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.

Nothing like kicking off the wedding season with a beautiful local event that takes us back to our hacienda wedding photography roots! Having known Daniela for some time and having photographed her brother Paco with his bride Zahia back in May we knew it was going to be a wonderful day spent in very good company. Hacienda Chichí Suarez dates from the 16th century, we have photographed a few events in this location and love the way different spaces have been used in a way that has made each event seem very unique. Daniela and Alejandro had their wedding at 1:00 pm, which allowed for wonderful photography opportunities.  …I love love love seeing and working with natural light, there is just nothing like it!

The first one is Lindsey’s photo, what a lovely composition!

Daniela was an extremely beautiful bride!

Daniela and one of her “pajes”

The next one is Lindsey’s, I wish it were mine though!

The two familes together…

The reception had such colorful details! All perfectly tied toghether but very unexpected, just perfect for this afternoon wedding… a very unique twist on the hacienda setting! My regular blog readers have probably deduced, this Merida, Yucatan wedding was designed and coordinated by my friends at BAKU Events.  I really can’t say enough good things about the BAKU team, it is a real treat to watch them in action as they work their magic!

We were ablet o do a few more photographs around the hacienda grounds before it was time for Alejandro and Daniela’s ‘first dance” as husband and wife.

First dance and father daughter dance…

Many more coming soon!

Elizabeth Medina, wedding photographer Mexico.

I had looked forward to this wedding for quite a while!  Having photographed Ana Paulina with her sisters (and of course Junior!) I already knew what a gorgeous a bride she would be and that the civil wedding (this was part 1 for this couple, the religious wedding is coming up in November) to be held during the “temporada”  in Uaymitun, Yucatan would be a very special event. Not to mention that it was coordinated by our amazing friends at BAKU Events! There really is no place like home and we are so excited about the upcoming weddings we have this fall here in Merida. It was really fun to see so many familiar faces and it was especially nice to see some of our past and future brides looking so totally fabulous and having such a great time celebrating with Ana Paulina and Gabriel. There is no doubt that Yucatan is an amazing place, in large part because of its wonderful people!  Felicidades Ana Paulina y Gabriel, estamos emocionadisimas por la boda en noviembre!

Hi everyone!…This is Lindsey (Elizabeth’s daughter/team mate), my photos pop up every now and then on this blog, but this is my first actual post! I thought it would be nice if I went ahead and wrote the post myself, as Ivonne and Daniel are close friends of mine and we had such a wonderful time during the session.

Ivonne and Daniel are a very sweet couple who live here in Mérida, Yucatan. They were married way back in early March. Although we were on the other side of Mexico that weekend and not able to share in their special day it was a pleasure for  Elizabeth and I to photograph them in April after they returned from their honeymoon, especially because we were able to have the session at Merida’s newest wedding venue, Hacienda Hunxectaman. We think it is so great when the bride and groom decide to have a photo session on a different day than the wedding, it is so intimate, relaxing and special… and how awesome to get to wear the wedding dress again!

Ivonne and Daniel are such a wonderful couple, they were so enthusiastic throughout the session, it was truly a wonderful experience to photograph them. Ivonne y Daniel, gracias por ser tan linda pareja!

Hacienda wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, Merida, Yucatan fotografia de bodas, Elizabeth Medina Phototography.

Ingrid and Casper are the ultimate international couple, from Mexico and Denmark they met in Barcelona, Spain and guests came from around the globe to join them as they were married in Yucatan on the grounds of the incomparable Hacienda Temozon Sur. It was a great day, a beatuful setting, con mucho amor and a fabulous couple.  Congratulations Ingrid and Casper, I hope to see you in Merida again soon!

I fell in love with Ingrid’s Teresa Helbig gown, it was the first I had seen from this Barcelona designer and so beautiful.

This little blond “mini mariachi” was a crowd pleaser! She would watch the mariachis and imitate their moves for a very appreciative audience.

I am not one to divide up my blog posts, but Natalia and Raul’s wedding will be an exception since it is vacation time here in Yucatan and I can’t wait until next week when it is all finished to share photos from this special wedding! Natalia and Raul were one of my favorite couples of all time before the wedding day even arrived! I was so happy that they planned a photo session prior to the wedding date. The wedding was a large one with many guests and this pre wedding photo session was a fantastic way to get to know each other better and to have plenty of time to really enjoy the photography without the hurry and nerves of the “big day¨.  I loved hearing Natalia say that she did not regret it, in fact it was the best thing they could have done! Here are just a few photos for now…stay tuned for many more images from the fabulous ¨big day¨in my next blog post coming next week!

The wedding was held at Natalia´s family´s beautiful old hacienda. This photograph of the bride surrounded by the beauty of the hacienda took my breath away even before I pressed the shutter of the camera.

Bride and groom….the first look was very moving, I am saving your tears for the slide show!

Natalia and Raul, just a few more for now, the rest to follow soon!

Hacienda wedding photography by elizabeth Medina in Merida, yucatan, Mexico.

