I see it over and over…one thing I have always suspected about destination wedding is that one reason everyone seems to have such a good time is that the ho-hum guests probably are most likely to be the ones to stay home… Katie and John’s wedding at Dreams Tulum seemed to prove my point, this group was anything but boring! It was great to see this very high energy crowd having such an amazing time celebrating Katie and John’s marriage!

We spent quite a bit of time with Katie, the girls and her family prior to the ceremony… they were a wonderful group and having a really good time helping Katie prepare for the wedding, it was fun to document the details and general atmosphere of anticipation not to mention the beautiful bride and her friends and family.

Little did I know when I crossed the resort to meet up with John and the guys the shock that was waiting for me! I was rendered speechless! It was a huge relief to find out that cutoff jean shorts  were a joke and not the groomsmen’s ceremony attire! You would think by now I would have seen it all but apparently not!

The ceremony… beach ceremonies at Dreams Tulum are gorgeous!

The reception was so much fun, I have omitted several photos on the grounds of not imagining how to go about explaining what was going on! The wedding party made their entrance in fun sunglasses and Katie did a really cute choreographed dance with her dad and things went from there!

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.

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.

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.

Dreams Tulum is one of my favorite wedding locations, I have photographed there several times but it is so amazing to see how even in a familiar location no two weddings are ever the same! Kim and I share something in common (unfortunately for me it is not being a young dark haired beauty, Kim has that one covered!) We do share our love of photography though, so it was extra fun to collaborate with Kim and Matt creating images of their beautiful wedding and the trash the dress session the next day. I wish I could post the whole wedding to the blog but here is a sample….Thank you Kim and Matt, I loved spending my B-Day with such a great group!

Pre ceremony photos, Kim and Matt chose not to see each other before the ceremony.

The ceremony, I loved this image of Kim entering the ceremony on her father’s arm.

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Just a few ceremony moments

Trashing the dress at sunrise!

Tulum Wedding Photography by Mexico wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina. Wedding photography in Tulum, Playa del Carmen, the Mayan Rivera, San Miguel de Allende, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and through out Mexico.

I get a surprising number of emails every week from destination brides and grooms asking for suggestions of locations for their weddings. I know the choices must be overwhelming, especially since there is not always the opportunity for a site visit before actually making the trip to Mexico for the wedding. When asked about Dreams Tulum I am always happy to give an enthusiastic thumbs up, especially if the crowd is a bit laid back and may be bringing children. Everyone just seems to have a great time at Dreams Tulum! This wedding certainly is a case in point, I was struck over and over as I edited all the photographs by the smiles on everyone’s face. Audra and Joe are a very active and fun couple, great to hang out with and to photograph! The ceremony was held on the beach and the dinner and dancing afterward also overlooked the ocean, in the Seaside Grill restaurant. Thank you Audra and Joe for letting us photograph your day. Best wishes to the two of you,may you continue to be blessed!

Bride and groom getting ready…

I thought this tee shirt was the best!

Audra and her team before they helped her with her final preparations.

So beautiful! I love it when there is enough time to do bridal portraits before the ceremony, they are always some of my favorites of the day.

The ceremony set up on the beach.

This is one of my favorites from the day.

In the warm weather sometimes the ring just doesn’t want to go on! iI loved Audra’s reaction!

Married!

The black and red color scheme is a bit different for a beach wedding, I thought the punchy color looked just fantastic.

Bridal party formals..

The first dance…

Not quite sure what was going on here…

Wedding photography in Mexico by professional wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina. Elizabeth Medina is a Wedding Photojournalist based in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. She photographs weddings throughout Mexico at locations including the Maya Riviera, Yucatan haciendas, Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos y San Miguel de Allende.

Mindy and Chad are the kind of people that you feel like you have known forever as soon as you meet them. They have been married for one year and planned a fun anniversary photo shoot to take place during their trip to Tulum. Since I can usually only make the trip to Tulum for full wedding day coverage I was happy that I would be in the area already and available to photograph the two of them, especially once I met them and found out how much fun they are! We started off with more casual anniversary shots of the two of them around the beautiful grounds of the resort, then they quickly changed into wedding clothes for the second part of the session, which ended up with all of us completely soaked! Fortunately the camera survived and I think the photographs were worth it! Thank you so much Mindy and Chad for being so much fun to hang out with and for waiting so patiently to see the photographs!

