This was such a fun session. Tommy and Erica contacting me while planning their vacation at the Aventura Spa Palace Resort in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. They were thinking about a photo session of the two of them together. Not wedding or engagement photographs because they ahve been married for quite a while, but photographs of the two of them in that fabulous location. The session was really enjoyable, it is always fun to photograph a nice couple with good “chemistry” and Tommy and Erica  and it was fun to explore the different little corners of the resort. Gracias Tommy and Erica, I hope you enjoy the photographs!

Elizabeth Medina Photography, Rivera Maya Mexico.

Kevina nd Sara were a wonderful couple to work with. Kevin had been my point of contact during the planning stages so I knew he was very enthusiastic about having great wedding photographs. He and Sarah were so patient, they really collaborated to go the extra mile for their photographs, both on the wedding day and by waking up the morning after the wedding for a sunrise trash the dress session at 6 AM on the beach in Playa del Carmen. They had some great surprises for their guests on the wedding day. Every one seemed so happy for the bride and groom, and I have absolutely never seen a happier mother of the groom as Sarah was welcomed into the family! Here are some images form the weddign day and the fabulous trash the dress session the next morning…I think it was worth the 5 am alarm clock, which is saying a lot!

A couple of images from the trash the dress photo session…the name of this fishing boat was ¨corazón¨, or ¨heart¨in Spanish.

One thing about portrait photography is knowing how to connect with subject and knowing how to pace the session for the most variety and expressions possible. During the wedding day and the trash he dress session Sarah and Kevin were such good sports and we got all kinds of photographs of the two of them but I still felt like there was something a little below the surface yet and that it would make a special photograph. When I saw the image below in my camera´s viewfinder I think I actually said ¨That´s it!¨ Just what I had been after!

The rings…

Sarah´s beautiful dress.

A few shots from the ceremony in the Gazebo at the Royal in Playa del Carmen. Happy, happy bride…

The gazebo and sand ceremony…

This one is kind of a funny moment…Only at a resort wedding would you see something like this!

One of the surprises for the wedding guests was the mariachi group.

6 AM, time to trash the dress! Sunrise in the Maya Rivera happens over the ocean.

I loved the textures in this image.

Time to trash the dress (or wash the dress) in the ocean.

Elizabeth Medina, es fotógrafa profesional de bodas. Ofrece fotografia de bodas en Mexico, en la Riviera Maya, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Tulum, Yucatan, Merida, Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel de Allende, Y Los Cabos. Se especializa en bodas de destino en haciendas y playas.

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.

This was such an amazing couple to photograph! I so often hear the comment that I get to photograph in all the most beautiful locations. Whenever I hear that I can’t thinking #1 Yes, that is true! And I certainly hope my eye does justice to it all! and #2 (since I am a wedding photojournalist and not a landscape photographer) It is my privilege to photograph the most wonderful PEOPLE on one of the happiest days of their lives, in a lovely setting….now there is something worth documenting!

I am sure that Galit and Steve would have had a wonderful wedding anywhere, their happiness and admiration for one another set the tone for a very special day of celebration with family and friends. That they were able to travel to the Maya Riviera for a Mexico wedding just made it all the more special.

Thank you Galit and Steve it was such a joy for us to spend time with the two of you! Congratulations to you both!

Its great for the photography when the couple decides to be photographed together before the ceremony. Galit met Steve in a location we had scouted earlier. He had plenty of time standing in the hot sun to think about things….I loved his expression when she walked down the path and he turned around for the “first look” at his bride.

There were 9 bridesmaids and 9 groomsmen! Here are the girls…

I am happy to have captured this photograph, there is nothing like the moment when the beautiful  bride makes her entrance.

The chuppah was very unique and beautiful.

The ceremony was set up in the round with guests on sides of the chuppah. I love the tradition of the bride and groom entering with their parents and standing with their immediate families through out the wedding.

Another look at the ceremony site…

A few quite moments between the bride and groom after the ceremony, the photographs from that private time were some of my favorites if the day.

Reception details…

First dance…

I love the dancing of the Horah!

The toasts…

We had planned a “trash the dress session” the next morning, we started at 6 am to catch the sunrise. I think it was worth it!

The resort has a little pyramid which seems to be defended by millions of tiny bugs… my hat is off to the bride for not totally freaking out when her dress was filled with them.

Time to cool off! The best part of a trash the dress session!

Elizabeth Medina is a wedding photographer located in Yucatan, Mexico, photographing weddings in the Maya Riviera and throughout Mexico. her specialty is wedding photojournalism and she is a member of the Wedding Photojournalism Association, WPJA.

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.

