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I am bringing a friend that I work with to shoot our wedding video for us. He shoots wedding videos on the side so he has professional equipment. We're not paying him a fee per say, but we are covering his travel/accommodations. Does anyone have experience with this? Is there any sort of paperwork he needs to fill out to shoot our wedding? I read somewhere here where someone's photographer got stopped at customs because he/she wasn't licensed to work in Mexico. Would that apply in this situation? -
Hi everyone, I'm trying to make a budget and I am wondering the approx cost of wedding photography in Cancun for 6-8 hours. I am doing engagement photos here at home and the photographers have given me a quote for my destination wedding, but it's pretty high, plus I would need to cover their flight/hotel. It would be great to get an idea of what to expect! Thanks!
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Does anyone know how to make a wedding timeline? Every person I talk with is telling me something different. I found some wedding timeline info but I’m not sure where to start. I found some advise here. How much time should I allow for photography? https://www.bridalguide.com/planning/wedding-planning-basics/complete-wedding-day-timeline http://www.jeffkolodnyphotography.com/index.cfm?q=GREAT+WEDDING+TIMELINE&x=25&y=10
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Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and would be grateful for any advice. We're finally getting married at Akiin Beach Club in Tulum on 14 May 2018 after 17 years together! We have over 35 family and friends joining us from the UK and we will all be staying at the Gran Bahia Principe in Akumal. Hair and Make Up My hair is above shoulder length and thick so will probably not be doing too much with it (too short for an up do), however, I have 6 bridesmaids who will probably want their hair done. The resort has a spa onsite for hair and make up and I have heard good reviews about their hair styling. However, I would like airbrush make up done because I'm hoping it will give a more flawless finish and will last longer in the heat. Does anyone know if the salon at Gran Bahia Principe Akumal does air brush make up? Or does anyone have any experience of using the salon for their wedding day? The resort changes a vendor fee of $300USD for outside vendors which would make it really expensive to bring anyone in. The only other alternative would be to rent a room closer to Akiin Beach for the night for my bridal party and have someone come to do our hair and make up - any recommendations on hotels or vendors is appreciated. Transport We would like to put on mini buses for our guests from the hotel to Akiin Beach and back. I guess we would need approx. 3 or 4 depending on how many people can fit in each vehicle. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice re transfer companies? Planning Should I be worried that I haven't heard back from the venue in over a week since I've emailed them? Legal stuff Our wedding coordinator at the venue said that we could have our blood tests carried out in the UK and sent to them in advance of the wedding but everything I've read online contradicts this. Can anyone advise? Also, does anyone know the cost of registrar and legal fees? Stag/ Bachelor party My fiancé would like to hire a fishing boat for all the guys and do a half day fishing trip from Akumal bay. We have seen Captain Rick's and are considering booking one of their boats but if anyone has any other advice or recommendations that would be great. Hen/ Bachelorette party To save on costs I was just going to have my bachelorette in the resort - dinner, few drinks and head out to the nightclub. I would like to treat my bridesmaids, mum and mother in-law to spa treatments if I can afford it. The spa at the hotel is quite pricey ($85USD for a manipedi!) - can anyone recommend anywhere cheaper nearby or suggest any alternative activities? If anyone else has been married at Akiin Beach I would love to hear from you! Grateful for any advice or experiences. Thanks Charmaine- 2 replies
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If you're looking for a photographer for your Los Cabos wedding, please highly consider Juan Carlos Tapia. I first heard his name from a makeup artist and while searching for a pre-wedding dinner location, I found that Juan Carlos Tapia took the photos of the restaurant. I contacted him via email and we were able to connect, reserve the date, etc. very easily. He was also gracious in taking the photo shots we requested. We ABSOLUTELY loved our wedding photos! Juan did an amazing job! A wedding is a celebration you cannot get back and you should have quality photos to remind you of that special day! So please check out... www.juancarlostapia.com
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Hello, anyone have any experience with lopezspratt photography?! Just looking for any insight and reviews! thanks so much!
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Hi everyone! I'm having trouble deciding on the best way to go in regards to wedding photography. We are getting married in May 2018 at The Royalton White Sands Resort in Montego Bay, soooo EXCITED! But, we have a very tight budget to work with... So far, my research has led me to believe that the most affordable option is to use the photographer that the resort has... however, im a huge fan of artsy/more candid type of photography vs the typical very posed type pictures...So, I dont want to regret my choice in the long run. Ah! Im having trouble finding the Resort's photographer's portfolio though... and really want to be able to check out previous photos/work before deciding for sure...anyone know where this can be found? Thanks! -
Would you have a SnapChat filter for your wedding guests during the ceremony? How about at the cocktail hour, and/or at the reception? The pricing is based on SnapChat's algorithm for: - date and number of hours the filter is live. - square footage of the venue in snapchat (google maps). Email: snapsocialfilter@@gmail.com if you were interested in finding out more info. Every filter gets approved by you before it is submitted for review Please contact 407-766-4670 if you have questions.
