Find the Caye to Your Heart in Belize – Belize Weddings

We’re not sure how many there are. We’re not sure anyone really knows, but there are possibly hundreds of small ‘islands’ off the coast of Belize. The thing is that they are not islands, in the true sense. They are ‘cayes’. Cayes are formed on the top of reefs and are pretty much held together by the forests of the sea, mangroves.
In this photo, not only are you able to see how mangroves grow and help to create cayes, but you can also see how love seems to sprout on the cayes in Belize. And just in case you didn’t know how to pronounce ‘cayes’, it rhymes with Belize. Perfect!
When you get married in the tropics, you tend to avoid dressing until the very last moment. This works well with the laid back way of life on the cayes and contributes to a stress free and relaxed wedding. Everyone has time to finish off those last minute details without feeling rushed. Small things like ummm..writing your vows.
The dress is the last item of clothing donned before a Belize wedding and most brides don’t put it on until 15 minutes before the ceremony.
When there is so little time to get worried, it keeps the nerves at bay .
Destination beach weddings are stunning in their simplicity, allowing Mother Nature to provide the decorations and ambience.
(Had to find an excuse to include this photo of the youngest guest at this wedding)
All guests, young and old, love a beach wedding.
Even when certain things take a little longer than expected. Ahem…
After the wedding is the time for the photographer and the couple to explore the caye together. Couples tell us this is one of the things they enjoy most on their wedding day as it gives them the chance to reconnect and have a breather before joining their guests again.
This is St. George’s Caye. It has a fascinating history and although there are conflicts over the facts, its place in Belizean history is celebrated annually on ‘The Battle of St. George’s Caye Day’, every 10th of September. This celebration commemorates a battle, which was fought and won in the waters surrounding the caye, that drove the Spanish from the shores of Belize in 1798.
Very few people live on St. George’s Caye full time, which means it is extremely peaceful and rustic.
You can visit the docks on the island and wander around without seeing a soul.
There are many old docks to check out and the natural beauty is serene and stunning.
Unlike some other cayes, the mangroves that provide a nursery for so much sea life are relatively untouched. There is a local saying that ‘fish grow on trees in Belize’ (which also rhymes with cayes!).
The best part is that once you find a dock you like, there’s no one and nothing to stop you from jumping right into the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.
That’s the way to start a lifetime together with a splash!
Remember that we told you how relaxed and enjoyable weddings on cayes in Belize were? No formalities are necessary. Just love and joy.
The one thing you can never forget though is the breathtaking beauty of the magical country that is Belize. (and its cayes)
This beautiful wedding was hosted and organised by St. George’s Caye Resort
20 Photos That Gave Us That Happy Feeling in 2015 – Belize Weddings (and other cute pictures)

We’ve never done this before, but 2015 was such an amazing year for us here in Belize that we wanted to thank our clients and everyone who has supported us and enjoyed our work by sharing our favourite photos of 2015. Yes, we know, this blog is a wedding photography blog, but we also enjoy other types of photography. We chose the photos in this collection because they brought back great memories and made us smile. We’d like to share those memories and hopefully some smiles with you too. So, sit down, relax and enjoy.
We can’t help but start with this one. This would typically be a photographer’s worst nightmare, but this couple were so much fun and we had so many laughs with them during their shoot that this was sort of the icing on the cake (apologies for the really poor metaphor under the circumstances).
Dog photobombing was obviously trending this year and we don’t mind one bit. We are dog lovers and most of our couples seem to be too!
Dogs weren’t the only photobombers this year though from the animal world. While we were working on a commercial shoot for a resort here, this little guy popped in to say hello.
This couple almost got bombed quite literally by the closest thing we have in Belize to an Air Force.
Speaking of bombing, it wasn’t all being done by animals either. This has got to be one of our favourite memories from the year when this fabulous lady decided that ‘when I’m 64’, I’m going to get photographed jumping into the Caribbean Sea butt naked – and so she did! An inspiration to us all.
This photo won us a Fearless Award, but really the award should have gone to this brilliant couple for being the best Trash the Dress good sports ever. We remember this shoot vividly, especially the smell of the mud, which we must admit, did not smell of roses. At. All. So much fun and so dirty. We’ll never, ever forget this shoot!
Fortunately, for this next couple, their Fearless Award winning Trash the Dress photo wasn’t quite so mucky, but we do remember that they weren’t feeling too hot the morning after some very, very hard celebrating. Didn’t stop them looking fabulous though and again, such good sports for going for it even though they would have much rather have been in bed.
Of course the bridesmaids don’t have any obligation at all to be sober or to participate fully in producing award winning shots – which is why they are so much fun to photograph.
The next one is from of one of those weddings that we’ll always remember because even now, we get a bit teared up remembering it. It was one of our most popular blogs ever. A wedding for three, when this little girl participated in such a special day. A beautiful family and such a heartwarming memorable experience for us.
Of course, if we are going to start talking about little girls, how could we forget this one? It’s hard to imagine getting much cuter.
We were even lucky enough to photograph one little girl before she was ever born. Her mother was incredibly athletic and quite fearless, so with some imagination and creativity on our part and a lot of bendiness on her part, we created a maternity image that was totally unique.
We didn’t just get babies before they were born, we got weddings before they were engaged. We’ve worked with a number of grooms on proposals and they are always so much fun. Trying to plot and plan while hoping that she’s going to say ‘yes’ is about as nerve wracking for us as it is for the groom. This one was just perfect and we were absolutely thrilled for the happy couple.
