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.

What a beautiful day! It was so enjoyable to photograph this adorable (I don’t use that word very often…but they really are an adorable couple!) having such a splendid time with the very diverse group of family and friends that had traveled so far to be part of the day. A much as I enjoyed capturing and putting together the collection of images to tell the story of the day I am also really looking forward to designing the wedding album, it is so wonderful to compile the images of such an important event into a tangible piece of family history.

Darlene and Manoj’ wedding was the third I have photographed at the JW Marriott and I have to say it has become one of my favorite wedding locations. There are several different spaces that can be used throughout the hotel grounds, including the gazebo which is authorized to hold a Catholic mass, so each event seems to be different. The coordinator, Francisco Roman, seems to do such a nice job of keeping everything flowing. I think the gazebo with its ocean view is really special…and of course that amazing turquoise Cancun water, WOW!

The only thing that was a little sad for me is knowing that this was the final wedding that my photographer friend Grace Kim from Seattle accompanied me to as a “second shooter”, I loved having her help and knew I would really miss her when I looked over at one point and saw her carrying, in additional to her own gear almost all of mine! Grace is not a very large person so it just looked like a mountain of equipment walking along! I guess I had been so intent on the photographs I was taking that I just left everything behind! Thank you so much Grace it was amazing to have you here! I hope some day for the chance to repay the favor!

I thought the bridesmaid’s dresses were really special, it turned out that a very talented bride’s maid had actually made them herself!

Darelene’s mother placed the finishing touches on the veil.

I think this “grab” shot looks almost posed, I think that they were all standing in a strip of shade about 6 inches wide waiting for the ceremony to begin.

A few images from the Catholic ceremony in the gazebo.

The ring bearer was very serious and did an excellent job.

Grace caught this great moment right after the kiss.

This one is for Darlene…

After the ceremony we were able to do some photography on the beach.

The reception was set up poolside right in front of the ocean, this is just a little detail from the table decoration.

Darlene “escaped” from the reception for a couple of pictures.

The toasts had everyone laughing and crying and then laughing again!

Father daughter dance.

Ok…this crowd know how to dance!

Wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina photographs destination weddings in Cancun, the Riviera Maya and throughout Mexico.

I am sure that some people probably think that photographing weddings pretty much every week could get to be boring and repetitive. In my experience nothing could be farther than the truth. It seems that each wedding has its own unique style and vibe, as well as its own set of challenges. Clay and Sarah’s wedding at the rustic Al Cielo Hotel on Xpu Ha Beach in the Maya Rivera of Mexico was perfectly beautiful and I loved being able to photograph it!

As some of my blog readers already know I have a thing for Travel + Leisure Magazine. When I was newer to photography and working on developing my own “style” of photogrpahy I would analyze the images in the magazine and try to figure out how each was done and what made them have that look. Nowadays I think that the weddings I photograph are way better than anything on T+L’s pages, they have the fabulous locations and cool details but also feature emotion, true love, beautiful people and wild celebrating. Sarah and Clay’s wedding certainly possessed a wealth of all of those elements!

I was very happy to have wedding photojournalist Grace Kim from Seattle lending Lindsey and I a helping hand as a guest photographer. Thank you Lindsey and Grace for your hard work! And of course many thanks to Clay and Sarah for being so much fun and absolutely amazing to photograph! Sarah, I am going to miss your emails!

Sarah’s dress was very unique, I really thought it was incredible.

Golf carts can be hard on hairstyles…

Th ceremony location at Al Cielo.

The Ketubah singing was carried out here…

These Mexican musicians greeted the guests as they arrived for the ceremony.

Los novios before the ceremony…

The ceremony was held right on the beach, the color of the water was a spectacular dark turquoise.

Sarah walked into the ceremony with both of her parents, I really like that tradition.

Clay met her at the end of the aisle and they walked in together. Grace is responsible for the following photograph.

The guests toasted the bride and groom with Kir Royals, how perfect for the color scheme! This is another one of Grace’s photos.

In additional to dancing the Hora at sunset these high energy women did some amazing Greek dancing later in the night, how fun is that?

Grace captured the funny shot of Sarah feeding Clay, while I captured the one below of Clay “feeding” cake to Sarah.

Wedding photographer Elizabeth medina, photographing destination weddings throughout Mexico. Xpu Ha, Maya Rivera wedding photography at Al Cielo hotel.