Destination weddings in Spain

Wedding photographer
Málaga & Costa del Sol

The photographer we send couples to when they are getting married on the Costa del Sol. One name, not a directory.

The Costa del Sol is where a lot of British, Dutch and German couples end up when they decide to get married in Spain. The venues are set up for foreign weddings, the ceremony can be at 20:30 in June with the sun still up, and there is a small circle of photographers who actually understand how a coastal wedding runs. Albert Pamies is the one we call.

He is not the cheapest. He is not on Bodas.net. He is the person you book when you have looked at three reportages by other photographers and thought, we want that but a level up.

Featured photographer

Albert Pamies

Málaga · Marbella · Costa del Sol

Experience

12+ years

Style

Emotional documentary

Language

English & Spanish

Albert has been shooting weddings on the Costa del Sol for over twelve years. His work has been recognised by Fearless Photographers in the US, and in 2019 he was ranked number one worldwide on MyWed, which is not a small thing given how competitive that ranking is. He also holds a distinction from Inspiration Photographers in Brazil.

His style is documentary but emotional. Not the cold, distant kind. He gets close to the family, waits for the moments, and edits with a warm mediterranean palette that ages well. Every couple we have sent to him has come back with a reportage that looks like the coast they got married on.

He works with a small number of weddings a year, which is how he keeps the quality where it is. If you are looking at May to October, contact us with at least ten months of notice.

Check his availability See his portfolio →

What to know

Weddings on the Costa del Sol,
the honest version

The light

Midday in July and August is punishing. Ceremonies at 12:00 outdoor look like a passport photo in the wedding reportage. The couples who get the best photos schedule the ceremony between 18:30 and 20:00, do the drinks reception at golden hour, and let the photographer work the couple session between 19:30 and sunset. Albert will walk you through this when you plan the timeline.

The venues

Cortijos inland (Ronda, Casares, the Sierra de las Nieves), beach clubs in Marbella and Estepona, cliffside villas in Mijas and Nerja. Each has its own light problem and its own solution. If your venue is a converted finca with white walls and olive trees, the mediterranean palette is going to sing. If it is a modern beach club with a lot of glass and stainless steel, the photographer has to work harder for warmth.

The paperwork

Legal weddings in Spain for non-residents are more paperwork than most people expect. Most foreign couples do the legal part in their home country and have a symbolic ceremony in Spain. Your venue coordinator or your wedding planner will help you here. Photographers do not touch this part, but a good one will know your ceremony is symbolic and plan the day around the vows and the readings, not around a registry official.

Other destinations

Mallorca Barcelona & Costa Brava

Also worth reading, our piece on what mediterranean wedding photography actually is and the honest guide to getting married in Spain from abroad.