In some cases, we’re there for a long time. One of our most unforgettable couples came back a few years after we photographed their wedding so that we could photograph their simply adorable little boy. It’s very special for photographers when they can document lives over the years.
Ultimately, it all returns to what we do best and that’s to get love to come through a photo. That’s why wedding photography works so well for us.
When you know the smiles are real, that’s what makes all the difference and makes us remember the moment we took that particular photo.
People’s personalities are what we remember most of all. You simply never forget moments like this.
When people get into our island vibe and want to have fun, anything is possible.
Wedding photography is a collaborative experience. While we create memories for our couples through photography, they too, create memories for us with their most intimate and joyful moments.
Maybe sometimes a little bit more intimate than we anticipated.
And for that we send you all much love and happiness in 2016.
Special thanks to all the businesses, resorts and individuals who invited Conch Creative into their lives, hearts and properties to make memories in 2015! Wish wish you all the most wonderful New Year!
La Isla Bon-epic! An Epic Belize Wedding – Part 1

You are having a destination wedding. You’ve picked the magical, tropical, paradise of Belize. You are going to have your wedding on the famous island Ambergris Caye, more commonly known by the name of its only town, San Pedro – or even more famously known as ‘La Isla Bonita’ (oh yes, Madonna dreamt of us last night!). You know you want the whole getting married on the beach experience, with the turquoise Caribbean Sea twinkling in the background and palm trees. But then you say to yourself ‘Wait a minute! I’m going all the way to this interesting and beautiful country and I’m just going to get photos on the beach. That’s simply not good enough! I want more!’ And more you shall get – because Conch Creative loves to show our couples the real Belize. Oh yeah, we take photos too and here are some from one of our most epic wedding adventures.
There are a number of luxury vehicles available to transport our lucky couples around the island.
Golf carts are the most common form of transportation.
Once you get into the quaint, colourful and quirky town of San Pedro, there are all sorts of fun things to do but first you want to make sure you look your very best. So getting a pair of new shoes is a good place to start.
Followed by a smart haircut – or polish, whichever the case may be.
If you’re lucky, some of the friendly islanders might even lend you a clean pair of underpants.
And then it’s just a matter to find somewhere private to change into them.
Once you’re all dressed and ready to go, it’s time to take a stroll to the park.
Climb up high to take in the view. (just a note here – not many places in the world where the children’s public playground overlooks a barrier reef. Just sayin!)
Hang around and enjoy some fun activities.
Familiarise yourselves with the local animal life.
Take in some of the local art.
And contemplate its deeper meaning.
Don’t forget about the unique architecture. Seriously though, Belize is so much more than it’s beaches and jungle. It’s about the people and, of course, the Isla Bonita life.
When all is said and done you may just feel like this bride did –
“I can’t speak highly enough for the amazing experience you have given us. From day 1, your email communications were prompt, detailed & polite. The actual photography experience was a joy & you were both so carefree and easy to work with. We will never forget the fun we had with you during our Isla Bonita experience. To be honest, it was quite possibly one of our favorite moments while in Belize…. having no kids was a huge relief, but also laughing until we cried & having the opportunity to see the most interesting sites on the island was much appreciated. I’ve been to Belize 100 times and have never experienced San Pedro in that way. Im glad to hear you had fun too 🙂 I am speechless at how well the pictures have turned out & we will cherish these for the rest of our lives. Words cannot describe how thankful we are. “
Look out for Part 2 of this blog featuring the actual gorgeous wedding at Xanadu Island Resort.
Coming soon.
How to Keep Cool and Still Have a Hot Wedding – Belize Wedding Photography
People come to beautiful Belize to get married because it’s sunny. It’s warm. And of course it’s just gorgeous. But hot and sunny weddings aren’t always what Mother Nature plans and if you follow our little blog here about weddings in Belize, you’ll know that we encourage all of our couples to get in the water, take a little dip and cool off in the hot Caribbean sun. This wedding is a perfect example of how to be super hot, keep cool and have the best time of your life
A popular option for keeping cool in Belize is the famous local beer, Belikin. It’s also great for those pre wedding nerves…
…but too many can lead to an urgent need to cool down even more. You have been warned and don’t think we don’t encourage this sort of behaviour – because we do.
The wedding started perfectly with hot young women staying cool in the air conditioning but getting hot by jumping on the bed but staying cool by not getting dressed and well…..we could go on..but you get the hot/cool references we think
Bring on the hot young men stepping outside onto their balcony to look cool, while the young women below just keep looking hot, except they are not dressed, so they are sort of cool…
This couple brought along some super cool gifts for their guests because, of course, wait for it…..it’s hot (and sunny) in Belize.
And it was…right until they were about to say their vows. At this point, any plan B goes by the wayside. The good news is that in Belize it is believed that if it rains on your wedding day, it is a blessing. Good thing really….
…because in Belize, Mother Nature never does anything by halves. When she wants to bless your wedding, you know it’s going to get really blessed.
The wonderful thing about this very hot couple getting cooled down by the rain….they didn’t miss a beat.
Nothing could stop these two. It was all about the moment, their love, being with their friends and family….and so why not make the best of it.
Everyone at the wedding was super cool and just went with the flow.
The beautiful bride’s cool blue eyes never stopped sparkling.
