mandjphoto

Congratulations on getting married in Mexico. Yes, mariachi bands can be terribly expensive. A DJ that would set up a sound system and play your iTunes mix will be cheaper. While you are working out your budget for your wedding, we think you should put photography at the top of your list. We are biased, since we are photographers. But, here is a great blog post from a wedding vendor in the U.S. who is NOT a photographer. http://southalleden.com/2011/02/why-you-should-never-skimp-on-wedding-photography/ Good luck with your planning. Michael

While many of us hope you choose the Riviera Maya (at least those of us who live here), you should know that it is hot in June. That shouldn't make you avoid us, but if you do choose the Riviera Maya, don't wear a heavy wedding dress or make the guys wear tuxes. Casual, elegant and cool should be your main words for a beach wedding. Good luck and congratulations. Jennifer

Hi Mary, We have done a blog post on getting married in Mexico (since we got married here) and another blog post on the pricing and hidden costs of getting married on the Riviera Maya. We prefer smaller resorts, but that's not for everyone. A lot depends on your budget and how many people you expect and whether you want them all at the same resort. http://www.mandjphoto.com/category/weddings/ Good luck with your planning, Michael

Hi Beachbridezilla, Congrats on your engagement. We have a few blog posts about choosing a place on the Riviera Maya. We prefer smaller, but there are some larger resorts that are perfect for others. We have tried to address some of the "hidden" costs and other things to consider. http://www.mandjphoto.com/category/weddings/ Good luck, Michael

Congrats on your engagement and on your decision to get married in Mexico. The two areas that you ask about are very different. Los Cabos is dry, a little on the desert side, surrounded by hills and the water temp there almost always requires a wet suit. The Riviera Maya (where we live) has a more tropical, Caribbean feel. There are lots of palm trees; warm, clear Caribbean water, white sandy beaches and great Yucatecan and International cuisine. We not only live here, we got married here, too. Best of luck. Michael

I would second Ana y Jose in Tulum. I shot a wedding there and the hotel staff and the planner did an amazing job. I was very impressed. Here is a link to give you an idea of the grounds, rooms and the look of the place. http://latinjourneys.net/2011/08/27/ana-y-jose-charming-hotel/

We did the legal ceremony in Colorado and the "real" ceremony in Mexico a month after we moved here. We have a post about our experience, the legalities and the reasons for doing some things in the U.S. or Canada and some in Mexico. Good luck with your planning.

We got married almost two years ago on the beach on Cozumel, one month after we moved here. We had about 30 friends and family come from the US, Mexico and Argentina. Before my beautiful bride walked down the beach with her parents, I looked around the small group that surrounded me and realized that most of the people who mattered most in our lives were there. That was a wonderful feeling. The other best thing about the destination wedding is that your pain-in-the-butt cousin probably won't come. My advice? Don't worry, concentrate on enjoying your experience and the people who make the effort to share it with you.

Congrats on choosing Mexico and joining this forum. We have a blog post that might give you some insight into the ways resorts deal with photographers. Good luck with your planning. M&J

Hi Jemma, Congrats on getting married and choosing Mexico. Here is a link to a wedding we shot at Azul Sensatori. While the facilities are nice and the food was good for an AI, I would have to agree with what you have heard about the beach. There are periods when they can have seaweed problems. We solved that by doing a Trash the Dress in a cenote instead of getting into the water at the resort. Good luck

The probability of Ernesto missing the Riviera Maya is now pretty good. However, the forecast is 70% chance of rain for Tuesday and Wednesday, 40% for Thursday and only partly cloudy for Friday. Make sure your resort has decent backup plans for your day in case it does rain. Enjoy your week in our beautiful neighborhood!

There is better news this morning about Ernesto for Riviera Maya bound brides. Although it is too soon to breathe a sigh of relief, the computer tracking models are starting to show a landfall to the south around the Belize/Mexico border. Please check this site for their daily post. It is one of the most accurate sites to follow and the one that we check a couple of times a day for updates: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/article.html Jeff's prediction is for Ernesto to remain a TS and pass to the south of us. Tomorrow's forecast will be more accurate in that respect. With luck, it will only mean a rainy Wednesday. Good luck.

Those of us who live on the Riviera Maya keep a close watch on hurricane activity by checking this blog on wunderground. com Jeff Masters will give you a lot of good information and explain the likely storm path and intensity. http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/article.html Good luck to all of us!

I think the two most important things are to like a photographer's style and to like a photographer's personality. When we have couples contact us from the US or Canada (we live in Mexico full-time) we ALWAYS arrange a Skype session so we can see and talk with each other. It is important for us to click with the couples, just as it is important for them to click with us.

Hola brides, we're new to the forum, but not to photography. We got married in Mexico and now live here full-time. Let us help you.

Classic Photojournalism. Creative Portraiture. Two photographers. Two styles. Two nice people. That's us, two photographers, married to each other, living on the Mayan Riviera of Mexico. We are looking forward to being part of the BDW community and are available to help any vendors with questions about our service, our philosophy and our home. Michael spent a number of years shooting assignments for National Geographic, TIME, Smithsonian and Newsweek magazines and teaching photo workshops for a boutique African safari company. In other words, he enjoys being around people, especially interesting people. It's why he became a photographer. Jennifer came to photography after leaving a career in holistic healing: therapeutic massage and reiki energy work. Now, she loves to channel her energy and creativity into making beautiful portraits of couples in love. She captures candid moments that tell the story of the special day. You probably won't meet a nicer person. That's who we are, but our couples, who are now our friends, say it better: ". . . they just blended in so nicely with all of our guests - it felt like they were family." Nada "You were a true joy to work with and we hope to stay in touch." Gayle "They were an absolute delight to work with" Monique Hope to hear from you soon. M&J Photography Riviera Maya, Mexico