Updated Booking & Cancellation Policies due to COVID-19
In light of COVID-19 and the current coronavirus pandemic across the globe we’ve decided to update our booking and cancellation policies in order to best serve our couples. These are difficult and stressful times for everyone and we want to ensure our couples feel confident booking us to photograph their special day, without worrying about what can happen should there be the need to reschedule or in the worst case cancel altogether.
The following policies are in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and take precedent over all other policies for all new weddings booked after May 1st, 2020.
- To book services with Jasmin & Matt for your wedding day you will need to sign our photography contract and pay a retainer fee of $200 USD.
- $200 USD retainer is non-refundable.
- Should you need to reschedule your wedding date we will do so at no additional cost and the $200 USD retainer would be credited towards your new date for up to 2 years.
- Should your rescheduled date conflict with an already booked wedding, the retainer is non-refundable.
- $200 USD retainer can be credited towards another type of session (Honeymoon, Anniversary etc) and is transferable for up to 2 years of your original wedding date.
For all previously booked weddings our booking, rescheduling and cancellation policies are as listed in your signed contract. We will reschedule your wedding at no additional cost and retainers are non-refundable.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us
Take care <3
Caye Caulker, Belize
January 2020 we packed our bags, hopped on a bus and then took a ferry from Chetumal, Mexico to the beautiful island of Caye Caulker, Belize to photograph our friends Alyson & John for their destination wedding.
The following is a blog post about that adventure.
Caye Caulker is a beautiful island and we can’t wait to return.
9 Ways to Plan for Your Perfect Destination Photo Session
We LOVE meeting new couples and families when arranging photo sessions whether it’s to celebrate a vacation, a recent engagement, anniversary or honeymoon. As with anything in life it’s important to plan ahead to make the best of our time together. Here are some great tips we offer those who we work with so we can create beautiful photographs together. Depending on the type of session we have together some of these may not apply but all are good rules of thumb regardless.
Before Our Session
- Make sure you wear lots of sunscreen beforehand. 🌞 A bad sunburn never looks good in photos and while we offer basic editing (blemish removal, etc) we don’t edit sunburns.
- Stay hydrated and don’t drink too much the night before. Being hungover sucks, and the struggle will be real during our session. 🍹
- Speak with your hotel/resort and ask if it’s possible to remove your wrist bands for the photo session. If not possible, please ensure that her wristband is on the right wrist (the opposite of your wedding/engagement ring) and his is on the left wrist so we can mostly avoid unsightly plastic bands in your photos.
The Day Of
- Wear nice, clean, comfortable clothing. You’re on the beach so keep it simple and comfortable. For ladies a flowy dress or skirt always adds a little something extra to photos and for guys, well hemmed pants or shorts with a crisp button down or polo looks great. 👔
- Bring water with you. It’s hot out, and we want to make sure you stay hydrated.
- Bring a small towel with you. Again, it’s hot out and you’ll be surprised how much you can sweat when taking photos, even if it’s just to dab sweat beads from foreheads.
- Bring sunglasses. 🕶️ Most photos you won’t need them but it’s nice to rest your eyes between locations. The sun and sand are surprisingly bright.
- Wear sunscreen. We know this was already mentioned but it’s just that important and we don’t want you to get fried during our session.
- If your child has long hair, consider having it tied back during our session. For adults, unless it’s being professionally styled consider bringing a hair tie as the beach can be very windy and long hair can create difficulties.
the Start of a New Decade
We can hardly believe its the start of a new year and a new decade! It seems like only yesterday a young Jasmin & Matt decided to move from the little old Winnipeg to the big city of Montreal. We were in our 20’s, full of life and we wanted change, something new and exciting. Something, that later in life we could tell stories about.
That was 10 years ago! Fast forward to the year 2014. It’s mid July and after years of planning and saving we boarded a plane with our suitcases, our two black cats (Sushi & Princess) and started this incredible new adventure in Mexico. To be completely honest, when we landed in Mexico, mid July at first we thought we might have a mistake (it was in the mid 40’s with humidity). Obviously we made the right choice and now it’s been 5½ years, there have been ups and downs but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We wanted to start the 2020s off right. More time together, more adventures, more photos, more good food and hopefully less stress. Taking it easy on the 31st was a breeze (we aren’t 20 any more) and so with our alarms set for 5:15am we arose before sunrise and headed to the beach with our blankets, a couple of beers (Tsingtao) and a bottle of proseco. There is nothing like starting off the day/year/decade on the beach in Playa del Carmen as the Amber sun rises over the Eastern horizon. It’s amazing how many people get up early (or stay up all night) to see the sunrise on New year’s day.