The cool colour combination ensured that the bridesmaids popped against the moody sky.
Meanwhile, the guys snuck off, we’re guessing that the bar wasn’t far from here, they were feeling hot and needed a cool refreshing beer.
Before the drinking could commence though, it was time for guests to participate in another cool idea from the wedding couple.
One must never forget that the sun is never far away in Belize.
And incredible colours in the sky when it sets.
Wow! What a cool indoor venue. Not many people know about some of the gorgeous locations Belize has for the hottest weddings.
Time to reconnect for some quiet time before things really do hot up.
Because it looks like this super cool wedding crew know how to keep hot even when things get cooler in sunny and sometimes rainy Belize.
We so enjoyed taking part in this really cool wedding with this really hot couple. We hope you enjoyed it too!
This wedding was hosted and planned by the hot, beautiful and very cool Coco Beach Resort
Sun+Sea+Sand+Celebration = Perfect Destination Wedding – Belize Wedding
Two questions that we encounter frequently as destination wedding photographers in Belize – 1. Why do people have destination weddings? and 2. Why do people come to Belize for destination weddings? Even if those questions have never occurred to you before, we bet they are now stuck in your mind. Thank goodness Conch Creative is here to answer those very important questions.
People have destination weddings for all sorts of reasons, but in our experience, the most common is so that they and their loved ones can truly relax and let their hair down..or in this case, maybe relaxing a little bit too much, while the bride watches one of her bridesmaids having her hair put up. Sorry to be confusing. But the point is that destination wedding couples do not want the stress and drama that can come with a traditional wedding at home.
What could be more fun and relaxing than a barefoot wedding on a sandy beach, overlooking the Caribbean?
You don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll get blisters because the only thing on your feet will be sand, and in the case of fashionable barefoot brides, some very pretty jewelry.
In the interest of not being sexist, we feel obliged to point out that the men had very nice jewelry too.
Now for question number 2. Why Belize? Well first of all, you can’t get Belizean Belikin beer anywhere else. Even if you could, we believe that it couldn’t possibly taste the same drunk anywhere but Belize.
While we wouldn’t want to be accused of misleading anyone, we are also of the understanding (as reported to us by our couples) that cake also tastes better in Belize. Yes, we realise this may be quite unbelievable, but apparently it’s true.
Truly though, what other things make Belize such a perfect place for a destination wedding? What many people don’t know is that Belize, unlike many other destinations, has kept all of its beaches public. So, you have access to miles and miles of beautiful, natural and untouched Caribbean coastline.
People in Belize are friendly and welcoming to visitors. You can find yourself a sunny spot and just relax and no one will bother you – except that pesky photographer, who keeps following you everywhere.
Because Belize has such a small population, you can kiss on the beach in the daytime and never have an audience – except that photographer again!
You can also kiss on the beach at night, in the glowing light of tiki torches, which miraculously appear whenever there is a wedding.
Did you know that Belize makes you love each other more? It’s a well documented fact supported by studies conducted by Conch Creative.
You may think we’re joking. But we’re not. Belize does affect people in very different ways. People who appear perfectly normal in the beautiful sunrise…
…suddenly find themselves leaping into the air for no obvious reason.
Another example is that one minute a couple will be standing, romantically, with the water flowing around their toes..and then before you know it….
…they are soaking wet and frolicking like young lambs in the sea. Maybe not like lambs. Lambs don’t often go in the sea. Maybe more like young dolphins or fish or sea horses.
So while we wholeheartedly recommend destination beach weddings in Belize, we now have given you fair warning. When in Belize, you may just find yourselves having far too much fun.
So ‘reflect’ (get it ..reflect..hahaha…never mind) carefully on your decision. Because…..
…no one could ever possibly want this much fun at their wedding, now, would they?
Conch Creative would like to thank the magic of Belize for making this wedding super special.
This beautiful and fun wedding in Placencia was organised by Lee Nyhus of Placencia Weddings and hosted by Coco Plum Villas
PSA- If you want a stressful wedding and no fun at all, do not come to Belize
Til Death Do Us Part – Cowgirl Glam in the Tropics – Belize Wedding – Trash the Dress

Public Health Warning! – This is a Trash the Dress blog like no other we have done. We highly suggest that you make sure you’re snug in your saddle and ready for a romantic, playful, naughty and wild ride. And now we shall begin.
Those of you familiar with Conch Creative’s wedding photography know that we specialise in Trash the Dress sessions. This is our chance to work with couples, collaborate and create beautiful pieces that they will treasure for years to come. This cowgirl themed Trash the Dress started like most others. Beautiful romantic poses in a tropical setting.
…and of course some sexy romping.
We should have realised that something was up when we saw our cowgirl’s garter. But nothing could have prepared us for the story we are about to share with you.
After sending the groom off to get some drinks, while we did some beautiful bridal portraits, our cowgirl bride told us in no uncertain terms that it was time for a little refreshment break.
Always obliging we found a shady spot at the end of a dock. Our cowgirl had brought along her own bottle and, politely, offered to share. We explained that it’s important for photographers to stay in focus but that we’d hang around and take a few more photos while she waited for her groom.
Fifteen minutes later, we knew that something memorable was about to happen and we weren’t about to stop shooting (by shooting we mean with a camera!) until the rodeo was over.
The groom returned with a couple of bottles of Belikin Beer and for a moment, we were lulled into a false sense of security, thinking everything had returned to normal. How could we predict the drama that was to unfold?
