Harper contacted me a few weeks ago to offer writing a guest post on such an important topic! Planning an eco-friendly wedding doesn’t have to be difficult, read on for tips to making your wedding a little more Earth friendly.

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If you and your partner try your best to be eco-conscious in every other area of your life, it only makes sense that you’d both want your wedding to reflect the ethical principles you hold dear. However, your typical wedding doesn’t tend to align with the values of an environmental warrior. What with the electricity used throughout the day, the paper and plastic in the decorations and catering materials, and emissions involved in traveling to the venue, the typical traditional wedding isn’t exactly eco-friendly. Check out some great tips and tricks below to achieve a green wedding.

Make it close

As far as is possible, make your wedding site geographically close to those in your wedding party. Not only will a proximate venue guarantee that more of the important people in your life will be able to make it, but planning your wedding nearby will reduce the fuel emissions involved in taking the wedding out-of-state.  Plus, if your wedding location is near enough, you can ride to your ceremony in a horse-and-carriage, if you so wish!

Make it small

Fewer people usually means less collective waste, so it’s a no-brainer that having a smaller wedding will have less of an environmental impact.  In light of this, why not review your prospective guest list, and make sure that you are inviting only the most important people in your life? One way to curb guest numbers is to consider doing away with plus ones.

Get rid of paper stationery

One of the least eco-friendly things about organizing a wedding is the stationery that’s involved – and, to some extent, expected. Rid your wedding of the dross of environmental damage by either taking things digital, or using recycled paper for your invites and placeholders.

 Choose an eco-friendly venue

Choose beautiful, eco-friendly spaces or venues that will reduce energy consumption. One of the easiest ways to do this is to select a space that boasts many large windows to bring in natural light. Depending on your wedding theme, this could be a beautiful outdoor space like a local beach or botanic garden, or it might be a unique site like a gallery.

To further save on lighting, have both your ceremony and reception during the day. If you do go ahead and have your reception party at night, consider a candlelit setting for less cost – not to mention extra romance!

Build your menu from the grass up

Be a model to your wedding guests, and fix a menu for your wedding dinner that champions sustainability. Source locally-produced foods, and if you and your partners are vegan or vegetarian, have fun reflecting this through your favorite gourmet dishes in your wedding spread.

Greenify your wedding favors

Leave your guests with the best possible impression of your wedding – and more than that, your values – by organizing eco-friendly wedding favors.  Little potted succulents or cacti are a sure crowd-pleaser, as are organically-made foodstuffs, or even a flower or two from the wedding bouquet. The truly philanthropic couples out there may even wish to donate to charity on behalf of each guest, and to let them know with a receipt or token.

Eschew the registry

The modern tradition of the requisite “wedding gift” is an eco-warrior’s nightmare. Not only does a registry put pressure on your guests to provide the goods, but the very notion of a registry promotes the very materialism you’re trying to push against.

You might opt to do away with a gift registry altogether, or to ask for something creative and different – such as some lovingly-chosen garden plants, or for money towards your favorite environmental cause or charity.

Capture Your Favorite Moments Digitally

Last but not least, don’t forget to hire an excellent wedding photographer to capture all the lovely, solemn, sweet, fun, and silly moments from your eco-friendly wedding. Of course, you can print out some of your favorite pictures from your special day to hang on the wall or give to family, but the majority of your wedding photos can easily be stored on a USB drive or shared on from your online cloud storage system – saving paper in the meantime!

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Author’s bio:

Auckland-based freelance writer Harper is passionate about responsible living and believes that even if you start small, simple changes can make a huge difference in our environment. Harper has previously written for local businesses who promote eco-friendly solutions such as Sea Containers. See more of her work here.

There are so many wonderful and great photographers out in the world now. It’s amazing to see so much being created on a daily basis, especially through Instagram. Lots of inspiring work and even more self expression than ever before.

It’s important to note what separates a professional portrait photographer from someone who isn’t. There is a lot of great stuff out there and equally great people, but it’s a good idea to really know what they are best photographing.

There are photographers who specialize in only newborn and maternity. Others who specialize in only weddings and engagements. And others who only do commercial work.

Then there are photographers like me who do both weddings and portraits and will also take on a special project, only if it truly aligns with my style and business goals.

So what can you expect from a professional photographer?

This is not an all encompassing list because each photographer does business differently and has different ways of doing things, however, I’m sure most would agree that they are basic expectations a professional photographer should meet.