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I am planning a destination wedding in Cabo next year and trying to decide on a photographer. I'm considering options both in Cabo (Destination) and my hometown (Local). I know there are different pros and cons to each, so I'm curious to know what you all choose. Were you happy with your decision? Anything you would have done different when looking for a photographer? -
Hey all, I know this is unusual because I am the groom and usually the bride is the one joining these forums but I want to be involved in the wedding preps and I have taken the responsibility dealing with photos, video, music of having my fiancé deal with decorations and gifts. I am having her deal with decorations. We have chosen the resorts Ultimate Wedding Package and we are getting married June 2017 If anyone has gotten married at Dreams Palm Beach, whether it has been recently or in the past several months to a year, any and all help is very much appreciated. I have read several reviews and got mixed feelings. It has been 50/50 with photographers and videographers. I know that our package includes photos album and a video. Photographer/Photos-many people on other sites have said that they were happy with the Moe photos that were taken by Adventure Photos which is on site. Also, with the same company, several people had an issue when they tried to choose their photos saying that they were told by that company that they had to pay for the photos even when they were included in the wedding package. Several other people also said that they opted to hire an outside photographer and videographer because both photos and video turned out more amazing. If anyone has chosen to choose Adventure Photos from the resort as their photographer for their wedding, any help will do. Video/Videographer-pretty much the same thing as above. I was reading on our package that our video will include ceremony only and not photo session and reception. If you happened to also use videographer provided by the resort, any help and information will be appreciated. Music-pretty much every said that they went with DJ Mannia. Do I have to book him separately or does my wedding coordinator automatically book him when we tell them that we choose to have a DJ? Thanks for taking the time to read and help out!!! Any suggestions on which companies for photo and video very much appreciated!- 1 reply
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Boudoir Photos: It's the Gift Your Sweetheart Will Love
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
As I was planning my destination wedding several years ago, I spent many a nights with my head spinning in trying to decide what to gift my husband-to-be on our Wedding Day. There are sentimental favorites of course, like a handkerchief embroidered with his initials, a new set of cufflinks or a brand new watch. But I wanted to give him something that would knock his socks off -- something that he'd always remember and cherish. And so I decided to gift my sweetheart with an album full of boudoir photos starring me Yes, opting to book a boudoir session was something I had to talk myself into doing. Like many women, the thought of being photographed in lingerie was quite frankly freaking me out! I am definitely one of those women who isn't 100 percent confident with my body image, but I knew he would absolutely love this gift and I knew it would most definitely take him by surprise. And you know what, on our Wedding Day while he was getting ready for the festivities, he opened that album (with my photographer documenting each and every moment) and yes it made his heart skip a beat. It was ... The.Perfect.Gift. So if you're contemplating doing a boudoir session for your sweetheart as a Wedding Day gift, here are a few tips to consider when planning your boudoir shoot: 1) Do your research when booking a photographer. Look through plenty of portfolios/blogs and find a style that you love. You will find that much like wedding photography, boudoir photographers come in all price ranges -- but as the saying goes, you typically get what you pay for. Boudoir photography is an investment so look for consistency in style and quality in their work to ensure that you will get similar results. When it comes to boudoir photography, because it's such an intimate and personal experience, look carefully at reviews. Also make sure to book your session giving your photographer enough time to edit and deliver the photos before your Wedding Day (if you plan to order prints or an album, also make sure there's enough time to do this with your deadline in mind!). 2) Pick a photographer that offers products. Yes, you can certainly go the money savings route of printing your own photos or making your own album, but photographers often have access to professional labs who will create products that the typical consumer just doesn't have access to. These are high quality products that will last much longer than what you could ever find via Shutterfly or printing at Target -- plus do you really want the high school or college student working behind the counter at your local drugstore or Costco having access to such private photos? Think twice and if it's in your budget, invest in the professional grade products your photographer offers. 3) Consider the location for your photos. Does your photographer provide the location for your shoot? This is an important one to consider because it may require additional investment. Some photographers will provide the location (studio, hotel, etc.), but others will rely on you to provide the setting. Boudoir photographs can be done in the comfort of your own home or perhaps a friend's home -- just make sure you have plenty of privacy and lots of natural light! Setting matters when it comes to indoor portraits. 