Marina Tardin

A Bern photographer who publishes her prices

Marina Tardin is a wedding and family photographer from Bern. Her castle-wedding page introduces her as a wedding photographer from Bern, and her about page describes her work as natural, emotional wedding reportage. She writes that she likes best to photograph outdoors in nature or at people's homes, and that what matters to her is that couples feel at ease so the pictures show them as they really are.

Two things make her stand out for couples from abroad. First, she works in three languages: "Neben Deutsch spreche ich fliessend Französisch und Englisch und begleite auch mehrsprachige Hochzeiten und Shootings" (besides German I speak fluent French and English, and I also cover multilingual weddings and shoots). Her gallery bears that out, with French-speaking couples and a French caption among the German ones. Second, her offer page lists prices, so a couple can judge the budget before the first message.

She describes herself as happily married, a mother of two and a former bride, and says that experience is why both wedding and family photography matter to her. The site itself is in German.

The wedding offer and what it costs

The offer page (Angebot) sets out two wedding formats.

Hochzeitsreportage (full wedding reportage). Coverage of 6 to 12 hours, from CHF 2,500. She writes that she will travel with couples anywhere in Switzerland, from 6 hours of coverage. Her castle-wedding pages list what a reportage includes:

• an online meeting before the wedding;
• support by WhatsApp and email with questions during the whole preparation period;
• at least 6 hours of coverage on the day;
• an online gallery with at least 400 edited photos;
• private usage rights to the images;
• all travel costs within Switzerland.

The last point is useful for couples marrying far from Bern: the page states travel within Switzerland is included rather than billed per kilometer.

Ziviltrauung (civil ceremony). Coverage of 1.5 to 5 hours, from CHF 690. She calls it "Klein aber fein" (small but fine): the civil ceremony at the registry office, combined with a relaxed couple shoot and reportage of the apéro. That suits couples who marry civilly first and hold a bigger celebration later, or who keep the whole day small.

Both formats start with a free Kennenlerngespräch (getting-to-know-you call), so couple and photographer can see whether they are a good fit before booking.

Other shoots and the shop

For couples and families she offers individual shoots (couples, pregnancy, newborn, family) from CHF 500, and an emotional short film (Emotionaler Kurzfilm) for CHF 275. The shop on the same page sells a leporello (fold-out photo book) for CHF 85, a Classic CH landscape wedding album from CHF 890, a Classic EU square album from CHF 750, a mini album for CHF 490, gift vouchers from CHF 50 or for an individual shoot at CHF 500, and a wedding guide (Hochzeits-Ratgeber) for CHF 49. Shop prices include Swiss VAT, with shipping extra.

Her wedding work

The gallery shows where she works most: the canton of Bern and neighboring Fribourg. Wedding entries include Rolf and Stefan at Schloss Schadau in Thun; Colette and Marco, with a first look at Schloss Laupen and a civil ceremony in Murten; a civil wedding at Schloss Köniz, covered for 3 hours; a barn wedding near Laupen with a free ceremony, covered for 6 hours; an autumn wedding in the Seeland with a church ceremony in Kerzers and an apéro in Muntelier, covered for 5 hours; a summer wedding in Walkringen in the Emmental; a November civil wedding at the castle in Estavayer-le-Lac; and an elopement by a river near Schwarzenburg. The site footer also links pages for weddings at Schloss Schadau, Schloss Laupen and Schloss Murten.

Her one mountain wedding in the gallery is worth reading in full for anyone planning an alpine day. Martina and Giacun married in the Val Lumnezia in Graubünden in September, and she covered 8 hours. The civil ceremony was at Casa Gronda in Ilanz, which she recommends for civil weddings because the light is good and bright. A couple shoot followed near Vella, with the couple rehearsing their first dance. The second, Reformed ceremony was held outdoors at the Badesee Davos Munts, a lakeside setting where she could move around freely to pick her positions, followed by an apéro in a tent next door. She then had 30 minutes for a second couple shoot in the soft evening light while the guests moved on to the Boutique Hotel Pellas in Vella.

Several gallery captions mention couples who came back: pregnancy and newborn shoots for couples she had photographed at their wedding, and a couple photographed twice.

What the site does not settle

Her offer is clearly laid out, but a few questions remain. The site does not say how long delivery of the gallery takes, what deposit or contract terms apply (there is an AGB, terms and conditions, link in the footer), or what happens if a day runs beyond the booked hours. It does not say whether she travels for weddings outside Switzerland. The album prices are "from" prices, so couples should ask what a typical album costs once pages are added. There is an FAQ page in the menu that couples can read for more detail.

Contact is by email at foto@marinatardin.ch or phone on +41 79 244 66 32, and the site invites couples to book the free intro call.

Who she suits

Marina Tardin suits couples marrying in the Bern and Fribourg region, at the castles of Schadau in Thun, Laupen and Murten, and couples anywhere in Switzerland who want published prices and travel included. Her French and English make her a strong match for bilingual couples, for a ceremony in two languages, or for a couple from abroad with Swiss family. The civil-ceremony package at a lower entry price suits small registry-office weddings.

The caveat for couples who want a mountain wedding is that her gallery shows only one full alpine wedding day, alongside mountain couple shoots in Rougemont, in the Susten region and at the Grimsel, so it is worth asking to see more complete mountain weddings. Couples planning a very long day should note the reportage tops out at 12 hours.