• They can match their experience with their passion. You want someone who has taken at least 100 high quality portraits because that experience will guarantee you have a great session as well.

• Website or portfolio of some kind. Let’s include social media in this because sometimes that works best as a portfolio rather than an official website. However, a website will tell you much more about a photographer than social media.

• They offer options and can answer all of your questions, no matter the question. They are the professional, not you so your questions must be answered with kindness and expertise.

• They send out official contracts with terms and make sure to let you know of any policies they or their studio has.

• They can clearly outline the experience they will give you and how you portrait session will be like. You can only expect this from a photographer that knows what they are doing and has enough experience to guide you through the process.

• They know lighting and can suggest the best times for your session. If they are a studio photographer, they’ll know what lighting is best in order to create the best portrait for you.

• They will be a little higher priced than the Craigslist photographer, Facebook photographer, or the photographer just starting out. This is because of their years of experience and many, many, years perfecting their craft.

Each photographer is different and has a different business, however, it’s important to know what to expect from a professional because they can make all the difference between having photos you absolutely love rather than absolutely cringe looking at.

When you’re looking for someone to photograph you, if they don’t check most of these off, then I would suggest moving along. If you really love their photos, then ask them directly and go with your gut feeling.

Have you had any great photographers take your portraits? Let me know in the comments below!

Book your portrait session with me! Click this button.

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I have been a photographer for quite a long time (10+ years!) and my process and business is always evolving. When I first began, I remember editing photos, one by one, in Adobe Photoshop CS2. My computer would freeze and it used to take forever!

Thankfully, my process is a lot more streamlined and faster. Which means, you get your photos a lot faster and with better quality retouching.

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My process

After I photograph your wedding or portrait session, I usually go home and upload the photos either that same night or the next day. Usually, I’ll send a sneak preview or two that same night to my clients edited slightly on my phone ;).

I then choose the best of the best photos in terms of exposure, expression, and important events. I try and put myself in your shoes and carefully choose the ones I believe are the winners. For portraits this can be anywhere from 60-100 photos or more depending on the size of the family. For weddings, it depends on how many hours of coverage that you had and on average, it will be between 400-1000 photos.

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All of the blue photos are the chosen ones for final edits.

I know other photographers include many more photos however, I make sure not to overwhelm my clients because it can be a little excessive when you’re seeing 30 photos of the same pose, same light, same everything and you really don’t need to. You need a good solid 5 photos of each pose, if that. So I make sure to choose only the best as final images.

After I choose the photos that I’ll be editing, I then begin the process in Lightroom. If I need extra retouching done, I’ll open the photo in Photoshop. Both programs are really great for editing.

Once your photos are edited, I’ll upload them into your personalized online gallery and send you an invitation to view, share, download, and purchase products like albums and prints.

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The whole process for portraits takes about two weeks and for weddings it takes me about 4 weeks (sometimes less if I don’t have other weddings waiting).

Editing / retouching

For my work, I don’t do much to the photos. I make sure to get the photos as close to perfect as I can in-camera so that I can spend more time actually photographing clients rather than sitting at my computer all day.

My editing style is simple: I add a little brightness, warmth, contrast, and take away any weird hair fly-aways, trash in the background, and maybe swap a head or two if I need to.

The photo on the right is the original. The one on the right got a boost in brightness, contrast, shadows, and warmth. Almost no difference.

As for retouching, I will remove a blemish here and there or perhaps the linea nigra on a pregnant belly. Sometimes I’ll take out some sand on the face or weird fly-away hairs. However, I don’t overly retouch a client unless they have asked for it specifically. When I first began, I would smooth out skin, take out anything I considered a blemish, like moles, or even slim arms and waists. I do not do this anymore.

Very minimal editing done to the photo. Some brightness, contrast, warmth, and straightening of the horizon.

I don’t retouch like that because it is not a real representation of who you are. It is fake and I want your photos to be as real as they come. I also want you to look at your photos and recognize who you are and know that you are beautiful inside and out.

Because all of my clients are absolutely beautiful and that needs to be reflected in the photos.

I don’t outsource my workflow

I know a lot of photographers out there that outsource their editing and while that is a great option, it’s not something that I personally prefer.

I rather make sure to edit and retouch your photos personally. I want to make sure that they keep their quality and streamline the editing look so that they don’t look different from one photo to the next.

