Belize Weddings – Love Expressions

During Valentine’s week, love is in the air.  Please enjoy our tribute to love and romance.

There are many ways for couples to express their love.  As wedding photographers, we celebrate every expression of love, whether traditional or unique, simple or elaborate.  This couple loved each other so very much and we would like to share their love expressions with you.

These are Tiffany boxes.  Tiffany’s is a jewelry company that helped shape the culture of the USA.  Founded in 1837, Tiffany’s supplied the Union Army during the American Civil War, created the design that became the New York Yankee’s logo and helped to develop the Great Seal of the United States.  You cannot find a more traditional way to express love if you are from the United States than by exchanging Tiffany rings.

Just this first expression of love, Tiffany rings in Tiffany boxes, was so important to this couple that they waited until right before their ceremony to open the boxes together.  Their absolute delight was contagious.

Every detail had been carefully considered by this beautiful bride.  We know a couple will be wonderful to work with when they spend so much time communicating to us in the months before their wedding.  These gorgeous barefoot sandals matched her nails exquisitely and were the perfect accessory for a tropical beach wedding in Belize.

Our bride, being a dancer, was able to celebrate their union gloriously in the Caribbean Sea.

Her groom couldn’t resist the chivalrous expression of sweeping her off her feet and he sealed it with a kiss.

So many wonderful details made this couples wedding in Belize special.  Their initials and wedding dates had been embroidered into the dress.  Small things can sometimes create the evoke the greatest of emotions.

Sometimes, we focus on the bride, allowing her to express herself in her own beautiful, feminine and unique way.

Through our special Trash the Dress experiences, the bride can participate in an expressive art piece.  In Belize, this usually results in serene images that reflect the natural beauty of the tropical setting.

Men, on the other hand love to be a hero – and who doesn’t love a hero?

Sometimes, masculine expressions are so tremendously sweet in their simplicity.

The meeting of two kindred souls among millions still has got to be one of the most powerful connections humans can experience.  The celebration of marriage is the ultimate expression of that love.  Two, uniting to become one.

This amazing love expression and wedding experience was organised by ‘I DO’ Belize Weddings.

The ceremony was held at the beautiful Portofino Resort.

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For more of our work you can certainly check out our website.  We’d love to hear what you think!

Belize Weddings – Tabitha Does Toledo – A Truly Maya 2012 Wedding Experience

Who is Tabitha and where is Toledo and what on earth did Tabitha ‘do’ in Toledo?  Please let me introduce you to Tabitha. Tabitha is the dress and this is her 12th wedding.  Yes, you did read that correctly – her 12th wedding.  OK, this isn’t actually the wedding.  This is one of the many, quite spectacular images from the Trash the Dress session held after the wedding.  So, let’s start from the beginning shall we.

As photographers in Belize, we regularly get requests to do something for nothing.  Oddly enough it seems that many people believe that photographers don’t actually need to earn a living.  But when we received Alex’s email telling us about his amazing adventure with Lisa and their goal to get married 30 times, all over the world, experiencing different cultures and generally having a blast, it just caught our eye.  If anyone knows Conch Creative, they know that we love romance and what could be more romantic than wanting to get married 30 times.  So, we just had to say yes.  Sounds easy enough, but then there was the crux.  They were getting married in the Toledo District at the very south of Belize.  Alex didn’t hesitate a moment and said ‘We’ll be there with Peggy to pick you up’.  Peggy?  Now this marriage thing is getting  a bit complicated. First, Tabitha and now – Peggy?  We can now introduce you to Peggy, the 25 year old camper van they picked up in Canada and drove through the USA and Mexico to arrive in Belize.   Apparently, they had already done 11 weddings previously including an Vampire themed wedding in New Orleans and a drive through in Las Vegas.  I think you can see how we couldn’t resist being part of this amazing adventure.

So after a 200 mile road trip in Peggy to get to Toledo for the wedding, it was time to pretty up Lisa in Mopan Maya style. In the 1600′s the Mopan were converted to Catholicism but that doesn’t mean that many of their traditions do not remain.  The clothing, earrings and decoration all have significance and Lisa was dressed traditionally by a beautiful Maya woman, who loaned her hand made wedding clothes and did her hair.When she was ready, it was time to present herself to the world, looking fabulous and happy, having enjoyed such special treatment by her generous Maya hosts, Luciana and Reyes, who helped to plan everything.  They are part of the Toledo Ecotourism Association and are just the nicest people ever.
While Alex, scrubs up nicely, he didn’t quite jive with the Maya tradition the way that Lisa did, but never mind.  Getting married next to a waterfall, at a Maya village, in 2012 is quite enough excitement for one day.