As the groom swept her up in his arms for a kiss, she was already plotting.
We heard her whisper in his ear (she did whisper loudly) , ‘Now that we’re legal, you’re mine cowboy and don’t you forget it!’ and then she started marching him up the beach.
We were stunned when she stopped suddenly and said ‘Turn around big boy and strip!’. Conch Creative have never done a nude cowboy shoot before, but we were game for anything at this stage and of course we must admit that we cheered him on as he started to unbutton his shirt.
But like all good Westerns the stories lead you down long and twisty canyon trails and you never know what’s around the next turn. Suddenly our groom got a bit feisty.
Before you could say ‘ride ’em cowboy’. He’d taken the situation in hand and the tables had turned.
It was all we could do not to cover our eyes and blush when the scene in front of us took on a life of its very own.
Our final observation is that the old cowboy saying ‘He’s all hat and no cattle.’ Certainly did not apply in this instance.
This will go down in history as one hell of a ‘rootin’ tootin’ Trash the Dress experience for Conch Creative.
Down & Dirty in Belize – Trash the Dress Wedding Photography
This year Conch Creative had some challenges with the weather. In fact, all of Belize had some challenges with the weather. It rained hard and long and everything got extremely wet and mucky. So, we couldn’t have been more delighted when the bride and groom wanted to trash their dress in the most fun, playful and positively down and dirty manner possible.
It all started so innocently, just a little pat on the bum for the bride.
…but the bride got even cheekier.
The bride looked so lonely in her puddle of mud.
When we told them it was time to finish, the bride found another puddle to play in.
Luckily the beach was close to hand for a little bit of cleaning up.
Even though they were getting clean…
…they were still a little bit dirty.
And with one subtle gesture, the groom let the photographers know that it was time to give them a bit of privacy.
This Trash the Dress session was one of our favourites ever. We’d like to thank the couple for being such great sports. We had so much fun and will never forget our dirtiest Trash the Dress ever!
10 Steps to Having a Fearless and Fabulous Beach Wedding – Belize Weddings

There must be something about Conch Creative that attracts the most fearless and fabulous weddings and we’re certainly not complaining. So, what makes a wedding both fearless and fabulous?
1. Have a great hair dresser, with great hair spray. Barefoot beach weddings are undoubtedly wonderful things but the salt air, humidity and wind can be the ruination of even the most fabulous hair style.
2. Think about details. Details can make or break fabulous events and photographs.
3. Share the excitement. Whether you are having a family wedding, or a secret elopement, make sure there is someone you can share your excitement with. Kiss your Mum or call your BFF, either way, sharing is caring.
4. Keep some mystery to the day. Even if you’ve lived together for 10 years before getting married, this day is ‘special’ and surprises make it even more magical.
5. Bring a pair of heels for fun. It may be a barefoot wedding, but there are so many other things that a girl can do with a nice pair of heels. These heels and this photo even won an international photography award from Fearless Photographers.
6. Kiss. Kiss a lot. Kissing is healthy, good, clean fun and should be encouraged at all times.
7. Enjoy the natural environment and beauty. If you come all the way to Belize for your wedding, make sure to take time to look around you.
8. Bring sunglasses. You’re in the tropics. You’ll need them.
9. Smile. There is nothing more fabulous than smiling.
10. Let your hair down, don’t be precious about your dress and get wet!
This about sums it up folks. If you’re going to come to Belize to get married, be Fearless and be Fabulous and definitely, definitely, get wet!
Because if you don’t get wet, you’ll never get photos like this…
…or this and when you look back through your photos in 20 years, think about the ones that will still take your breath away.
This gorgeous wedding was hosted by stunning Belizean Cove Estates
The Trash the Dress shoot was at the beautiful Victoria House
If you’d like to find out more about being a Fearless and Fabulous Couple, come see us on Facebook. Just click here.
Real Island Adventures – Belize Weddings
This is another real destination wedding love story and adventure. Our couple not only love each other, but like most of our amazing wedding couples, they love Belize. We’re so excited to share their wedding adventure with you. We get to work with so many adventurous people who want to do something exciting, want to find out about our beautiful island jewel, Ambergris Caye, and of course who want Conch Creative along for the ride to help them create memories that they will always treasure. Welcome to the world of real island adventures.
It all starts with a patient groom, enjoying the brew of Belize, Belikin. Belikin is well known to calm nerves and cause smiling. If you drink too many, we take no responsibility for the adventures you may have.
With your bride on the way, even an ice cold Belikin won’t distract you.
And when you see her in her dress for the first time, it starts to get real.
The adventure begins with the first day of the rest of your lives, shared with your loved ones.
A sand ceremony doesn’t make it legal in Belize, but it makes it feel even more real. (or is that surreal?)
But it can’t get more real than this special moment.
Oooh it’s getting really, really real now.
Now it’s legal and the next part of the adventure begins!
This is a very typical Belizean wooden home and would be a great place to start a family we think.
Speaking of families, there always have to be cute children and puppies on any adventure.
And there certainly is no shortage of curious children in San Pedro Town.
Speaking of children, who doesn’t want to dress up like a fire fighter?
So many cute things to see on such a small island.
You can play dress up at the gift shops.
You can pretend to be eaten by a giant jaguar.
Mmmmmmmmmm. You can have ice cream. No wonder the kids all look so happy here.
When all is said and done, it’s all about the two of you.