I also photograph one wedding a weekend because I want to make sure to give my clients the best I can and doing two weddings in one weekend is so tiring! I have done it and on special requests or situations I will.

This gives me more time to really focus my attention to each photo that goes into your gallery. To give it real thought and make sure that I pick the very best to deliver to you.

After I receive my photos what then?

When I send the invitation email to your online gallery, you have the option to view, choose favorites, and share your photos online. You also have the option to download high resolution images and print at a location that works best for you.

Since I am a destination wedding and destination portrait photographer, I offer an array of products through the gallery that you can purchase and have shipped directly to you anywhere in the world. Choose from albums, photo prints, framed prints, small cards, USB with your photos and wooden box, and much more.

Your photos are safe

I keep client photos for 10 years. Sometimes more! I have them on external hard drives and make sure to backup all of the photos.

I have had couples lose their photos because their laptops broke or got stolen. I’ve had portrait clients forget where they saved them or lost their USB where they had them saved.

This portrait is from more than 7 years ago. Still has my old website watermark on it.

Because I hold the copyright to your photos, I am able to keep them safe for a long time. Don’t worry, you have full permission to print and save your photos. The copyright also helps me to be able to use the photos on my websites and in the articles that I write. Which basically makes you famous ;).

Easy and simple

One thing I really like about my process is that it is easy and simple. I don’t over do the editing which takes time and can delay getting your photos to you.

I make simple edits that make your photos pop without losing quality or authenticity. And the online gallery is simple and easy to use as well, which makes it easier on you.

That’s it

And that’s it. That is my process after the weddings or portrait sessions. It’s something that I get asked about often it’s great to let my client’s know what to expect after we have fun at their wedding or portrait session.

*UPDATE: I am still photographing family and weddings here in Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, San Pancho, Conchas Chinas, and surrounding areas! Contact me for more info if you would like to have more info!*

If you follow me on social media, especially Instagram, then you'll see that I've been freelance writing for a couple of photography websites. I do this in addition to my photography business which I absolutely love.

I love writing tips and tutorials for other photographers on both Digital Photography School (known as DPS) and Expert Photography. Both sites are great resources and as a fact, I used to go to them often when I first started to get help with photoshop!

It's been so nice to share what I have learned through both trial and error and real-life experience out during weddings and portraits with other photographers.  I used to feel like I didn't have much to share because I was a digital photographer and was young, and well, many other excuses that didn't really make sense. So one day, I decided to apply to write and here I am! With more than 10 articles written and it doesn't seem like I'm going to stop any time soon!

I wanted to put these links somewhere other photographers could find them so I'm putting them here on my blog with the tag Photo Articles so that if anyone ever needs to find them, they can use the search bar to the right of this page and find this post.

Thank you for your continued support in both my photography business and sharing these articles that I have worked hard on. And if you're a photographer and would love to chat about anything and everything photography, send me an email or find me on Instagram! I'm always open to share and talk :).

DPS Articles:
Visit my author page (by clicking here) to see all of the articles in one place. Currently, there are 9 articles that range from portrait, maternity, family, beach, flash, budget photography tips, and more.

Expert Photography Articles:
Tips for Lighting Environmental Portraits
25 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers
Tips for Maternity Poses
Engagement Session Tips

Hey everyone!

I know there's been a little bit of silence over here on the blog since the new year has begun, and I'm hoping to get back into blogging more regularly now that we are done being sick!  Yep, my baby had a really bad ear infection and then he got me sick, and well, it's always a cycle of germs with kids, right? 

In December, I wrote an article for one of the best resources in the photography world: Digital Photography School, or DPS. When I first started learning photoshop, I was a regular at DPS.  We're talking, about 12 or 10 years ago, and I was working with Photoshop CS2! I remember staying up really late, following the tutorial videos in order to learn how to create layers, what the healing brush tool did, and yes, even the simple cropping tool.  I had taken courses in college but they were not as specific to what I wanted to learn.  I didn't want to create a brochure (although, now I could use that knowledge!) but rather how to cross process, use actions, and resize a photo.  DPS was always my handy resource.

Now, they've grown to include so many great articles and tutorials from seasoned and experienced experts from around the globe!  I still go back to the site when I have question or simply want to read how to do something new in photography.   That's the great thing about photography isn't it? The fact that you can always learn something new!

