I hope to be forgiven for a blog post heavy in both wedding day detail photographs and superlatives. I met Zach and Lolita several months prior to the wedding when they came to Merida, Mexico for a site visit to their wedding venue, the Hacienda Xcanatun. I was delighted to be able to meet “my” bride and groom in person and very excited knowing their celebration would take place not only in Merida but at one of my very favorite destination wedding locations!

For those who might be unfamiliar, Yucatan’s haciendas are true hidden gems, as former plantations they are incredible historic sites, very unique to this part of the Peninsula and not found in the Mayan Riviera or Tulum, areas that have been developed recently. Xcanatun dates from the XVIII century and is now a wonderful boutique hotel, it is charming and intimate with an upscale feel, and was the perfect setting for this very lovely wedding. Zach and Lolita, Lindsey and I wish you all the very best! Felicidades a los dos!

Lolita on her way to meet her groom for a “first look” and bride and groom photgraphs on the grounds of Hacienda Xcanatun, these two are so great together!

The backdrop of the ceremony was the hacienda chapel, it was very peaceful and beautiful.

The dinner reception was held on the hacienda’s outdoor terrace. Zach and Lolita had music all throughout the evening, an orchestra accompanied the ceremony followed by a traditional Yucatecan trio (perfect for the location and ambience!) and finally after dinner a local salsa band had the guests on their feet!

Lindsey and I were able to “escape” the reception for a few minutes with Zach and Lolita for a few nigh time photos…

Wedding photographer based in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, Elizabeth Medina photographs weddings in Yucatan, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Cancun, the Maya Riviera, Tulum, San Miguel de Allende and throughout Mexico, with a relaxed, natural and expressive style.

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.

With 2010 here for a while and it is great to be able to share one last 2009 wedding! Thank you, thank you Angela and Chris for your patience and total lack of bride (and groom) zillaness as I slowly but surely edited the many photos from your Dreams, Tulum wedding! I will stop the chatter now and let the photos of this bright and happy destination wedding at one of my very favorite locations do the talking. Congratulations, Angela and Chris, thank you so much for letting Lauren and I photograph your beautiful and very special destination wedding!

A few details: the colors of the flower’s in Angela’s bouquet really “popped” and had to love her choice of spunky purple shoes!

Getting ready and a photograph of the beautiful bride. I can’t mention enough how much I appreciate it when the bride is able to dedicate a window of time to bridal photos before the action begins.

Angela and Chris planned to meet for a “first look”, those moments are some of my favorites from the day.

Anglela and her girls pre-ceremony.

Dreams Tulum has such serene and beautiful ceremony site!

The happy groom awaiting the ceremony…

Group hug!

During the ceremony some clouds rolled in, just enough to bring a very brief shower and an amazing rainbow!

Bride and groom, sunset beach photographs, I don’t know how it could get much better.

Luego la fiesta…con muy buen ambiente!

Destination wedding photographer Tulum Mexico. Elizabeth Medina, wedding photography in the Mayan Riviera, Yucatan, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, San Miguel de Allende and throughout Mexico.

This wedding will go down in history as a party to remember. Now if only this photographer could get a certain song out of her head!  Pj and Kate were married in a Catholic ceremony at the Maroma Chapel in the Mayan Riviera. The wedding preparations as well as the coctail hour and dinner reception were held at the beatiful Excellence Riviera Cancun and the wedding was coordinated by Luxe Destination Weddings. Kate and PJ are such a fun young couple who really knew how to relax and enjoy their celebration. Muchas Gracias PJ and Kate! We hope the photographs bring back lots of memories!

Elizabeth Medina wedding photographer Riviera Maya Mexico.

Hola! Slowly getting caught up with December weddings! Tt was a pleasure to finally be able to photograph Milena and Gerry´s wedding! Planned originally for a date in the very midst of the Swine Flu outbreak, Gerry and Milena´s much awaited May 2009 wedding had to be postponed at the very last minute. Fortunately they and their guests who traveled in from both North and South America were able to go with the flow and gather in Mexico for a very memorable December celebration. What a fun, fun group! Be forewarned I am including many detail photos in this blog post! Milena and Gerry, aside from being lots of fun to photograph, are a very creative couple and they incorporated many projects and a lot of style into their wedding plans, let me tell you Martha Stewart has nothing on these two!

The cermony was held on a rooftop “Sky Deck” overlooking the ocean. I was not sure what to expect of this location but was very favorably surprised, the ceremony was just lovely.

More details! The Capiz shells made the most beautiful sound all through the ceremony.

