That Amazing British Wedding (in Belize) – Belize Wedding Photography
Don’t tell us you haven’t heard about ‘THE’ wedding between a beautiful young woman and a handsome British man in uniform. Of course you have and we are beyond thrilled to tell you that it was in Belize. Not only that, but you are one of the very lucky people, who will be able to get an insider’s perspective on this fabulous event through the eyes of Conch Creative.
That dress! That dress and a waterfall!
That hat and gloves! And sandals. What? Oh! Wait a minute. This wedding will be on the beach. Just a teaser for some cuteness to come. The groom did not wear sandals. God forbid! But, look out for the ring bearer.
Of course, for a ceremony of this magnitude, special arrangements have to made to ensure that there is nothing unsightly to spoil the beauty of this special day. Thank goodness for these hard working Belizeans who cleared the influx of sea grass from the beach. Gotta love them!
A special courier was employed to carry gifts and messages from the bride to the groom and from the groom to the bride. This special courier was, in fact, the photographer. Multi tasking!
Guess who nearly ruined her makeup?
Guess who’s lucky he wasn’t wearing any makeup.
Guess who got their very own gifts to assist with their own make up. Meet the Mums.
Mums are so important at weddings. They do things like this mother of the bride is doing here – ensuring that absent loved ones still get to participate in some of the festivities. Meet the bride’s dog.
More gifts to go round. Dad and the two best men.
Yes! You heard correctly. TWO best men. We did say that this was an extraordinary event.
Dad ensures that everything is as it should be with our handsome soldier’s dress uniform.
The Mums bond while leaving bridal details to the experts.
A blessing by both parents, while making sure that the surprise isn’t spoiled.
OMG! Hold on to your hats. (We hope you’re wearing a hat while you’re reading this. It’s only fitting.) It’s starting.
Like every wedding of this magnitude. Here come the parade of the real stars.
We’re not sure, but we’re thinking there may have been an imbalance in flowers in those baskets. That’s certainly what it looks like is going through the mind of one of these chiffon wrapped cuties.
Never mind because look who is arriving now. Where’s the Paparazzi when you need them?
This tiny star seemed to have been accompanied by a minder to make sure he fulfilled his duties and delivered the rings perfectly. Way to represent little fella!
And here she comes! We’ve all been waiting. No! Don’t cry yet.
Too late. He’s already there. If you haven’t already fetched your hankies, now would be an appropriate time.
This is how they greeted each other. *sniff* *sniff*
It was a perfect day. Even in tropical Belize, the day was just more perfect than most. It had to be.
And the crowd goes wild!
Now she has a hat. But just for a moment, check out that bouquet. British roses. Could this get any better?
You know it will. We have to admit that even after hundreds of weddings in Belize, the photographer was blown away by this one.
Unfortunately, not everyone was on board though.
Right now, the order of the day is to get legal.
We don’t normally post group shots, but look at them. How could we not share this with you?
A Belizean throne for a little sit down.
Romantic photo time. The secret waterfall of San Pedro. Oh yes.
That secret waterfall is located in the secret jungle.
From beach to mysterious and magical. Absolutely fitting for such a day.
Yes. This really happened. He washed her feet. He did. Hang on while we swoon.
In typical San Pedro style, off they go in their Belizean limo. ‘But why’? We hear you declare. ‘Where are they going? Don’t let this day end!’ you implore.
But there’s cake. They must go to their cake. And so…
…we leave you with this last, photo, just to remind you of this day, this blog, this wedding and this amazing British wedding in Belize. Like you’d even forget.
This gorgeous wedding was organised and hosted by Xanadu Island Resort
Feel Free Enough to Get Hooked in Belize – Belize Wedding Photography
As destination wedding photographers in Belize, we are always eternally grateful that we get to share important moments in people’s lives while they are visiting this stunning country, we call home.
There are many things that are so very special about the beautiful country, commonly referred to as ‘the jewel’. One of the things that people say most often after visiting is that they have never seen water as clear and dazzlingly turquoise as they have in Belize.
Other people discover Belize and become repeat visitors because of the fishing. Belize is one of the only places, maybe the only place, where it is absolutely possible to get what fisherman call the ‘Grand Slam’, which is so elusive, in one single day. Belize recognises this and protects its fishing grounds fiercely. It’s all catch and release.
Fishing isn’t all there is to do in Belize. With the water sport lifestyle available in a tropical climate, year round, boats are for pleasure as much as they are for sport.
The exquisite beauty of Belize never ends, even as the sun sets.
Those are just some of the reasons we think that Belize is becoming such a popular place for proposals. Thankfully that’s one activity which isn’t catch and release!
There’s something that frees the spirit of those who visit Belize. So many people around the world dream about the sort of playful and joyous experiences that can be had in such an amazing place.
Miles from anywhere, wading in 80 degree glass like water on pearly white, soft sand in your bare feet.
Celebrating one of the most important and, if you’re the proposer, most nerve wracking days of your life.