I have been so fortunate to photograph in many different and wonderful locations throughout Mexico. The Royal in Playa del Carmen is a particularly great venue. I love going into a familiar location like the Royal and discovering a whole new couple’s story and coming away with a completely different set of images! Becky and Brian were an amazing couple to photograph, and very expressive, not to mention patient. I didn’t know what to think about Becky’s Spanish style dress when I saw it on the hanger…but once she had it on..wow! I loved it and the complete look she put together. The morning after the wedding we met at 6 am (yes! you read tht correctly 6 am the morning after the wedding!) for a trash the dress photo session on the beach. Becky was prepared for the occasion with a second wedding dress. In the Maya Rivera the sun rises over the ocean so we were able to get some wonderful color, making the early alarm clock well worth it! Thank you Brian and Becky I am so happy to know that these photographs will be part of you family history!

Becky and Brian did not see each other before the ceremony, I did a few window light portraits of each in the rooms where they were preparing for the ceremony.

Bright flowers, so nice for the beach wedding.

I love witnessing the range of emotions on the wedding day, Becky started out all smiles down the aisle and lost it when she looked at Brian!

Some past ceremony pictures…Here Becky and Brian and in the garden where the coctail hour was held.

The reception was held in the same location as the ceremony, right on the beach. Such a special atmosphere for the first dance together as husbanc and wife.

Becky and her sister having fun on the dance floor…

Sunrise and time to TTD!

Becky started out with her hair styled straight, that only lasted a few minutes because she got hit by a huge wave! I think the wet hari looks totally amazing and proof that it is not the hair makeup etc. taht makes brides look fabulous, the most important ingredient is happiness!

Annie was one of those brides who really love and appreciate the importance of photographs (something I can relate to!), it was so much fun to hear about all her photography ideas for the wedding day and also for the unique “trash the dress” photo shoot she had planned for the morning after the wedding. The “trash the dress” session to me is not really about the dress at all…basically it is just a relaxed opportunity to create special photographs of the bride and groom, without having to worry about all the guests, timetables and nerves of the wedding day. And if the bride and groom are adventurous like Annie and Marc, all the better!

Right before the ceremony at Dreams Tulum it started to RAIN! I couldn’t believe it since it had been nice all day… fortunately it stopped in time for the ceremony and everything was beautiful!

The wedding ceremony site at Dreams Tulum was so beautiful, I think it looks like a desert island.

Annie and Marc during the ceremony.

Marc and Annie celebrating with their beautiful flower girls.

A perfect destination bride…

Annie asked for pictures with flowers, since it was winter at home. I decided to try to frame them with flowers and think that I succeeded in both of these images.

The next morning early we headed out for the trash the dress session. Gorgeous!

During the planning stages for her marriage to Mark at the Excellence Resort Denise’s emails never failed to brighten my day, they were always cheerful and full of funny little comments. It was great to meet Mark and see that he had such a similar sense of humor and fun, they are a great couple to spend time with! Unfortunately, about an hour before the ceremony the weather took a turn for the worse and the beach ceremony that had been planned all along was not possible, it was pouring rain! Everyone took it in stride and fortunately the weather improved just in time for our planned day after or “trash the dress” session the next morning. Denise was my first “two dress” bride, I loved that! I think both dresses probably got wet…one in the rain on the wedding day and one when Mark threw her in the water. Thank you for everything Denise and Mark!

The day after session..

I lvoed this wall, the black an white photographs there are spectacular with all that texture.

I thought this image was so peaceful…

Denise and Mark wanted some photographs in the spot where the ceremony was originally planned.

Finally it was time to throw the bride in the water!

Ever since I met Susana I know it would be a joy to photograph her wedding, first because she is a close friend of one of my favorite past couples, second because she told be right away that the photographs were very important to her, and third because she and Felipe wanted to be photographed at the beach, something that is not extremely common here in on the Gulf side of the Yucatan penninsula. This is a little look at just a few of Susana’s and Felipe’s photographs.

Desde que conoocí a Susana supe que sería un placer fotografiar su boda, primero porque es muy buena amiga de una de mis parejas favoritas, segundo porque me dijó enseguida que las fotografías eran muy importantes para ella, y tercero porque ella y Felipe pidieron hacer fotografía en la playa, algo que no es muy común en está parte de la peninsuala de Yucatán. Estos son unas cuantas fotografías captadas el día de la boda de Susana y Felipe. ¡Muchas felicidades a los dos!

It was so much fun doing Juan Carlos and Aurora’s wedding portraits at the beach…they are one of my favorite couples! I accompanied them for a beautiful church wedding and hotel reception, they chose to do this ¨honeymoon¨ beach session the next week which was great. Congratulations to both of you, and thanks for being so great!

Fue muy divertido hacer los retratos de boda de Juan Carlos y Aurora en la playa. Son de mis parejas favoritas! Los acompañe para la boda religiosa y la recepción en el hotel Hyatt, eligieron hacer esta sesión en la playa de Uaymitun la semana siguiente. ¡Felicidades a los dos y gracías por ser tan fabulosos!