It's with great, great, excitement that I share with you that I was able to write a great and helpful tutorial: 6 Tips for Better Engagement Photos.  It's a great post for photographers of all levels! I'm also so excited that it's already been shared a good 395 times! I'm so happy!

I am hoping to write more articles for photographers on DPS as I truly believe in their website and helping other photographers grow, learn, and create community.  

Head on over and check out the article, and many more great tips and tricks!!! 

Hey brides!  After choosing your photographer, you will most likely work alongside them to create the best timeline for photos on your big day.  This is really important because it will help the photographer to get an idea of where to be, what time the major events are happening through out the day, and carve out the best time for the portraits of you and your love!  It also helps us photographers with knowing where the light will be and how we have to adjust in case we need to take photos in bright noon sunlight or during sunset at the beach.  

I'm going to outline some of the more important photography moments that should be worked into your timeline.  However, take note that it all depends on how long you contracted your photographer for, where you are getting married, and other factors. 

Getting Ready 

Ah, the getting ready shots!  These are my favorite to start the day with.  If they can be worked in, I highly recommend it!  If you're pressed for time, shave off an hour of the reception coverage for these, trust me, you will not regret it!  It's a quiet time when you and your girls or perhaps just you are getting ready and can really soak in the day.  At this time, I usually take advantage of photographing the dress, shoes, jewelry,  and any other important detail the bride has chosen for her day.

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I also love to get candid shots of the bride with her family and friends and allow things to flow and just happen.  Sometimes we get the best emotional photos out of these moments.  

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This time also allows me to get photos of just the bride alone right after she's done getting ready.  It's such a special time to just breath and take a look in the mirror  and get excited! I love being with brides during this time.

Oh, sometimes we get shots of the grooms getting ready too ;)

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Bride & Groom Portraits / First Look

I love to do have the bride and groom do a first look after the Getting Ready shots.  It makes for a more impactful surprise and during this time there are guests around which makes it truly special for the couple.  They are alone, together, for the first time the entire day.  After the portraits, the couple is surrounded by people the rest of the day.  So, I love it when we carve out enough time to take the portraits.  If your timeline allows you to do this before your ceremony, I recommend it! You'll also look fresh and excited.  

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However, sometimes the bride and groom opt to see each other after the wedding ceremony, which is totally ok too! Just make sure you have enough time and a location away from your guests and bridal party so that you can have that time alone!

Ceremony

This one is obvious! You must and should have at least 15 - 20 minutes buffer before your ceremony to relax, touch up make up, and allow your photographer to get the ceremony location with out anyone in it.  

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All of the decor has to be photographed because it was chosen by you! And that makes it extra special.

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Bridal Party / Family Formals

These are great to get done right after the ceremony when everyone is present and no one has disappeared to the cocktail hour yet. Also, I like to do these at the same time or one right before the other.  The reason being is because most of the time, the bridal party is made up of family! So rather than have two separate times, we do it all together.  You might not like the idea of having family wait for formals or vice versa, but it takes all about 30 minutes to get these out of the way.  

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These are also when I take a more formal approach to the photos and allow different combinations to occur.  It all depends on how big or small your bridal party and families are!  

Sunset Photos / Cocktail Hour

These can be done at the same time or scheduled so that you can enjoy the cocktail hour and then slip away for a bit for beautiful sunset photos.  These photos really offer beautiful golden light during one of the most sought after times for photography! 

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If your photographer has an assistant photographer, they usually will have them taking candid photos of the cocktail hour and your guests.  This way you don't miss out on capturing some great moments of your guests :).

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Party / Reception

This part of the day is usually more relaxed for us photographers.  I like to make sure I get to the reception venue a little early to get all the details of the decor, just like the ceremony.  Depending on how many hours you have your photographer for, make sure they get your grand entrance, if nothing else.  

I don't really have a set a timeline as most of the major events are announced by the DJ.  I do try and work with the DJ so that we're on the same page and he knows who I am and we'll check in with each other during the reception so we're both ready and don't miss anything important.  

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The main events during the reception include: Grand Entrance, First Dance, Mother / Son and Father / Daughter dances, cake cutting, toasts, garter and bouquet toss, and lots of dancing!

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Grand Exit

If you have a Grand Exit in mind make sure you speak to your photographer about the time and if you have anything special planned!  We'll need to be set up and ready to go before you actually exit and make sure we're in a good position so that people don't crowd us or we don't miss where you're going to be walking through.  And if there are sparklers, we love sparklers, we'll need to set up for that too! 