It’s a pretty good recipe to get that ‘YES’, you’re waiting to hear.
Then, it’s time for laughter…
…and huge smiles.
At one point you’re going to remember where you are, catch your breath and take a look around you.
It will make you do this, spontaneously. Trust us. It will.
The magic of Belize makes it the best place in the world to plan a life together. Congratulations!
Celebrating the New Year with a Full Moon in Belize – Belize Wedding Photography
It’s a new year and we have so many things to celebrate. We had to look up synonyms for the word ‘epic’ just to describe how unbelievable the last year has been for us as wedding photographers in Belize. Not only did we have the most fabulous, fun and fantastic weddings, but we hit over 100,000 views on this blog. The fact that people love our work and trust us to record some of the most important events in their lives is not something we take lightly. The fact that thousands of people love our work enough to read our blog is not something we take lightly either and so we are going to start off this year as we intend to go on. So, sit back and get ready for a blog that’s going to make you smile, blush, laugh and possibly become green with envy. Enjoy!
Belize weddings are different. They can be as fancy or as informal as you want, but Belize is all about being carefree and relaxed. Who cares if there’s only two hours until the ceremony?
Brides in Belize don’t get zipped into their dress until about 15 minutes before the ceremony.
That’s about when the groomsmen think about getting dressed.
All the groom requires is a good scrub down.
And just in case he misses a spot, the bride will take care of it later anyway.
She’s in her dress and va va voom! What a dress!
(Gratuitous photo of conch and rings)
Father of the bride is the perfect chauffeur. We loved the little added touch of the curtain on the side of the golf cart (the preferred method of transportation on the island) so that the groom didn’t get a chance to see the bride before the wedding. As mentioned earlier, things are a little bit different in Belize.
And they did it! You see, having a wedding on the dreamy island of Ambergris Caye, just off the coast of Belize, means that no one has to sit around for 2 hours for a ceremony. It’s all about the glorious beauty of the Caribbean Sea, the experience, the friends and loved ones, the romance and of course, the party.
So, now it’s time to get to the important bits.
Whoa! Wait a minute – not those important bits…(just in case you enjoyed this romantic full moon, there is more to come later in the blog)
For now, let’s stick with the sweet, sweet romance…
…lovely formal portraits and …
…there is always that beautiful scenery. But now, we’re going to change up the blog a little bit because this wedding, like all the weddings we work on, was unique. There is only so much of perfect, traditional, destination wedding portraits we think you need to see. Knowing that we love unconventional wedding photography, the bride brought a second dress so she could be just a little bit more daring and we feel obliged to warn you that she looks as gorgeous in the second dress as she did in the first.
We did try to warn you. We can’t even think of adequate descriptive words to describe this bride.
Perhaps the words will come just a little bit easier to describe this groom.
We tried really hard to keep them out of trouble.
Even when unexpected people turned up to help them celebrate…or recover…we’re not really sure.
For a minute, we thought we were going to lose her veil.
Fortunately we enlisted some assistance.
Once the Belize Defence Force (the Army of Belize) heard about our antics, they thought we might need some additional protection.
Oh my! Maybe they were right.
After a scolding, his clothes miraculously found themselves back on again.
But before we knew it, they started coming off again. I’m sure you can imagine that there were a load of women on the beach telling him to get dressed again immediately. Yes, you’d have to be imagining that because it’s the opposite of what was actually happening.
But it was all worth it…
…to get a shot like this!
We haven’t even told you about the partying.
Or the cupcakes. What kind of magic made these?
The thing is, with a celebration like this, one day isn’t enough.
When you come to the Caribbean with a crew of your favourite people, a party boat is a must do experience.
It’s such good fun to throw your family into the warm water and watch them enjoying themselves…
…and then to arrange for a bunch of sharks to chase them. Swim! Swim!
The clothes are staying on as two days of partying come to a smile filled end…
Well, not for everyone, it seems. In Belize, the party never has to end.
Even when everyone has gone home, the decorations are still shining bright.
This most incredible wedding and celebration was organised by Dulce Belize Weddings and hosted at Rojo Beach Bar & Lounge
All scenery, sharks, Army guys and unending fun were provided by Belize
Love Across Nations – Belize Wedding Photography
There’s no doubt that Belize is probably one of the most understandably desirable destination wedding locations in the world. This means that we get couples from across the globe traveling to this jewel of a country to celebrate one of the most special and important days of their lives. In this case, Belize wasn’t just a ‘destination’ for our groom – it was home. For the glamorous bride, all the way from Poland, it was the opportunity to learn more about her gorgeous groom and his heritage. As one of our favourite events this year, filled with love, laughter, spontaneity, beauty and joy, we thought it was a perfect wedding to share with you as we round off 2016.
This is when things start to get real. You’re wearing a robe with ‘Bride’ written across the back of it, your Mum looks like she might burst out crying, you have a veil on your head and there is a wedding dress on the back of the door.
Last minute decisions? Hat or veil? When a bride looks like a movie star, anything can happen.
