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Destination Wedding Photographer

Documentary wedding photography for stylish celebrations across Europe and worldwide, combining candid moments, editorial portraits, film and digital photography.

700+ couples International celebrations
37 countries Europe and worldwide
Film + digital 35mm and medium format
Destination wedding photographed in Australia by Janis Ratnieks

Where I work most

Italy, France, Lake Como, Tuscany, Paris, Provence, the French Riviera, London and beyond.

I work as a destination wedding photographer across Europe, with especially strong experience in PORTFOLIO BLOG Italy, France, London and the UK and the French Riviera. I regularly photograph weddings in Lake Como, Paris, Provence and the South of France, Tuscany, Rome, Venice and the Mediterranean.

Explore destination locations
Destination wedding photograph by Janis Ratnieks
Santorini pre-wedding photography overlooking the Aegean Sea in Greece

My approach

Destination wedding photography with a documentary eye and editorial calm

A destination wedding needs more than beautiful portraits. It needs a photographer who can read the room, work quickly, handle changing light, and document the full atmosphere without turning the day into a photoshoot. My work combines natural documentary coverage, elegant portraits and clean, timeless colour.

  1. 01

    Real moments first

    I photograph the people, reactions, family energy and small unscripted moments that make the wedding feel alive. The goal is not to interrupt the day, but to see it properly.

  2. 02

    Editorial portraits, without stiffness

    When portraits are needed, I give calm direction. Nothing forced, nothing awkward. Just clean composition, good light, and a natural sense of style.

  3. 03

    Film and digital options

    I can photograph your wedding on full-frame digital, medium format digital, 35mm film and 6×7 medium format film. This gives the final story more depth, texture and character.

  4. 04

    Built for weddings abroad

    Destination weddings often involve travel, weather, logistics, family expectations and multi-day plans. I work calmly around all of it, from welcome dinners to the final dance floor.

Calm on the day. Strong in the final gallery. The best destination wedding photography should feel effortless to the couple, but complete in the final story: people, place, emotion, fashion, food, details, landscape, speeches and party.

Wedding couple photographed in the dramatic Scottish landscape

Destination wedding locations

Where I photograph destination weddings most often

I work across Europe, with especially strong experience in Italy, France, Latvia, London, the UK and Mediterranean wedding destinations. These pages show venue advice, real wedding stories and location-specific examples.

Destination wedding photograph by Janis Ratnieks

Coverage and craft

Film and digital, used where they matter

I photograph destination weddings on full-frame digital, medium format digital, 35mm film and 6×7 medium format film. Film works beautifully for warm southern light, old villas, chateaux, coastal locations and evening dinners. Digital handles the moments that need speed, low light or longer reach. The two are edited together as one story, not as two side-by-side portfolios.

For most destination weddings, the natural balance is medium format digital for the ceremony and portraits, full-frame digital for the reportage and party, and 35mm or 6×7 film for the moments that benefit from texture — the dress, the ceremony, the golden-hour portraits, the dinner toasts.

You do not have to choose in advance. We talk through the timeline, the venues and the kind of story you want, and the format choices fall out of that conversation.

Coverage and options

Destination wedding coverage built around the full story

Most destination weddings are more than one event. There may be a welcome dinner, a pool party, a ceremony, a long dinner, speeches and a late dance floor. I can photograph the wedding day only, or build a simple plan around the full weekend.

Option one

Wedding day coverage

from €4,800

For couples who want the full wedding day photographed properly, from preparations to party. Up to 10 hours of photography.

  • Preparations, ceremony, portraits, dinner and party
  • Preview images after the wedding
  • Full online gallery for download and sharing

Option two

Multi-day wedding weekend

on request

Best when guests travel from abroad and the celebration starts before the wedding day. One visual story across the full weekend.

  • Welcome dinner or pre-wedding party
  • Wedding day coverage
  • Pool party, brunch or post-wedding portraits

Optional extras

Film, drone and short clips

from €900

A good fit for villas, chateaux, coastal venues and multi-day celebrations. Add-on to any of the above.

  • Digital and medium format digital photography
  • 35mm film and 6×7 medium format film
  • Drone photography where allowed
  • Short video clips and content creation options

What is included in a destination wedding quote?

I keep the quote clear, so you know what you are booking before the wedding. For many European destination weddings, travel and hotel can be included in the final quote, depending on the date, location and coverage.

  • Coverage advice before booking
  • Timeline guidance for photography and light
  • Clear quote based on date, venue and plans
  • Travel planning handled calmly
  • Preview gallery after the wedding
  • Final edited gallery delivered online

Send your date, venue, country, rough guest count and the events you are planning. I’ll reply with availability and a sensible coverage recommendation.

Ask for availability

What you receive after your destination wedding

Your final gallery should feel like the whole wedding, not a small set of favourites. I edit the story with natural colour, clean skin tones, atmosphere, emotion and a timeless finish, so the photographs still feel good years later.