In Belize, there is always somewhere beautiful to remind you just how lucky you are.
This real island adventure started at Victoria House. Many thanks to them for hosting this gorgeous ceremony.
If you love any of the other locations, just ask us. We’ll be happy to show you around.
While you’re at it, come and see us at our Facebook page. It’s real too! Click Here
Cowboy Love in Paradise – Belize Wedding

We are regularly contacted by couples who say things like ‘We’re not like those young beautiful couples you have in all your photos.’ Sometimes it’s followed with ‘This isn’t our first marriage, you know.’ Well, Conch Creative love that because we’re sure that weddings get better the older you get and some of our most wonderful weddings are with those who know it’s never too late for love. Not to mention that all of our couples are gorgeous. All of them. Even when they think they might not be, that all changes with a little bit of ‘conch dust’.
We’ve also learned that there is no one who knows that better than a cowboy – and we just love cowboys!
It also seems that it’s never too early for some budding cowboys.
First the gorgeous cowgirl had to be prettied up as if she were going to the county fair.
Then the nervous cowboy had to be gentled like a calf before a rodeo.
Meanwhile, the adorable helpers were getting ready.
But when it was nearly time, everyone had to wait their turn.
Oh, but it was worth the wait.
This was a wedding that had the potential to explode with love, adorableness and tons and tons of cute.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get better…..it did.
She’s here! Here comes the beautiful bride on the arm of her handsome cowboy brother.
Suddenly, dreams came true for the bride and her cowboy.
After the formality of the ceremony, the nerves, the laughter and the tears, our favourite cowboy groom showed us a bit of that old fashioned chivalry that we’d nearly forgotten existed.
He swept his bride into his arms and danced.
She couldn’t stop gazing into his eyes.
As the sun disappeared, our cowboy took the time to embrace the woman he adored and they enjoyed the last of the light because…
…they had a party to attend. A party to celebrate their life long love commitment.
The following morning, as the sun came up over the Caribbean, it all seemed a bit like a dream.
And we know for sure that this bride will be dreaming of cowboys for the rest of her life.
This wonderful cowboy wedding was organised by Grand Caribe
The twinkly reception dinner was held at Aji
If you enjoyed this cowboy love story, then tune in for future blogs from Conch Creative. If you really can’t wait that long, we’d love you to come visit our Facebook page and have a chat with us. Conch Creative Facebook page
Part 2 The Happily Trashy Ending – Belize Wedding – Trash the Dress

Welcome to the ‘Part 2’ or ‘To Be Continued’ from our Isla Bonita Love Story. Our two stars, continue with their adventures on beautiful Ambergris Caye.
The beautiful bride enjoying the low tide landscape, with the Caribbean disappearing into the barrier reef in the distance.
Finding peace and beauty in the most unlikely places, resting…
…and wondering where her handsome groom might be.
She finds him and promises to never, ever let him go.
With his charming smile, he rakishly teases her, but alas she knows…
Their love is unfaltering and always meant to be.
On land or…
on sea (OK, not really on sea, but on a boat near the sea)…
Their laughter together will be the bond they will always share.
Now we are truly at The End of this island love story, but just at the beginning of their new lives together. Congratulations!
When a Groom Takes the Cake – Belize Weddings

This is the beautiful bride who inspired …
…this handsome groom to spend months…
…working on this. A handmade creation, but ‘what is it?’ we hear you say.
Well, while the groom was busy ‘creating’, the bride was busy getting beautified.
There’s no doubt that the beautifying worked its magic.
Meanwhile, construction continued. What on earth is it?
The proud father of the bride escorts his daughter to the ceremony in typical San Pedro style.
Once legal, the bride and groom quickly headed off for some romance.
Some roughhousing on the sea wall.
A bit of time enjoying the luxuries of a Caribbean wedding….
…and waiting for that perfect sunset moment.
When it all gets just a bit too much, it’s time to jump into that clear, warm water…oh my….hey! But wait a minute….what ever happened to the amazing creation that the groom was building.
Ta Da! After months of painstaking work by the groom, hand making every piece of this creation, we hereby award him with the official Conch Creative ‘The Groom Takes the Cake Award’. Oh what a grand cake stand it was.
This beautiful wedding was held at the gorgeous Casa Redonda, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
If you enjoyed this blog, we cordially invite you to have your cake and eat it too by checking out our Facebook page, which you can find simply by clicking here,
The Mystery of the Maya Gods and the Missing Dress – Belize Wedding & Trash the Dress
Mangroves are trees that grow in the sea. They hold our little island together and act as a nursery for the baby fish that will eventually grow up to be the big fish that populate the reef, which happens to be the second largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere (the first being the Great Barrier Reef in Australia). While many of the mangroves have been destroyed to accommodate the preference for sandy beaches, there are small pockets of them to be found along the Caribbean coast of Ambergris Caye, Belize. We could get all metaphorical here and wax lyrical about symbolism of the circle of life and love and the earth…but instead we’ll just let you enjoy this dreamy scene.
Carrying on with the theme of the circle of life, love, the earth …. Seriously though, when you dream of a romantic, intimate beach wedding, this has to be an image that fits the bill.
Imagine having your first dance alone with your beloved on a quiet beach with only some beautiful Caribbean music being played by local musicians in the background.
There is plenty of fun to be had with the Maya Gods. We’re not sure if sitting on Chac, the Rain God’s head, makes it more or less likely to rain but we do appreciate his patience in posing for this shot.
