Trash the dress near the Grand Palladium resort, Jamaica
Destination weddings are a lot of fun to begin with but the experience feels even more rewarding whenever it is followed by a shoot that is more relaxed, laid back, casual: the so called ‘trash the dress’ photo session that usually does not have much to do with spoiling the dress. Even though many times brides choose to go into the ocean with their gown, nothing really happens to it. It can still be kept in its original shape.
Shivani opted to wear a light summer dress, very appropriate for the beach. That was a great idea considering the elaborate outfits she wore the day of. It was perfect for the purpose of our little creative adventure and she did not have to worry about anything.
By the time we made it to the beach the sun was already going down but we still had a little time to play. The beautiful cove had so much to offer: plenty of colourful backdrops, boats, a wonderful beach with super warm water. I think we were quite able to take advantage of all this while fully enjoying ourselves in the process.
The result: another lovely series to be used as a forever reminder of a good time shared with some fantastic people. Enjoy!
Hugs,
Manuela
Beautiful Indian wedding at the Grand Palladium, Jamaica
While sitting in front of my computer and looking at Shivani and Nimesh’s wedding photos, a song popped into my head:
Shirley Bassey’s “Where do I begin”…
This is exactly how I felt while looking at the images that vividly brought back the amazing experience I have had while at the Grand Palladium in Jamaica: a story about love, sea, dreamy beaches with red trees and a gorgeous couple that got united in marriage through the most incredible Hindu ceremony I have witnessed. Considering we were miles away from home and everything had to be flown down, I truly admired the dedication for having had all the symbolic elements essential to such a rich ritual in place.
The space looked almost like a temple with its white columns washed by the great light coming through. In spite of the heat, the humidity and I am sure, the difficulty to wear such intricate outfits, everything took place flawlessly and was a joy to watch.
While wishing for some afternoon clouds (which seemed to come in every day almost at the same time) and luckily not having any rain, the wedding party and I went to the beach and waited for the sun to hide. And it did. Almost at command.
After a nice little break we all met again at the reception. The chosen restaurant, with a beautiful sea and sky view, has demonstrated one more time how skilled the Jamaican cooks really are: they came up with a beautiful series of Indian dishes deliciously flavored.
The super entertaining DJs played some great tunes and the bartenders poured drinks while displaying impressive moves themselves.
All in all, after getting into the groove, the happy crowd rocked the venue. Ya Man!
Dear Shivani and Nimesh, thank you for making me a part of a very unique experience that will stay in my memory for a long time and big Congrats to you!
Gratefully, Manuela
A stylish wedding at the Four Seasons resort, Scottsdale AZ
One of my very best experiences so far has been traveling to beautiful Arizona to capture Michelle and Stephen’s wedding events. Their celebrations started with a Western style rehearsal dinner at the quaint Pinnacle Peak patio in Scottsdale. I really felt like I stepped back in time, I would have not been too surprised if John Wayne himself suddenly crashed some of the local bar’s doors open, jumped on his horse and rode into the beautiful sunset 
Great party, fun crowd, tasty food and extremely friendly staff! Next day we continued on at the super elegant Four Seasons resort. Despite the super hot day, we enjoyed an impeccably blue sky and the sun shining over the perfectly kept patches of dessert surrounding the resort. I do not think I could have asked for more in terms of photo taking opportunities. The ceremony took place while the sun was setting behind the mountain creating a surreal, romantic atmosphere and casting a fabulous light. Cocktails followed and shortly after the party started. Michelle, Stephen and their guests danced away, almost non stop, throughout the night. I will never forget the vibe in the room once the High Energy tune began…I can still hear and see it all
Dear Michelle and Steve, thank you for the amazing opportunity of having spent some great days in one of the most beautiful corners of the world. I had a blast traveling around and discovering such majestic landscape! May you live happily together, enjoy each moment and hope to see you again in NYC soon and have more fun together! Hugs, Manuela.