So, it looks like she went with the veil. We approve. What a perfect setting though. Seriously? Does it get any more perfect?
When there is true love, there is always laughter.
And silliness.
And tons and tons of joy!
Did we mention the perfect setting already? Well, it’s worthy of emphasising that point. The thing is, there are beautiful skies in many places and even beautiful beaches, but Belize is unique and with the help of this couple, who found love across nations, we’re going to show you why.
Have you ever spent the night under a real thatched roof? No? Well, you can do that in Belize.
You can also find yourself a handsome and romantic Belizean guy. Though this one is most definitely off the market.
He’s going to want to show you around town though.
So, he’ll introduce you to some of the local wildlife.
He’ll take you for a spin in his fancy car.
He’ll show you off to some of the other guys in town.
And take you for some of the best shopping.
He’ll look for some prime real estate with you.
And when you laugh at his antics…
…he’ll sweep you off your feet…
…and he’ll make sure that you fall in love Belize just as much as you fell in love with him.
This gorgeous wedding was hosted and organised by Ramon’s Village Resort
Kids Bring a Little Magic – Belize Weddings
As wedding photographers in Belize, we are beyond lucky to be able to photograph weddings in the most spectacular scenery. We get to work at people’s dream destination weddings. You think that would be enough and most of the time it is, but we have to share a little secret. When couples let us know that they have kids in attendance, we look forward to the wedding even more because kids bring just a little bit of their own special magic to every wedding and they are just so freakin’ cute. Their charm, innocence, curiosity and sense of fun make for truly memorable and magical moments. This wedding is perfect example.
Although every bride and groom are unique, there are certain things that are pretty much guaranteed to happen at most weddings. First, the bride gets a little help so that she can feel her most beautiful.
The groom, too, usually needs a little bit of help with his boutonniere. There is a very specific skill that you must have to be able to put one of these on properly. We’ve tried and failed many times. The last thing you want to happen is for the bride and groom to have their first kiss and the bride gets stabbed with the pin.
Enter – the love of a child. Children understand celebrations better than anyone and they wear their hearts on their sleeve more openly than any adult.
It’s a long day for young children so it’s important to make sure that they have a little help to get them to the ceremony on time.
When it’s all over, it’s time for the guests to go and relax and for the couple to get a little alone time.
This is a time, away from friends, family and, of course, the children.
Many couples tell us that this private photo session after the ceremony is one of their favourite parts of the day.
After all the craziness of the day, the preparations and then the ceremony goes by in a flash. It’s a pleasure to escape and reconnect again. And, no matter how much you love the children, it’s nice to get a break from them too.
Oh well! Spoke too soon there. Belizean children LOVE weddings. They adore seeing the beautiful brides dressed up like princesses and so if they hear there is a wedding nearby, they’ll find you.
As in most marriages though, the children aren’t the only ‘kids’ in the family.
As weddings in Belize tend to be late in the afternoon to benefit from the most flattering natural light and the most comfortable time of the day, it also means you get to end the experience against a sky with colours like a painting, over the Caribbean Sea.
You also get to enjoy a little ‘grown up’ time with your guests at a private party on the beach.
But when all is said and done, if you have children at your wedding, it will be those magical moments that only they can create that will live on in your memories to be shared time and time again.
This wonderful wedding was hosted by the beautiful Coco Beach Resort and organised by their brilliant Sandy Points team.
Picture Perfect – Belize Weddings
Who doesn’t want to look picture perfect on their wedding day? For so many brides and grooms, making that special effort for such a important and memorable event, is part of the ritual. Everyone hopes that the person to whom they are committing to for life will look at them, while they exchange vows, and think ‘Wow! How did I get so lucky?’ And we believe that’s how it should be. It also helps us to create beautiful pictures. As wedding photographers in Belize, that’s our job and we’re so grateful when couples make our job easier.
The ritual tends to be different for the brides and grooms. Brides usually have a professional to help them.
Grooms, on the other hand, have to make themselves look good all on their own.
The bride has an expert to apply the finishing touches and tell her she looks beautiful.
The groom has a mirror.
The thing is that when they finally see each other and they truly do look picture perfect…
…that’s when the magic begins.
No matter who you are – even if you’re a wedding photographer, who has worked on hundreds of weddings – you can’t help but feel moved by the emotions and shared love between two people on their wedding day.
When they are this happy and they are in Belize, one of the most beautiful places on earth, it doesn’t matter whether the picture is …
…on the dock…
…or on the beach…
…in lush tropical gardens…
…or in a quirky window…
…it’s always going to be picture perfect.
This picture perfect wedding was planned and hosted by the wonderful Matachica Resort
Lovely Love – Belize Weddings
There’s nothing a wedding photographer loves more than when all of the elements conspire to create a perfect day for their couple. This was one of those weddings. Absolutely lovely in every way.
You will often see us raving about the beautiful dresses that our brides choose. A dress is a true expression of the bride’s personal style. This one struck such a perfect balance, modest yet sexy as well as being light, flowy and perfectly comfortable for a beach wedding.