We’re now only a week and half into January and it’s already been a whirlwind. Lots of new bookings, lots of editing and a lot of up coming weddings. Next week we’re off to Belize to photograph our friends Alyson & John’s destination wedding at Caye Caulker and we’re absolutely ecstatic. It’s going to be a blast and we can’t wait to take photos. We’ll make sure to share a blog post about that adventure when we return.
We want to wish everyone an incredible start to 2020, the year and the decade. It’s going to be an adventure and we cannot wait to share it with you all <3
6 Hour Timeline – The Perfect Schedule
Working with our couples to put together the prefect timeline that fits both their needs as well as their budget is an important part of our job as destination wedding photographers. Knowing what is most important to you, and what is possible with the time allotted can seem complicated. Luckily we’ve photographed many, Many, MANY weddings throughout the Caribbean and Canada over the past 7+ years and with that experience comes a certain wisdom when it comes to time.
If you haven’t already, we highly recommend all couples take a moment to read our blog post about putting together the perfect timeline.
Destination Wedding Planning 101: The Perfect Schedule
Remember, the most important thing to consider when planning your day is what time sunset will be. For ease, let’s assume sunset will be at 6:30pm.
- 2:30pm – Photographers arrive
- If you’re wanting photos of details (dress, shoes, rings, etc) as well as getting ready photos we need to start at least 2 hours before the ceremony.
- 2:30pm – 3:30pm – Getting ready & photos of details
- 3:30pm – 4:15pm – Getting into the dress & bridal portraits
- 4:15pm – 4:30pm – Final touch-ups & transport to ceremony
- 4:30pm – 5:00pm – Ceremony
- 5:00pm – 5:30pm – Family & wedding party photos
- 5:30pm – 6:30pm – Newlyweds Photos (finish up with an EPIC sunset photo)
- 6:30pm – Reception Begins
- Grand entrance, dinner, speeches, first dances, cake cutting, etc)
- 8:30pm – Photographers leave
This 6 hour schedule accommodates for a little bit of everything and still allows for you to shift time up or down depending on what’s important to you.
An example would be if you’re dead-set on a first look, you’ll need extra time before the ceremony and you can cut a little off the end of the day (or add an hour of coverage)
Inquire with us today and we’re happy to assist you with putting together the perfect wedding schedule.
6 Tips for the Perfect Destination Wedding: The Importance of Taking it Slow
We’ve all heard it before, slow and steady wins the race. And this couldn’t be more true than on your wedding day.
It’s your wedding day, probably one of the biggest days of your life and there is so much going on around you. So much excitement, anticipation and nervousness from not only yourself, but all of those around you that it’s important to remember… This. Is. Normal. Understanding that, and giving yourself time to breathe so you can take it all in, is just as important as making sure your dress, jewelry and hair are perfect. Allowing the day to flow naturally, and taking things slowly will help not only keep your stress levels down, but ultimately it will help you enjoy your wedding celebration that much more.
Remembering to take it slow isn’t solely your responsibility. It’s important that your family & guests, members of your wedding party, and even your photographers, all work together to ensure that everyone takes it slow and the day goes off without a hitch. We like to work with our couples, by helping them plan their day and providing advice based on our experiences on how best to arrange every important moment.
The Key Moments
When we say it’s important to try and keep a “Zen” attitude throughout the day, what we really mean is be yourself and be in the moment. All couples want their photos to turn out perfect. The perfect smile, reaction, tear, hug and cheer that you and your family can look back on for years to come. You can’t achieve this if you and everyone around you is stressed and instead of being in the moment you spend the entire day worrying about what’s coming next or who’s doing what.
Let’s go through a typical wedding day for a large majority of destination weddings in the Riviera Maya (especially at all-inclusive resorts) and talk about a few key moments. We’ll discuss what you can do to make them go smoothly and some best practices for great photo moments.