Preview images

about 7 days

A first selection of edited photographs, so you can share the feeling of the wedding while everything is still fresh.

Full gallery

6–8 weeks

The full edited wedding gallery, delivered online for viewing, downloading, sharing and printing.

  1. Full edited wedding story

    Preparations, ceremony, portraits, family, guests, dinner, speeches, details and party are edited as one complete story.

  2. Online gallery

    Your photographs are delivered in a private online gallery, ready for downloading, sharing with family and ordering prints.

  3. Natural colour editing

    I keep the colour clean, timeless and honest to the place, with natural skin tones and no heavy trend-based filters.

  4. Film and digital together

    If film is included, it becomes part of the same finished story, alongside Digital and medium format digital photography work.

The edit should feel polished, but not fake. The final result should feel like your wedding, your people and your destination, just photographed with care.

Questions couples ask

Destination wedding photographer FAQ

A few clear answers before you enquire. These cover pricing, travel, film, delivery, multi-day coverage and how far in advance to book.

How much does destination wedding photography cost?

Full-day destination wedding photography starts from €4,800 for up to 10 hours of coverage. Extra event coverage, such as a welcome dinner, day-before party or post-wedding shoot, starts from €900 for 3 hours. The final quote depends on your wedding date, destination, venue, travel plans and how many events you want photographed.

Do you include travel and hotel costs?

For many European destination weddings, travel and hotel can be included in the final quote. I prefer clear pricing, so you know what the booking includes before you confirm. For more complex travel, island weddings, remote venues or multi-day celebrations, I will outline the travel setup clearly in the quote.

Where do you photograph destination weddings?

I photograph destination weddings across Europe, especially in Italy, France, London, the UK, Spain and Mediterranean wedding destinations. I regularly work with couples planning weddings in Lake Como, Tuscany, Rome, Venice, Paris, Provence, the French Riviera, South of France and London.

Do you photograph multi-day destination weddings?

Yes. Multi-day coverage is often the best choice for destination weddings because the story usually starts before the ceremony. A welcome dinner, pool party, boat trip, rehearsal dinner or post-wedding brunch can add a lot of atmosphere to the final gallery.

Can you photograph on film as well as digital?

Yes. I offer digital photography, medium format digital, 35mm film and 6×7 medium format film. Film works beautifully for destination weddings, especially in warm southern light, old villas, chateaux, coastal locations and evening dinners.

Do you offer drone photography or short video clips?

Yes, where it is allowed and suitable for the location. Drone photography is useful for villas, chateaux, coastal venues, countryside estates and lake weddings. I can also include short video clips or simple content creation options around the wedding day.

How soon should we book you?

For peak destination wedding dates, especially in Italy, France and the UK, it is better to enquire as early as possible. Many couples book 12 to 24 months ahead, especially for summer weekends and well-known venues.

How long does it take to receive the photos?

I usually send preview images in about 7 days. The full edited gallery is normally delivered in 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the size of the wedding, travel schedule and whether film is included.

Can we see a full wedding gallery before booking?

Yes. I can share larger wedding galleries that match your type of wedding, destination or venue style. This is the best way to understand how I photograph a complete wedding day, not only a small portfolio selection.

How do we book you for our destination wedding?

Send your date, venue, country, rough guest count and the events you are planning. I'll reply with availability, coverage advice and a clear quote. If it feels like a good fit, we can arrange a video call and secure the date.

Not sure what you need? Send the rough plan first.

You do not need a finished timeline before enquiring. A date, country, venue and rough idea of the events is enough to start.

Useful details to include: date, destination, venue, guest count, ceremony time if known, and whether you are planning a welcome dinner, pool party or post-wedding shoot.

Check availability

Film wedding photography in Italy by Janis Ratnieks

Destination wedding enquiry

Planning a wedding abroad? Send me the date and place.

I photograph destination weddings across Italy, France, the UK, Spain and Europe — with a calm documentary approach, elegant portraits, film and digital options, and clear coverage for single-day or multi-day celebrations.

Include in your enquiry

  • Wedding date
  • Destination and venue
  • Guest count
  • Wedding day or multi-day plans
  • Film, drone or short clip interest

I’ll reply with availability and a clear quote

If the date works, we can arrange a short video call and talk through the coverage that makes sense for your wedding.

Full day from €4,800

Up to 10 hours of destination wedding photography, with clear coverage and online gallery delivery.

Extra events from €900

Welcome dinner, day-before party, pool party, brunch or post-wedding portraits.

Film, digital and drone

full-frame digital, medium format digital, 35mm film, 6×7 film, drone photography where allowed, and short clips.

Wedding guests arriving by water taxi at a Venetian palazzo wedding
Venice — guests arriving at the palazzo by water taxi.
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