We also try very hard to encourage grooms to make that extra effort. If the bride is going to take the time to look stunning on this very important day… a day when both partners are committing their hearts to each other forever… then it would certainly seem that the groom should do the same.
When it all comes together, it’s just…well…sublime.
So, let’s rewind a little bit so that you can join us for this gorgeous island wedding. May we present the beautiful bride.
Waiting pensively, is the gorgeous groom.
Don’t forget about the rings, strategically located. We are ‘Conch Creative’, after all.
Including the people you adore just means even more love to go round.
When you get married on an island, having a sand ritual so that you’ll always have a piece of the place you said your vows with you, wherever you go, is something that is so special and unique.
There is probably nothing lovelier than smiles that are brimming over with love.
OK. We have to admit. The view and a couple of bottles of everyone’s favourite local beer can help to make it just a little bit lovelier.
We feel it’s important to allow our couples to enjoy this jewel of an island in the Caribbean Sea and so we encourage them to take some time to relax and take in the scenery after the excitement of their wedding.
The many textures of Belize…
…and the many coconut trees. Hey, coconuts are lovely too.
So, all we can say is that if you are in love and you’re planning your destination wedding…
…Belize is probably the loveliest place in the world.
Special thanks to the incredibly lovely Victoria House Resort which hosted and organised a fabulously lovely wedding for these two very lovely people.
Where Love Sparkles – Belize Weddings
It’s rare that a wedding gives us a blogging dilemma, but this one certainly did. It was just so adorable and every single photo made us smile. Of course, what’s the point of blogging if we can’t share all of those incredible moments with you? So, we were left with two burning questions: 1. How are we going to narrow it down to a reasonable number of photos? and 2. What photo do we start with? Well, jumping photos have always been popular. They are symbolic, fun and, when done in Belize, super duper scenic. But this jumping photo had that ‘x’ factor. Not sure what it is, but they definitely looked like they were about to fly off into the horizon, hand in hand – and so, this is how we’re starting our blog today.
The rest of the blog will be easy as we’re just going to take you through the day so that you can experience it like we did. We know you’ll definitely have as much fun as we did, but possibly not as much as the bride and groom. We’ll start off with some mellow photos of the details first, because they were pretty exceptional.
When you ask for a bouquet with tropical colours, this has got to be what you’re thinking of. Simply stunning. What you don’t expect is that they’ll make you insatiably hungry. Yes. You read that correctly. All we can say is to read on and you’ll see what we mean.
Technology is changing so many things and we all remember that awkward moment someone tried to hold up a mirror behind us so that we could see what the back of our head looked like. Well, that doesn’t have to happen anymore. Did we mention the details were fabulous at this wedding and exceptionally sparkly?
Here’s our gorgeous bride. Just wait til you see that dress properly. Wow!
Grooms don’t look quite as good as brides in silhouette but he certainly looks dapper.
Remember what we were saying about details. Well, our lovely readers, this is Belize. You know, like the shape of the entire country and…we’re not sure exactly what they’ve made it out of. It sort of looks like Licorice Allsorts. Whatever it is, it’s outrageously adorable and they’ve even made the cayes. You can see Ambergris Caye, which is where they got married, and some of the others. Crazy imaginative details.
Oh wow. It’s that time already. Did someone paint this? Could it be more perfect?
Oh for goodness sake. The bride even had beautiful feet and barefoot sandals. Seriously. It can’t be this lovely and then they have a great time too – or can it?
And there you have it. Oh yes. As well as being gorgeous, having the most amazing details and a dream beach setting on the Caribbean, they had to just have the best time of their lives doing it. Did we mention this is Belize? Yeah, we must admit…this sort of thing does seem to happen here. Maybe it’s the salty seaside air, the hot sun or possibly the rum. Hmmm.
We promise. These are real people. Not actors. They also happened to be two very lovely people and you’re going to get to share a little of our private time with them. But first we need to get the nuptials over with.
Here, we present you with the walk down the aisle, with the waves breaking over the Mesoamerian reef in the background and the little clouds so fluffy they look like cotton.
Then it’s the legal stuff. Never has signing a piece of paper looked quite so much fun.
Of course, before we head off for some photography with just the couple, we have the requisite group shot. This was a very very naughty group.
That’s because they were hungry and thirsty. This is what was awaiting while the couple had their own personal shoot with us.
And this!
That dress. OMG. We had to just indulge ourselves with one photo of this amazing bride and one of our favourite dresses ever.
So now we’ll show you some of the two of them together. We’d just like to point out that when the groom makes an effort to look as good as the bride (OK, maybe not as good…but hey, she looked really, really good) on their special day, it really shows and we love it.
Whether they are walking along the beach, hand in hand – just relaxing…
…or when he’s inside the mouth of a whale, while she’s riding on top of it. What!? Yes, you’d be surprised at some of the cute and mysterious things you’ll find in San Pedro.