Lindsey’s photo…

The reception, more details…I had to share the children’s place settings because it was such a cute idea and something we had not seen before. I am sure it was a huge hit with the flower girls and ring bearers (and their parents!) because it kept the little ones entertained all through the reception.

A few images from the TTD session, also at the Azul Sensatori. This session was actually done the evening before the wedding and was a great chance for us to get to know the bride and groom before the big day. Non wedding day sessions are really special to me because they give an opportuntiy to really focus on the couple and their interaction with each other.

The next two images are from Lindsey’s camera… I may be a bit biased but I think they are just beautiful.

Azul Sensatori wedding photography by destination wedding photographer, Elizabeth Medina. Wedding photojournalism in the Mayan Riviera and throughout Mexico.

So beautiful! Miko and Kenji were married in a very intimate and spiritual ceremony at the Hacienda Uayamón in Campeche, Mexico. Uayamón is truly one of the Yucatan Peninsula´s gems and I could not feel more happy that so many people have become familiar with this magical hacienda through my work. I tend to get multiple emails every week asking about this location which tells me one thing… that many of my blog ¨readers¨ actually skip my ramblings and just look at the pictures. Which is something that I endorse wholeheartedly! This hacienda is far off the beaten path in the state of Campeche and Kenji and Miko experienced some interesting adventures along the way that I am sure will make fun stories someday. Their spiritual wedding ceremony was truly moving and I felt honored to be present, the atmosphere was simply magnificent and not something I can easily describe in words. Rather than trying I will let the images speak. Congratulations Miko and Kenji, and thank you.

Kenji and Miko symbolically joined two candles to light one single flame, but their individual flames continued to burn next to each other throughout the ceremony.

Wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, wedding photojournalism in Yucatan, Campeche, Riviera Maya, Cancun and throughout Mexico.

Adrienne and Evan were married at Milamores,  a secluded beach front property near Tulum, Mexico, which according to legend was originally built by famous drug king pin Pablo Escobar. Mil Amores is now living a whole new life as an “eco chic” boutique hotel and was a peaceful and private wedding location for Adrienne and Evan. Despite the weekend beginning with some weather “issues” due to pesky Hurricane Ida, the wedding day was unforgettable and the beach amazingly calm and beautiful for the oceanfront ceremony. Adrienne and Evan are a very loving couple and had planned so many thoughtful surprises for their guests it was really fun to see (and photograph!) each charming detail and how everyone had such a good time all through the evening’s celebration.

The bride and groom before the ceremony… muy guapos los dos!

Tulum’s wedding coordinator Gwen Grossett of Destination Weddings Tulum was on hand to make the wedding and reception all come together and run smoothly. Below, Adrienne walking through the jungle on the way to the ceremony.

The reception was moved indoors due to the uncertain weather, so while things may have been a little different than planned the ambiance was simply amazing.

Tulum wedding photography by Mexico destination wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina at Milamores, Tulum, Mexico.

If ‘wedding’ and ‘rain’ are two words that really don’t belong in the same sentence then I think ‘Mexico beach wedding’ and ‘hurricane’ don’t even belong in the same dictionary! Donna and Patrick’s wedding had an unexpected guest in the form of Hurricane Ida as it passed by Playa del Camen, Mexico on its way through the Atlantic. Despite some wind and rain the wedding went off as planned in the gazebo. Destination weddings are so much fun and such relaxed affairs, I had the distinct impression at times that the guests were to busy enjoying themselves to even notice the weather! Despite the very unusual weather  it was a very beautiful wedding and such a treat to be able to document it all and I was thrilled to be able to photograph Donna and Patrick on the beach the next morning.

It stopped raining just long enough for Patrick and Donna’s “first look” before the ceremony. Lindsey photographed the moment from a balcony.

The bride and groom photos were moved indoors due to the weather, Donna and Patrick are such a beautiful couple and such troopers!

The first dance…

The next morning we were able to hit the beach for a morning after session. It was so peaceful and quiet, the only other people out were a few surfers taking advantage of the rare occurance of surfable waves in Playa del Carmen.

Wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina, wedding photography at the Royal in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Monica and Francisco held their destination wedding at one of my very favorite locations. The Hacienda Temozon is a just a spectacular and unique wedding venue. Dating from 1655 this authentic Yucatecan hacienda is full of history and local flavor. For those not familiar with the area, Yucatan has its own cuisine and culture, the Mayan langueage is still spoken here and Yucatan is home to wonders like the pyramids of Chichen Itza….sorry for rambling, but I can’t help but be thankful to live in an area with so much spririt!

