Hola! Slowly getting caught up with December weddings! Tt was a pleasure to finally be able to photograph Milena and Gerry´s wedding! Planned originally for a date in the very midst of the Swine Flu outbreak, Gerry and Milena´s much awaited May 2009 wedding had to be postponed at the very last minute. Fortunately they and their guests who traveled in from both North and South America were able to go with the flow and gather in Mexico for a very memorable December celebration. What a fun, fun group! Be forewarned I am including many detail photos in this blog post! Milena and Gerry, aside from being lots of fun to photograph, are a very creative couple and they incorporated many projects and a lot of style into their wedding plans, let me tell you Martha Stewart has nothing on these two!

The cermony was held on a rooftop “Sky Deck” overlooking the ocean. I was not sure what to expect of this location but was very favorably surprised, the ceremony was just lovely.

More details! The Capiz shells made the most beautiful sound all through the ceremony.

Lindsey’s photo…

The reception, more details…I had to share the children’s place settings because it was such a cute idea and something we had not seen before. I am sure it was a huge hit with the flower girls and ring bearers (and their parents!) because it kept the little ones entertained all through the reception.

A few images from the TTD session, also at the Azul Sensatori. This session was actually done the evening before the wedding and was a great chance for us to get to know the bride and groom before the big day. Non wedding day sessions are really special to me because they give an opportuntiy to really focus on the couple and their interaction with each other.

The next two images are from Lindsey’s camera… I may be a bit biased but I think they are just beautiful.

Azul Sensatori wedding photography by destination wedding photographer, Elizabeth Medina. Wedding photojournalism in the Mayan Riviera and throughout Mexico.

If ‘wedding’ and ‘rain’ are two words that really don’t belong in the same sentence then I think ‘Mexico beach wedding’ and ‘hurricane’ don’t even belong in the same dictionary! Donna and Patrick’s wedding had an unexpected guest in the form of Hurricane Ida as it passed by Playa del Camen, Mexico on its way through the Atlantic. Despite some wind and rain the wedding went off as planned in the gazebo. Destination weddings are so much fun and such relaxed affairs, I had the distinct impression at times that the guests were to busy enjoying themselves to even notice the weather! Despite the very unusual weather  it was a very beautiful wedding and such a treat to be able to document it all and I was thrilled to be able to photograph Donna and Patrick on the beach the next morning.

It stopped raining just long enough for Patrick and Donna’s “first look” before the ceremony. Lindsey photographed the moment from a balcony.

The bride and groom photos were moved indoors due to the weather, Donna and Patrick are such a beautiful couple and such troopers!

The first dance…

The next morning we were able to hit the beach for a morning after session. It was so peaceful and quiet, the only other people out were a few surfers taking advantage of the rare occurance of surfable waves in Playa del Carmen.

Wedding photojournalist Elizabeth Medina, wedding photography at the Royal in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

“I THINK I MADE THE WRONG DECISION!”  Words no wedding photographer ever wants to hear from a beautiful bride waiting ocean side for her groom to arrive for the pre ceremony “first look”  Time seemed to stand still,  but of course it was only an instant before I realized that Katherine was referring to the choice to risk setting up the reception outdoors despite the predicted rain showers.  Despite a few random sprinkles it turns out that all choices were right on target! The weather held and the wedding at the new Azul Sensatori was perfect in every way! Lauren and I loved being a part of this once in a lifetime day! Gracias Katherine and Jim, you are a beautiful couple! Congratulations!

Just because its my blog and I get to do whatever I want I thought I would start with the trash the dress session at sunrise the morning after the wedding.

The big day…

Love that bling!

I love a bride with a plan…Katherine planned more time than the usual for pre ceremony photographs, and had actually scouted some amazing locations ahead of time!

Mexico wedding photography Elizabeth Medina, at the Azul Sensatori a Karisma resort, Mayan Riviera, Mexico.

When we met up with Mulu in the salon at the Dreams Resort in Cancun there was tension floating in the air along with the hairspray. Her relatives, including her father who was to walk her down the aisle had been scheduled to arrive the day before but instead had been stranded in a far off airport, unable to reach Cancun in time for the afternoon wedding ceremony. Fortunately the wedding story turned out happily, the resort graciously allowed for the ceremony time to be moved back and Mulu´s family arrived just in the nick of time for this once in a lifetime celebration.

I have to admit that I love all my clients. Something about spending their happiest day ever focusing on capturing all the joy they are experiencing seems to have that effect! Mulu and Sean were an extra extra special pair! After having such a fabulous time spending their wedding day and trash the dress session with this beautiful couple at Dreams resort in Cancun it makes me sad to think they live so far away! Mulu and Sean, thank you for all your kindness in sharing your day with us!

Mulu was such a beautiful bride as I am sure Sean would agree!

Bride and groom with the whole wedding party

This next one is just silly! Can´t have a destination wedding without speedo man, right?.

Mulu and Sean did a ¨first look¨ and some portraits before the wedding, such a great idea to have a private moment before the wedding day craziness begins.

The next two shots were taken when Mulu walked up the to the ocean front gazebo.

Sean´s wrote his own vows and they were very moving.

The beach reception…

The sunrise trash the dress session at, gulp, 6 am the moring after the wedding. It was actually dark when we started!

The Dreams Cancun lighthouse is one of the reasons Mulu and Sean chose the resort so it was fun to incorporate it into the trash the dress photos.

Cancun wedding photographer Elizabeth Medina, wedding photojournalism in Cancun 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.

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.