Part of the Maya marriage tradition involves being wrapped in a red ribbon.

We’re not sure that this is the purpose for which the red ribbon is intended, but hey, when in doubt, improvise.

After the nuptials, it was time to party – Mopan Maya style.  Get your dancing shoes on and boogie on down to the sound of the traditional marimba.  Or just make out in the corner.  Whichever you prefer.

Before it all ends, there is always time for a romantic moment.  When four of you (Tabitha, Peggy, Lisa & Alex) travel so far to marry next to a waterfall in a tropical rain forest among the Maya people, you really must take time to appreciate it.  Although it seems like Lisa and Alex felt that Peggy and Tabitha needed a break, because they had a big day coming up.

 When Peggy arrived at this location for the Trash the Dress shoot, she must have thought this was the end of the road for her as it appeared to be a car graveyard.  Who would have thought that it would be the perfect place to showcase the beautiful Tabitha in all her glory.  Of course Lisa helped.

Luckily for Peggy, this wasn’t her last stop.  She was just being cared for in the car hospital while Tabitha came out to play in the car graveyard.  It turns out that they don’t just send cars here to die.  Boats find their way to this resting ground also.

We had to remind Lisa that this was not in fact a resting ground for tired brides.  Yes, we know that 12 weddings is quite remarkable but buck up girl – you’ve got another 18 to go before your finished.

While Alex held Peggy’s hand (ok, she doesn’t have hands, she has tires, but it adds to the drama), Lisa and Tabitha explore a new and fabulous land of junk and glory.

As the dark clouds rolled in, the four of them (Peggy, Tabitha, Alex & Lisa) knew that it was time to hit the road and prepare for wherever their next adventure would take them.  They are nearly half way to their 30th wedding and there truly cannot have been a more epic, romantic and wonderful wedding adventure.  We’re so glad that they came to Belize for a truly authentic Maya 2012 wedding experience and we’re ever so grateful that they loved our work enough to include us in the fairy tale.  Bon Voyage Alex, Lisa, Peggy and Tabitha.

This wedding was made possible by the wonderful people at the Toledo Ecotourism Association.

If you’d like to follow Alex and Lisa (and Peggy and Tabitha) on their further adventures, tune in to 2people1life

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Belize Wedding – Kisses, Kitties and Cigars

As wedding photographers in Belize, we get to meet so many wonderful people and that, aside from working in paradise, is what makes our job so very special.  This couple were not just gorgeous, but their whole family were super fun, so we’ve decided to take you on a journey with us through their special day, starting behind the scenes.  We know you’ll love it as much as we did.

Wherever you are, the bridal preparations are of the utmost importance.  There are rituals and unctions involved to beautify the bride and make her feel special.

But one secret ritual you may not have known is that all of the brides maids stick rubber cigars into their hair.  We think it might bestow them with magic powers.   Meanwhile……

…the groom is initiating his sister into the secret world of the male ritual.  Instead of putting plastic cigars in their hair, they attempt to smoke real ones.

Hmm.  Maybe it is best to stick with the plastic hair cigars.

So, once the secret behind the scenes rituals end, the guests get to enjoy the traditions of a wedding union…except they get to enjoy it on a paradise island overlooking the Caribbean.  Can anyone say – ‘Getting married in paradise takes it to the next level”?

Sticking with tradition, the bride and groom make sure to greet and thank all of their guests.

Conch Creative encourages couples to relax, throw tradition into the wind and escape for some romantic alone time to make the best of the beauty of Belize.  So, here we go!

First some time to contemplate and regroup.

Then some time for a romantic interlude.

Then a chance to explore the local sights and architecture….

…and finally time for a little sit down.   Full of love, smiles and joy, this couple definitely have the most amazing memories from their beautiful wedding in Belize.

We very much enjoyed our time with them and we hope you did too.  Come to Belize, fall in love, get married, smoke a cigar, chat to a cat, sit on a dock, celebrate with your loved ones and have an unforgettable experience in paradise.