4) Invest in a hair/makeup stylist. This matters, trust me! Make a day of your boudoir session and get dolled up with both hair and makeup from a professional. Tell the stylist you hire that you'll be taking boudoir portraits and give him/her some inspiration photos so they have an idea of what you like. It will make a world of difference in your photos to use a professional stylist, plus you'll feel like a million bucks! And hey, plan a special date with your honey afterwards if you'd like. Take advantage of that gorgeous styling, don't let it go to waste!!! 5) Mix up your wardrobe. There is a belief that all boudoir photos have to be done with sexy lingerie. And while you should have at least a few photos with some gorgeous lingerie on, boudoir photos can be equally sexy with simple pieces. Consider wearing a jersey or clothing piece from your sweetheart's favorite sports team or college alma mater. Some of my favorite boudoir photos were shot with my bride just wearing a simple white tank with a cute pair of undies. You could also wear your spouse to be's favorite dress shirt and tie (leaving it open and unbuttoned of course!). And of course, you could also do nude or implied nude photos wearing just a simple white bedding sheet -- just make sure your photographer is OK and comfortable doing those types of photos. These photos are your vision, so make it your own and wear/bring things you think will get your honey's heart racing! 6) Relax and have fun. You're nervous, I get it. If you're not one of the 10 out of a million girls blessed with a bikini model's perfect body, then you will probably be nervous. And that's OK. If you feel inclined to diet or workout so you're in great/better shape before your shoot, do it. If you're not, hey no worries! You are perfect exactly how you are. But most women, have trouble/worry areas that make them nervous. The best thing to do is talk to your photographer ahead of time about the areas of your body that you are not confident with and share your concerns. This will give them a head's up when it comes to angling and photographing you in the best way possible. The most important thing is to relax and enjoy the process, so exhale, get pampered and enjoy the experience. Boudoir photography is a beautiful gift your spouse-to-be will love! To book or inquire about a location for a destination wedding or honeymoon, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! or visit the website atwww.wrighttravelagency.com - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife wedding + portrait photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
Misha was amazing to work with!! We are so happy we decided to work with her and could not be more pleased with our overall experience. She was responsive and very professional from day one. We ended up being behind schedule on our wedding day and she was extremely flexible, easy-going, and still made sure we got all of the pictures we needed. She made the entire day fun for everyone and we genuinely enjoyed having her and her assistant there for our wedding. And the photos came out so beautiful!! They are stunning. We absolutely recommend Misha for wedding photos in Jamaica.
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If you're looking for a photographer for your Los Cabos wedding, please consider Juan Carlos Tapia. It was very easy to work with him and we ABSOLUTELY love our wedding photos!! A wedding is a celebration you cannot get back so you should have quality photos to remind you of that special day! So please check out... www.juancarlostapia.com
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Hello Ladies! I have been recommended this wedding videographer in Riviera Maya and I HAVE to share it with you! His name is Santiago and he owns and runs Becker Wedding Films - http://www.bbweddingfilms.com I also have seen a lot of his work on his Facebook - BB Wedding Films His style is so beautiful and unique, the work he produces is much more than just an ordinary wedding video but more like a peace of art that really shows a couples love story, as you can tell, I am hooked!! It's definitely a great choice for people who are really into art and culture, he seems to capture this in every of his example videos. I have had excellent communication with Santiago these past couple of weeks and I am now in the process of securing my package with him (I am so excited!) His prices are not for budget brides as such but extremely reasonable and for whats included and at such high quality he really is worth every penny! I hope some of you girls get a chance to check him out and fall in love with his work as much as I have! Hanna -
We were recently married August 20, 2016 at the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall in Montego Bay. This being a destination wedding we were quite concerned with our ability to source vendors that we would be unable to meet with in person. We conducted an exhaustive exploration of photography vendors and ultimately decided to go with Misha Earle due to the quality and extensiveness of her portfolio coupled with the competitiveness of her pricing. I'm so happy we made the choice we did as Misha epitomized professionalism at every stage of the process. Her methodology seemed to be well practiced and went a long way in alleviating some of the unplanned stress that occurred managing a few of our other vendors. She is a genuinely nice person and quite approachable, which made even the shyest of our guests comfortable in front of the camera. We were ecstatic with the results of the shoot and her ability to keep the entire party on task even when faced with multiple scheduling issues. The visual storyline that Misha created is something that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. My wife and I find ourselves constantly looking back at our photos and expressing how fortunate we were to have chosen Misha. We highly recommend you do the same!! Rating Summary (1-10): Demeanor: 10 Preparation: 9 Time management: 10 Budget: 9 Quality of work: 9 Timeliness of end product: 7 Thank you Misha! Rustin and Joesie Brown -