- Getting Ready
- The Ceremony (Guests)
- Walking Down the Aisle
- Placing of the Rings
- The First Kiss
- First Dances, Bouquet & Garter
1. Getting Ready
Getting ready seems like the easiest part of your day but you may be surprised how fast time escapes you. There are so many equally important distractions, such as your spa time for hair and makeup, gift & letter exchanges with your partner, thank you gifts for your & popping bubbly with your bridal party and potentially even first looks to name a few, all of which culminate with the ceremony in a few hours it can easily become overwhelming.
We recommend designating your maid (person) of honour, your most responsible bridal party member, or a friend if you don’t have a bridal party, with the task of keeping a schedule to ensure things move along as they should, in a timely manner.
Believe us, things will still run late (this is a vacation in Mexico, after all) and that’s normal. This is why it’s so important to take it slow, plan ahead and have someone other than yourself help keep track of time. This way you can be in the moment, and enjoy getting ready for YOUR wedding.
When it comes to photos, the best thing you can do when getting ready is to keep things tidy and have everything important (rings, shoes, dress, jewelry) in one place. If you’re getting ready in your room, this means having room service visit before your photographers are scheduled to arrive, so when we come in, we can get straight to work rather than cleaning up ourselves, or running around to find something that is missing.
2. The Ceremony (Guests)
It’s 2019, everyone has a smartphone and they’re on it all the time. Heck you’re probably reading this from a smartphone and that’s awesome (we love our Pixel 3s)! What isn’t awesome is your guests being too distracted on their phones, trying to get the “perfect shot” during your ceremony and not being there in the moment celebrating with you. There are also the guests who take it upon themselves to be smartphone photographers and potentially ruin your professional photographers shot. Who hasn’t seen photos of brides walking down the aisle with what seems like a million glowing screens blocking the view?
We recommend having an “unplugged” ceremony so that everyone can be in the moment and enjoy themselves.
3. Walking Down the Aisle
Walking down the aisle seems straightforward doesn’t it? When walking down the aisle you want to smile, look around at your friends, family and most importantly, let your gaze shift and linger on your fiancé.
You’d be surprised to learn that this is one of the hardest parts of the day for some, especially in a beach setting where the walkway could be uneven (sand and shoes can be a dangerous mix) and you end up spending more time thinking about your footing, than being present in the moment.
We have made it a habit to always tell our couples, as well as their bridal parties, be sure to smile and enjoy themselves while they walk down the aisle. The biggest caveats are folks looking only at their feet as they walk and putting so much focus on the task at hand, they unknowingly serve us some unintentional RBF (resting bitch face)
We get it. Weddings are a big deal, and if you’re slightly concerned that you may struggle, it’s always best to practice. Walk up and down a hallway in your hotel and pretend to hold a bouquet at waist level, keep your chin up and smile. Sure, it sounds silly, but we promise it will help. You’ll feel more confident, and it will show in your photos; you’ll look happier and you’ll enjoy yourself more on your wedding day.
If you need to watch where you’re stepping while walking down the aisle, do it momentarily. Just a quick glance downward and then face back up, looking at those in front of you, at the crowd or into the camera lens (we love when you connect with our camera every once and a while).
In the end the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself and present the best you for photos.
4. Placement of the Rings
One of the most emblematic moments of any wedding celebration is the placement of wedding bands on each other’s fingers. Much like walking down the aisle, this is a simple task that manages to feel complicated during your big day, especially when getting married in a warm, humid climate like the Mexican Caribbean.
One very important thing to remember that often is overlooked, is if you’re from a cooler, or dryer, climate than where you are getting married your fingers (as well as other extremities) can swell significantly.
Don’t worry, this is normal and even happens to those of us who having been living here for a while. It’s important to remember this, so it doesn’t come as a surprise when you’re putting the ring on your partner’s finger during the ceremony.
And here we want to reiterate once again, just take it slow. If it doesn’t fit perfectly, don’t just try to ram it on, you might end up accidentally hurting your fiancé. Take your time and if necessary, allow for some assistance, or place it on a smaller finger if necessary.
The other important thing, at least from a photographer’s perspective, is to keep an open line of sight to your guests. Turn your fiancé’s hand ever so slightly so the top of their hand (pinky finger down) is facing the crowd. This will allow for close, detailed photos you can enjoy for years to come.