This beautiful ceremony was arranged and hosted by the quite fantastic Xanadu Island Resort.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog and want to keep up with our work, catch sneak previews and talk to us about photography in Belize, please consider joining our Conch Creative Facebook page.  We’d love to have you join our Conch Community.

You can also see a large selection of our work – not just weddings – at our Conch Creative website

We have a special selection there of scenes from Belize.  Due to numerous requests for prints of some of our scenic views of Belize, we are proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with The Gallery of San Pedro to offer gorgeous fine art giclees. Giclees are the highest level of reproduction for art and are printed on canvas. If you’d like more information, please contact Jerry Lansing, the owner of The Gallery of San Pedro at jerrylansing@yahoo.com . You’ll find they are very reasonably priced and can be shipped internationally or purchased directly from The Gallery.

Thanks for reading our blog.  We can feel you smiling!

Another Great Belize Wedding – Whoops I Trashed the Groom!

If you’ve been following the Conch Creative blog, you’ll know that we love couples with character.   Because Belize weddings are so much fun, a great sense of humour combined with lots of love seems to be the recipe for the best wedding experience.  It also makes for some great photographs.  This beautiful bride looks so innocent and sweet.   And truly, she was absolutely lovely….

…she had immaculate taste.  Her colour choices resulted in the most stunning bouquet…

Her selection of outfits for her children were beyond adorable….

…though perhaps they weren’t as appreciated as they should have been…

….but they all looked mighty fine dressed up and seriously cute.

In fact, they all scrubbed up rather nicely.

Everything was perfect.

Even the weather was on our side.  It rained right up until the ceremony, leaving the sand wet enough that you could see the couple’s footprints as they walked up the dock.  You couldn’t fake this…well maybe you could..but we didn’t have to.

They were loving, romantic and did we mention sweet…..

..and everything was going oh, so well…

..until the groom got just a little bit pesky, and so the sweet and innocent looking bride..

..went right ahead and trashed her groom; oh yes she did!

If you don’t believe us, here is the evidence.

Once he was wet, the groom had no intention of being the only one to join in the fun…

But she is such a stunning bride that getting into the water only made her even more beautiful.

As with all fairytales, this one had a happy ending.  What a great couple, full of so much love for each other.  We were so happy we were there to share it with them.

This fabulous wedding was organised and hosted by the quite beautiful Matachica Resort & Spa.

If you enjoyed this blog, you’ll love our Facebook page.  You can get a sneak peek of all of our shoots, not just weddings.  Just click here

If you would like to see even more of our work, settle down, relax and enjoy our website which is right here

Belize Weddings – Don’t Worry, Be Happy

What makes a destination wedding in Belize so special?  Well, first of all you are in one of the most beautiful places in the world , but as wedding photographers in Belize, we’ve learned that people come to our beautiful country because they want to relax, enjoy their special day and have fun.  They don’t want any stress or drama.  They don’t want to worry – they want to be happy!

When you get married in Belize, you have no choice but to get into the laid back  Belize vibe that is guaranteed to produce smiles.  Everyone smiles in Belize, especially out on the beautiful cayes (islands).  Here on Ambergris Caye, the motto is ‘No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem’ and it is true!

Are you smiling yet?  Of course Conch Creative believes that every bride needs to celebrate and enjoy her special day and we love it when they really go for it!

We make sure that the groom gets a little celebration action too as romance is all part of such an exciting and important occasion – and kisses make everyone smile.

We are often asked why so many of our couples end up in the water and our answer is ‘Why not?’.  It is fun, romantic and when you’ve come all the way to the Caribbean, you might as well dive right in.

As wedding photographers in Belize we believe that every bride should be truly happy and we like to make sure that shows.  A smile like this is worth a thousand words.

Remember we mentioned the local motto ‘ No shirt, no shoes, no problem’ – honest – we’re not making that up and that is why Belize has to be the best barefoot wedding destination in the world.  So come and get married in Belize.

Don’t worry, be happy!

We were delighted to work with Caribbean Villas Hotel, who organised and hosted this very beautiful and happy wedding couple at their gorgeous resort.

If you’d like to keep up with our most recent work and get sneak peeks at some of our most fabulous photo shoots, check out our Facebook page by clicking on this linky

We’ve also recently updated our website.  Not many people know this because we haven’t made a formal announcement yet, but if you’re one of those wonderful blog readers who has made it this far, you’ll be one of the first to see our recently updated site.  Check it out, not just for weddings but for fashion, glamour, gorgeous photos of Belize and all sorts of other good things right here.