Photo Tips: Timing Your Sunset/Sunrise Ceremony & Portraits
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
If you've been dreaming of a beautiful ceremony followed by incredible romantic photos at sunset, or perhaps you want to plan for sunrise photos -- you can actually determine the best time to plan your festivities by checking out approximate sunrise/sunset times for your wedding location. By visiting: www.timeanddate.com/sun you can enter your location (if they don't list your city, choose the next closest major city) and you'll have the option to view sunrise/sunset times on the exact date you plan to get married. This is a great tool for you as you begin your wedding planning process. Ideally, portraits done during the golden hours -- the two hours after sunrise and the two hours prior to sunset -- will give you the most flattering and soft light which will help yield gorgeous photos. If you can, try and connect with your photographer on the timing as well to discuss the ideal time for your ceremony and portraits. Your photographer can of great help in determining the best time for portraits. -
The getting ready shot The getting ready shot. This one’s a classic! Get photos of the groom and groomsmen tying their bow ties, buttoning their vests, and donning their suit jackets. Make sure to capture the groom helping the ring bearer with his attire. So precious! The Chair Pose The chair pose. Guys and recliners have a history, right? You can mimic that connection by having the groom sit in a stuffed chair with his guys posed around him. The Superhero shot We love it when the guys in the wedding party wear superhero secrets under their wedding dress code, then pose with a few buttons undone to reveal the superhero symbols underneath. If they’re wearing superhero cufflinks, too…even better! The Groomsmen Pose Have the guys throw some sunglasses on and strike their coolest pose while the groom does the shoulder-brush attitude. The Cowboys The cowboys. Have the wedding party bring a hat. Dress down to the vests and put on your cowboy gear. If there’s a horse available, have the groom saddle up and pose with the groomsmen nearby. You can bring in other props like hay bales and rope, too The Stunt Doubles The stunt doubles. If you have a group of athletic guys in the wedding party, have the groom stand with his hands in his pockets or however he’s comfortable while the groomsmen chose to pose, jump, flip, or otherwise try to harness their inner stunt man. The Party Shot The party shot. A lot of guys enjoy a beer or cocktail, especially at a wedding. Get a photo of a toast with just the guys, or a candid shot of the guys laughing and enjoying a drink together. The Hollywood Stroll The Hollywood stroll. Have the groom take the lead in a casual stroll with his guys. The groom can wear sunglasses to stand out in the crowd and look more “Hollywood.” This is a natural and fun type of photo to capture. The Smoking Pose The smoking lounge. Break out the cigars and pose around a card table while you all enjoy them. The Bro Hugs The bro hugs. Even guys have to have some tender moments on the wedding day. Capture the groom giving his groomsmen bro hugs. These will be among the best shots of the day, we guarantee it! The Selfie Shot The selfie shot. There’s no avoiding cellphones these days. Why not incorporate them into your wedding photos? Have the guys each take a silly selfie and then pose with everyone holding their phone out towards the camera. Source: Perfect Wedding Guide ©DreamArt Photography 2010 - 2016. All Rights Reserved -
1) Why are you worth the amount you charge? There are many reasons we charge the rates we do, some of which are quite obvious: all of our photographers have many years of experience and many, many weddings under their belts, we offer full resolution images with full reproduction rights, we use very expensive equipment, we edit the photos ourselves – each of the photographers edit the photos from the wedding, their own and the second-shooter’s; then there are the “hidden” costs, like having a beautiful lounge in most hotels we work with, having to pay all the additional people involved in the process of organizing photography and cinematography for a wedding – our colleagues at the Call Center, our Wedding Planners that meet the bride and groom in the hotel and help plan and organize the whole experience etc. 2) Do you shoot natural light or artificial light? Or both? All of our photographers in DreamArt, myself included, are comfortable shooting both. We do prefer using natural light whenever possible and as late as possible, but we also always look for opportunities to be creative with off-camera flash, or complement that available light with a little fill from our flashes. We also use flash to create better quality photographs when there is an actual need for the extra light – like during a reception where there isn’t much light or the light is in all different and weird colors. 3) Do you back up your files online just in case of a fire? Do you have backup equipment? We actually have several backup plans in place at all times. First off, we download the photos to the photo lounge in the hotel the same day we take them. Second, we have a NAS in place in our main office, where everything gets copied to, then there is the Online Gallery, where our brides can actually access and download their photos at all times. We also keep our photos for a minimum of eight months, most of the time much longer than that. 4) Will I get a high resolution DVD? We actually give the Full Resolution images (between 20 and 40 megapixels’ resolution), which is perfect for doing both large prints – we regularly print our photos in 18*12 inches – and also larger or smaller things too, like huge canvas prints or just regular 6*8 inch prints. We also give our photos on USB and online. Both versions are the full resolution files. 