Whether he’s making her smile in just that way that makes you wonder what he might have just whispered into her ear or…
…maybe he just reminded her about the food waiting back at the reception because she’s looking hungry.
Just in case she’s getting too weak from the hunger, he happily gives her a piggy back ride.
But suddenly, it seems the hunger has overwhelmed him too. This is always when the photographer needs to step in…
They need some refreshments to help them keep up their strength for that one last shot. You know? The one that every couple dreams of when they get married in the Caribbean.
Yep. That’s the one alright!
It’s time to head back to the party with all their loved ones. And what a party it is! Before the night was out though – they had one very important message they wanted to share.
Because they truly …
(how could they not?)
We think this sums it all up. True love in Belize always sparkles.
Big thanks to the wonderful team at the fabulous Coco Beach Resort for organising and hosting this fun and love filled day
Traditions and Tropical Memories – Belize Weddings
We remember, many years ago, living in London and seeing billboards for Caribbean destinations wondering if we’d ever be able to have a holiday in such a beautiful place and now, now we live and work here. Not only that but we get to share that with people who have traveled from all over the world to fulfill that very dream. Some come to elope. Some come to party. Quite a few bring their wedding traditions with them. The only difference is that they get to enjoy those traditions in beautiful Belize
Getting ready. That age old bridal ritual, supported by her best friends, to prepare her for her future.
The rings. Perhaps not quite conventionally presented, but this is the Caribbean and so, traditions come with a twist.
Once the rings are in place, symbolising a lifelong commitment…
It’s time for group photos. Wait a minute. This isn’t a traditional group photo! As anyone who has been to Belize can tell you – everyone is very friendly – including the cats and dogs. You’ll likely have one or the other turn up at some point to congratulate you. That’s a tradition here.
We can’t, of course, forget about that first dance. A favourite tradition for the evening.
But it’s the memories that make the day so special.
And what better memories can you ask for than an azure blue sky…
…a warm, beautiful sea…
…sunshine and tropical greenery everywhere you turn. Come to Belize, enjoy your own traditions and create new ones that you’ll never forget.
This beautiful wedding was organised and hosted by the fabulous Las Terrazas Resort
La Isla L’Amour Part 2 – Belize Wedding Photography
Warning – This blog contains images that may make you wishful, envious, joyful and really, really, really want to get married in Belize. This is probably as perfect as it gets.
That last, final touch up, when your heart is beating like crazy and you’re worried you might cry. Taking deep breaths and keeping it together. You don’t want to ruin your makeup.
Those last minute thoughts. Wondering how you got so lucky and how you could be so nervous.
Standing on the Caribbean beach, staring at the turquoise waters and being grateful that you are so lucky to be in such a beautiful place with the one you love most in the world. Waiting.
It’s time. Small, intimate, perfect. You speak the words that mean forever.
Those words are sealed in writing confirming your commitment.
Suddenly you realise that the nerves have washed away and you’re filled with happiness.
First things first – capture the memory of the people who helped you to have such a special occasion.
Then make a toast to each other and to your future together.
Dance like no one is watching – though someone is.
Take some time to reconnect and decompress after all the excitement by standing on the end of a dock surrounded by endless blue, moody clouds above and the waves crashing over the reef in the distance.
You never seem to tire of gazing into each other’s eyes and you hold hands as you walk slowly down the beach back to the comfort of your resort.
By the time you return, the sun is setting and it’s time for a quick refreshment to take back to your room.
This is where your day ends and your wedding night begins. We think it’s time for the photographer to go home.
This perfect wedding was organised and hosted by the gorgeous Matachica resort.
La Isla bon Epic – An epic Belize Wedding – Part 2.
If you saw part 1 of this blog, then you’ll know how much fun we had with this couple all around San Pedro Town. It was one of most popular blogs ever. We promised you a part 2 and here it is. This is the wedding – and of course, all beach weddings in Belize are pretty spectacular, so please join us while we share this couple’s special day in paradise.
We’re sure you can guess from this photo that there are going to be a couple of cuties involved.
Here’s one of them having some appetisers and building up her strength for the excitement ahead.
And here is the other one making sure she looks perfect.
Now that the cuties are fed and polished, it’s time for the bride to start thinking about her own primping and prepping.
Finish the hair.
Tie up that dress.
Let’s not forget the fellows. If the bride can make the effort, so should the groom and this one truly did – he looked so dapper.
More appetisers?
Seriously, could this wedding be any cuter, more colourful or prettier?
Maybe not, but it could get a lot more fun from the looks of it.
Girl bonding time is always important when your family and friends come all this way.
Especially when the groom is happy to hold the bouquet.
But as always, there comes a time when we have to drag the happy couple away for some romantic photos.
Oh my! They are a great looking couple.
And they are perfectly matched.
So, when they had a quiet time together as the sun started to go down, we suddenly realised that they were very like their two little cuties because what they really wanted to do was get back for some very epic……
….appetisers!
This epic wedding was organised and hosted by Xanadu Island Resort.
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.
OK. Maybe not THAT familiar!
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.