Trash the dress with Mona in Punta Cana
The very first person who knew about the potential chosen spot for Mona and Emon’s post wedding photo adventure was my dad. This past December I was back home in Romania. One relaxed evening we were sitting beside each other, him doing his Sudoku and myself researching cool spots in the Punta Cana area. This is how I discovered Altos de Chavon. I showed my dad photos of it and he said to me: I really hope you make it there, it looks breathtaking! I brought the idea up with Mona and Emon while being a bit nervous about it. Because I knew it would take time and effort to get there especially the day after their wedding. I can’t say how excited I was when they decided to go for it! I knew this was going to be a memorable journey. Altos de Chavon is a replica of a Mediterranean village, built on a cliff and looking down to the Chavon river. To those interested, this is a private property and one has to pay quite a lot to get to take photos. We did not know how much until we got to the gate! The journey to this dreamy place was also rich in surprises as we got to stop in a sugar cane field, by typical Dominican homes and last but not least, we caught an unbelievable sunset which Mona and Emon got to enjoy while stepping into the ocean.
The images below are a colourful record of our adventures that day. One thing I love about editing the photos I take is that, while looking at each one of them, I get transported back and relive each single second.
Mona and Emon, I know how tired you were that morning when we started our journey, therefore thank you for being willing to go for it!
I trust you will look at these images and smile to yourselves while recalling many of those great moments we had together. Hugs, Manuela
A lovely destination wedding in Punta Cana
Mona and Emon decided to get married at the beautiful Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana resort, surrounded by loving family members and great friends. Needless to say I was ecstatic to fly down and join them for the week. There is no better time to do this than January and take a nice break in a sunny destination by crystal clear waters.
Infused with both traditional and modern flavors, their celebration was a blend of colourful and visually appealing symbols. Creatively put together under the gazebo, the Sofreh (traditional Persian table covered by items rich in meaning) was beautiful and a perfect match to the beach atmosphere.
Below are just a few photographic details of the many symbolic elements, like: wallnuts = fertility, honey = sweet life, apples = divine creation of mankind, coins = wealth and prosperity.
The reception was held at the fantastic Jellyfish restaurant half an hour away from the resort. This place is a must see! It is spectacular, located right by the ocean and offers an unexpected experience on all levels: visual, culinary, service excellence. Needless to say the fun group hit the dance floor (setup right on the sand) and barely stopped for breaks throughout the night.
The party continued on the bus back to the resort and would have probably gone on til sunrise if we did not have to extend our adventure together with a ‘trash the dress’ photo shoot the next day. But about this a bit later.
I would like to particularly mention lovely Rebecca Elias from Luxe Destination Weddings for her great help throughout the day. She is simply a pleasure to work with and has a very special way of subtly making sure everything goes on smoothly. Plus, her suggestion for the reception to be held at the Jellyfish restaurant was fantastic! Rebecca, thank you for everything and particularly for pulling Mona, Emon and I out of the imminent storm!!
Mona and Emon, thank you for having made me a part of your wonderful celebrations, I trust your life together will always taste like the honey you fed each other during your wedding ceremony! Hugs, Manuela
Trash the dress in Los Cabos, Mexico
After a splendid wedding day at the Riu Palace, Reyhaneh and Will decided to continue their adventures with a ‘trash the dress’ photo shoot. But the photo taking was just a part of the journey the three of us have embarked on that day. We made a first stop in Cabo San Lucas, the little town just 10 minutes away from the resort. What I recall as a dominant feeling throughout the day was our willingness to live through things as they came. Not a lot of planning ahead, with just a general time frame guiding us, welcoming each moment as it presented itself, we soon found ourselves floating away in a little boat taking us to the Lovers’ Beach, our next stop. I guess our Mexican friend somehow managed to tap into the way we were that day, so he decided to give us a little ‘tour’ before dropping us off on the beach. We drove around on choppy waters, getting extremely close to birds and sea lions, smelling the ocean, feeling slightly frightened at times but being immediately comforted by the calm on our Mexican friend’s face. Once on the beach, I felt it was really hard to take all that unusual beauty in. We needed a while to get over the initial amazement which literally left us speechless. The images below are just glimpses into the wild pure beauty of the place. Even though the surroundings were absolutely stunning, I am certain the photos would have not turned out the same if it wasn’t for the way Reyhaneh and Will are. Simply put, a dream to be around and photograph.