5) How do you make us feel relaxed for the photographs, especially when posing? Both myself and all of my colleagues have extensive experience working with people, from all walks of life, and we also have photographed quite a few weddings (I photographed over 150 weddings). Also, we all come from different parts of the world, so, if nothing else, our quirky accents will make you laugh. 6) What is your shooting style? Do you focus on storytelling? We pride ourselves in capturing your special day with all the possible details, storytelling being the main focus. It will be a combination of both photojournalism and some posed shots (especially the group shots and some of the bride and groom). We tend to be as unobtrusive as possible so as to be able to capture all those natural, genuine moments that cannot be posed and planned for, nor repeated. We only take center stage when we need to organize a specific shot. 7) Will you help us with the planning of photos and video for the wedding day? Yes. The most important things for us are for the bride and groom to first, have a great time and not worry about anything, and second for their photos to be as beautiful as possible. Since we live here and know what light is better, how long it takes to move from one place to the next inside the hotels, what can end up taking longer than initially thought etc. we do our best to help you plan accordingly, so that you take advantage of the best places with the best possible light and with all the time you have with your photographers and videographers. It happens often for a bide to come to the interview with our Wedding Planners with a specific timeline in mind or even written down, and leave with a very different schedule after that meeting. We try to have the photographer present during that interview, or at least have several questions and ideas written down by our Wedding Planners and communicated to the photographer. 8) What happens if you get sick on my day? We are very lucky in the sense that we always have someone that can take over if needed. The benefit of working with such a talented team for such a long time (there are around 40 photographers in DreamArt, and we have been working together for the past 3 years, or more) is that if you were to have a situation where you really can’t attend a wedding, one of your colleagues could take your place easily. This is something that hardly ever happens, and it has never happened to me personally. 9) What happens if it rains? This is an important question, because most brides would think their photos and video would be ruined if this happens. This is actually not the case. There are some photographs that can only be done on a rainy day, with rain as a backdrop. We always make the best of any situation and rain is just that: a different situation. There is always a Plan B in terms of where your cocktail or reception will take place, in case of bad weather, and we also I have also offered couples an hour of two of extra time on a different day so we can get photos with the beautiful Caribbean Sea in the background, rather than just rain. DreamArt Photography is the leading luxury photography company based in resorts in Mexico and Jamaica. In the past years, DreamArt Photography & Video has become world leader in its category with more than 1,000 weddings, 6,000 lifestyle sessions, and almost 250 events yearly, in both four and five diamond resorts. By Andrei Mihalache Kay English Photos: DreamArt Photography Event Resources ©DreamArt Photography 2010 - 2016. All Rights Reserved
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Hello everyone, I am a Moon Palace bride looking to select a photographer and videographer for our wedding. Has anyone used or seen Carlos Pasten's work? Any reviews would be greatly appreciated. I am not clear on whether he does both photography and videography. Also, if there is anyone else that you recommend for videography that would be great. Thanks in advance! -
Hi Ladies! I'm truly considering using WeddingMix to make a DIY Wedding video, but I was wondering if any of you have actually used it. http://www.storymixmedia.com/weddingmix/ I was planning on doing one of the packages with just the app, but I don't quite see how it's better than using iMovie + Dropbox or some other online storage option. Has anyone ever DIY'd a short wedding video? Any suggestions or ideas for how to do this? -
This post is part 2 of 3 for my review of SWO and my wedding in Jamaica. If you missed Part 1 go back and read it as I give a detail overview of the resort. (Part 1 of 3 is here and part 3 of 3 is here) WEDDING COORDINATORS The ladies in the wedding department at SWO are very knowledgeable and work really hard to help you have the perfect wedding day. Yes they are slow to respond when you are more than 2 months away from your wedding date but that is because they are busy helping other brides who are getting married before you. Once you get closer to your wedding date their response time does improve. If you are highly organized like I am then planning a destination wedding at any resort will truly test your patience but trust me when I say to remain calm…everything will come together in the end and the ladies at SWO will make sure you have a beautiful wedding day (rain or shine). The only real hiccups I had with dealing with the wedding coordinators were when I sent my paperwork for my marriage certificate. I sent it by courier as they requested and paid extra to have 24 hour delivery. I sent the coordinators a message letting them know I had sent it out and for them to let me know when they received my paperwork. After about I week I checked in with them and they said they hadn’t receive it. I asked the coordinator I was dealing with to double check with the other coordinators in the office and she insisted nobody in their office had received anything from me. I totally panicked as she also told me since they had not received my paperwork by the deadline I would not be able to