Alright, you and your special one have finally chosen the wedding venue in Italy. It will be some magical villa in Tuscany or perhaps a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Rome. The caterer is just the right one for you, and you both just can’t wait to indulge in their food creations. You can already picture how it will all be. And then you realise that without a wedding photographer, all of the above will not be captured, and generations down the line your grand children will have little on hand to picture your most special moment. 

The task of choosing and hiring the best Italian wedding photographer can be a difficult one, and language can be a barrier. Ideally, when choosing a local, you want to meet them on Skype and not only discuss your wedding day, but also find out if you and your partner get along with him. After all, the photographer is often the only professional that will follow you throughout the whole day of your wedding, from the very beginning to the very end: you need to make sure he will be able to communicate with you naturally, that he will be able to direct you into a pose or simply make you laugh and put you both at ease in front of the camera. 

As an Italian wedding photographer who was based in London for many years, I have met couples who chose to fly me to their wedding venue abroad, simply to ensure that this level of communication would be met. I have ended up taking pictures in the Middle East for english speaking couples exactly due to this. However, on the other hand, some British brides & grooms chose me as I have an extensive knowledge of some of the most beautiful Italian regions: after all, I was born in Rome to parents with roots in Siena, Montalcino and Florence! In the latter example, they were able to enjoy the best of both worlds, having both a local and someone who thought and spoke in their native language. 

“make sure he will be able to communicate with you naturally, that he will be able to direct you into a pose or simply make you laugh and put you both at ease in front of the camera”

When choosing your destination wedding photographer, make sure to carefully review their portfolio too, and to have an idea of what style of photography you would like for your own wedding. If you are unsure as to what would be the best approach in terms of style, tell your photographer as many details as possible about your special day, and describe how you picture it in your thoughts (or even in your dreams!). An experienced professional will be able to guide you through what he thinks would be the best way to photograph you and your guests, and make sure you’re happy with it. Some couples for example, choose to have the most unobtrusive approach and have their photographer record the day with a reportage style, avoiding posed pictures at all costs. Others may prefer a rather glam touch, and let their photographer pose them in fashion-inspired settings. The truth is: whichever style you end up preferring, you will quickly realise how you would actually like to have a little bit of both. For this very reason, double check that your chosen professional is competent in both approaches, capturing the best candid shots and suggesting you some timeless and natural poses during the day.