Mindy and Chad told me they really liked the architecture of the resort, I tried to incorporate the feel of the resort into the photographs.

Mindy, is a very cheerful, bubbly person…but I thought the serious photographs of her were just beautful.

Casual beach photographs, I think every newly married or engaged couple should have these done!

I think this is my favorite from the whole anniversary session, because it shows the fun releationship the two have!

Two more photographs of the Bride on the Dreams, Tulum beach…

Elizabeth Medina is a professional photographer specializing in wedding photojournalism. Located in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, she photographs destination weddings in Yucatan, the Maya Riviera, Tulum, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta Los Cabos and throughout Mexico. She is a member of the WPJA, Wedding Photojournalist Association.

I met Jen and Royce a full year ago when they came to the Riviera Maya to plan the wedding and scout locations. Hearing Jen and Royce talk about their plans I could tell they had a clear vision of the wedding day, planning a chic beach ceremony incorporating elements of the local Mayan culture to be celebrated with family and friends. Once I made it past the interview process (just kidding, Royce!), I felt like a valued member of the Royce-Jen team and was thrilled to see how vision became a reality on the day of the wedding.

The wedding was held at the very pampering and upscale Eurostars Blue Resort which I am predicting will be one of THE locations for next year’s destination weddings.

Wow! She looked amazing.

I love it when people point out little details that they notice, Jen’s maid of honor showed me that Jen’s face was being reflected in a small mirror on the wall, this image is a photograph of the reflection.

Jen included her grandmother’s pearls in her bouquet.

Jen and Royce had a chance to meet privately before the ceremony.

This was probably the most emotional wedding I have ever photographed. Destination weddings are probably a little more emotional than most, because they tend to be more intimate. It is common to see a bride or shed a few tears, or maybe a bridesmaid or family member. At this wedding just about everyone cried including the guests in the very last row (not to mention the photographers)! How could anyone not be touched when the groom went forward to play the guitar and sing to his bride….especially since he had learned to play the guitar in secret as a surprise for Jen! The bride and groom aslo gave a white Callah lily and hug to each family member, that was a gesture I have not seen at a ceremony and was another overwhelmingly emotional moment. I won’t go into the handwritten vows or the letter…or I will flood my keyboard right now! What a reminder of what it really is all about!

The Eursotars Blue is a little different from other resorts in the area in that it does not have a true sandy beach. I thought the pool area and this rocky overlook were just fantastic.

As a very special and unique gift Royce hand made magnets with the symbol of each guest’s birth year from the Mayan calendar.

Jen and Royce’s first dance as husband and wife, the open air dance floor was spectacular and a lounge area was set up right next to it.

The father daughter dance…

Mexico wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina specializes in wedding photojournalism. She photogrpahs weddings in tulum, the Maya Riviera, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Merida, yucatan and throughout Mexico, includieng Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and San Miguel de Allende Mexico.

Sunamita and I had been looking forward to doing a “Trash the Dress” photo session for almost a year. (I’m not really sure if Rob was looking forward to it or not but if not he never let on!) For those who don’t know about the trash the dress concept, the idea (as I interpret it anyway) is to be able to do a photos session that is a little more free than it would be on the wedding day, since there are no time pressures or waiting wedding guests and no need to worry about maintaining a pristine dress, hair, etc. And if the bride and groom just happen to end up in the ocean in the name of art, all the better!

When Lindsey and I met Sunamita and Rob at 6 am (yes, it was early!) in time for sunrise the morning after the wedding, the weather was not encouraging. It was very dark damp and grey, I knew the sun had to be rising but it was well hidden behind the clouds. We did some photographs around the hotel (of course we had the place to ourselves the sane people were sleeping!)

Sunamita and Rob have such a special bond between them, it is obvious right away and I think the camera could not help but capture that! Thank you Sunamita and Rob for waking up so early and for being so absolutely fabulous!

Thank goodness the sun came peeking out of the clouds…and it was a beautiful morning! The storm had washed the beach completely clean, it was an amazing. The waves were still strong and we ended the session just as soaked as Sunamita and Rob!

Elizabeth Medina is a professional photographer located in Yucatan, Mexico. She specializes in wedding photojournalistic wedding photography and is a member of the WPJA, Wedding Photojournalist Association.