get married on my scheduled date and would need to rebook everything for a different date. I ran a search through my courier and discovered the resort did indeed receive my package within the 24 hours after I sent it. My courier also gave me a pdf of the signature by the wedding coordinator who received the package and low and behold it was the same wedding coordinator that had insisted she had not received my paperwork and told me I had to reschedule my wedding. I sent her the pdf of the signature and suddenly she “remembered” that they had received it. I know they are busy and accidents happen but I have to say an apology would have been nice. Needless to say I was not too happy with her but was relieved I didn’t have to reschedule everything. The other frustration is that I didn’t seem to have a designated coordinator planning my wedding. It seemed that all three coordinators at SWO were working on my wedding, depending on who had time. This is a frustration because I often had to re explain my requests or preferences. It was almost like they didn’t talk to each other even though their office is small and they all basically work at the same long desk. Very frustrating but like I said in the end it all came together and my wedding day was more perfect and beautiful then I could have imagined so I guess that’s all that matters. To their credit – I had originally booked the Ultimate wedding package because we thought we were going to have a big group coming to our wedding. When we realized we would no longer be a big group the wedding coordinators let us switch to the basic (free) package without issue and did not try to change us a penalty for the last minute change. RESORT HAIR/MAKEUP Prior to my wedding I debated about hiring an outside vendor for hair and makeup. There really wasn’t much out there in reviews by past SWO brides about the hair and makeup services at the resort spa which made me a bit nervous but in the end the $600 outside vendor fee ($300 for each) made me decide to go with the hair and makeup provided by the resort spa. I contacted the spa about 2 months prior to our wedding to book my appointment for hair and makeup and asked what makeup they used. The lady at the spa said it was Mirabella which is apparently professional grade makeup so I decided to give them a chance. The final result of their services were just OK. At my appointment the same girl did my hair and makeup. When she first started to do my makeup she pulled out L’Oréal True Match foundation! I was a little shocked since I was told they only use professional grade makeup. She told me they do but she thinks L’Oréal would be better for my pictures, really? Better than professional grade make-up? Luckily I had brought all my own makeup with me so I told her to use my Laura Mercier Photo Finish Foundation instead. When she finished doing my makeup it was way too “drag queenish” and she filled in my eyebrows so thick I looked like I had a uni-brow. I made her fix my eyebrows and they were better after she fixed them but I still fixed the rest of the makeup myself once I got back to my room to tone down the drag queen factor. (yes, I know your makeup needs to be heavier than normal to show in pictures but this was beyond that). For my hair I wanted soft bouncy curls and although she did curl my hair she sprayed it with so much hair spray while she was curling it my curls were not soft or bouncy. It wasn’t what I had envisioned but looked OK. When I asked her why she was spraying so much hair spray she said it was because the only way the curl would hold is if she sprayed it with hair spray. The total cost for my hair and makeup through the resort was $150 USD. If I was to go back in time I would have spent the extra money and hired an outside vendor. I know not everyone can spend a small fortune on outside vendors (at $300 each vendor it adds up quickly) so if you can’t afford it go with the resort hair and makeup but go to your local Sephora and get some makeup lessons beforehand so you can do your own makeup if the resort screws it up. If you are a Sephora VIB Rouge member like I am the lessons are free. If you are a Beauty Insider then the lessons are free too but you have to buy $40 worth of makeup at the end of the lesson but really who can honestly go to Sephora and NOT spend $40? I went for 2 separate makeup lessons at Sephora a few months before my wedding so I could practice the techniques I learned and I’m so glad I did as it came in handy when I needed to fix my makeup on my wedding day. One final tip – if you do go with the resort hair and makeup leave yourself enough time before the ceremony/pictures in case you have to fix their mistakes. My appointment was at 10am and I was done hair and makeup appointment by noon. My photos were starting at 2pm so I had a 2-hour buffer which worked out perfectly. RESORT PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER Both the photographer and videographer provided by the resort are the same photographers that walk around the resort day and night taking pictures of you then try to sell you the pictures. When my husband and I were at SWO in 2014 we hired them to take some sunset photos of us to have as souvenirs. We didn’t know at the time that we would be getting married there (we weren’t even engaged yet) but having already seen the quality of their work when it came time to plan my wedding I knew no matter what I would be hiring an outside vendor for photos. Don’t get me wrong, the resort photographers are not the worst photographers in the world but they are also not the caliber I would expect from a wedding photographer. Most of their poses are cheesy and they don’t seem to pay attention to little details such as everyone having their legs crossed the same direction etc. I’m sure they have more than one photographer and some are better than others but having been unsatisfied with my past experience I didn’t want to take the chance. I ended up hiring