Creating beautiful shadows.
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
The Thing About Paradise…. – Belize Wedding
There is something about paradise. Maybe we’re biased. We work in a place we believe is paradise. We live in a place we believe is paradise. We spend the happiest days of people’s lives with them in a place we believe is paradise. The thing about paradise is that it is beautiful in so many ways. Probably a bit like love. We guess this is why paradise + love is such a great match and why people choose to get married in Belize.
Dresses seem, somehow, much dressier in paradise
Even bling has a way of being even blingier in paradise.
Love from your family is even lovelier in paradise.
Your groom’s cheeky smile looks even cheekier in paradise.
An aisle lined with tropical flowers certainly seems more tropical in paradise. Oh and no one has to buy new shoes for the wedding!
Smiles are smilier in paradise.
The palm trees…well, the palm trees are ridiculously palmy in paradise.
Even the seaweed manages to be extraordinarily seaweedy and even quite beautiful in paradise.
And you know what’s even crazier about paradise? The fish are not fishier and they are always biting. So, even if you’ve already got the best fish in the sea – paradise in Belize is waiting for you.
This wedding in paradise was organised by the stunningly Victoriany Victoria House
Fifty Shades of Pink – Belize Wedding
We think there is nothing sexier than the sky, reflecting over the Caribbean Sea, just before sunset in Belize. You would’t need whips or chains to get this couple to spend time together. So let’s start this love story, which includes nothing but a little bit of light veil bondage, from the beginning.
The beautiful bride arrives in her sparkling limousine down the tree lined avenue. She trembles slightly as she anticipates the moment when she will set eyes on her handsome groom.
She exits the shiny limousine with thoughts of love and passion running wildly through her mind.
She sees her groom and immediately presses herself against him.
He teasingly toys with her veil.
(here comes the promised veil bondage)
He wraps the veil around them, binding them together as he nuzzles her neck.
And then a cute dog appears. Hey, c’mon. You all know us well enough to know that we couldn’t continue the steamy story and keep a straight face. The dog is cute though.
They were such a gorgeous couple and really didn’t even need a bit of veil bondage to make them seem sexy.
We were sad to see them go when the day ended and they drove off into the distance on the …ok we admit it..it’s not a limousine it’s a golf cart – but this is Belize and here, one man or woman’s golf cart is definitely as good as a limousine. Why?
Because this! Fifty shades of pink is simply priceless.
This lovely wedding was held on the beach in the beautiful Boca del Rio area of Ambergris Caye
and was organised by the couples’ good friend Libby Vidrine
Angels of Belize – Belize Weddings
As we’re coming to the end of an amazing 2014 and about to start an even more fabulous 2015, we felt that this wedding was a perfect fit to review all of the things that make Ambergris Caye so special, not only to us as wedding photographers in Belize, but also to the sweet, kind, fun, beautiful and loved up clients we’ve been lucky enough to work with. So, we’ll start with an easy one. Belize is, of course, known for it’s beautiful scenery, tropical beaches and Caribbean waters.
Belize is known as a place to be barefoot.
But, if you know Conch Creative, you’ll know we love shoes. So, we think that there is always room for shoes, even in Belize.
As a world famous dive destination, Belize is known as a perfect place to ‘take the plunge’.
Belize is also a place to feel a little bit sexy.
Belize is a place for musica muy romantica.
Belize is a place to say ‘I Do’.
Belize is a place to find gorgeous beach resorts.
Belize is a place to lounge around by a pool.
Belize is a place to discover quirky little places that are simply stunning.
Belize is a place to find all sorts of architecture.
Belize is a place where there is really good cake. No, seriously, the cake in Belize is delicious.
But oddly, it may surprise you to know, that Belize is a place where you can find angels watching you from above.
We wish all of our clients, friends, family, supporters, business partners and pretty much everyone in the world a very Happy New Year!
This beautiful wedding, all about Belize, was hosted by the wonderful Coco Beach Resort
My Secret Promise – Destination Belize Weddings
If you’re familiar with our blog, you’ll know that we love telling cute and fun stories with our destination wedding photography from beautiful Belize. We thought we’d try something different with this one and look forward to hearing what you think. We love the arts and we love supporting other artists. If there are any artists that can vividly capture ‘love’ with their work, it is poets and something about this couple made us feel very poetic. So, this is the first romantic poet we’d like to feature, Viyanga Gunasekera and his poem, My Secret Promise.
I ran in blessed drizzle,
I walked across the silver deserts.
I dived under golden sun gleams, and
I passed thousand of seas;
To get to the Seven Gates.
Sometimes I was lost in a crowd
But I felt your love’s power
Pulling me towards you all the time.
Will we be able to survive together?
For this world is a flaring place
But I’ll gladly take the chance, for
You are the only one I love till eternity.
I stopped, and saw the empty skies above,
A graveyard with a newly buried couple,
A dark cloud wandering lonely.
But the silver line in it,
Manifested the diamond necklace I gave you.
Then came a fresh breeze
I felt your sweet voice and divine aroma in it.