5. The First Kiss
Nothing represents the joy and love of a wedding celebration more than the first kiss. We understand that everyone is different, some are passionate kissers, others not so much. Some enjoy public displays of affection and others detest them. Regardless of the type of kisser you are, it is still incredibly important to take it slow, be yourself and enjoy the first kiss during your wedding celebration. This is the first time you’ll be kissing as a married couple, so why not make it special and something to remember?
As with any of the other important moments during your big day, the number one rule is to take it slow. Whether you’re smiling, crying, laughing or cheering, taking your time to enjoy this special moment allows us the time to capture the perfect photos.
6. First Dances, Bouquet & Garter Toss
Everyone’s first dances are different. Some are choreographed, some are ad hoc. Some are momentous and emotional; some don’t happen at all. If you are planning a first dance, just remember that your photographers are there to capture this special moment. This doesn’t mean you have to do anything crazy, just be present, be yourself and remember to smile.
The same can be said for a bouquet or garter toss. Not everyone celebrates their wedding with these events, but if you do just remember to take your time and have fun. No one is there to rush you and it’s all in good fun. It’s typical for the DJ to call down “all the single ladies” or “all the single guys” when it’s time to toss the bouquet/garter. The problem with this at destination weddings is you might only have a small handful of single/unmarried guests among the crowd. We recommend encouraging all the women, married or not, on the dance floor, as it will make for better photos. And if they’re happily married, they just don’t have to try very hard for that bouquet.
Each couple and each wedding is unique. The most important thing to always remember is that this is YOUR day, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Take it slow, stay in the moment, be yourself and have fun. If you do this, we promise you’ll not only have a spectacular day, but your photos will be that much better in the end.
Picture Perfect Cozumel
We absolutely LOVE the island of Cozumel and we’ve been so fortunate to have visited the island many times over the 5 years we’ve been living here and quite a few times most recently which has rekindled our love for the people, the places and especially the beaches of this cute island so close to our home.
A group of our friends decided it would be a fun idea to travel over to the island, rent a convertible for the day and enjoy a few of the incredible spots both the city of San Miguel and the whole island of Cozumel have to offer.
The following blog post will be that adventure in photos.
Any early morning ferry to Cozumel requires a stop at Cafe Antoinette for an americano and a chocolatine. Unless unavailable we always rent our cars from ISIS car rentals in San Miguel. Don’t let the name fool you, they are super friendly and helpful. A day trip to Cozumel wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Burritos Gorditos. We discovered them our first year living in Mexico and they are still one of the best burrito joints we’ve ever visited.
With our belly’s full, the car rented and Megan’s reassurance that she remembers how to drive stick we hit the road to our first stop.
Our favorite snorkeling location on the west coast of the island is the Money Bar. It’s about 15 minutes from downtown San Miguel and you will not be disappointed. The water here is crystal clear and you can see a variety of sea life from fish, crustaceans, rays and more.
Before visiting the East side we decided to head back into San Miguel to stop at Bindiya, an incredibly authentic Indian restaurant. Friends who have visited India multiple times say this is the best they’ve had outside the country.
After more food and drinks with friends it was time to drive to the East side of Cozumel. We decided to take the scenic route driving south along the west coast and coming back up along the East coast stopping at a few incredible locations including El Mirador, Playa San Martin and Chumul lookout.
At this point we’re looking for any excuse to visit the island again for another incredible day.
Meet & Greet: Adam & Justin
Meet & Greets are a casual way for us to get to know our couples a few days before their wedding. We like to meet somewhere off resort, in a town nearby, where we can grab a coffee or a beer, discuss some details about the wedding day, and exchange stories like old friends. We get a sense of how you two interact as a couple, and you get a sense for how we interact with you as your photographers. We’ll give some tips & pointers on how to act casually, and these will in turn make the photos from your big day feel that much more relaxed, natural and genuine.
We met Adam & Justin in Playa del Carmen for an early morning coffee at Chez Celine. Afterwards, we strolled along calle 38, a popular street just off famous Quinta Avenida, for photos. With their wedding set a few days from now at the luxurious Azul Sensatori, this was the perfect opportunity to meet one another before they were swept up in their own guest greeting obligations. Without further ado, introducing the charming & sweet, same-sex duo, Adam & Justin.
