The difference between a good photo and a breathtaking masterpiece is often preparation. On your wedding day, time is your most valuable resource. You do not want to spend your cocktail hour wandering around aimlessly while your photographer looks for a good background. You want a professional who knows exactly where to go, when the light will be perfect, and how to navigate the property efficiently.
A common question from couples booking new or unique venues is: Do you scout locations before the wedding day? The answer is Yes. Preparation is a non-negotiable part of my process. Whether I visit days in advance or arrive early on the morning of the event, I ensure I am intimately familiar with your venue’s potential. This post explains how Adrian Bonet Photography prepares to capture your day without wasting a single moment.
Do not let logistics stress you out. Secure a photographer who knows the area inside and out. Contact Adrian Bonet Photography to check availability for your venue today.
Index
Scouting New Venues
Assessing Light & Potential Challenges
The “Day-Of” Walkthrough
Efficiency Means More Party Time
Final Thoughts
Scouting New Venues
Exploring the Unknown
While I have photographed weddings at many of the major resorts and venues in the Riviera Maya, I love the excitement of a new location. If your wedding venue is new to me, I make every effort to visit the location ahead of time. This site visit allows me to familiarize myself with the layout, find the hidden architectural gems, and identify the most scenic backdrops for your portraits.
Creative Visualization
Walking the grounds before the pressure of the wedding day allows me to be creative. I can visualize the shots, plan the composition, and imagine how we will use the space. This means that when I arrive on your big day, I already have a mental roadmap of the artistic possibilities.
Assessing Light & Potential Challenges
Chasing the Sun
Photography is painting with light. During a scouting trip, my primary focus is the sun. I check where the sun rises and sets relative to your ceremony site. I look for open shade where we can do family photos without everyone squinting. Knowing how the light hits the venue at different times of day is crucial for creating flattering, professional images.
Identifying Obstacles
Scouting also helps me identify potential challenges. Is there construction happening next door? is the “sunset spot” actually blocked by a new building? By spotting these issues in advance, I can plan solutions and alternative angles, ensuring that nothing surprises us on the wedding day.
The “Day-Of” Walkthrough
Arriving Early
Sometimes, travel logistics or venue access restrictions make a separate pre-visit impossible. In these cases, I arrive early on the wedding day—well before our scheduled start time. I use this time to do a thorough walk-through, checking the current conditions of the gardens, the beach, and the reception area.
Checking for Changes
Even at venues I know well, I always do a “day-of” check. Landscapes change; flowers bloom or fade, and tides shift. Arriving early ensures that my plan for the day is based on the current reality of the venue, not just my memory of it.
Efficiency Means More Party Time
No Wasted Time
Why does all this scouting matter to you? It matters because it saves time. Because I know exactly where I am going, we can move from the ceremony to the family photos to the couple’s portraits seamlessly. There is no hesitation and no wandering.
Enjoying Your Wedding
This efficiency means you spend less time posing for photos and more time drinking champagne, hugging your friends, and dancing. My preparation allows you to enjoy the wedding you spent so long planning, confident that I am capturing the best of it.
Final Thoughts
Great photography is a mix of artistic instinct and rigid preparation. I take the responsibility of documenting your wedding seriously, and that begins long before I pick up the camera.
When you hire Adrian Bonet Photography, you are hiring a professional who does the homework. Whether it is a venue I have shot at a hundred times or a brand new private villa, I will be prepared to capture it beautifully.