Elizabeth Medina

Thank you so much for looking and commenting! I look at the photographs over and over and so it is nice to have company! They really do bring a smile to my face every time! I know you will all have beautiful weddings too, and I will even get to be at a couple of them.. :-) "and the color of the ocean that day! Breathtaking!!!" It really was that color, is that amazing or what! best, Elizabeth

I really hope that no one minds me sharing photographs once again, but I have had a few emails lately asking to see new slideshows so they will be my justification for posting although you are all probably sick of me. :-) I thought I would share this wedding because it was such an intimate and pretty beach wedding and the Iberostar is a really great resort that I don't hear mentioned as often as a few others. It was my first beach wedding that did not have any type of gazebo, arch or chuppa, just the incredible natural beauty of the location. I loved all of Megan's little details like these rose petals tucked into the chair covers. Here is Megan and Matt's slideshow

Thank you for finding that and for taking the time to comment! Of course I had to watch it again, I loved that wedding. :-)

Hi, this is really something to get as an email! I don't think it has anything to do with current politics or the president...more that they have decided to demand the $500 surcharge across the board when any "outside" photographer is used at the resort, regardless of nationality. It is not legal to work in Mexico after entering the country on a tourist visa, a work visa is necessary to legally work in Mexico. I think that is the case in just about any other country as well. As my amigo Paul said, those of us who are foreigners or "extranjeros" (I always like that word because is so similar to "extraño¨ or strange, which is how it can make you feel to live in a foreign country...like you are the strange one! ) need special working papers called the FM3 or to obtain Mexican citizenship. You need to qualify and the process takes some time and money. There are also temporary work visas that are obtained through the embassies and consulates outside Mexico for those that do not plan to reside permanently in Mexico, they can get it for just the particular job they are coming to do. Countries need to control (or attempt to control) and protect their own economies and the local workers who could be doing those jobs. Its a fact that when you hire a resident there is a trickle down effect to the local economy. Can "traveling" photographers get away with working on a tourist visa? Probably, at least initially. If the photographer regularly works in a country where they have no work permit I would think that is not a responsible business practice (apart from being illegal), because if they were to be caught and not allowed to return they would not be able to honor commitments to their clients. I would think that it would be wise of the potential client to ask the photographer who advertises as a ¨Mexico wedding photographer¨ about whether or not they are able to legally work in that country and then assess the risk for themselves. That said, as a one time thing, if one of my BDW friends would like to invite me to be a guest at her wedding in Italy or Greece I promise to be the guest who takes the most amazing pictures ever! Good luck MrsV, I hope this gets worked out with the least amount of stress possible. ETA to clarify after reading the last posts, IMO it might be be wise to check with the consulate or embassy for clarification of the Nafta visa and whether it applies to the particular case. I think it is more for employees of businesses that have permits to do business in Mexico, ie Costco managers, etc. As independent wedding photographers we are business owners and our couples are our clients, not our employers I believe. But really for a sporadic thing I don't think there could possibly be a problem! For sure I don't want to worry any brides, you all have enough on your plates!

Hola! I have to take a minute out from vacation to chime in here...The Marquis de Cabo is outstanding...a dream location. I can't think of a more amazing place for a wedding or honeymoon. The first images on this blog post show the set up for a welcome dinner I photographed there, the wedding itself was at Esperanza. (also fabulous) Elizabeth Medina Blog best, Elizabeth

Margaret thank you for being so sweet (and such a beautiful bride)! It was such an honor to photograph the wedding. Here are a few of my favorites from the day... There are more on my blog saludos! Elizabeth

Hi! I have photographed two weddings at EDR, both were amazing and each used completely different areas of the resort. if you would like to see photographs here are the slideshows. Matt and Mallory Amy and Brian best wishes! Elizabeth

Thanks Shelley, it was fun for me! Annie, Marc takes the prize for being the best sport! He was great about everything! Michelle, I can't wait!

Quote: That's just so Vera Wrong Hi! I saw that comment and thought it was pretty funny! I guess you either like the trash the dress idea or you don't! Since most of my weddings are either at historic Mexican haciendas or on the beach I have found that the dress tends to get a little trashed anyway in the natural course of the wedding day's events. (and have you ever seen a dance floor after the wedding is over? not exactly the cleanest place!) I love to photograph the "day after" sessions because it is such a good chance to photograph without any pressure of being in a hurry, and keeping makeup or dress perfect. Going in the water is just a little extra bonus! Here are a few images of some of my wonderful brides and couples.: Can you tell it was fun to TTD? best, Elizabeth

I guess you either like it or you don't! And as a photographer, I do! I started another thread with some images. Trash the dress? best, Elizabeth

That's great Paul! I was so fortunate to have been a guest at this incredible wedding... but I wished I could be a fly on the wall for Sol and Matt's portrait session with Sergio! After seeing the video I feel like I was!

