There are many reasons why couples choose to have a destination wedding. Those reasons range from their love of travel, to have a unique wedding in a unique location, to have a smaller, more intimate wedding with only their closest family and friends in attendance, or even just as simple as their desire to have a good time.

Whatever the reason, destination weddings are becoming more and more popular. According to tripsavy.com, approximately 340,000 destination weddings take place each year. Cabo San Lucas was named one of the top 50 destination wedding locations by theknot.com and that is exactly where Jake & Laura decided to say their “I dos” earlier this year. It was an intimate affair with 25 of their nearest and dearest there to support them.

Planning a wedding from hundreds or thousands of miles away is not an easy thing to do. Luckily, Jake & Laura acquired the services of a travel agent. Travel by Beth was instrumental in coordinating flights, shuttles, and resort accommodations at the Riu Palace. Laura was concerned about leaving the quality of her photographic wedding day memories to the randomly assigned resort photographer. Having photographed the destination wedding of another of Beth’s clients, Kale & Kelly, she was more than comfortable recommending us to Laura & Jake. Beth knew that we work closely with all of our couples to ensure their wedding day runs smoothly without any details being overlooked.

Choosing a photographer who is local to you to accompany you on your trip, will give you the chance to meet your photographer face to face long before your wedding. You’ll have the chance to talk with them, discuss what wedding day photos and details are most important to you. You will have the opportunity to see examples of real weddings they have photographed and you’ll know if you like them and their work. It’s important to know if you’ll like your wedding photographer – after all, you’ll be spending more time with them than anyone else on your wedding day – wedding week/weekend! You will have signed a contract, based on a familiar legal system, with the professional terms and conditions set. Furthermore, when you return from your fabulous wedding vacation,  the beach,  the fruity drinks, and majestic resort will be far, far, far in the distance, but the photographer you brought will be right in your backyard. Your precious images are much likelier to be completed and handed over in a timely manner and your photographer is more likely to be immediately responsive to any questions,  concerns or editorial requests you may have. One bad review from a bride and groom can cripple business for a local photographer, while a package-provided resort wedding planner and photographer may shrug it off and move on to the next 20 weddings they have for that weekend.

We loved every moment we spent in Mexico with Jake and Laura and we’re so thankful for the kind words they had to say about us:

Kristin and Heather were absolutely amazing to work with. We had a destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas and the two of them worked simultaneously to ensure our day was perfect.
As the bride, I felt extremely comfortable around Kristin and Heather. They made sure that I was calm and relaxed on my big day, which is no simple task. On top of that, they ensured that we (wedding party and guests included) stuck to a timeline the day of so that everything went smoothly. Which, is needed when working with a wedding coordinator from another country. They made us laugh, and made us feel as if we’ve known them for years. Prior to the wedding day, Kristin and Heather were a part of the planning process from the get go; making sure they incorporated all of our desires into the big day. My husband is not an easy person to photograph, but Heather got him to open up.
And I haven’t even gotten to the photographs yet. THEY WERE BREATHTAKING. It’s been over two months now and I still can’t stop looking at the photos. The two of them make your photos feel as if you’re reliving the day over and over.
If you’re looking to bring a photographer from home to your destination wedding, we would without a doubt recommend heather and Kristin.

-Laura + Jake

Venue: Riu Palace

Travel Accommodations: Travel by Beth

Resort Wedding Coordinator: Guadalupe Páez Guzmán

Hair & Makeup: Riu Palace Spa

Bridal Gown: Marien Mae

Men’s attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Baja Flowers

Officiant: Stephen Truchon

DJ: Riu Palace

Bride’s ring: Zale’s

Groom’s ring: Amazon for Grooms