To blog or not to blog…With the clock ticking and many photos yet to edit between now and the holidays  time is of the essence this week! And to make matters more difficult, this is one of those weddings where it is truly next to impossible to narrow down my favorite photographs to fit within a reasonably sized blog post! But I can’t resist the urge to take a break and share some photographs from this beautiful day!  Ashley and Matt are such a seriously lovely couple and so much fun to photograph in action as they enjoyed their celebration! It was great to be back at the Excellence Riviera Cancun for this beautiful beach wedding! Wedding signage and details were designed by Puerto Vallarta star wedding designers Dazzling Details,  simple and modern, just perfect for the beach. (and it looks like we are not the only color freaks feeling the green…Ashley’s emerald green was chosen this week as Pantone’s 2013 color of the year). Ashley and Matt…. an extra special thank you and warm wishes for all the best in your life together!

It is always exciting to be able to photograph a wedding in Cancun. It truly is an amazing destination, and I really can´t imagine a more breathtaking backdrop for a wedding than Cancun´s white sand and bright turquoise water. Stephanie and David were such a beautiful and happy couple! Add in a healthy dose of color popping wedding details and plenty of love and how could the wedding photographs be anything other than bright and joyful?  Stephanie and David we thank you and wish you all the best!

While the decision to travel so far for a wedding celebration might be a big one the weddings themselves are so special and enjoyable I would be willing to bet that everyone who is fortunate enough to travel to Mexico to attend a destination wedding is glad they made the trip! Jenn and Scott’s group of family and friends traveled all the way from Canada for this February wedding in the Mayan Riviera a the Gran Palladium White Sands Resort. It seemed to be such a sunny group, not only totally happy and excited for the couple but content to kick back and enjoy. Lindsey and I could not help but have a wonderful time capturing a bit of the magic not only  the wedding day with it s smiles and tears but also early the next morning when we joined Jenn and Scott for a sunrise trash the dress session.

A couple of bridal portraits (you know I love it when there is time for these!) and Jenn’s proud mom seeing her daughter as a bride…

We were able to photograph Jenn on the grounds of the resort prior to the ceremony…

Time to head for the ceremony in the ocean side gazebo…

Jenn’s ring did not want to go on but Scott gave it his best try! Photos by both Lindsey and Elizabeth…

Next shot is Lindsey’s….

Taking wedding crashing to a whole new level…

Photographs on the beach as the sun set and then it was off to enjoy the reception….

The next morning we were up bright and early for the day after session… thank you Jenn and Scott for being such total great sports! We loved photographing your wedding!

Remember the old question about being trapped on a desert island and who you would want to be trapped with? Jean and Walt’s amazing wedding and next day trash the dress session at the Moon Palace in Cancun brought a similar question to mind.  Lauren and I now know without a doubt the answer to the question “If you were trapped in pouring cats and dogs rain at 6 AM (usually known as “sunrise” but that implies being able to see the sun) on a one hour march around an enormous resort hoping for a chance to trash the dress who would you want to be marching with?”  Jean and Walt were such a fun, patient and laid back couple I can’t think of anyone I would rather spend an hour of pre daylight limbo with. Thank goodness our faith was rewarded and the sun made its appearance! First the photographs from the relaxed and beautiful wedding day (I know Jean worked hard on the decorations and it all looked fantastic!) and finally the TTD photos that I think were worth the trouble. Congratulations Jean and Walt!

A few bridal photos from before the ceremony…

The ceremony was held in a gazebo overlooking the ocean…

Bride and groom beach photos after the ceremony….so much fun to photograph these two…

Jean had a really funny surprise for Walt… an xbox wedding garter!

Photos from the next day TTD session,

It was absolutely lovely. Carla and Angelo’s wedding took place at Dreams Riviera Cancun, super fantastic “second shooter” Lauren and I very much enjoyed spending time with this very kind couple and their Latin and Greek group. You know that when those two groups come together its going to be a great party!

Carla and Angelo exchanged handwritten notes before the ceremony and they were surprised to have chosen the EXACT SAME CARD for each other!

The “first look”….the next shot is Lauren’s…

The ceremony was held in the gazebo overlooking the ocean…it was so pretty and of course you know I do love yellow!

A few relaxed wedding party photos…

Then a very short bride and groom photo session on the beach before heading off the the cocktail hour. I always love it when timelines permit the bride and groom to experience at least part of the cocktail hour with their guests!

The next image is Lauren’s.

Yellow signature cocktails! Perfecto!

The first dance, father daughter dance and reception…

Photos from the trash the dress session the next morning…it was so peaceful to be have the beach all to ourselves.

Mexico’s premier destination wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, photographs weddings in the Mayan Riviera and other amazing wedding locations throughout Mexico.