There are lots of resources out there and I know it can get a little overwhelming, especially in the planning stages.  So, I've come to help take a little bit of the stress off your shoulders, Brides.  

Every wedding is unique and with that, each event is different in terms of timeline, number of guests, and what gets photographed and what doesn't.  A seasoned photographer will have a mental checklist of all the details they should be capturing through out the day and will aim to get them all.  Sometimes, brides have very specific photographs in mind and most often than not, forget to communicate that with their photographers.  Resulting in missed shots that the bride would have loved.  

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

For example, at my last wedding, if the bride hadn't told me about her something blue, I would have missed it completely - even though I carried those shoes throughout the whole suite for 30 minutes and never noticed! I'm glad she said something and I was able to get that shot.  From now on though, I will be looking at the souls of all future brides' shoes just in case ;).

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It's an honest mistake and no one is to blame, however, it can totally be avoided!  In order to make sure to get the photos you truly want, I've created this checklist for you to fill out and hand over to your photographer the next time you meet.  

In my personal experience, I don't mind getting these back from brides at all because it's so important!  Sure, 99% of the items on the list I already photograph and make sure it gets into the gallery.  However, there is that 1% that might slip through or that one shot that is most important.  

Wedding Day Photo Checklist 

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD.

EXPECTATION VS. REALISTIC

You've handed over the checklist and now you are expecting all of those photos to be included. Let's be realistic, your photographer will have 99% of that checklist already in their heads as they are photographing your wedding, however, some of those shots are just a no go on the actual day of your wedding.  It could be a lighting issue, a location issue, maybe that person didn't show up on time.  There are countless reasons, so it's good to always stay a little flexible.

Being able to stay realistic about the photos on the checklist on your wedding day will not only relieve a bit of the stress off you, but will allow your photographer to make changes or improvise and make the best possible photographs with what is happening the day of.  

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And sometimes, being a little flexible gives you even better photos than you imagined! Your photographer is experienced and will know how to handle the situations  as they present themselves during an event.  We have pretty much seen it all when it comes to this kind of stuff! 

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So there you have it!  A little handy checklist to help  you get the photos you really want on your wedding day.  Just remember to stay flexible and enjoy your day! 

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What do you think about this blog post? Was it useful to you? If it was, make sure you share with other future brides and comment below or hit the like button! 

Hiring a wedding photographer doesn't have to be stressful, as long as you make sure to do it with enough time.  From varying styles to dates available all of this is important when you begin your search.  This post is here to help you take all the guess work out of the process and really get the photographer and photographs that you are going to love for years and years!

1.  What is your personal style?

The first step before you even start searching for a photographer is to look at your own style.  Are you draw to fashion and like the glitz and glamour? Striking colors and lots of contrast? Or are you more of an ethereal, I like soft tones and brightness?  It could be that you like a particular decade like pin-up or vintage styled clothing.  What your style is, that is what you'll be drawn to in your photographs.  

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I've often heard of clashing styles because the bride hired a photographer whose style is completely the opposite.  So make sure you check with your personal style first before looking for a photographer, it'll make you happy later when you see the photos!

2.  Tools to narrow down search - avoid Google!

Google is so vast and never ending that a quick search can quickly overwhelm and might even stress you out.  Unless it's something really specific like "Wedding photographer in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico" I don't suggest using Google at all.

Instead use tools like The Knot or Wedding Wire and if you're in Mexico, Bodas.  These resources have a list of vendors that have been reviewed and can attest that you'll find someone that will be perfect for your wedding day.  You can view their portfolios, check out their websites, and contact them directly.  You might have to create an account, but it's something that can be deleted later.

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3.  Photographer's Style

Every photographer has a style.  Especially if they've been photographing for a long time.  Some photographers have more than one lead photographer and can provide you with options in style.  

It is very important to note that a photographer's style is like their signature, and it's very difficult for a photographer to change styles for a particular event.  For example, I shoot primarily classic, romantic, and traditional photos, I won't do vintage style photographs.  It's hard for me to change my style since I've worked for 10 years photographing a certain way.  Same goes for other photographers.