Belize Weddings – Be Inspired by Paradise – Trash the Dress

Belize weddings are the epitome of  paradise.  Not only is Belize one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world, but it has that something special, a certain ‘ je ne sais quoi’.  Couples who  celebrate their nuptials in Belize are looking for something unique.

Known for its eclectic and interesting choice of properties and locations, Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, is a spectacular location for a destination wedding.  An authentic fantasy island.

The coast of Ambergris Caye is lined with docks covered with traditional thatched palapas, providing a rustic tropical setting.

Originally covered with coconut plantations, Ambergris Caye’s beaches are dotted with mature palm trees, which give it that tropical paradise vibe.

For so many couples, the Trash the Dress experience has become part of the wedding ritual.  It is fabulously romantic and can result in true art pieces that will be treasured forever.

Colours, textures, locations and water conspire to create individual and daring images during Belize trash the dress sessions.

Paradise inspires passion.

Paradise inspires drama.

Most of all paradise inspires love.

Conch Creative invites you to Ambergris Caye to experience all of the passion, drama and love that can be found in paradise.

This incredible wedding photography experience was organised by ‘I DO’ Belize Weddings and hosted at the beautiful Casa Tortuga.

If you are interested in photography by Conch Creative, please do check out our Facebook Page . We’d love you to join us on our adventures in paradise.

Belize Weddings – 2012 Maya Ruins Wedding Photography

The New Year is nearly upon us.  2012 will be a huge year for Belize, as the heartland of the ancient Maya civilisation.  Couples from all over the world will be coming to Belize to marry at one of our many stunning and mystical ancient Maya temples.  This is Xunantunich, a city which was first occupied by the Maya people over 2000 years ago.

Xunantunich means ‘Stone Woman’.  The name is Mayan, but was not used until the late 19th century after local people started to report stories of a ghostly woman seen dressed all in white, on this ancient site.  According to some accounts, she was witnessed ascending the stairs of the El Castillo pyramid and disappearing into a stone wall.  There are other versions of this legend.   Dr. Jaime Awe, one of Belize’s most prominent archaeologists and Director of the National Institute of Culture and History recalls one;  ”In the 1880s, in fact, probably in 1887, a gentleman from the village of San Jose Succotz, by the name of Urbano Pat, came up to hunt at the site and the legend claims that at the base of the Castillo, he saw this beautiful young maiden, who was resplendent in bright light and the rays of the sunlight. This maiden appeared to him, and he was scared by the apparition, so he dropped his gun and ran back to the village. When he got to the village, he talked with the native priest, the Chac, as they call him, and the priest decided to come up to the site with him. They came back and they found his gun, but did not see the maiden. And thereafter, several other people have claimed that this young maiden has appeared to them, but nobody has ever been able to follow her into the cave that supposedly goes into the Castillo.”

The Maya people are still very much a mystery, but by studying their ancient civilisations and architecture, the long and fascinating history of Belize comes to life.  El Castillo is 130 feet tall, the second tallest man made structure in Belize.  Up  the north side of El Castillo, there is a wide terrace, which at one time had buildings standing along its outer edge. The wide stairway that you see here leads up to this terrace. Above the terrace rises a high platform on top of which the ancient Maya built two more temples which are visible even now.  Imagine getting married in a place so steeped in ancient civilisation.

To get to Xunantunich, you cross the clear waters of the Mopan River on a hand pulled ferry.  There are, of course, rumours that a bridge may eventually be installed, but until then the ferry is all part of the unique experience of a wedding at an ancient Maya ruin.  Xunantunich is believed to be the largest ceremonial center in the Belize River Valley.  The hilltop location provides a panoramic view of the surrounding Cayo District and even across the border into Guatemala. Spanning time from the early Protoclassic to the Terminal Classic Periods, Xunantunich consists of three ceremonial plazas enclosed by house mounds, pyramids, and palaces, the largest decorated with friezes and masks of Classic style.  If you are looking for the authentic 2012 Maya experience, there aren’t many places you will find with such a rich history and so few tourists.  What an amazing experience!

