Bern and Grisons, Switzerland
Destination Wedding photography in Gstaad & St. Moritz
Chalets, snow and a winter light that lasts four hours and is worth all of them.
Snow is the most effective natural reflector there is. It throws light back up into faces from below, it deletes every distraction from a background, and it turns an alpine valley into a white studio with mountains for walls. A clear winter day in Gstaad or St. Moritz is the cleanest light we work in anywhere on this list, and it flatters everyone in the room.
The discipline it demands is the schedule. In December and January the sun comes over one ridge late and disappears behind the other early, and on a deep valley floor the genuinely usable outdoor window is four hours rather than an afternoon. So the portrait hour goes into the plan before the ceremony time does. Couples who accept that and marry at one o’clock come away with an extraordinary set; couples who put the ceremony at four are photographed in the dark, and no equipment solves it.
The light
Choosing a month in Gstaad & St. Moritz.
December to February
Snow, brilliant light off it, and a very short day. The sun leaves the valley floor hours before published sunset.
March
Still full snow, considerably more daylight, and warmer on the terraces. The best winter month.
June to September
Green pasture, wildflowers, long days and afternoon build-ups in the peaks. A different wedding entirely.
What has to be planned for
- The valley loses direct sun long before the published sunset time. In midwinter the usable outdoor window is measured in hours, not in an afternoon.
- Cable-car and funicular venues have a last descent, and it is not negotiable.
- Standing still outdoors in snow is much colder than walking in it. Coats, and a plan for how long anyone is outside, are part of the photographic plan here.
- Snow underfoot in formal shoes is the most common injury risk of any destination we work in.
The commission
- Coverage
- Two photographers, on site two days early, for the whole of the wedding day.
- From
- $22,000
Frames
From Gstaad & St. Moritz.
Questions
How much is a Swiss Alps wedding photographer?
From $22,000 for a destination wedding with two photographers, two days on site beforehand and full coverage of the day. Travel is quoted at cost.
Is a winter wedding here actually practical?
Yes, with one discipline: the portrait window goes into the schedule before anything else, because it is the only daylight you get. A one o’clock ceremony in January works; a four o’clock one does not.
What about the cable-car venues?
They operate to a timetable and the last descent is not negotiable. A mountain restaurant is a wonderful dinner and a hard stop, and the evening has to be built to finish rather than to run over.
Winter or summer?
March, if you want snow with more daylight than December offers — full cover, warmer terraces and a usable afternoon. Summer is green pasture, wildflowers and enormous visibility, and it is a completely different wedding.
How cold is it for the guests?
Cold enough that standing outdoors for twenty minutes is a decision. We plan in short outdoor sections with warmth at the end of each, which keeps everyone comfortable and keeps the photographs from looking endured.
Is the snow a problem underfoot?
It is the most common injury risk of any destination we work in, in formal shoes. The route is chosen with that in mind, and it is worth someone walking it the day before — which is what the two days on site are for.
Destination Wedding in Gstaad & St. Moritz?
Tell us the date and what you are planning. We reply personally, usually within two business days.