I am so happy to finally be able to share the photographs from this very sweet wedding. Milette and David and their loved ones had a very special destination celebration at the Casa Magna Marriott in Cancun Mexico. The ceremony was held in the gazebo overlooking the ocean, then cocktails beachside and the reception craziness in the banquet hall. I loved how the pop of orange of the wedding decor combined with the amazing turquoise Cancun water but nothing could be better to photograph than the happiness and excitement on everyone’s face! Milette and David, Lauren and I loved being your photographers! Congratulations and best wishes!

Cancun wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, wedding photography at the Marriott Casa Magna resort in Cancun Mexico.

This wedding was a lot of fun to photograph! Britni and Joshua’s wedding and trash the dress session at the Royal in Playa del Carmen, Mexico had liberal doses of both bright bright sunshine and pouring rain that seemed to alternate all day long! Britni and Joshua really went the extra mile and never lost cheer despite the changing weather. These two are so great together, it made for fun day of shooting and lots of photographs!

This has to be one of my all time favorite wedding details ever! Britni chose to wear a pair of blinged out Toms shoes for her wedding day! (at least for the portions of the day that she wasn’t a barefoot bride!) These shoes are really special because for each pair that is purchased an pair is given to a needy child. So fantastic.

I had to include this next one so you could see what great sports Josh and Britni were! We were like the mail service, and a little rain was not going to stop us!

In the months leading up to the wedding I got to know the groom, JP, pretty well, we chatted several times on the phone as the plans for the wedding at one of my very favorite venues, the JW Marriot Cancun came together. Up until a few days prior to the wedding I had not really had any contact with Carolina. I assumed that JP was doing most of the wedding legwork, and that Carolina was either too busy with work to do much wedding planning or maybe she just wasn’t that in to the photography aspect. As one who often needs to do a fair bit of delegating on a daily basis this hypothesis seemed logical, but actually it could not have been more wrong! Carolina turned out to be a star wedding planner and all about doing whatever it takes for great photos, it was a lot of fun to see how the details came together and photograph in some off the path locations that she had scouted. Lauren and I were very happy to get to know Carolina and JP and their group and are very excited about the photos both of the event at the JW Marriott as well as the TTD session at Secrets Maroma beach.

The ceremony was held at the gazebo, it was a little windy that day, but so pretty!

The reception decor and some of the action,the wedding guests had front row seats to a spectacular view of Cancun’s tuquoise water.

Just a few images from the TTD session, this session was done at Secrets Maroma Beach, what a gorgeous resort!

I loved photographing Alex and Drew´s Playa del Carmen Wedding! The wedding was held at the Royal in PDC. We have photographed several weddings at that location and honestly I ahve to say that no two have been alike and that I have loved them all! One thing I love about this resort, which is located right in the heart of Playa del Carmen, Mexico is that everyone present seems to be having such a good time. I think that Alex and Drew´s wedding more than proves the point! And as if a gorgeous beach location, happy guests and a beautiful (and ultra laid back) bride and handsome groom were not enough how about a zippy blue, green and yellow color scheme to melt a photographer´s heart? Simplemente perfecto!

The beautiful bride before the ceremony…

Bride and groom details…I LOVED the use of yellow and blue!

Alex and Drew had a dry erase board for guests to write messages, this was SUCH a hit, the messages were SO  funny and a great way to get wedding guests to actually use the disposible cameras!

Playa del Cament photographer Elizabeth Medina, destination wedding photography in Playa del Carmen Mexico.

I am so happy to be able to share Tricia and Antonio’s wedding photos. Due to a busy shooting season and weddings in different parts of Mexico (shoots in 5 states in 21 days anyone?) there are so many images to share! Travel time cuts into editing time though, there’s just no way around it, so while turnaround has not been late it has been a bit slower than I like. I think I have been just as eager as any of my brides for the photographs from the recent weddings to be ready to see the light of day, maybe even more! I absolutely can’t wait to share them all on this blog, but then patience has never been my principal virtue!

I really appreciate having brides like Tricia, who from day one was a just a pleasure to work with. The day she and Antonio tied the knot in paradise at Dreams, Cancun  was bright and cheerful, the ceremony was lovely in the gazebo and the fiesta on the beach….Wow, what a party! Tricia and Antonio, Lindsey and I loved spending your day with the two of you and your group and wish you all the best.

Tricia has incredible eyes! I loved the close up, it doesn’t show up in this blog sized version, but in the full sized image you can see the blue Cancun water reflected in them.

A few details…the traditional Mexican lazo was included in the ceremony.

Portraits with Antonio and Tricia prior to the ceremony.

Tricia entered the gazebo with her mother, the image on the left was captured by Lindsey from the tower.

El beso!

Y uno mas!

Trica and her bridesmaids, what a fun group!

Time to party on the beach!

Mexico wedding photography Elizabeth Medina, wedding photojournalism in Cancun, Yucatan, the Yucatan Penninsula, Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta, Guanajuato and throughout Mexico.