If there is one thing that this wedding photography blog has revealed to me of the years it might be just how delightful it is to be able to share a really good story. What a blessing it is to be able to communicate through imagery, especially considering how difficult it is (at least for me!) to describe with words a once in a life time experience like a wedding.  Alicia and Sean had a perfectly intimate wedding celebration, the bride and groom together in a breathtaking ancient chapel in the middle of the jungle, can it possibly get any more romantic? The days leading up to the wedding were a little bit suspenseful with Hurricane Rina off the coast of the peninsula. As it turned out the wedding day brought showers on and off, but Alicia and Sean did not let the weather dampen their spirits for one second, between the wonderful relaxed spirit of the couple and the peaceful atmosphere of the location it just could not have been more lovely. All images Lindsey and Elizabeth Medina.

Hacienda Uayamon photographer Elizabeth Medina.

Simply delightful. Not sure what else to say about Luis and Yoko and the experience of being the photographer for their destination wedding in Mexico. I met Luis and Yoko way back in 2008 when they stopped off in Merida on their way to Campeche to visit the Hacienda Uayamon for the first time. There were bumps along the way and the wedding needed to be postponed indefinitely. I wondered what would happen but Luis explained that only one thing was for sure, and that was that Yoko had said that I would be her photographer. Wow. Those who have been reading this blog for a while will probably have noticed that my photographer “self promotion” skills are not anywhere near up to par… I will never claim to be a rockstar and can’t even see the point of entering photo contests so I will probably never win any awards… so even though I can see the importance of self promotion it is just not my style to “talk up” my own work.  So I hope you will keep that in mind because I am totally bragging when I say that I am extremely proud that my work has somehow earned the trust that allows me to capture some of the magic of amazing couples like Yoko and Luis. Luis y Yoko, thank you so much for your confidence, and for being such a special couple.

This ring shot is a testimony to my fab assistant Lauren’s stubbornness, it was so hard to arrange this in a way that would allow focus of both rings but she persisted and got the shot even though I told her to give up!

This was a very intimate wedding and Luis and Yoko met before the ceremony for a first look and bride and groom photos.

The hacienda Uayamon chapel, so beautiful and natural. Luis and Yoko had an authentic Mayan ceremony… this is the only time I have been called out of the post wedding family portraits and asked by the shaman to return to the ceremony site for a ritual cleansing, apparently I had stepped inside the sacred circle so it was good to know that the Mayan priest had my back.

“Real” Mexican food is amazing, the port of Campeche is famous for its seafood. Ceviche and dark beer…yum.

Hacienda Uayamon wedding photographer.

All during the year leading up to Fannie and Pierre’s wedding I would get emails from Fannie asking if I had any new slide shows for her to see and commenting on the photographs on my blog. So Fannie before you ask…I will have a VERY special slide show for you next week…the story of the beautiful day that you and Pierre were married in Mexico! It was an outrageously beautiful day! I love the photographs as much as I loved being around Fannie and Pierre all day on the wedding day and early the next morning when we met for the trah the dress session. The photographs seem to me to really tell the story of the day, with nervous expressions in the beginning and huge smiles once the rings and vows were exchanged. It was fun being around a crowd that spoke in French and I learned that despite being fluent in English and Spanish I don’t understand one bit of French! Congratulations Fannie and Pierre I am so happy for you both!

I am going to break with tradition and start off with an image from the trash the dress session the next morning…scroll down to see the bride and groom in the water!

Now the wedding day…Pierre chose the shoes!

Fannie’s father gave her his blessing before the ceremony.

Wow!

The hand off…

After the wedding ceremony there was a special Mayan blessing.

The day after trash the dress session…

Mexico photographer Elizabeth Medina, destination wedding photography in the Maya Riviera.

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.

It always amazes me how each wedding that I photograph is different from all the others, but that each has its own special magic! Lisa and Brian were married in a very unique and extremely beautiful destination wedding on a private beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The event was planned by wedding coodinators Maria and Erica at Weddings in Playa. and I thought the timing (or the day itself) could not have been more perfect. The fiesta was held at the Casa del Agua restaurant on Playa del Carmen’s Quinta Avenida. Lisa and Brian, I felt so fortunate to have been chosen to photograph your unforgettable wedding in Mexico! Felicidades a los dos!

I had never seen a dress quite like Lisa’s dress from Pronovias in Spain, it was absolutely perfect for this wedding.

We did a few pictures at the Shangri La Caribe before leaving for the ceremony site, I loved this one of the groom.

These Mayan ruins were located very near the ceremony site. It was so much fun to photograph Lisa and Brian and their families in that setting.

Those conch shells really put out a lot of sound! The Mayan wedding ceremony was very heartfelt and lovely,

The walk to Casa del Agua, everyone yelling out congratulations to the novios…

The Casa del Agua, an amazing place for the fiesta.

Playa del Carmen wedding photography by wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina, Riviera Maya, Mexico.