Photography & Videos for Your Destination Wedding
- Dale Gallant
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
When planning your dream destination wedding, one of the biggest decisions couples face is choosing the right photography and videography team. Your wedding day will go by quickly, but your photos and videos will last forever. Choosing between an onsite resort vendor or an offsite professional photography company can greatly impact your overall wedding experience, style, flexibility, and budget.
At Destination Weddings with Globetrot, we help couples navigate both options to ensure they choose the solution that best fits their vision, personality, and wedding goals.
Understanding Onsite Wedding Photography & Video Teams
Most all-inclusive resorts offer their own in-house photography and videography services. These teams are familiar with the resort layout, wedding locations, lighting conditions, and timelines.
Benefits of Using Onsite Resort Vendors
1. No External Vendor Fees
One of the biggest advantages is avoiding outside vendor fees. Many resorts charge fees ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars if you bring in an external photographer or videographer.
This can create immediate savings for couples working within a wedding budget.
2. Familiarity with the Resort
Onsite teams know:
Best sunset locations
Ideal beach ceremony angles
Backup rain locations
Timing for lighting
Resort logistics and restrictions
This familiarity can help keep the wedding day running smoothly.
3. Convenience
Using the resort’s preferred vendors can simplify:
Scheduling
Communication
Setup
Coordination with the wedding department
Everything is often managed directly through the resort wedding coordinator.
Potential Limitations of Onsite Teams
While many onsite teams do excellent work, there can sometimes be limitations depending on the resort.
1. Less Customization
Some onsite photography packages follow a more standardized approach. Couples looking for:
Editorial-style photography
Cinematic storytelling
Drone footage
Highly artistic edits
Documentary-style filming
may find onsite packages somewhat restrictive.
2. Package Restrictions
Many resort packages include:
Limited hours
Limited edited images
Additional charges for raw files
Extra fees for longer coverage
Couples often discover that upgrades are needed to achieve their full vision.
3. Different Photographer Each Time
At some resorts, photographers rotate frequently. This means couples may not know exactly who will photograph their wedding until arrival.
For some couples, building a relationship beforehand with their photographer is very important.
Working with Offsite Photography & Videography Vendors
Offsite vendors are independent professionals who travel to the resort specifically for your wedding.
Companies such as Elegance Photography specialize in destination weddings and often provide a more personalized and robust experience.
Benefits of Offsite Vendors
1. More Creative Freedom
Offsite teams often provide:
Luxury editorial photography
Cinematic wedding films
Drone footage
Creative storytelling
Advanced editing styles
Customized shot lists
This allows couples to fully personalize their wedding memories.
2. Stronger Personal Connection
Many offsite photographers schedule:
Video consultations
Planning meetings
Style discussions
Timeline reviews
before the wedding day.
This helps couples feel more comfortable and confident.
3. Consistent Branding & Style
With offsite vendors, couples typically choose photographers based on a portfolio they already love.
You know exactly:
Their editing style
Their posing style
Their creativity
Their personality
This consistency is a major advantage for many destination wedding couples.
4. Expanded Services
Offsite vendors often provide:
Multi-day coverage
Welcome party photography
Catamaran excursions
Trash-the-dress sessions
Adventure shoots
Rehearsal dinner coverage
Luxury wedding albums
Our preferred off-site vendor is: Elegance Photography.
When it comes to capturing the emotion, beauty, and unforgettable moments of a destination wedding, choosing the right photography and videography team is one of the most important decisions a couple can make.
One company that continues to impress couples throughout the Mexican Caribbean is Elegance Photography. Based in the Riviera Maya, their team specializes in destination weddings throughout Cancun, Costa Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Their style blends fine-art elegance with genuine emotion, creating timeless imagery that feels both natural and luxurious.
Founded by photographer Clement “Clem” Andriot, Elegance Photography focuses on storytelling — capturing not only the major moments but also the candid emotions that make each wedding unique. Their calm and thoughtful approach helps couples feel relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera, something many destination wedding couples truly appreciate.
What makes offsite vendors like Elegance Photography stand out is the level of customization and artistic creativity they can often provide. From cinematic wedding films and drone footage to multi-day wedding coverage and luxury editing styles, couples looking for a more personalized experience may find tremendous value in working with an independent photography company.
At Destination Weddings with Globetrot, we proudly work with both onsite resort photography teams and trusted offsite vendors. Every couple has a different vision, budget, and style preference, and our goal is to help guide you toward the option that best aligns with your dream destination wedding experience.
So… Which Option Is Better?
The truth is — there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Onsite Vendors May Be Best If:
You want simplicity
You are budget-conscious
You prefer avoiding vendor fees
You are comfortable with standard wedding packages
You want everything coordinated directly through the resort
Offsite Vendors May Be Best If:
Photography is a top priority
You want a highly customized experience
You love a specific artistic style
You want cinematic or luxury storytelling
You value building a relationship with your photographer beforehand
Our Recommendation at Destination Weddings with Globetrot
We always encourage couples to:
Decide how important photography and videography are to them.
Review multiple portfolios.
Understand all vendor fee implications upfront.
Compare total value — not just initial pricing.
Some couples are perfectly happy with onsite vendors and receive beautiful memories.
Others prefer the elevated experience and artistic flexibility that offsite companies like Elegance Photography can provide.
Neither option is wrong — it simply depends on your wedding vision.
Let Us Help You Build Your Perfect Wedding Experience
At Destination Weddings with Globetrot, we proudly work with both onsite and offsite wedding photography and videography teams.
Our goal is to help couples:
Stay within budget
Understand resort policies
Avoid surprises
Create unforgettable wedding memories
From choosing the perfect resort to helping coordinate trusted vendors, we are with you from the beginning of your planning journey all the way to your “I Do’s.”
Ready to Start Planning?
Schedule your FREE no-obligation consultation today and let’s discuss the best photography and videography options for your destination wedding vision.
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