TATrisha

With Destination Weddings (and normal weddings) I think there are a few other questions you should ask. Here are a few I recommend: - Have you ever photographed a destination wedding? - Have you ever photographed a wedding in direct sunlight, and may I see the entire wedding? - Have you photographed an outdoor wedding at night? What type of lighting do you use? - Do you not only have professional equipment, but professional backup equipment? - Do you edit all the images that I will receive? - What exactly does "editing" mean to you?

I got married at the Akumal resort, and I also am the one who created the http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/75549/official-gran-bahia-principe-riviera-maya-thread and the photo tours You can find the Akumal photo tour here: http://blog.faberphotography.com/gran-bahia-principe-akumal-photo-tour/ I will be going back next month to photograph another wedding, so if there is anything specific that you'd like me to take a picture of, please let me know. Thanks! Trisha

Heather that dress is gorgeous! And it's kind of fun that your mom picked it out. Cute story!

We had a legal ceremony and our signing song actually had to be repeated for about 40 seconds. It was too short! So I'd go with separate songs.

Attention new and returning brides... please don't forget to write a review when you come back! This information is invaluable to future brides Also send me a message if you'd like to be added to the bridal roll call so you can see who is getting married near your wedding date! Thanks! Trisha

I paid per adult, which was nice. But I was prepared to pay it in total.

Back in 2008 when I had my poolside dinner and reception, we did all the speeches and toasts during dinner with the resort dj. It wasn't a problem at all.

Yeah, I can tell you, no matter what time you start it'll be too short. The day just flies by. That's why it's so important to take some time out to just relish in the fact that you're MARRIED!!!! Just enjoy the day as much as you can! We had a poolside dinner and reception and it was still too short. I could have stayed out there forever! Although it helped that I had a 7am trash the dress the next day. That enticed me to go to bed

the hotel rooms being so close to the reception area is why they won't let it go past 11, which I can understand. But maybe you can start earlier. Your dinner is at 6:30, right? That got moved up? So maybe have them extend the reception 30 minutes too? And definitely TRY to do the cake cutting and speeches during dinner. You might not be able to sneak it in, but I'd plan for that so you have more time to shake your tail feather.

I have added it to my list of things to document while I'm down there. Since I'm editing the list, does anyone else have anything else they'd like me to find out information on? I can add it to my tour posts on my blog that I already have, or just post it back here. Let me know!

This is such a great idea for a thread. As a US photographer who gets flown in for destination weddings, I can try and answer some questions as well. Here are the ones I get frequently. How does flying in a photographer from the states work? It's different for every photographer, but for myself (and most others), you pay for travel and accomodations for three nights. On top of that, you'll pay a set fee for wedding coverage. It's different for everyone and every situation, so don't be afraid to ask! You'd be surprised how reasonable the price ends up being. My brides typically pay between $2500-3000. What are the benefits to flying in a photographer? We are there for you! You're not just another day at work. We aren't worrying about quickly leaving your wedding to go capture the wedding that takes place two hours after yours. We are soley worried about your wedding day and how amazingly we can capture it. Additionally, you tend to get more "bang for your buck." We shoot all day. You get all the edited images on a disc. Not just images on the disc, EDITED images on a disc. Many resorts will give you the images, but they are flat, lifeless jpeg files that will take you hours upon hours to edit. From us, you'll receive 600-1000+ images from your wedding weekend. We can photograph other things too, such as your welcome dinner, an engagement session, a family session for your bridesmaids, a group excursion, swimming with the dolphins, trash the dress, etc. Is it legal for you to photograph in Mexico? As long as the proper paperwork is filled out and you abide by the limits and restrictions Mexico has in place, yes. This is why hiring an experienced destination wedding photographer is key. When do I get images back? We spend hours going through your images and providing you with the best images and edits. We touch up and enhance every image. It takes awhile. Images are typically delivered in 4-6 weeks. How does payment work since I'm not located near you? Common question! We accept cash, check, credit card, paypal, and money order. We have a signed contract. The amount due at booking is the amount due to the travel agent. The remainder is due just before your wedding. We have accepted payment from Canada, Seattle, Illinois, Australia, etc. If you have any questions that I can help answer, please don't be afraid to ask!

Adorable! Love your pink dress!

Being a destination wedding bride who had our best man pull this same thing (we flew him in for three nights by himself in the end) but also being a mother myself now, I completely understand why they don't want to go. I think his brother should go, and that's very sweet of you to offer to pay, and he should definitely be there, even if just for 2-3 nights. But I would not at all expect the rest of the family to go. $1300 a person to go on a vacation with a newborn is NOT fun. Any travel with a newborn is not fun, even to the grocery store! And then $1300 is not cheap to have a crappy vacation. Newborns are needy. Every single second of every day. They don't sleep well, especially in a weird place. Mom won't be able to drink or eat spicey food or even lay out in the sun because of the baby. So I don't think it's so much the "risk" of taking a newborn on vacation as it is the fact that taking a newborn is NOT a vacation. And it's not cheap. But again, the brother should be there.

When I was there in January there were these starfish available for purchase at the Hacienda. When I'm down there in August do you want me to see if they are still there and how much? For the dolphinarium, I didn't use it, but I took pictures of a couple who did (one of the perks of flying in your own photographer!). They had a blast.

Congratulations!!!! November will be here before you know it!

Welcome! There are more Minnesota brides, in fact, AnnR WAS a Minnesota bride... but now she's living in Chicago. Buying a house is definitely an extra stress. Hopefully everything will fall into place though so you can start planning your wedding and your life together

Oh yeah, forgot about the blood tests. The DJ also has to be paid in cash, or at least it had to be when I was there.

When I was there in January I paid with US dollar. They did give me change in pesos, but it was small amounts. I paid for my wedding (back in 2008... sorry!) all on credit card. I also paid for my incidentals (room safe) on my credit card this past January.

One of the weddings I photographed there had under table lighting and it looked so cool! Great choice Casi!

Ah! Congratulations!!!! That's so exciting when you finally have a firm date in mind.

No worries, I had already adapted to your new AWESOME wedding date

I've updated this thread with some recent reviews. Please remember to get your name added to the bridal roll call, write a review when you return, and show off your beautiful pictures!!! This truly does help future brides. Thanks! Trisha

Honestly, I would contact the resort yourself. Call them up and ask them what the rain alternative would be for your wedding if you booked a reception at the gazebo terrace.

Excellent review! It sounds like your wedding was just perfect!!! I've added your review to the review section of this thread. Thank you so much for helping future brides by writing about your experiences

I like the Ft Lauderdale idea!!! Super fun and still a great getaway for your guests