While we did certainly appreciate his assistance with the last photo, we wonder why Chac had to photobomb this one too. As he’s a very powerful God, we weren’t going to argue.
Aside from Maya Gods, you’ll find hammocks everywhere you look in Belize – and what better place to have a rest before a sunrise Trash the Dress Photography Experience with Conch Creative.
Whoops! On our way to the Trash the Dress shoot, you’d never guess what happened. Maybe this is what happens when you sit on Chac’s head. Oh my! What is a bride to do?
It brings us all back to that circle of love and life, the earth and everything.
Congratulations!
This beautiful wedding was hosted by Ramon’s Village Resort.
As always, we invite you sincerely to visit our Facebook page to see our sneak peeks and lots more than just weddings. Go on, have a look – you never know what you’ll find. Just click here
The Fairy Princess Barefoot Bride – Belize Wedding
If you read our blog regularly, you’ll know that we love shoes. The reason – well, not many people wear them here in Belize, the home of the barefoot bride. But along comes a dress, every so often, that takes our breath away – and this is one of them. We’ve never had one quite like it and we loved it! It flounced, it flew and it was fabulous. In fact, it made our bride look just like a fairy princess.
Therefore, this blog deserves a proper beginning. Once upon a time there was a very beautiful bride.
She also had a naughty side and sometimes she was lonely.
So, one day, she looked under her dress and much to her surprise, she found her groom!
At first she tried to play hard to get, but he soon managed to charm her.
And so they were wed and all in the world was beautiful, tropical and very Belizean indeed!
There was much celebration and jubilation at this momentous event.
They sat side by side and planned their fairy tale future together on a wooden dock, overlooking the deep blue Caribbean Sea.
Because the beautiful princess bride had booked Conch Creative as their wedding photographers, they soon found themselves in the water.
Then the groom had to tell his princess bride that it was time for him to sail away into the distance, but that should she ever need him, she just needed to look under her dress again – and he’d be there.
So, our beautiful fairy princess barefoot bride watched wistfully as her groom sailed away into the distance, knowing that he would always be right under her skirts and they lived happily ever after.
THE END
While these images are real and so was this beautiful wedding, we’re sure we don’t need to tell you that the story is fictional. Of course the groom didn’t sail away into the distance. They both got on a plane and flew home!
If you enjoyed our blog, you’ll enjoy our Facebook page too. Don’t be shy and don’t look under your dress – just click right here and join our Facebook page. You’ll be able to see beautiful princess brides, handsome grooms, ancient Maya temples, photos from around the world, endangered species and all sorts of fabulous images by Conch Creative – so go ahead, treat yourself. Seriously. Just do it!
This fairy tale wedding was hosted by Casa Buena Vista on beautiful Ambergris Caye
Weddings in Belize are Hot Hot Hot! – Belize Weddings
When we say weddings in Belize can get hot – we’re not exaggerating. Everything about this particular wedding was hot.
The dress was blazing hot and by the fabulous Vera Wang.
And the bride and groom were smokin’.
Welcome to weddings in the tropics where it all gets a bit steamy, blazing and well..downright decalescent (ok we admit to consulting a thesaurus on this one, but it is a real word and it sounds good!)
Now lets get back to indulging in that dress just a little bit more. Getting into it is a must and this always involves help from some friends.
Then we do the requisite gorgeous pose on the beach, shoes gracefully discarded in favour of the barefoot bride, toes in the sand, footloose and fancy free sensation.
And then the groom passes the some fire to the bride…..No No NO!!! Wait a minute..that can’t be right.
Back to reality. The bride poses elegantly on the wooden dock, wood glistening from the recent tropical rain storm.
And then she starts spinning fire……Wait wait wait…noooooooooooo….brides do NOT do that in Vera Wang dresses!
Let’s have a short break for some cake. Things are getting a bit too wild out there.
The wedding chariot awaits. Ok, now we know that if you haven’t been to the beautiful island of Ambergris Caye in Belize before, this might be all a bit ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for you, but seriously…weddings in Belize are just unique, wonderful, laid back and of course……………..
This fiery wedding was organised by “I DO’ Belize Weddings at the beautiful Casa Redonda
If this blog made you feel a bit hot under the collar, you might just want to join us for some more feverish fun on Facebook. Just click here and you’ll find us. We’d love to you to start some torrid topics and some piping parley with a bit of sultry speech.
Thank you so much for reading our blog!
Coco Loco – Belize Weddings
Belize weddings are known for lots of things. Beautiful resorts, beaches, palm trees and fun fun fun. As wedding photographers in Belize, Conch Creative prides itself on working with the couples who not only want an amazing photo experience and stunning images, but whose first and absolute priority is to have a great time and as much fun as possible. So, please join us on this wedding photography journey to see exactly how much fun it is possible to have at a wedding in Belize and how easy it is to go ‘coco loco’.
One guaranteed way to have fun in Belize is to get to know the locals. Belizeans love to celebrate and they always get excited when they see other people having fun on the beach. One of our lovely friends (she knows who she is) happened to be heading home after a hard day’s work at a well known local dive shop. She stopped to congratulate the couple and before we knew it, they were on her motorbike.
Remember how much fun it was to make shadows on the walls when you were a kid. Well, guess what…you can do that when you are a grown up too!
We mustn’t forget the ‘OMG We just did it!’ moment.