After a couple of hours spent on the beach, our friend came to pick us up and offered to drive us back to the resort in his boat. The tide was really high though and I recall one moment when, still in the boat and literally on top of a massive wave, I looked down at the shore and thought: we are stranded. We had to find another more calm spot and rush out of the little water taxi the moment it was pushed close to the beach for one fraction of a second. Once all safe on the shore, we watched the boat driving away and I still recall Reyhaneh’s words: ‘this feels like a movie: the boat vanishing into the sunset’…
Indeed, it all seems like a dream now. Yet, there are clear proofs of the fact that we have been there. Every time I look at the photos we took my heart fills up with joy and gratitude. Thank you again dear friends!
A superb destination wedding at the Riu Palace, Los Cabos
It is a bit difficult to find the right words that would best describe the experience I have lived through while in Los Cabos this past October. After a thorough research, Reyhaneh and Will picked the stunning Riu Palace resort for their destination wedding. More used to the Mayan Riviera, this was my very first time on the Pacific coast of Mexico. After a beautiful ride from the airport, with mountains on one side and spectacular coast lines on the other, I arrived at the breathtaking resort. I was right away taken by the scenery, the fantastic views over Cabo San Lucas, the rocks at Lovers’ Beach and have experienced the first sunset at Riu while sipping cocktails on the terrace in great company. But I still had no idea what was waiting for me there. And probably, I was not the only one. What I have lived over the next couple of days might as well be the subject of a small film. We have spent some beautifully intense moments, we bonded, my inspiration got ignited in unexpected ways. The result is a stunning collection of images and of course, a friendship that was born in the midst of this unique adventure that has nurtured our souls.
I will soon post more images from the day after when we participated in creatively trashing beautiful Reyhaneh’s dress
Dear amigos R + W, first of all I would like to thank you one more time for the unique time spent together and for allowing me to witness and capture the emotion around the effervescent moments you have lived while in Cabos. I want to always see your big smiles, may your life together be filled with joyous moments and new adventures. Lots of love, Manuela
A cool ‘trash the dress’ shoot in Mexico, Grand Sunset Princess
It took me a bit too long to post these beautiful photos of Annie and Daryl taken after their wedding celebrations at the amazing Grand Sunset Princess resort, Mexico (to see their wedding blog please click here). I had such a blast with the two of them, walking around the wonderful resort and stopping whenever we stumbled upon interesting corners. Needless to say we ended up by the ocean’s shore and of course, we had to go into the water. The two of them were so good putting up with the splashing waves and getting salty water into their eyes. Not only I got sand in my camera, but Annie left the beach with her dress in a heavy bundle of water and sand. Good news is the dress survived the experience, so did we. The result of our amazing time together is the great collection of images below. Don’t they look like super models?
Dear friends, thank you again for offering me such an incredible, fun loaded week!
A classy destination wedding at the Grand Sunset Princess, Mexico
I love to travel! But who doesn’t, really? One of the amazing benefits of being a wedding photographer is the chance to follow the couple wherever they decide to exchange their vows. Be it in Toronto or anywhere else in Canada and the globe. I was thrilled when Annie and Daryl told me they decided to have a beach ceremony in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico. Therefore, I packed my camera and followed them to this paradise location which is the Grand Sunset Princess resort. How can one not be inspired when all the eye can see is sunshine, turqoise water, white sand? Not to mention being around a group of extremely fun people willing to have tons of laughter and share some unforgettable moments together!!
From the little tea ceremony to the amazing beach party fabulously organized, I have witnessed the magic in their day and enjoyed every second as it unfolded! All I can say is that I was truly thrilled to be there. After not feeling my feet anymore from the beach walking and dancing (of course I got to do a bit of that, too!), I managed to rest until we met again next afternoon for an extremely cool and relaxed ‘trash the dress’ session. Please stay tuned, more to come!
Thank you again dear Annie and Daryl, your families and friends for offering me this amazing experience! Have a great time in Hawaii!
