destination weddings

El Dorado Maroma wedding (part 1)

by Eric Hegwer on 15 March, 2010

At the beginning of this month I was very lucky to be included in a small, intimate wedding on the Beach at an amazing adults-only, all inclusive resort near Playa Del Carmen. There were only 14 people total at this destination wedding.  But it was the perfect mix of family and friends.  Everyone had a great time!  I flew in to Cancun on Friday, and left on Sunday, staying 2 nights and photographing the rehearsal dinner, all the wedding day activities (getting ready, ceremony, details, and of course the party), and then we did a photo session on the beach sunday morning before I flew out.

And there were so many details that the bride arranged. There were hand-made dinner menus, unique place-cards made of tile, OOT bags for the family and friends, and an extra special Texas flag. The Flag was sewn onto a canvas bag filled with some soil from their homestead, and placed on the ground at the beach altar. Both the bride and the groom had one foot on the flag during the ceremony so they would be “married on Texas soil”.

This is the first of a two part series – today I’m including some of my favorite film pictures (yep I do film destination weddings). Stay tuned, because the next post will have way more photos, and a ton more detail shots.

Arial picture of Cancun

Arial picture of Cancun

The ground level rooms at El Dorado Maroma in Playa del Carmen have swim up entrances (the upstairs rooms have infinity pools)

The ground level rooms at El Dorado Maroma in Playa del Carmen have swim up entrances (the upstairs rooms have infinity pools)

The bride and her friends hanging out before the wedding

The bride and her friends hanging out before the wedding

Inside the bride's room at El Dorado Maroma resort

Inside the bride's room at El Dorado Maroma resort

The groom reads a letter written to him from his future wife

The groom reads a letter written to him from his future wife

Lacing the corset on a wedding dress

Lacing the corset on a wedding dress

wedding altar on the beach at El Dorado Maroma

wedding altar on the beach at El Dorado Maroma

The groom and wedding party see the bride for the first time

The groom and wedding party see the bride for the first time

I know it sounds weird, but I actually like a few clouds in the sky when photographing a beach wedding. It makes for better pics.

I know it sounds weird, but I actually like a few clouds in the sky when photographing a beach wedding. It makes for better pics.

The sand ceremony has become a popular wedding tradition, especially for beach weddings.

The sand ceremony has become a popular wedding tradition, especially for beach weddings.

wedding formals - right after the ceremony, I like to grab one traditional formal wedding picture of the couple. This is the "mantle shot" that all the mom's love.

wedding formals - right after the ceremony, I like to grab one traditional formal wedding picture of the couple. This is the "mantle shot" that all the mom's love.

After the wedding, it's fun to do a couple of beach-ey poses like drawing a heart in the sand

After the wedding, it's fun to do a couple of beach-ey poses like drawing a heart in the sand

The staff at Maroma attended to every detail. Look how beautiful these tables are decorated!

The staff at Maroma attended to every detail. Look how beautiful these tables are decorated!

All my travel plans were made by Skip of your Honeymoon guru dot com. He’s a great person to talk to for all your destination wedding travel arrangements, and if you want to make a custom destination wedding package.

More pictures from this amazing destination wedding are coming tomorrow! Stay tuned for part 2.

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Post image for Weddings in Aruba

Weddings in Aruba

by Eric Hegwer on 2 January, 2009

Since starting my new blog, I’ve wanted to re-showcase some of my favorite weddings that were featured on my old wedding blog. Because we are in the slow season, I thought you would like to see a few slideshows from some weddings I’ve photographed in years past.

 

The first is a wedding I was hired to photograph in August in Aruba. I met the bride and groom at a wedding I did in texas, and shortly after they contacted me saying ” we love the wedding pictures and especially the way you acted and related to family and guests at the wedding”.

They were having a destination wedding on a private island at the Renaissance Resort in Aruba , and wanted to know what I would charge to photograph it. I told them the price and they were shocked. Including flight and hotel the cost was less than many non-destination wedding photographers who lived in their hometown of Chicago. Yep, it was also cheaper to fly me in, than have the regular resort photographer photograph their beach wedding.

So I few out for the weekend, met the family and friends, photographed the rehearsal on the beach, the rehearsal dinner, the getting ready shots, and of course took pictures at the sunset ceremony on the beach. Here are some of my favorite moments and details from the amazing Aruba Island wedding.

We had to take a boat to get to the private Island off the Coast of Aruba where the wedding was to be held

We had to take a boat to get to the private Island off the Coast of Aruba where the wedding was to be held

Here's the view of the private beach lagoon at the Renaissance Hotel.

Here's the view of the private beach lagoon at the Renaissance Hotel.

Real Pink Flamingos roamed the beach

Real Pink Flamingos roamed the beach

There is a great salon in the Atrium of the Renaissance that can take care of all your getting ready needs

There is a great salon in the Atrium of the Renaissance that can take care of all your getting ready needs

I saw this little detail of a bride and groom on one of the bags the bride brought with her from the states

I saw this little detail of a bride and groom on one of the bags the bride brought with her from the states

Every little detail was thought of - and brought with the bride

Every little detail was thought of - and brought with the bride

Custom wedding flip-flops with the bride's name on the side

Custom wedding flip-flops with the bride's name on the side

The wedding flowers, white and green were provided by the Renaissance hotel in Aruba

The wedding flowers, white and green were provided by the Renaissance hotel in Aruba

The flowers in the bridesmaids hair matched the bouquets.

The flowers in the bridesmaids hair matched the bouquets.

This groom had no problem with his necktie

This groom had no problem with his necktie

Everyone in the bridal party wore flip-flops

Everyone in the bridal party wore flip-flops

Here's the perfect view from my hotel window - And I had one of the bad view rooms.

Here's the perfect view from my hotel window - And I had one of the bad view rooms.

The most important job of the bridesmaids is to help the bride get ready, and these girls did a great job

The most important job of the bridesmaids is to help the bride get ready, and these girls did a great job

I still managed to get all the formals done without disrupting the flow of the day, or getting off schedule

I still managed to get all the formals done without disrupting the flow of the day, or getting off schedule

I love window light portraits

I love window light portraits

Did I mention how beautiful the wedding flowers were - and they were sourced on the Island!

Did I mention how beautiful the wedding flowers were - and they were sourced on the Island!

Here is the view of the wedding venue site at the Renaissance Hotel in Aruba

Here is the view of the wedding venue site at the Renaissance Hotel in Aruba

I just love wedding ceremonies

I just love wedding ceremonies

Apparently I'm not the only one who loves weddings

Apparently I'm not the only one who loves weddings

The groom's ring

The groom's ring

The bride and groom enter the outdoor beach reception area at the Renaissance Hotel

The bride and groom enter the outdoor beach reception area at the Renaissance Hotel

Here are the table seating cards - I love the way they put them in sand

Here are the table seating cards - I love the way they put them in sand

The couple's first dance

The couple's first dance

And the night went on... Just look at the decorations - christmas lights on the trees, tiki torches, and votives on each table

And the night went on... Just look at the decorations - christmas lights on the trees, tiki torches, and votives on each table

And at the end of the night, the couple strolled back to their hotel...

And at the end of the night, the couple strolled back to their hotel...

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