I also could not feel more honored or proud to be entrusted to photograph events such as Monica and Francisco’s Mexico wedding or happier to have had Lauren as my assistant photographer throughout the day. Monica y Francisco, les deseo todo lo mejor y espero verlos en Merida para festejar el aniversario!

Elizabeth Medina wedding photojouralism Yucatan Mexico. Elizabeth Medina specializes in destination wedding photography and photographs events in Yucatan, the Mayan Riviera and throughout Mexico.

Mona and David had one of those weddings where you can’t help notice that everyone is having a really fantastic time celebrating. Well, now that I think of it… a fun group of friends and family gathered to spend a weekend in a place like Playa del Carmen, Mexico for the wedding of a beautiful couple who just  couldn’t be happier, what could be a better time than that?  The wedding day just seemed to fly by. Mona and David’s ideas for their Catholic wedding and the reception at the Kool Beach club were implemented beautifully by Luisa, Glena and Adriana of  Weddings Riviera Maya

We met up with Mona at the La Tortuga Hotel to photograph the bridal getting ready portion of the day. She had a really fun group of bridesmaids helping her prepare and lots of pretty and very well chosen details to photograph…

The ceremony was a Catholic mass at Playa del Carmen´s Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church. David’s reaction when Mona entered the church on her father’s arm was very heartfelt, and Lindsey captured these moments.

After the mass the entire group walked Carmen along the Quinta Avenida, acompanied by a mariachi band.  (Or should I say ran? Maybe because I was running backwards and photographing simultaneously at the time but the bride and groom seemed to be moving at a very fast pace!)  Such a fun way to celebrate especially since the entire town seemed to be cheering on the newlyweds!

Mona and David had planned a private reception in the heart of Playa del Carmen at the Kool Beach Club, the next two photos were taken on the beach before they joined their guests for the fiesta.

Wedding Photojournalist Elizabeth Medina photographs destination weddings in Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya, Cancun, Tulum and throughout Mexico.

There is no place like home! After traveling for almost all of our spring weddings it really has been a lot of fun to shoot a succession of local weddings here in Yucatan this fall!  Andy and Enid are such a sweet international couple, with Enid coming from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and her fiancee Andy from far away England. It was wonderful to see how the bride and groom incorporated the culture and feel of the Yucatan into their wedding at the 16th century Hacienda Petcanche in Merida.  The garden of the hacienda seemed perfect for their event. Andy and Enid just seem to be so absolutely right for each other and it was a joy to see them so happy on their big day.

Andy’s very delighted expression as Enid arrived in the garden area for their “first look”.

Enid made great use of the hacienda’s colors for her fall wedding, she also managed to work quite a bit of bling into her wedding look!

Bride and groom portraits at the Hacienda Petcanche prior to the wedding mass.

The ceremony was held at the Itzimna Church, a very traditional church for weddings in Merida,

The next image belongs to my fab assistant Lauren! I loved this one.

Paul and Loly are a wonderful couple from California, it was a true honor to have them fly in from California for their anniversary photo session. What can I  say… each and every bride and groom I photograph is a rockstar and I am so blessed to be their photographer!    Loly and Paul, thank you so much for trusting me with such important photographs, it was a privilege.

After a bit of deliberation (Mexico´s states of Yucatán and Campeche are both studded with so many unique and amazing haciendas!)  Campeche´s  Hacienda Uayamón was chosen as the location for the photo session. I really can´t say enough good things about Hacienda Uayamón, it is a gem,  a fairy tale location run by the nicest people around. Absolutely nothing could be more satisfying than hearing people say that they have found and fallen in love with their Mexico wedding location through my photography and this year I look forward to returning to fantastic spots with couples who have found their locations right here on this blog. What could be better?

The next shot is Loly and Paul´s style…they really enjoy each other.

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photographer located in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and photographing weddings in Yucatan, Campeche, Mayan Rivera, Cancun and throughout Mexico.

Or should I say a hot day with a hot couple?  :-)  Also true! It had to be one of the hottest days of the year, hopefully of the century! But with the clear blue sky and the gorgeous turquoise blue Playa de Camen water just perfect for a wedding, especially with Megan and Michael, a lovely couple who didn’t need much encouragement to go for it and fit in a mini trash the dress session before the reception. (Did I mention it was a hot day?). These two have so much fun together, it was fun to see all the laughter in the photographs!  Congratulations to you both! Lindsey and I wish you all the best in your life together!

Megan and her girls on the way to the ceremony…

My new favorite hammock photo…

Speeches…

First dance…