I really never thought I would be mentioning snow in the context of wedding photography in Mexico, but thinking about Scott and Sara’s big day reminds me that weddings are a little like beautiful snowflakes in that no two are ever alike! (another similarity that occurs as I edit a mountain of images this week is that as beautiful as they both are, neither a pile of weddings or a pile of snow is very easy to dig your way out of!)

If I had to list one skill that is important in photography I would have to say the ability to be truly observant. That may seem obvious, but it can be so easy for us to get caught up in recreating a preconceived idea, following the latest trends, or worrying about the camera and lighting technology or a million other things and end up overlooking the moments that can tell the story.

Sara and Scott and their group traveled from Canada for an intimate destination wedding. The couple was very creative in making use of several different areas of the Grand Sirenis resort and the hotel’s architectural details and the natural beauty of the Mayan Riviera coastline combined to provide a striking context for the wedding  photographs. Thank you Scott and Sara!

Sara and Scott did not see each other before the ceremony, as they waited to enter I thought Scott had a lot of discipline not to turn around a take a peek at his bride!

The dance reception was held in a very breezy palapa right on the ocean, this is a really nice spot, very private and peaceful.

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photographer located in Yucatan, Mexico, photographing weddings in the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Yucatan and throughout Mexico.

I think it is no secret to anyone reading this blog that we love, love, love all our brides and grooms, they are the very best people! I certainly can´t imagine a sweeter job than documenting their love for each other. We hope you enjoy our tribute to some of the most special people anywhere, all of the amazing couples we were privileged to photograph during 2009. To view the slide show please click on the grey arrow below and allow a moment for loading.

Dreams Tulum…what can I say, I have never really learned too much about Feng Sui but having visited Dreams Tulum several times now I am pretty sure that this place has a special energy….maybe floating over from the Mayan ruins down the beach in nearby Tulum. Each wedding I have photographed at Dreams Tulum has truly been a dream. Kimberly and Farid’s, where to start? Such a beautiful couple and so happy together. I love it when couples choose to see each other prior to the ceremony for a “first look”, I think that somehow it can actually be even more emotional to have that moment separate from the first ceremony moments, very intimate and special. I was so happy that Lindsey and I were able to document the first moments when Kimberly and Farid saw each other as bride and groom. Time must have stood still, because there are so many photographs. I think we could make a whole sideshow of our photographs of just that sequence alone! (And in case anyone is wondering, there were still tears left for the ceremony.)   :-)  Kimberly and Farid, thank you for allowing Lidnsey and I to photograph your destination wedding, it was unforgettable!

Elizabeth Medina wedding photojournalist, specializing in destination wedding photography in Mexico. Elizabeth Medina photographs weddings throughout Mexico for the world’s best couples.

Such a wonderful couple, surrounded by family, Lauren and I really enjoyed this wedding! The weather on their wedding day could not have been crazier, bright sunny skies and then a very sudden downpour just as the ceremony was ending. Group photos in a gazebo filled with 100 guests taking shelter from the rain was a first! I had to admire Mitul and Loan for taking the change in weather completely in stride and continuing to have such a great time with their wedding party and guests! It was just awesome that we had a trash the dress session scheduled for the next morning. The weather was perfect and I really loved the additional bride and groom photographs we were able to take around the resort as well as photograph Mitul and Loan with the dress (and suit!) in the ocean. Thank you so much Mitul and Loan! Can’t wait to get cracking on your album!

Wondering about the weather…

All the guys in the wedding party wore khakis and white shirts with fun white and tan tennis shoes, this little nephew was one of the guys!

This wedding party had an awful lot of personality as yoy can see in the next photo!

These two make such a great couple! While I suspect that being photographed might not be Mitul’s favorite activity he was such a great sport and never complained even thought I don’t think he had more than a few hours of sleep before having to wake up for the day after session.

Mariana and Eduardo were married in early January, the wedding reception was held at Mariana’s grandparent’s home here in Merida, Yucatan. Lindsey and I  were in charge of photographing this beautiful bride and groom’s portrait session prior to the wedding. “Los novios” and I have big plans for an after session (with clear skies this time we hope!) but I can’t help sharing several images of this beautiful couple on their very special day. Mariana y Eduardo, gracias por todo y nos vemos pronto!

How cool to see this vintage family wedding photograph, taken in the same location. I have such an admiration for the past generations of photographers.

Wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, wedding photojournalism throughout Mexico.

Absence make the heart grow fonder and sometimes you just don’t know what you have until it is suddenly taken away…cliché but oh so true we found out this week, when the Elizabeth Medina Photography website (along with many others) was taken offline due to damaged server hardware. Having had an online portfolio since very early in the millennium with never so much as a few hours offline, almost a week of downtime was something of a shock. Not only was our web portfolio and contact information gone, but also our couple’s sideshows, web galleries, hundreds of blog posts, not to mention that irreplaceable lifeline to the world…EMAIL. (bringing to mind another cliché… one about being careful what you wish for). We greatly apologize for the inconvenience the downtime has caused to our clients and users of the website and blog and we are happy to be back! At the moment our new emails are being being joined chaotically in the inbox with a mixture of emails from the week, so if anyone has sent an email and not received a reply we would ask that you please resend.
Such nostalgic feelings about the website brought back memories of how our life on the web began. Here are a few images from the early days, back then the muse was babies, children, maternity and family (just realizing we went kind of backwards, in ending up focused on wedding photography!) and yes, in the beginning I shot only with film (35 mm and medium format) and printed my black and white images in the darkroom!
This was the first page of the original website, I think it went live around 2002. I had been very serious about photography for quite a while but had not begin to use a computer until that time!

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photographer located in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. She photographs weddings in Yucatan, Campeche, the Riviera Maya, Cancun, Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, los Cabos, San Miguel de Allende and throughout Mexico.