Hello, Lovelies! I'm coming to you today with an interview with Tara Fitzgerald from Planned by Tara, who's an Irish wedding planner in Malta! I've known Tara online for a few months now, as a destination wedding photographer I'm a member of her supplier forum & I we follow each others Instagram accounts (that's a big one, right?! :D). I approached her about this interview and I'm so happy she said yes - 2018 has been the best so far for making connections with vendors and creatives all over the place, and it's all for the benefit of my brides! I love the fact that Tara so relatable - she was a destination bride herself once, she loves to travel & she's committed to making your day as stress-free as possible.

Tara explains why hiring a good planner for your destination wedding will make everything much easier & shares her tips about weddings in Malta. We teamed up to give you some guidance & insights on getting married abroad because so often brides would feel pinned down to get married at home thinking there is no other option. With little encouragement and a smaller budget (!), they could be married off on a beautiful island and have a wedding day of their dreams. 

For the past 3 years, I have been pretty committed to exploring Northern Ireland and it's raw coastline, forests and hidden gems, but I somehow managed to miss Islandmagee. It just never occurred to me it exists. It was a total blind spot until I heard about Rob's Heart & Soul workshop from my friends Sheena & Christin. They were raving about the workshop itself, the energy and fuel it gives, about the couples they were photographing and the location. 

Fast forward to late May when I attend it, not only learned a thing or two about having a wedding photography business in Northern Ireland (and destination in my case!:)) but most of all met some amazing people. The couple that we were photographing on the island, Charlotte and Michael, are getting married in July and I'm more than sure they will make a wonderful bride and groom. I'm a huge fan of natural, sweet and candid photography focusing on the couple and their loved ones, and I always express how important it is to have your pre-wedding shoot. Not only because it's a great chance to bond a bit with your photographer, but also because on your wedding day you can focus on the moment, on being present and not on the fact that you are being photographed. 

Islandmagee will be definitely joining my list of places to elope in Northern Ireland and I'm just delighted I was able to attend the workshop and make some new friends. Keep your eyes peeled for more of Charlotte and Michael, as they have agreed to help me with the secret project I'm planning for August.