So I saw you in a sea of roses,
In a blossoming bud,
In a luminous sunbeam,
In a fragrant wind,
And then everywhere.
Suddenly there were colors and songs in the atmosphere.
An angel was sprinkling magical dust
A cupid was shooting arrows of flowers.
My heart leaped out
For I saw my Cinderella…………
She’s a divine Goddess, I was feared to touch.
She had lit a lamp for me
But I was the one who burnt all the time.
She does not know…………………………
Her voice filled my vacant ears,
Her magical eyes stung in my heart,
Her glittering smile made haloes in me.
She was my secret promise…………..
The flames that burned in my heart,
Now have become caressing petals.
I removed my heart and gave to her,
She wore it on her wedding finger.
This gorgeous wedding was organised and hosted by the beautiful Victoria House
The Perfect Match – Destination Belize Wedding
We do a lot of wedding photography in Belize, but there is always a first time for everything. This was our first ‘footie’ wedding. For our USA friends, we are talking about ‘soccer’ of course. The game, where a ball is kicked with the foot. As we’re sure you can see, our groom LOVED football. Our very patient bride, not so much. So, sticking to our football theme, let’s see how our teams pan out.
The bride was well prepared with her best kit for the wedding. Were Manolo Blahnik sponsoring her team? This isn’t fantasy football, but that ups the ante to a dream team for the bride.
She made sure to have her best game face on for the day.
She seemed to be planning tactics well in advance.
The groom, not about to let his side down, worked on setting up distractions.
It didn’t take long before he scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The players get to relax a little at half time.
Then they grab a little refreshment before getting back into the game.
The bride lines up nicely…
…and it’s a perfect goal. Right down the centre. The groom didn’t stand a chance. That Manolo Blahnik sponsorship truly paid off.
It’s not long though before the groom recovers with a great score. Two-one to the groom at this stage. They are both such strong teams, who knows how this will end.
The groom noses in for another sneaky shot.
But he appears to have gone offside.
The groom is relentless. He tries again, coming up behind while her defenses are low…
…but at the very last minute, the bride scores a perfect goal right between the posts! What an exciting match. A match made in heaven for sure. We officially call this one a draw. Congratulations to our couple, who were great sports!
This footballtastic wedding was organised and hosted by the high scoring Matachica Resort.
There’s Love in Every Detail – What Works When Planning Your Destination Wedding – Belize Wedding
Because we are lucky enough to work in a destination that is incredibly popular (and quite rightly so!) for romantic, exotic and tropical weddings – we probably shoot weddings more often than your average photographer. This gives us a great insight into what works and what doesn’t. We would like to present you with a wedding full of everything that works. In this blog we are going to share with you the secrets that we’ve learned that will make your destination wedding personal, stunning, unique and full of love – in every detail.
Shoes. Every woman loves shoes, but when you’re planning a wedding in Belize, shoes may not be the first thing that pop into your head. After all, this is a barefoot wedding destination. But think outside of the proverbial shoe box if you can. Shoes aren’t just for wearing. They add colour, pizzazz and, if they are quite as fabulous as these shoes are, they can be used as props for photographic opportunities. After the wedding is over, we are sure that you both can think of other ways to integrate shoes into your newlywed life.
On the other hand (get it? hand?), rings will certainly be a detail you do not want to forget. Do not forget the rings …and…if you are going to request photos of the rings, photogenic rings are best. ‘My ring has too much bling’ said no bride EVER.
The bride certainly does have plenty to think about. Sweat proof make up and nuclear hairspray are two necessary items.
The groom and his supporters also need to think about fundamental things like – does anyone know how to tie a tie correctly? If none of the wedding party do have this very important skill, make sure that you’ve hired a photographer who does. In this particular instance, this is yet another thing that worked at this wedding. Conch Creative offers tie knotting as a complimentary service, but please do not ask us to pin a boutonniere unless you don’t faint when you see blood.
Moving on now. The dress. Choosing a dress for a destination wedding, or any wedding for that matter, needs to be done with care. If you are getting married in Belize, remember that you are likely to swell a bit. Some blame the humidity, others the food, drinks and good times. Either way, make sure that you have these two areas covered – Will I be comfortable? Will I look freaking fabulous? In this instance, we can only assume that the bride planned for swelling because the stunning, glove like fit of this dress was absolutely perfect. Please note that your photographer will be very grateful if you follow these guidelines as it definitely reduces the wear and tear on our retouching muscles.
Flowers. We need to add one of those ‘don’t try this at home’ warnings to this one. If you are planning on throwing the bouquet at some poor harmless, unwed bridesmaids you may wish to hold off a bit on the extras. We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt you know. But if you are accessorising with your bouquet and don’t want it to become a wilting memory of your very special day, have fun with it. Get creative. Put some planning into it. Put some love into every single detail because trust us, we are the photographers, we have all the records in our archives and we can tell you right now – when you make an effort, it shows.