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Sometimes you'll have photographers that can do classic, traditional with a mixture of photojournalism (like me) or perhaps more fashion style with lights and mix in a little romance.  Make sure you look through their website/portfolio and you can even ask to see a full event gallery (I always send links to full events!) so you can see from start to finish the real work that is handed over to brides and grooms.  

Just to add, Pinterest is a fascinating tool to help organize and plan your wedding, however, don't go to a photographer asking them to shoot exactly like the ones you pin, unless you're hiring the photographer who made the photo.  This cramps our style and makes it difficult for you to be happy with the photos later on.  

4.  What to consider when meeting with the photographer.

There are various lists of what you should ask your photographer, and I'm here to tell you to stay away from them.  Ask what you really want to know and not what you think you should know.  

For example, don't ask about equipment if you know nothing about photography equipment.  Instead, ask if the photos will be able to be printed x size and if there are albums available.  Don't ask for the copyright if you don't know about copyright laws.  Instead, ask about receiving the images and how the photographer goes about it.  

The list goes on and on but you get the idea.  Ask what you REALLY want to know and what you really want from the photographer.  Write the questions down before hand and if any come up during the meeting, then ask away.

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During the meeting, make sure you feel out the photographer's personality.  This person will be helping you and guiding you from the book date until well after the wedding.  You want to know that you can get along with this person and have great communication with them.  You might even become friends after! Happens all the time :).

5.  How soon should we hire our photographer?

The whirlwind of getting engaged is such a special time so you should definitely enjoy it! Take at least a couple of weeks to enjoy the flutter of being engaged before you start the planning process.  I know that this helped me and my husband and allowed us to just soak it all in before making any decisions on style, theme, colors, etc.

That being said, hiring your photographer along with booking your venue and church, should be one of the first things to get crossed off your list!  Why? Because wedding dates book fast and some photographers allow for up to one year in advanced to reserve the dates.  

I recommend that you book your photographer 9 months to a year in advanced to avoid issues with booked dates.  If the person you really, really wanted has your date booked, consider moving it.  Your photos are the only thing that you will have after your wedding, don't skimp on the chance to have the ones you're going love!

6. Other important things to consider:

• Contracts: Ask to see a copy of the contract and make sure you read it fully.

• Payment schedule and if the photographer offers payment plans (I do and my clients find it a huge stress reducer)

• Additional fees: Like travel fees, extra coverage, hourly fees, session fees, etc.

• Ask to see products like albums, prints, and their price lists so you can get an idea.

• Ask yourself: Are you dealing with a professional or a hobbyist? This has nothing to do with equipment, it's all about experience!

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Am I missing anything? I hope you find these helpful as you start your search for the right photographer! If you need any additional advice, comment below and ask me! I'd love to help you in any way possible so you have the best photographs of your wedding day.  

It's more often than not, that I have brides who ask if I photograph trash the dress sessions.  I usually try and answer this by offering them a Day After session instead.  I believe every bride, especially brides who decide to have a destination wedding, should considering having a session like this.  So, I'm going to explain why and what the differences are between the two types of sessions.  

What is a Day After session?

A day after session is one of my favorites! They were known as Bridal Portraits and it is a session where you put on your wedding attire, choose a beautiful and breath taking location, and take your time creating some really beautiful photography of you and your hubby.  Usually, I like to do this one or two days after a wedding and choose a lighter, relaxed look - which is especially nice for destination weddings! That way you don't have to really worry about the portraits on the day of the wedding and can enjoy the party.  

left, day of wedding. right, day after session.

Sometimes, it just so happens that the time line of the wedding day doesn't fit into the perfect time for portraits.  Like the wedding of Cristy + Eduardo, who's wedding took place in the early afternoon, which was bright and sunny.  Not to mention during that hot and humid weather in Cancun.  The ideal time was 6:30am, when the sun rises behind the beautiful waters.  Which is what we decided to do a couple days following the wedding.  

Why do I love Day After sessions?

I love Day After Sessions because of the more relaxed look of the bride and groom.  We can take our time creating something really unique and all of the emotions from being recently married are still present.  We have giggles, flirtation, deep kisses, and emotional hugs.  We have your beautiful dress and his suit to tie in the session with your wedding.  We can create wall print worthy photographs and so that you can relive all of the emotions of your wedding!   It's a session where you can even go for a different look than on your wedding day - maybe going for hair down and more dramatic makeup.   

left, day of wedding. right, day after session.

What is Trash the Dress?