Misha Earle and she was absolutely fantastic to work with. I will give more details about our experience with Misha in the next section. Even though we hired Misha for our photos the wedding coordinators still insisted I had to use their photographer too. I told them I didn’t not want their photographer at my wedding but they still insisted it was non-negotiable and I HAD to use their photographer as well as my own since it was part of the wedding package. This is when I politely reminded them that I had paid the $300 vendor fee for the “privilege“ to bring my own photographer onto the resort property and I did not want their photographer getting in the way of Misha capturing the photos of my wedding. With that they conceded and said they would not send their photographer. When I was arriving to the ceremony I did see their photographer lurking in the bushes near the gazebo where we were getting married. I shot him a dirty look as we drove past him on the golf cart and he disappeared and I never saw him again . Since they knew I would not be purchasing pictures from them I can only suspect their photographer came anyway to try and get pictures so they could add to their portfolio to sell packages to future brides. MISHA EARLE PHOTOGRAPY What can I say about Misha that hasn’t already been said by countless other brides on here? She is indeed fantastic to work with and the photos she produces are truly works of art. It’s been almost 8 months since my wedding and I still can’t stop looking at them. My husband and I are not very photogenic and she managed to make us feel at ease. We truly felt like we had an old friend at our wedding taking our pictures. She also brought along her assistant Kenmar and he was such a riot. We decided to do “first look” photos before the ceremony and shot a majority of the photos before the ceremony since we were getting married at 4pm and didn’t want to be rushed by the sunset to capture all our pictures. At one point Kenmar went off with my husband and shot some individual photos of him and Misha worked with me to capture my bridal photos. This was a big time saver and meant we weren’t standing around when the other was getting individual photos taken. We loved working with both of them. I did have to pay SWO $300 to allow Misha onto the property for our wedding day and on top of that the resort also made me pay an additional $80 for a day pass to allow Kenmar on the property but Misha covered the cost of the vendor fee by reducing her rate by $300 so we ended up just paying for Kenmar’s guest pass. Another thing I really liked about Misha is she Skyped with us about 2 months before our wedding. This gave us a chance to actually see her instead of just emailing back and forth. We were able to discuss all the pictures we would like to have captured on the day and get to know her a bit. Misha is also very spunky and will not let the wedding coordinators push you or her around on your wedding day. She will fight for you, her client. After our ceremony was done we were getting ready to take some pictures with the cake. The cake was on a table off to the side of the gazebo with a bunch people in bathing suits drinking and partying in the background. The wedding coordinators were trying to make us take the photos with the cake where it was but Misha wasn’t having it. She told them to move the cake table to where the ceremony was so we would have the ocean, flowers, and, drapery as a background. When they refused she and Kenmar picked up the cake table and moved it themselves. The coordinators did not look happy but they didn’t say anything. I couldn’t help but laugh:lol: 4 weeks after our wedding Misha sent us a link to a video slideshow displaying a selection of about 50 photos. It was set to our wedding song “All of me” by John Legend and when my husband watched it for the first time he cried because the photos were so beautiful (he is not a crier). About 4 weeks or so after the video slide show we received a flash drive with all the photos in the mail. This was the timeframe she had told us when we first hired her so she was true to her word. One final thing I really liked about Misha. I asked her to not “Kim Kardashian” (aka Photoshop) our photos as I wanted to capture our true selves and the real beauty of our wedding day and she said that’s the way she prefers to work anyway. Another example of her talent, she is able to capture the right angles to make you look your natural best. I don’t have a single complaint about Misha or the quality of her work. She was phenomenal to work with. You will not be disappointed if you hire Misha to photograph your wedding. Here are a few pics from our wedding taken by Misha: TIA FLORAL vs. FLORAL FANTASIES vs. REAL TOUCH The resort uses Tia Floral as their flower vendor. A quick search of the forums on here and you will find countless brides warning you to stay away from them. I am giving the same advice. I originally ignored their advice and asked Tia for a quote for a mixture of hydrangeas, roses, and orchids to decorate the entrance to the gazebo. These flowers were only going to span the 7 foot opening along the top of the gazebo and they came back with a quote of $2600 USD!!!! Crazy! I knew the price would be high but that is highway robbery in my opinion. It was also like pulling teeth trying to get the quote from them. I had to nag them for several weeks before they got back to me. I spoke to a few locals and they said the reason Tia Floral is so expensive and hard to work with is because a majority of the resorts use them as their preferred vendor so they kind of have brides over a barrel. After the outrageous quote I asked Misha for her advice on a floral vendor to deal with. She recommended Floral Fantasies. They were fantastic to deal with and came back with a quote of $600 USD for the same thing Tia wanted $2600 USD for. Even with paying the outside vendor fee their price was way lower and I had more confidence