While it is fashionable for the bride to be a little bit late, it never works if the groom is. So, if you can combine the need for timeliness with a very sexy gift for the groom, just to give him that extra loving detail – go for it! Please notice the groom’s attire. If the bride can make the extra effort to wear a stunning gown on this important occasion, there is no excuse for the groom to let the side down. Guys, if you want to do what works, put some love into it. Wear something smart, something snazzy, something that compliments your beautiful bride. It will be worth it when you see the pictures.
Time to see how they scrub up. That dress! Wow!
Those shoes! Shazam!
Those rings! Perfect!
That location! OMG!
The kiss! Wait a minute! How’d he get into the picture? We did forget to mention one extra detail. Your guests. Make sure your guests are well behaved. If they can’t be, then make sure they are cute and entertaining. This Father in Law fits the bill on both counts.
The smiles! The most loving detail of all. The smiles need to be humungous and from the heart.
When planning your details, make sure you’ve set aside some time to relax after the ceremony, to decompress and to enjoy the scenery.
The last important detail that will make your wedding work is to choose the right photographer for you. Your photography should be fun and relaxing. Since the third person in the marriage at this stage will, indeed, be your photographer, you better like them – a lot. And likewise. Can you imagine what could happen if your photographer didn’t like you? Luckily Conchs are immensely likable and entertaining and you may even want to take one home with you.
When it’s time for those intimate moments. You don’t want someone there who feels like a stranger, or even worse, who feels you strangely. So, please, choose your photographer carefully as when you look at your photos, you’ll be reminded of them every time.
If you’re going to come all the way to beautiful Belize, pay attention and show some love to those details. Because we know it works and while this may be your first, second or even third wedding, we’ve done hundreds and we want yours to be the one that we remember forever too for being one of the most beautiful and special days of all.
This lovingly detailed wedding was organised and hosted by Las Terrazas
The Chapel of Love – Belize Weddings
When we take candid photos of our couples, enjoying the breathtaking scenery of Belize, we often wonder to ourselves ‘what are they talking about?’ In this case we think we can guess because it certainly was an eventful day for them and for us and it all started in a the tiny little Catholic church in San Pedro Town, the only town on our beautiful island of Ambergris Caye.
This was a first for us. We’ve done hundreds of weddings in Belize, but because most destination weddings are on the beach, we had never had the experience of a church wedding. So we were intrigued and excited. We also learned a lot about traditions. For example, we had no idea that the priest would require private time with the bride and groom before the ceremony to counsel them. I don’t think they had any idea either, but rules are rules and if you want to get married in the church, you have to follow them.
It all seemed a bit overwhelming at times.
There are special rituals that are part of a church wedding. And of course there is simply the cuteness of a small church on a tiny Caribbean island off the coast of Belize.
There’s no doubt that it was all worth it and that it made this loving couple feel so special.
Don’t think for a minute that just because this couple opted for a church wedding that they aren’t up for some serious fun. Now’s the time to party on the beach!
After sharing some refreshments with loved ones, we whisked away our happy, newlyweds to enjoy the beautiful scenery they came to Belize for.
The spectacular view towards the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.
The sandy paths and palm trees that make Ambergris Caye so uniquely natural.
The quirky variety of docks over the turquoise sea, which are all public and available to explore.
Meanwhile, it looked like things were getting all set up on the beach and ready for some serious celebrations.
But they still had some time to enjoy each other.
Finally, as the light faded and the skies became moody it was time to return.
Waiting for them was an absolutely gorgeous dinner setting to enjoy with their guests, who all loved them so much they had come all this way.
It couldn’t have been more perfect.
This is what every couple dreams of doing on the evening of their destination wedding in Belize. What a day! What a party! What a location! And to think it all started that morning in a little chapel of love.
This wonderful wedding that started in the Church but ended on the beach was organised by the gorgeous X’ Tan Ha Resort
Magical Moments – Belize Weddings
There are some places in the world that are simply unique. They have a sort of magic and mystery to them, where sometimes, time seems to stand still and for that moment, everything is simply perfect. Belize is one of those places and that’s why it is so popular as a place for small intimate destination weddings. Join us as we share some of that magic with you.
Flowers that look like they’ve popped out of a romantic old painting.
A dress that’s fit for a princess.
A cake with details that look like they were created by faeries.
And floating rings…….Whoa! Wait a minute! Floating rings? Is this real magic or is it Photoshop? It’s neither. This certainly was created with some good old fashioned trickery but we can assure you that the rings were most definitely in the sea and those are real fish and they were all really there together. No Photoshop or any sort of digital photographic manipulation required. But like all good magicians, our secrets must remain secret.
Romantico! And we all know that true romance is is in itself a magical thing.
As if appearing out of an enchanted forest, here comes the beautiful bride.
A very dashing, handsome, dark and mysterious groom completes the picture perfectly.
They seem enchanted, as if their love might just fly them away.
They tiptoe through paradise, apparently spell bound by the beauty of their surroundings.
Captivated, they take a moment to gaze into each others’ eyes.
