To rephrase and expand Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 hit title, guys just wanted to have fun during this hilarious Cancun wedding at the Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres in Mexico. My wife and I did both photo and video (a peek at us is at the end). Get your sunscreen, flip-flops, and jump in for a load of 2-day wild celebration!
Missing in Action
Wow, I haven’t blogged for four months! Compared to an average weekly blogging, this is loooong! There were solid reasons, so let me clue you in before diving into this Cancun wedding.
First, I had to replace my 10-year-old Q5 that started demanding too much money for the upkeep. That took a significant research and shopping, then adapting to my new workhorse, and excitingly, working on the revamped vinyl wrap design for it. This highly artistic project is still ongoing. Will reveal the results later, it’s promising to be dope!
Second, the historically slowest season for me, January-February, just never happened this year! With barely any shoots in those months, I usually plan all my annual business-oriented projects for them, like implementing the new tools and website updates. I had so many exciting ideas waiting on my list but this winter got busy like never…
It wasn’t just an unusual number of shoots but two of them were also extraordinary, taking significant time to produce. They weren’t about photography but filmmaking! For the first, my past client approached me to create this promo video of her new exotic belly dance. For the second, another long-time client asked to make a boudoir music video. It turned into a fairly massive production involving 8 people, 6 hours of filming, and 5 dedicated days of editing. Regretfully, I can’t show the outcome except for the video cover, but take my word for it—it was epic.
Then, I took on another never-tried massive project involving 80 young athletes, over 50 photo sessions, and 17 hours of straight shooting without breaks for two days. Also, think of the customer service to all those families and editing involved in such undertaking, all done by me! I will surely blog about it among the next few features.
Oof, what else happened? 5 weddings, including a 3-day Indian wedding, 3 underwater maternity shoots (yes, I do them year round!), events and portrait sessions, and noteworthy, a 2-day business conference for the small business owners who run their businesses on Zoho ecosystem (its expanse is what keeps my business projects never-ending throughout the year, especially in winter). This was not a typical winter!
Benefits of a Cancun Wedding
Back to topic. There are several benefits to having a destination Cancun wedding, including:
- Stunning beaches: Cancun is renowned for its gorgeous white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and stunning natural scenery, making it the perfect backdrop for a romantic and memorable wedding. And, if there is interest and resources, an underwater day-after session in a nearby cenote will surely become a talk of the town!
- All-inclusive resorts: Cancun is home to many all-inclusive resorts that cater specifically to weddings, providing everything from elegant ceremony settings to top-notch catering and luxurious accommodations.
- Affordable pricing: Compared to many other popular wedding destinations, Cancun wedding can be a very affordable option for couples. The cost of living is relatively low, and many resorts offer attractive wedding packages that can save you money. The largest destination wedding companies in Mexico are Paradise Weddings and DestinationWeddings.com.
- Easy travel: With its international airport and direct flights from major cities around the world, Cancun is easily accessible for wedding guests. Plus, the airport is located just a short drive from many of the top resorts in the area.
- Plenty of activities: Cancun offers a wide range of activities and attractions for guests to enjoy, from snorkeling and scuba diving to exploring Mayan ruins and enjoying the vibrant nightlife.
- Unique cultural experiences: Mexico has a rich cultural heritage, and Cancun is no exception. Couples can incorporate traditional Mexican customs and rituals into their Cancun wedding ceremony, such as the La Lasso, a ceremonial rope that symbolizes unity.
- Weather: With warm temperatures and sunny skies year-round, Cancun is an ideal location for couples who want to avoid the unpredictable weather often associated with weddings in other parts of the world.
- Adventure: Cancun is surrounded by natural beauty, such as the Yucatan jungle and the Caribbean Sea, providing the opportunity for adventure-seeking couples and their guests to explore cenotes, zip-line through the jungle, and swim with dolphins.
- Multilingual staff: Many of the resorts in Cancun employ multilingual staff, making communication easier for guests who may not speak Spanish.