Trash the dress is a session where you put on your wedding dress back on and either alone or with your husband, go out and essentially "trash" your wardrobe.  This could mean rolling around in the water at the beach or a lake, I've even seen people do this in rivers, or throw paint at each other, or perhaps just go out to a field and get dirty in the mud.  

 feel like Trash the Dress sessions are really forced and not all that natural.  Plus, since most of my clients are destination weddings, lugging a wet or dirty dress on the airplane is just a pain in the butt.  

Really, it comes down to having some really beautiful, unique, authentic and real photographs of the two of you and not something forced into a theme or weird shot of you floating in the water (like a dead fish).  I know, I know, there are some really rad photographs taken under water and there are some photographers who really nail it.  For me, it's a matter of preferring the natural and beauty in wedding photos rather than "trashing" them.

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What do you think? Would you rather have a Day After Session or a trash the dress?  Let me know in the comments below!

According to Wedding Wire: 

Approximately 14% of U.S. couples have a destination wedding - of those, 11% have a wedding at a destination within the U.S. and 3% travel internationally..."

I believe that the reason Destination Weddings account for such a small percentage is because of the lack of information couples receive about having their wedding outside of their home country.  

Personally, I had a destination wedding and couldn't have been happier with the outcome as I whole heartedly remember my day to have been one of the most beautiful and meaningful days of my life. 

So, the question is: Should you have a destination wedding?  Below I outline 5 reasons as to why you should have a wedding at a beautiful destination outside of your home town.  

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1.  COST EFFECTIVE 

Not sure if many of you know this, but a large number of all-inclusive resorts gift the couple the basic wedding collection if they reach a certain number of rooms booked.  So in other words, if you are going to have 50 guests book around 30 rooms, you can get your wedding for little or no cost to you! How awesome is that?! 

In addition to the great collections that most resorts offer, you will also be able to take advantage of hiring local vendors that for example, here in Mexico, have more affordable collections as the exchange rate is usually better for those who spend in U.S. dollars.  

2.  VACATION FOR ALL

A destination wedding is the perfect excuse for people to get away from their day to day.  They will be traveling to attend your beautiful beach front wedding as well as enjoy all the resort and location has to offer.  Here in the Riviera Nayarit, there are all-inclusive resorts that offer tours to nearby attractions, surfing, and the sunsets are just breathtaking.  Not only will they enjoy your wedding, but they can also enjoy as a family, couple, or individual, a nice beach vacation.

3.  FULL SERVICE COORDINATION

Many resorts are equipped with a wedding coordination team that makes sure your day goes smoothly and according to plan!  They will also help you choose local vendors, help with getting all of the details set, and all from the confort of email and telephone.  You get to make all the decisions without having the hassle of going from place to place.

On your wedding day, the wedding coordinator and team are on site and ready to handle every important detail of your day.  This makes for a less stressful day and a more enjoyable wedding! 

4.  EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE

The biggest advantage of having a destination wedding is that you will be able to enjoy your wedding all at one place.  Your ceremony will be beachfront with the sun setting behind you as you say "I do." Your reception will be accompanied by the fresh ocean breeze as you dance the night away with your guests!  

Having all of the major events in one location and not having to deal with moving guests around, makes your event run smoothly and effortlessly.  And if that isn't enough, your on site coordinator will always be close by to help.

5.  WHAT IF MY GUESTS WON'T BE ABLE TO GO?

It is a common misconception that if you have a destination wedding, people will not travel to your wedding.  However, most guests love the idea of having a vacation and enjoy the sites and sounds of a new place where they can relax and rejuvenate.  

I once photographed a wedding that had 150 guests travel more than 1000 miles to attend the wedding.  Another had 100 guests.  When you invite your guests to attend your one-of-a-kind destination wedding, they will most certainly make arrangements and be excited to get away.  Just make sure that you give your guests all of the information with enough time ahead.

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Here are two resorts that I have loved working with.  There are so many more that offer destination weddings, especially here in Puerto Vallarta.

Sunset Plaza Beach Resort & Spa
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
weddings@plazapelicanos.com.mx

Moon Palace Resort
Cancun, Mexico
weddings@palaceresorts.com

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Having a destination wedding is all together less stressful, more enjoyable, and definitely a one-of-a-kind event!  I hope these tips were helpful and I would love to hear any additional tips you might have in the comments below!  

Would you have a destination wedding?