If the Mexico destination weddings and couples I photograph were not so amazing and the energy of the wedding day so addictive, my dream would be to photograph for magazines like T+L (Travel and Leisure) or Conde Nast Traveller. Long before I started photographing weddings I would look at the images in those magazines and analyze how they were made. So when I get to photograph weddings that have that kind of cool travel vibe I could not be happier. Shaelyn and Tony were married at a private hacienda very close to Merida, Yucatan. This hacienda is quite unique in that it has kind of a funky, bohemian style and a lot of personality. The whole group seemed very relaxed and ready to enjoy the Yucatecan flavor of the wedding. All in all…a fun way to kick off 2009. Gracias, Shaelyn y Tony!

Hmm…a birdcage veil and a birdcage…couldn’t resist this one.

The ceremony was held on the front lawn, Lauren captured this photograph from the roof of the hacienda.

When in Yucatan you can’t miss trying panuchos, especially from fresh handmade tortillas.

Placecards!

When the bride and groom kissed they were surrounded for an instant by a sudden flash of fireflies! How cool is that!

The little dolls were made by a friend…so cute I had to borrow them for a photograph of the wedding rings.

The reception was held by the pool.

Did you ever waste time worrying about something that never ends up happening? The day of Zahia and Paco’s wedding the weather did not start out in a very promising way…as I drove to the beautiful Casa Faller mansion in Merida where I was to do a portrait session before the wedding ceremony it was dark and dreary, I was sure it was going to rain at any moment. I also knew that the location would be fully set up for the reception and that finding place to photograph could be difficult. Finally I was worried that the bride might not be ready in time for a complete photo session since the mass was very early by local standards and I thought if it was raining she might not even want to risk going out in the bad weather before the ceremony! When I reached the venue to my surprise things immediately fell into place. The weather cleared up just as Zahia (who looked amazing in a gorgeous Vera Wang gown) arrived. A few minutes later Paco drove up in the cutest vintage Mercedes Benz. Gracias Paco y Zahia, ¡me encantó hacer las fotografías de tan linda pareja!

The two of them seemed so relaxed and happy on their big day, it was so much fun to photograph them! The grounds of the Casa Faller looked amazing (the wedding was coordinated by Baku Events) but were indeed completely taken over by caterer Rigel Gonzalez’ very large crew, but the lovely house itself was a perfect setting for the portrait session and the family portraits that followed. Perfect!

There was time to photograph some of the details, I love those photogrpahs to include in the album,. I thought Zahia’s shoes were especially pretty.

The couple with their immediate families.

I would love to include a photograph of each of the children that participated, but this being Merida there were almost 20, I loved seeing so many familiar faces from past photo sessions and all as cute as could be!

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photographer based in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. She photographs destination weddings throughout Mexico and is a member of WPJA, Wedding Photojournalist Association.

This was one of those fabulously international affairs. Mariana is of Argentine descent and had many family members make the trip from Argentina, Alex is from Switzerland and also had many people on hand for the event. It was pointed out that those two places are just about on opposite ends of the earth! They were also accompanied by a large group of friends from Mexico City! So as out of the way as Yucatan can seem to some it was really a common ground for this far flung group of family and friends and I think a special one since Mariana and Alex were able to incorporate so many regional details to really give the wedding the flavor of the Yucatan.

Mariana and Alex had both a civil wedding and a Mayan ceremony which were held on separate dates, both at the Hacienda Xcanatun in Merida, Yucatan. Xcanatun is an exceptionally beautiful hacienda, it has been restored spectacularly and the grounds are very lush and green. It was a very unique, once in a lifetime event and I was honored to be able to photograph it!

A few details for Xcanatun the night of the civil wedding (boda civil).
La boda civil.Los novios…

The grounds of the hacienda are so beautiful, it is like an oasis.

Xcanatun at twilight.

Mariana chose the perfect dress for the hacienda setting, it was just gorgeous and looked perfect on her.

Her shoes definitely made my all time favorite bridal shoe list!

I really thought that this photograph of Mariana before the ceremony captured a bit of her wedding day spirit.

The tables for the reception dinner were set up under the most amazing palm trees in the hacienda gardens, it was spectacular.

The Mayan ceremony was held in the garden of the hacienda at night.

An important part of the Mayan wedding ceremonies that I have witnessed is giving some type of offering back to the land, here the flower girl helped offer seeds and vegetables to the earth.

Another part of the ceremony is the “limpia” or ritual cleansing. The officiant was very thorough, not easy with such a tall groom!

A la fiesta!

The reception set up.

I was happy to have caught this moment! I love thinking that she will see this and the other photographs when she is all grown up and remember playing such an important role and how it felt.

Mariana assured me there would be no “first dance”, I guess it pays to be prepared for anything…

This detail shot is my fab assistant Lindsey’s!

Hacienda Xcanatun wedding photography by Merida, Yucatan, wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina.