8 Hour Timeline – The Perfect Schedule
I think it’s important to start this discussion by saying; No matter how well you plan out your wedding day schedule/timeline, unexpected things will come up, there will be delays, issues will arise and that’s completely normal. The most important thing to remember is:
This is YOUR big day.
Don’t stress and have fun.
We love working with our couples to put together the perfect schedule that covers all their photo requirements while working within their budget. We’ve photographed 100+ destination weddings in addition to the weddings we photographed in Canada and while we certainly don’t know everything, our experience can help guide you and ensure nothing important gets missed. It is imperative that you have good communication with not only your wedding coordinator, but all of your vendors, so all parties are aware of how your day will flow. The earlier you can solidify these times the better. There is nothing worse than waiting until the last minute and finding out the only time you can have your ceremony is noon and your reception at 8pm.
1. Getting Started
Before we can start talking about what time you should be getting ready, or what time great-aunt Dorothy will get her family photo with the newlyweds, the most important thing to know is what time is sunset in the Riviera Maya. In our opinion, everything about your day should revolve around this. Regardless of whether or not you want an incredible sunset photo like the following, sunset is when you’re going to start to rapidly lose natural light, and what is possible from a photographer’s standpoint becomes limited to the lighting situation you agreed upon for your reception, and your photographers on, or off camera flash.
Let’s assume your wedding day is January 15th. Sunset on that day in Playa del Carmen, Mexico is at 6:28pm. With that in mind, the perfect time for your reception to start would be 6:30pm. You can make your grand entrance while the last rays of sun dip below the horizon.
Now that we know what time sunset is and your reception will start at 6:30pm it’s easy enough to fill in the gaps of your day.
2. Ceremony
The next most important time for your wedding day is your ceremony. Depending on how long your ceremony will last (most here in Mexico aren’t more than 30 minutes) you’ll want to have at least 2 hours between your ceremony and reception. This will provide ample time for champagne & congratulations post ceremony followed by family and friends photos, bridal party photos and of course newlyweds photos (our favorite part of the day). If your reception starts at 6:30pm a good time for your ceremony is 4pm. There are multiple reasons for a late afternoon ceremony, the biggest being sunlight in the later afternoon is softer and warmer (color, not heat) on your skin, it causes less unsightly shadows under the eyes and of course it’s cooler than at mid-day.
3. Putting it all Together
We’re off to a great start! We know that your ceremony will be at 4pm and your reception at 6:30pm. Now we can start piecing together the rest of your day based on what you’re looking for from your photographers. In our experience most couples are looking to start their day with getting ready & details photos (dress, rings, shoes, etc) and wrapping up the evening during the reception with cake cutting, bouquet toss and a little party fun. With a ceremony scheduled for 4pm and a reception for 6:30pm it’s easy to photograph all these important moments in 6-8 hours.
The following is a template for an 8 hour wedding that will include a little bit of everything.
- 1:00pm – Photographers arrive
- 1:00pm – 2:30pm – Getting ready & photos of details (dress, shoes, rings, etc…)
- 2:30pm – 3:00pm – Bride getting into her dress & bridal portraits
- 3:00pm – 3:30pm – Bride & Groom first look
- 3:30pm – 3:45pm – Freshen up & final touch-ups
- 3:45pm – 4:00pm – Transport to ceremony
- 4:00pm – 4:30pm – Ceremony
- 4:30pm – 4:45pm – Champagne & congratulations
- 4:45pm – 5:30pm – Family, friends & bridal party photos
- 5:30pm – 6:30pm – Newlywed photos
- 6:30pm – 9:00pm – Reception including grand entrance, dinner & speeches, first dances, cake cutting, bouquet/garter toss & party time!!
- 9:00pm – Photographer leave
8 hours too many? We’ve put together a 6 hour timeline as well.
We highly recommend, if you plan on having first dances that you schedule them right after the grand entrance. Twilight is the perfect time for this special moment. There is still enough ambient light to make out slight details in the distance and the lights of your resort and reception space can create a truly beautiful atmosphere.
Wrapping Up
There we have it! Starting with time of sunset you can easily schedule you’re wedding day and make sure nothing important is missed.
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