These are fantastic, Annie! Tell Marc he did a great job! I can just picture the girls giggling when mom jumped in the pool in her wedding dress! best, Elizabeth

Hi to all, thank you for the nice comments. And thank you Annie for being so amazing, this was so much fun ! Quote: I seriously got chills seeing the one of you flipping your hair--stunning! I would feel bad taking any credit at all for the flipping hair photo...that was 100% Annie's vision, I just snapped the picture when she told me to. best, Elizabeth

Annie's wedding was my last for 2007, it was really special to have the year go out with such a fun, natural, good looking and thoroughly sweet family! Not to mention a bride on horseback in the ocean and trashing the the dress in the jungle. Thank you, Annie! Annie and Mark, Wedding and TTD slideshow, Maya Riviera, Mexico

I loved photographing Cari (CariandNick on the BDW forum)'s wedding at the Moon Palace near Cancun! It was such a beautiful, happy event, and fortunately the lucky rain was limited to the beginning of our pre-wedding photo session in the morning. I hope the photographs show some of the fun and happiness! Cari and Nick, Moon Palace slideshow, Elizabeth Medina

Hi Brian! Thank you and Amy for being so much fun to photograph! I really appreciate the comments on my work... It really was one of those days where you can actually feel the love and happiness in the air! The tequila slideshow is a really cute idea, hit me with your best shot, how funny! best, Elizabeth

Sarah!!!!! Great dress!!!!!!!!!!! I did not even realize that you were "my" Sarah and I thought wow, what a cool dress, really different! It is perfect for the location too, and Leigh is right...it will photograph great, I can't wait! :-) Hi Leigh, I am glad to see you here, I am really looking forward to our wedding! I was waiting for things to calm down a bit to take care of the details, I will email right away! best, Elizabeth

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your comments! It is so fun to share pictures here, I really appreciate you all taking the time to look and to comment, that is so nice! BTW, I agree that Evonne looked great! Ps, i took a while to come back to this thread because I was away at the wedding of another lovely BDWer.

Hi! I loved photographing BDW member Evonne´s wedding in Playa del Carmen. They made such a gorgeous couple that I want to show them off. Here are a few photographs from their special day. (I hope I am not posting too many, if so please feel free to edit this post down!) And if you have a bit longer here is the slideshow.

You guys are so sweet, Sarah, I really just snapped a couple of pictures from the sidelines and my DH took care of JC's lens arsenal. :-) I don't think the bride would need my pictures anyway, I could tell that Juan Carlos was rocking it all on his own!

I have already seen them...Noelle did such a fabulous job with the trash the dress session! She is a tough act to follow! How fortunate could you and Amy be to have such a great (and talented) friend...I was expecting her to pull a camera out from behind her bridesmaid's bouquet, she was so sweet to resist the temptation. :-) I will be working hard on your wedding images, there are SO MANY! I can't wait for you to be able to share them as well! You and Amy were so much fun to photograph! best, Elizabeth

Juan Carlos it was our pleasure and it was so fun to see you working it at that great location! (Presidente Intercontinental in Cozumel if anyone is wondering) Thank you girls it was really fun! Tammy, that is exactly right! He was all over the place but at the same time very patient about getting the shot he envisioned. Galit, that will be us on the beach in a few short months! Mora, I owe you an email, sorry about that, I really hope to be able to do the session with you here in Merida! Careful with the tamales! :-)

As most everyone here on the BDW forum probably knows by now Juan Carlos Tapia is an wedding photographer based in Los Cabos, Mexico and one of the top wedding photographers in Mexico. Ever since I first saw his work for so many of the beautiful BDW brides I have really admired his photographic style. He does great work and fortunately for those of us who are photographers here in the Yucatan Penninsula (east coast of Mexico) Juan Carlos is far away on the west coast! My assistant and I finally got to meet Juan Carlos in early November when we travelled to Cabo to shoot a wedding at the Esperanza Resort. He told us that he would be in our neck of the woods covering a wedding in Cozumel in a few weeks. I immediately signed on my better half and myself as assistants for the day and we had a great time! It was fun to see Juan Carlos at work and great fun for me to snap a few fun pictures without all the responsibility that comes with being the main photographer for a wedding. I thought I would post a couple of photographs of Juan Carlos "en accion", what do you think? best, Elizabeth

Hi everyone! Sometimes I go back to the images for a past wedding after not seeing them for a while and really feel like I am there again experiencing it all...which is what photographs are for I guess. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing this wedding at the Royal in PDC in September. This was a really fun wedding because of the great bride and groom-they were having so much fun! I also love the Royal's gazebo and really love how the resort sets up the reception right on the beach, just a few feet fromt he ocean! I hope you enjoy the slideshow! Paul and Luzma best, Elizabeth