Having met Eno and Magdelana almost a year ago and having photographed previously at the Hacienda San Jose, (one of the fabulous group of haciendas in Yucatan, Mexico that are operated by Starwood resorts) I knew ahead of time that there would be some serious eye candy at this wedding. The day was beautiful and there was a great turnout of family and friends who traveled to this off the beaten track destination. I had not photographed a hacienda wedding in a while and it was so much fun to photograph this amazing couple and their warm and relaxed fiesta in Yucatan!

I loved the act that all three of the bridesmaids were sisters of the bride!

Lo mariachi´s made a dramatic entrance.

The fiesta was held on the lawn of the hacienda and started right at dusk.

This was one of the longest toasts ever and really funny!

The DJ came down with the group and really knew her stuff. I had no idea that DJ´s work could be so complex, it was very cool to watch her work.

Hacienda wedding photography in Mexico by Elizabeth Medina, wedding photojournalist. Hacienda San Jose, the haciendas, Merida, Yucatan, mexico.

What can I say? I love my job and photographing a couple like Pau and Rich is a great reminder of why and how much I love it! Ever since Paulina came to my studio the first time accompanying her sister Daniela, (whose amazing wedding to Marcelo I photographed in November) I thought she was one of the most kind and upbeat people I had met in a while. I was so happy when she came back a few months later and told me she would also be getting married and would like me to photograph her wedding as well! It was so fun to see how each sister planned a wedding with special details that fit her own unique style. Paulina and Rich were married in an evening ceremony at Nuestra Señora de Libano and the Club Campestre was transformed by the wedding coordinators at BAKU. It was fun to just be around Pau and Rich’s joy, I hope the photographs will help them to never forget how happy they were on their wedding day.

A detail of the dress…

Los novios, I was very grateful to have captured these moments.

A few of the flower girls in a quiet moment.

A few moments during the Paulina and Rich’s wedding mass.

Sometimes there are certain photographs that really speak to me in ways I really can’t explain, I think this would be one of those.

Pau and Rich make their exit….

To perfectly timed fireworks!

The main ballroom of the Club Campestre is famous for being impossible to decorate because of its massive size, I don’t think I have ever seen it prettier.

Walking to center stage for their first dance as husband and wife.

Reception details…

one memorable detail was the incredible candy table with all kinds of favorite snacks…cacahuates, chilitos, paletas, chicles…

Paulina and her group of amigas and the party gets started…

Yucatan has some great wedding bands! Who could not have fun at a party like this one?

The guests had so much fun putting on crazy hats, ties and masks!Of course Pau and Rich had his and her crowns!

And of course if you are Mexican you will recognize…Rebelde and Timbiriche!

Wedding photojournalism by Merida, Yucatan, Mexico wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina.

I had been waiting for Daniela and Marcelo’s wedding for a year and a half. I knew it would be a blast to photograph! Daniela and Marcelo live in Monterrey, Mexico, but planned an amazing wedding at Daniela’s home in Merida. Daniela is well known in Mexico as a professional jewelry designer and from the moment she came into the studio I was struck by her unique natural stylishness. I never guessed that Marcelo would be just as cool and that they would both be so much fun! Muchas felicidades a los dos y mil gracias por ser como son, ¡me encantó fotografiar la boda! PD, Nos vemos muy pronto en otra boda muy especial!
I begged Daniela to give me a few minutes to photograph her by window light. I was sorry to make Marcelo wait but I think it was worth it! I loved the way her vintage style dress and veil were complemented by the architecture.

I love the moment when the couple first sees each other, I think it is usually more emotional when it is a private moment before the wedding ceremony, these two were so delighted to see each other and I was able to capture teh moment from a distance with a telephoto lens.

I had wondered if Daniela would design jewelry to wear for the wedding…I had to smile when I noticed her bracelet!

the ceremony took place at the church in the village of Cholul, this church has been beautifully restored and has a lot of charm and personality.

I think this is one of my favorite photographs ever.

Time for the reception….

The reception site, so much color!

The first dance was very emotional.

La fiesta estuvo buenísima…

Elizabeth Medina, international wedding photojournalist, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.

Amy and Daniel’s wedding was held the Hacienda Santa Rosa, a very unique and peaceful hacienda in Yucatan, Mexico. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many of their friends and family had made the trip to attend this destination wedding, but not surprised at all to see how everyone seemed to be enjoying and the hacienda, Yucatan, and of course the celebration of Amy and Daniel’s marriage and the fiesta afterwards. Amy and Daniel, it was inspirational to spend time with the two of you.

The hacienda staff was setting up the reception in the main corridor of the hacienda overlooking the garden area when I arrived, it looked amazing.

The ceremony was held in a beautiful secluded garden surrounded by greenery, Amy wore a family dress and veil and they were perfect for her, she looked incredible.

Amy walked into the ceremony with her father through an ancient archway.

Before joining the reception Amy removed her veil and added a belt, it was an art piece was like nothing I have seen before and just perfect for her dress and the setting.