself as a destination wedding photographer
⭐️ How to market to dream clients getting married abroad
⭐️ Destination wedding pricing strategies
⭐️ Booking workflows, contracts, and communication
⭐️ “Insider” tips from a real destination wedding photographer—fully revealed
Best-Selling Courses:
The 3-Day
Minimind Intensive
The Destination Wedding Academy
A value-packed three-day intensive that guides you through exactly how to start booking destination weddings.
The in-depth comprehensive course for those ready to transform their business with destination weddings.
Within a week of following these principles, James booked TWO destination weddings. Now around a third of his bookings are destination.
“A couple of years ago I reached out to Kristin for some advice on booking destination weddings. I was getting a good number of international enquiries, but after sending my quote I just kept getting ghosted.
Speaking with Kristin was a real turning point. She was incredibly generous with her time and gave me clear, thoughtful advice on how to build destination packages that genuinely appealed to couples considering an international photographer.
I put her advice into practice straight away and within a week I had two calls with destination couples and managed to book both weddings.
This season, around a third of my bookings are destination weddings, and I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am now without Kristin’s insight and support. I’m so grateful for her help and would recommend her to anyone looking to take that next step into destination weddings!”
JAMES OF STANHOPE PHOTO
“There are others who say they offer destination wedding education, but yours is the only one I truly find value in.
I am so grateful that you’re willing to share secrets and help other people live out the same dream! Yours is the best education I’ve found on the destination wedding market.”
ASHLYN FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHY
These courses are perfect for you if...
✔️ You’ve been in business a couple of years and are ready to scale
✔️ You’re done with guessing
✔️ You want destination weddings ASAP
✔️ You want premium couples
✔️ You’re ready to elevate your brand
✔️ You want recurring destination bookings—not one-offs
✔️ You want guidance, accountability, and a results that have been proven
You don’t need a luck or thousands of followers—just a willingness to approach your business strategically.
I’m Kristin—an American in Europe, destination wedding photographer, and devoted coach
I built my business without connections, a big audience, or years in the industry—only clarity, strategy, and a system I created from scratch. After one season photographing €750 weddings in a small German village, I decided I wanted more: dream destinations, elevated clients, and a business that felt expansive.
Within a year, I went from local photographer to being flown across Europe for weddings in France, Italy, and England at rates ten times higher. My work has since been featured in Condé Nast Traveller, Brides, and Style Me Pretty, and I’ve photographed weddings at iconic venues like The Ritz Paris and Château de Versailles.
Now, I teach the exact, proven system I built myself—no fluff, no guesswork—to help YOU become a sought-after destination photographer sooner than you think.
Dive into the courses & learn the exact path for fulfilling your destination dreams and scaling your photography business to magnificent new realms.