Getting mucky in the sand and seaweed is great fun. Nothing like sandy feet to remind you that you just got hitched in the Caribbean.
Ok. Maybe running hand in hand along the beach and splashing in the turquoise sea would also remind you that you just got married in Belize.
Just because you’re married, doesn’t mean you have to behave like a grown up.
Climbing on large machinery. Seriously, what is more fun than that?
The great thing about growing up is that you can have grown up fun too!
So for goodness’ sake, it’s a beach wedding. Have fun kissing under the swaying palms.
When it’s all over, simply have fun relaxing.
This beautiful wedding was hosted by Coco Beach Resort Resort.
If you had as much fun reading our blog as we had making it, you’ll absolutely love the previews, sneak peeks and cheeky comments on our Facebook page
We’d just like to thank Belize, yet again, for being so beautiful, so friendly and so much fun!
Guess What Cheril and Patrick did in Belize?
We first heard from this wonderful couple when they told us of their plans to travel from a very cold place to Cancun, Mexico and then on to our beautiful island, Ambergris Caye, for their honeymoon. They loved our work and decided to bring their wedding clothes with them to work with us on creating some very special memories. For them and us! And guess what? Their family and friends don’t know they are married yet…well they will now!
What a beautiful bride Cheril made!
Actually, as professional photographers, Conch Creative would like to thank Cheril and Patrick’s parents for producing such good looking kids. Makes our job so much easier!
Cheril and Patrick had asked for a San Pedro experience during their shoot. They wanted to see the town and be able to share their experience with loved ones.
So what better place to start than on one of our local delivery trucks. This is beer delivery, Belize style!
Then it was time to meet some of the friendly locals – like this potlicker. In Belize, the local dogs are known as potlickers. They love to have their pictures taken and are expert photo bombers.
We then headed into town to celebrate on the busiest street – official name, Barrier Reef Drive – known locally as Front Street. People in San Pedro are super friendly and always excited about weddings, so they don’t mind if we stop a bit of traffic.
After all the jumping and leaping, it was time to find some shade, re group and plan the rest of the shoot. What could be more fun than walking around San Pedro, meeting locals and taking pictures?????
At the end of the shoot, it is time to find a quiet, tranquil location and to reflect (quite literally in this case).
Congratulations Cheril & Patrick. Stop sending pictures of snow and come back to Belize soon!
Paradise Continues – Belize Trash the Dress
As wedding photographers in Belize, we love helping our brides to Trash the Dress. Up until recently, almost every ‘trashed’ dress has been able to be worn again. This couple told us they really wanted to Trash the Dress and of course, we obliged. Collaborating with couples on these shoots is not only great fun for all of us, but results in some memorable and very unique images.
Trash The Dress Photography Experiences with Conch Creative can take place in a variety of extraordinary locations. For example, there is a saying here that ‘In Belize our Fish Really Do Grow on Trees’ and that is because our beautiful island has fabulous mangroves, which serve as the nurseries for the beautiful fish that populate our Barrier Reef. Not only are mangroves essential to our island environment but they provide naturally distinctive back drops. Add a beautiful bride to the picture and the results can be magical.
The unbelievably clear Caribbean Sea water creates pools and dappled light around the mangroves as they grow, providing shade and a place to cool off. A peaceful place to contemplate or…
…to share with the one you love.
That beautiful, cool water is often just too tantalising in the hot sun and is the perfect place to cool down….
Then again, cooling down may not be exactly what is on your mind.
You might just want to play in the sand,
and share sandy, salty kisses.
If a frolic in the cool blue sea takes your fancy, go for it!
A Trash the Dress Photography Experience is a great way to enjoy each other, relax and turn the whole wedding photography concept into an adventure.
When it is all over, you will have memories and images that you will treasure forever.
Conch Creative are incredibly proud to tell you that our wonderful photographer, Maya Papovic, has been made a member of the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP). This is no mean feat as Maya’s work was judged by a panel of her peers before she was granted membership.
According to the ISPWP “The International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers is an organization of the best wedding photographers in the world. It was created by professional photographers to raise the standards of the wedding photography profession.” To read more, please do check out their website ISPWP
Even though Maya is a fantastic wedding photographer, Conch Creative does not just shoot weddings. If you’d like to see sneak peeks and samples of some of our other work, please check out our Facebook Page and let us know which images and styles you love.
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.
If you’d like to see previews of our work and interact with us, we invite you check out our Facebook page
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
If you’d like to see sneak previews of our work, please join our Conch Community on our Conch Creative Facebook page
and of course
you can follow all of us on Twitter.
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 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.
A Gal & a Guitar – Gettin’ Hitched in Belize
Conch Creative loves destination weddings in Belize. People who choose to marry in Belize tend to be people who like to step outside of ‘the box’ and like to do things just a little bit differently – and definitely their own way. This makes every wedding unique and often very entertaining for us. We’re going to share one of our recent favourites with you so that you can experience a true intimate and fun, barefoot wedding in Belize.
As we’re sure you’ve figured – both the ‘gal’ and the guitar feature heavily in this blog. Before the ceremony, our lovely and very romantic groom serenaded his bride to be. It was beyond sweet and you could tell how much she adored him.
Many couples choose Belize because they don’t want all of the fuss and stress associated with a traditional wedding. This is a perfect example of how simplicity can be so special. Marrying in a heart made from flowers and conch shells on a tranquil beach, overlooking the Caribbean Sea is perfectly divine.