- Privacy: Many couples choose to have a destination wedding in Cancun to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy some privacy. With its secluded beaches and intimate venues, Cancun provides the perfect setting for an intimate and romantic wedding.
Overall, a destination Cancun wedding can provide a unique and unforgettable experience for both you and your guests, with stunning natural beauty, affordable pricing, and plenty of activities to enjoy.
Potential of a Cancun Adventure
I love doing Cancun weddings, and when there is room to plan for photography adventures beyond the wedding day, the possibilities are almost endless. Although we didn’t have that much room for this Cancun wedding, here are some samples of the earlier ones I did for other couples:
Back to Mexico!
In between all of that noted winter creative and logistical chaos, Lara and I flew to Mexico for a Cancun wedding at the Majestic Elegance, an upscale all-inclusive resort.
I know the couple, Erica and Ryan, through multiple referrals on the bride’s side. I’ve shot events and weddings for their family members for almost 10 years. Honey Dozortcev, whose wedding and family parties I had covered, represented the civil side of the ceremony officiants (it’s a rare thing to have two). Our couple was interested in both wedding photography and videography. Lara and I loaded up, left Veya with her godmother in NYC, and left for three days right after that massive gymnastics project, which we also shot together.
Day 1, Engagement Shoot and Pool Party
The first day of their Cancun wedding was given to the beach romantic engagement session under the palm trees, followed by chilling and grooving at the pool party. Well, not quite for us, but working it was total fun, especially when you know a third of the faces in the crowd!
The guys didn’t ask for underwater photography so I didn’t haul my bulky Ikelite equipment on the plane but I grabbed my GoPro for some fun pool action shots. How awesome it was to jump into the pool in the middle of “work”! I also brought my drone (although it wasn’t part of a package) but a bummer—the controller broke! I replaced it back in NYC for the next Indian wedding. It was included for those clients’ package so I was kind of happy that the mishap didn’t occur when really expected…
The good vibes were masterfully pumped by Douglas James Entertainment, whose band had performed from Rockefeller Center to Monte Carlo to Prime Minister of Malaysia’s daughter, and had done opening acts for Diana Ross, Seal, Gypsy Kings, ZZ Top, Duran Duran, et al. We heard that half of the Majestic Elegance resort was shaken up by our American, Russian, Italian, and Spanish hits, performed live! I think our Cancun wedding stood out, and mostly in a good way.
These are just the studio’s favorites, not the full gallery. Kindly refrain from re-uploading images to social media during the first week of feature. Share instead and give credit to @ZorzStudios!
Day 2, Wedding
This Cancun wedding had all the dream destination features, including the Caribbean beach ceremony, all flawlessly planned and overseen by Paulina Cruz, the wedding planner of 1728 Events. What also made the wedding hilarious was the total fun at the reception, and this is when the guys tuned back into their pool party vibes and went bare skin again.
Video Highlights
And what do you know? We already have the video highlights for you! What an addition to our cinematography portfolio! Enjoy all that fun Cancun wedding in action:
On a Personal Note…
Instead of behind-the-scenes this time, let me show you a bit of us (his highness Douglas Genuard makes a cameo, too). Our clients treated us to a two-story room, and the resort staff thought we were celebrating our own anniversary! We did have a romantic dinner and a sunrise walk once, but the nights were 3-5 hours long and our heads were too preoccupied with covering this Cancun wedding the right way. Nonetheless, this was our first long-distance working trip, and we got to enjoy it!
Credits
Venue: Majestic Elegance (@majesticresorts)
Wedding planning: Paulina Cruz of 1728 Events, (@paulina_cruz_wp)
DJ: Yura Jacobs as DJ LEGACY (@yura_jacobs_dj_legacy)
MC: Douglas Genuard (@unclejuju64)
Singers: Douglas Genuard (@unclejuju64) and Magdalina Stamou (@__magdalinastamu__)
Saxophone: Johan Khiski (@johankhiski)
Photo and video: Zorz Studios (@zorzstudios)
