Photographer directing the wedding party outside a white Southern-style house.

Traveling for a wedding is a totally different game compared to shooting one that’s just 30 minutes down the road. You’re dealing with airports, hotels, backup plans, and the very real fear of your gear going missing somewhere between check-in and boarding (hopefully this one doesn’t happen). After years of photographing weddings up and down the East Coast, from Florida to New York City, I’ve learned exactly what’s worth bringing, what you can skip, and how to travel without stressing about your equipment.

Here’s my simple guide to preparing for destination wedding photography and what you actually need to pack.

1. Your Carry-On: Never Let This Leave Your Side

Your camera gear is non-negotiable carry-on.
If the airline loses your clothes, fine — Target exists.
If they lose your cameras? That’s game over.

Here’s what stays on me at all times:

Two camera bodies
Four lenses (my main wedding kit)
Two–four flashes
Extra batteries
SD cards + case
Chargers
Straps (my HoldFast Money Maker never leaves this bag)

I pack all of this in my HoldFast Roamographer because it’s small enough to fit overhead, protects my gear, and doesn’t scream “expensive camera equipment.” Everything crucial lives in that one carry-on bag.

Couple standing together inside the glass conservatory at The Madison Hotel. — The Madison Hotel — Morristown, NJ

2. What Goes in the Checked Bag

Your checked bag should only carry things that won’t ruin the wedding day if they disappear.

Think:

Clothes
Toiletries
Lightweight light stands
My Sightseer bag (too bulky for the Roamographer)
Extra flashes that I don’t rely on
Sneakers/dress shoes

If it’s replaceable within an hour, it can go in the checked bag. If not, it stays with me.

Couple kissing inside a white gazebo at Mansion at Timber Point. — The Mansion at Timber Point — Great River, NY

3. Travel Tips That Make the Whole Experience Easier

Book your hotel close to the venue.

Yes, it might cost more. But being 15–20 minutes from the venue means you avoid risky long drives in unfamiliar areas and you get extra sleep which you'll desperately want after shooting until 10 or 11 PM.

Stop at Target or a grocery store on the way to the hotel.

This sounds small, but trust me — it’s huge.
I always grab:

Bottled water
A microwave meal
A snack for after the wedding

Hotel restaurants often close early, and nothing hits like cold water and a quick bite at midnight after shooting all day.

Couple standing under an umbrella at Jekyll Island Club Resort. — Jekyll Island Club Resort, GA

4. Protect Your Files With a Real Backup Plan

Backing up on your laptop isn’t enough when you’re traveling.

Here’s my on-the-road workflow:

I shoot dual card slots for instant redundancy
After the wedding, I back up everything to my GNARBOX or SSD
I take one SD card from each camera and put it in my pocket
The other cards stay in the camera
SSD stays in my carry-on
Laptop stays in a different bag

That way, all backups are physically separated. If a bag disappears? I still have the photos in my pocket. If everything disappears? Something had to physically happen to me, which is unlikely — and that’s the whole point.

Couple kissing on a rooftop at The Dewberry in South Carolina. — The Dewberry Charleston, SC

5. The One Rule I Never Break: Arrive a Day Early

I arrive the day before every single destination wedding, no exceptions.

Weather delays. Cancelled flights. Missed connections. Rental car issues. It happens.

The one time I didn’t buffer in that extra day, I ended up renting a car and driving 10 hours overnight to make it to a wedding after my flight got canceled. Thankfully, I arrived. But that lesson stuck with me.

Arriving early isn’t wasted time — it’s insurance.

Final Thoughts

Traveling for weddings doesn't have to be stressful if you pack smart and stick to a system. Keep your gear with you, back up obsessively, stay close to the venue, and always — always — get there a day early.