Having your new husband and the man you love sing romantic love songs to you in the heart of flowers, overlooking the Caribbean Sea as you delicately drink wine is beyond divine – it’s sublime.
Whoops…scratch the bit about ‘delicately drinking wine’…..woohoo – now things are going to get lively it seems. Let’s see how this blog turns out, shall we?
We thought it was time for a quiet walk down the beach. Honestly, how many places are there in the world where you can have beaches like this virtually all to yourselves?
Time to catch a quick breath before the fun begins.
Did we mention it was hot that day?
..and it seemed to just get a bit warmer by the minute.
You really have to wonder just how much fun two adults can have with a bit of water…
..it seems that the possibilities of having fun in water, following a wedding, fully clothed are quite limitless. There’s no point in coming to Belize to have a fabulous wedding on a stunning beach in a tropical setting and not making the absolute most of it. As well as producing beautiful photographs, Conch Creative aims to help all of our wedding couples have fun.
There comes a time (usually sunset), when wedding photographers quietly fade into the darkness and leave the couple to enjoy their time together. We have no doubt that the assistance of Conch Creative was not required for the continuing fun.
We hope you enjoyed our most recent blog as much as we enjoyed making it. Of course, you can always join in the fun by becoming part of our Conch Creative community on Facebook. It’s easy – just click this Link.
If you’re wondering where that fantastic wedding was held, well as always we’re proud to have worked with the quite fantabulous Coco Beach Resort.
We’ll be blogging again soon and would love to hear from you. Would you rather see brides or bikinis?
Wet Weddings
As you can probably see from recent blogs, Conch Creative works with a lot of couples who like unique and different wedding photography. Maybe it’s something to do with Belize – after all, couples are planning to travel thousands of miles to marry in this beautiful country. Whatever the reason, we’re grateful because we get the opportunity to work with people who are often creative, always great fun and who have chosen us because they know that Conch Creative is one hundred percent committed to providing not just an enjoyable and entertaining wedding photography experience but also because they know that they’ll never look better than they do through Conch Creative’s lenses.
This adorable couple were serious divers and had come to Ambergris Caye with a diving group to get married at Xanadu Island Resort. They wanted to get wet and of course, Conch Creative obliged.
We managed to keep them out of the water just long enough for them to get legal and have one or two snaps taken.
It seems that the romance just becomes even more intense once the couples get into the water…..
Sometimes giggling is the only option..but there really is no better way to spend a wedding day full of fun, love, laughs and plenty of memories.
After all water, romance and giggling – we thought it was time to share something a little bit different. Those who know Conch Creative, also know that we don’t just do weddings.
If you’d like to find out more about Conch Creative, please check out our Facebook page where we can chat to you, you can leave us your comments and you get sneak peaks of all of our newest work. Conch Creative Facebook Page Link
Mucho thanks to the beautiful Xanadu Island Resort for hosting the wonderful wedding featured in this blog.
Look out for more from Conch Creative soon! Thanks so much for reading our blog.
Crazy in Love
If you follow our blog, you’ll know that we love fun and unconventional weddings. We have been very much looking forward to blogging this particular wedding as we laughed so hard throughout the day that we came back with our cheeks aching. This was a couple who were crazy in love and that craziness was definitely a feature of their romantic beach wedding on Ambergris Caye. So, please join us for Sean and Denise’s destination wedding in beautiful Belize.
As is often the case, it all starts with booze! The groom, featured here with our local Belizean Belikin Beer, hung out with the guys at Crazy Canuck’s bar, while the bride….
…required something a tad stronger resulting, of course, in the classic Tequila face.
As part of their nuptials, Denise and Sean included a Sand Ceremony. Normally at weddings, there isn’t a dry eye in the house. During this one, there wasn’t a straight face on the beach.
Then it was time for group pictures. We work really hard to help our couples to have fun group shots as they can be so boring sometimes. In this instance no encouragement was necessary. We all know that after the group shots come the family shots and here’s one that we will never forget.
We’d like to introduce you to the Mother of the Groom.
So we thought that once we got the lovely couple away from the group, things would calm down a bit. For a moment, they were as cute as buttons snuggled up on their golf cart. But that didn’t last for long.
What could we do but take a picture? But now we were on a mission. We always want to give our bride romantic photos, no matter how ‘crazy in love’ she really is. So we waved our magic ‘Conch’ and got them in the mood.
Turns out that when we got her to sit still for a minute, Denise was absolutely a very gorgeous bride.
But he couldn’t resist his gorgeous bride and settled down for a beautiful moment with her…until…….
….he found a Sea Cucumber. Oh yes he did. You can imagine the comparisons that were made and the giggling that ensued.
As usual, the bride had the last laugh and gave us this wonderful photo, which we just adore. Thank you Denise.
If you enjoyed this blog, you might enjoy our Facebook Page too. Give it a try by just clicking here. That’s where we post our most current work and publish sneak previews.
Special thanks to Exotic Caye Beach Resort for hosting this beautiful wedding.
Even specialer thanks to Crazy Canucks Bar for lending us the stools for the group shot.
And specialerer thanks to Victoria House for allowing us to use their beautiful beach for the after ceremony shoot.
If we’ve forgotten even more specialererer thanks, please let us know. Conch Creative wants everyone to feel loved and appreciated – even if a Sea Cucumber makes you feel small.