in them since they were always quick to get back to me, made recommendations to reduce the price and overall seemed way more professional. Just before our wedding we ended up having an emergency furnace replacement at home so I had to divert funds from our wedding budget for that which meant I had to drop the real flower decorations for gazebo I ordered from Floral Fantasies. They were very understanding and refunded almost all my money (think they kept about $100 for a cancellation fee). I had already made my own bouquet, my husband’s boutonniere and my grandmother’s corsage with real touch flowers so I decided to just create my own decorations with real touch flowers for the gazebo and bring them with me. I have another post on here from earlier this year covering my bouquet and other flowers with pictures for those of you that are interested. In the end my gazebo decorations ended up costing me about $200 including the drapery I also brought from home (a $30 last minute find at a local thrift shop) and although was not what I originally wanted still made for a pretty backdrop for our ceremony. Here’s a picture of the decorated gazebo:
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Jhankarlo Photography was the best decision ever! I can honestly say that I could not have asked for a better experience! I am from Texas and I had researched many photographers around the Cancun area to do my bridal portraits (pictures of the bride in her wedding dress to display the wedding) and I easily realized that Jhankarlo Photography was a PERFECT match. I wanted the photo shoot at multiple locations (beach, church, local market, local places, etc.). When I reached out to Jhankarlo, he immediately listened, understood my needs, and provided suggestions and thoughts to help accommodate my requests. The day before my photo shoot in Cancun, Jhankarlo reached out to me to make sure I was ready for the photo shoot and asked if I needed anything before – I thought this was VERY thoughtful! I was VERY nervous the morning of the photo shoot. All my nerves went away as soon as Jhankarlo and his team picked my mother and I up for the photo shoot. His generosity and hospitality were remarkable and I could not have asked for a better photographer. He was not like typical photographers – he is highly creative and artistically thoughtful in each photo taken. He has such an amazing talent for capturing unique scenes/moments in each location. He also used natural scenery to bring out the culture of the area, which is exactly what I wanted. He showed me some of the photos on his camera and I never been more impressed. These are “WOW” photos that I know my guests will LOVE to see when I display them at the wedding reception. I was worried that I would not be able to go to all the different locations due to time but Jhankarlo ensured me that I could take my time during the photo shoot and time was not an issue. He wanted me to be as comfortable as possible. Other photographers I have worked with have put a time limit on the photo shoot. I do not like having my photo taken but he made me feel very relaxed and at ease. Overall, my experience with Jhankarlo Photography was highly positive. I want to thank Jhankarlo for the best experience ever! I HIGHLY recommend Jhankarlo Photography. Not only is he a genuine and enthusiastic person, he is a phenomenal photographer (just look at his photos)!
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Hi everyone! I'm going with Jasmin and Matt photography who I highly recommend for my big day on 1/21/17 at Azul Sensatori in Mexico. The outside vendor fee is 800 dollars though...wowsers. Anyone ever negotiated this down or have any tips for doing so? It really seems over the top especially since I'm using the resort for everything else so it's not like they're not making plenty of money on me lol. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. Thanks! -Sarah- 2 replies
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I just got my wedding video back from our videographer (Photos In Cancun - they also did our photography) and it is simply amazing!! I told him I wanted to do a short highlight reel of our wedding and focus on me and my hubby. He did just that and it's absolutely perfect. If you're looking for a videographer and/or photographer, I highly recommend Derek Campbell. He and Lorena are awesome to work with and they are also really fun. Their videographer was Fernando and he did a great job. Derek edited it and pieced it together with the music. Words cannot describe how much I love our video and our photos. I also posted a link to an album he did for our photos on his Facebook page. Love them!! Wedding Video Link: https://vimeo.com/m/112329984 Wedding Photos Link (not sure if this will work since it's Facebook, but maybe it will): https://facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152533162231553.1073741836.319652491552&type=1- 23 replies
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We used Moments That Matter photography and could not be happier!!!!Lincoln and his team were very easy to work with! I was truly a newbie and had no idea what I was doing. I read through all the blogs but just felt overwhelmed. I reached out to MTM to talk to them to get a feel for who they were. I am so glad I did! Even just explaining what I envisioned, they gave suggestions on times (for best lighting) and estimate times on how long we would need for pictures and this and that. It really helped me put the timeline together for day!!! I did not expect it but was so grateful! The wedding day came and Lincoln was there snapping away! He was awesome! Fun and relaxing and such a good eye! The pictures exceeded my expectations! I can't stop looking at them. I love how I can "feel" the moment! I highly recommend Moments that Matter!! Please feel free to reach out if you have questions. Here are a few of the photos. [emoji7][emoji7][emoji7] Happy planning