Of course Xunantunich is an inspiring location for us as Belize wedding photographers.  We know that the sort of couples with an adventurous spirit, who wish to document their once in a lifetime experience at an ancient Maya temple in 2012 are the sort of couples that we love to work with.  With so many believing that 2012 will be the end of the world, true Maya researchers understand that the significance of 2012 in the Maya calendar is about new beginnings.  A ceremony, committing two people in love will never be forgotten if that date is 2012 and the location is Belize.

Happy New Year.  May 2012 bring you much love, happiness, peace and prosperity.  If you are planning to marry in this historically important year, we invite you to Belize – the heart of the Maya civilisation – for an experience that will connect the ancient with the present and which will provide you with memories and images that you will treasure into the future.  Conch Creative specialises in intimate and unique weddings in Belize.  Contact us for more information on Belize wedding photography.

This couple were able to have this unbelievably fabulous Maya ruins experience due to the hard work of ‘I Do’ Belize Weddings.

If you have enjoyed our blog, you might just really, really enjoy our Facebook page, where we put up sneak peeks and previews.  Conch Creative Facebook Page

Island Time for Barefoot Brides in Belize

Time for some more barefoot bliss on the beautiful Belize beaches with a bodacious bride and her handsome groom.

Someone forgot to tell the groom that no one wears watches in Belize.  Island time means that there is no stress.

With no clock watching and surrounded by tropical paradise, time seems to fly by.  Before you know it, you’re legal!

You may kiss that bride!

Within the concept of island time, there is time to romance on the long hardwood docks, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

There’s time to get cool in the pool…

..and after you’ve warmed up again, who knows how else you might just fill your time.  Come to Belize and make your wedding photography dreams come true.

Many thanks to Coco Beach Resort for hosting and organising this romantic barefoot wedding on Ambergris Caye.

Surf & Turf Destination Weddings in Belize

With 2012 nearly upon us, wedding couples are getting very adventurous with their destination weddings.   The idea of a barefoot, romantic, tropical beach wedding is a dream for many, but because Belize offers such a rich and diverse culture, we also have the option of the ancient Maya ruins.  Many couples have decided that they want to do both.

You can get married on one of our many spectacular Maya ruins, surrounded by the tropical rain forest and listening to the rare Black Howler Monkeys and their eerie calls in the distance.  (ok we must admit that sometimes they do throw poop!)

..and then you can be swinging on a hammock overlooking the stunning Caribbean Sea, all on the same day.

This particular Maya ruin is known as Xunantunich (The Stone Maiden).  It is the home to El Castillo, a pyramid that is 130′ tall and the second largest man made structure in Belize.

While you will feel the spirit of the past in this ancient Maya ruins of a palatial home, your marriage ceremony will help you take a leap into the future – along with a little encouragement from Conch Creative!

And with a lot of ‘Love’ and a little magic from Maya (where else can you find a photographer called Maya to take your photos on a Maya ruin?), anything is possible.  Of course no ruins were hurt in the making of this photograph!

You’ll never forget Belize.  A place where your dreams will surely come true.

Special thanks to the folks at ‘I DO’ Belize Weddings for organising this fabulous photography experience for their lovely wedding couple, who stayed at Victoria House on Ambergris Caye and Chaa Creek in Cayo.

Boots & Brides in Belize

Where has the time gone?  Have you missed us?  Well don’t worry, we’re back and we’ve got lots of gorgeous, cute, adorable, funny and fabulous weddings to share with you.  Sometimes we just get so busy, we can’t find the time to blog.  So, get comfortable as this is the first in a series of blogs we’ll be doing leading up to 2012!

Cowboys!  You have got to love them.  Even in Belize, they keep their boots on.

….and they are so darned romantic.

Did you know that all of the docks and beaches are public in Belize?  This means you can just kick back and relax wherever you fancy, especially in your high heels.  We’re used to barefoot weddings, so we very much appreciated having some different footwear to photograph.

In Belize, there is a reason for having a rest on the docks…it gives you the energy to play!

Then you can get a bit frisky.  Cowboys are apparently notorious for being frisky.

As wedding photographers in Belize, we’ve seen a lot of couples and one thing we’ve learned is that laughter is the secret to true love.

Being adorable helps too!  So smile, love, laugh, be happy….and if you’re a cowboy, bring your boots!

We’d like to thank ‘I DO’ Belize Weddings for hosting this beautiful wedding with this wonderful couple at Las Terrazas Resort on Ambergris Caye.