Photographing Sunamita and Rob’s intimate wedding ceremony on a private beach in Tulum Mexico was a true privilege. The weather was touch and go all day because of a storm front, there was quite a bit of wind and waves and it looked like rain was a real possibility. Fortunately the weather held. Tt did not rain and we had the beach all to ourselves. Even if it had rained I think Sunamita and Rob may have never even noticed, they were completely living their own moment all through the marriage ceremony. Here are a few wedding day images…stay tuned for the fabulous TRASH THE DRESS session the next morning….

Destination wedding photography in Tulum, Mexico by Mexico wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina. Elizabeth Medina specializes in wedding photojournalism and covers weddings throughout Mexico.

This was just the typical story of Chicago boy meets Venezuelan girl who lives in Puerto Rico who fall in love and get married on a beautiful beach in Mexico. How incredibly small the world has become! What a perfect day!

All during the day we felt right at home in the midst of the very international Midwestern/Latin crowd. Massiel had planned all the details of the day very carefully, I don’t think I have ever seen a more organized, prepared bride, but she was also ready to enjoy the day and have a great time wihth the guests. Everyone seemed to be having such a great time and especially enjoying the mariachi band, the fire dancers who performed during the cocktail hour and celebrating wearing the amazing party accessories that Massiel and john had hidden under everyone’s seats at the reception. (what a fantastic idea!) Muchas felicidaes John y Massiel, les deso muchos años de felicidad.

A few quiet moments with the bride before the ceremony.

Massiel and her flower girl.

A special moment between the bride and her siter/maid of honor.

The girls walking to the ceremony.

The entire ceremony was conducted in English and Spanish and parts were in English and Spanish and then English again! There were both funny and emotional moments.

The kiss!

Portraits at sunset.

The ccktail hour was held on the main terrace, here one of the fire dancers makes a dramatic entranct down the Dreams, Tulum staircase.

Massiela nd John had choreographed a really fun first dance.

What fun! The hats represent their countries!

Everyone got into the act!

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photojournalist based in Merida, Yucatan. She photographs beach weddings throughout Mexico including the Maya Riviera, Cacnun, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.

This was such a splendid day! Ever since I had emailed back and forth with Megan I could tell she was a lot of fun. Her excitement about the destination wedding she was planning in Tulum, Mexico was contagious. I knew that she and David had planned a beach wedding because of their love for the ocean and I could tell that Megan was enjoying the wedding before even leaving for Mexico. The weather was perfect, the Dreams Tulum beach gorgeous, and the bride and groom very laid back and happy celebrating with family and friends (and of course very beautiful and handsome), I really don’t know what else a wedding photojournalist could ask for. Thank you Megan and David, it was a great day and Lindsey and I loved being part of it!

I love doing pre-ceremony bridal portraits. Even though Megan is usually smiling I wanted to capture a few more dramatic, serious portraits as well.

The flower girl before the ceermony, she kept the sand pail that was used for the petals close at hand.

The ceremony site, the lime green accents were so pretty!

Bright rose petals in the sand.

The beach ceremony.

Megan and her girls…

The full bridal party…

I loved this image.

Contrary to popular opinion there are sunsets in the Maya Rivera, you just have to look for them!

The outdoor patio reception…

Megan and David’s first dance as husband and wife.

The mother son dance…

The cake cutting followed family tradition, those are Megan’s parents in the photograph on the table.

The girls having fun on the dance floor.

The tequila shot procedure seems to get more and more elaborate at each wedding…how funny!

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photogrpaher based in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. She photographs weddings in Yucatan, The Rivera Maya, tulum, Cancun, and throughout Mexico.

As a wedding photographer I love going to a familiar location and finding new and different viewpoints. Having photographed at Dreams Tulum twice recently, reminded me once again that each couple and the dynamic of each wedding is totally unique. While I love finding new ways to incorporate a sense of place into my images (especially when the place is as gorgeous as Dreams Tulum), I think my most important task is to be aware of the unique moments and beauty that every event possesses. Amanda and Jay were so much fun to work with, and the way the two families blended so completely to have a great time together highlighted to me one of the very best aspects of a destination wedding. I hope that these few photographs along with the MANY that Jay and Amanda will receive will be a unique part of the fabulous history of a whole new family. Mil gracías Jay y Amanda, fue un placer conocerlos!

Amanda before the ceremony. Jay and the guys had no idea that she could see them from her balcony!

The ceeremony site. rain had been forecast, but it was a clear and very sunny day.