Sydney and Scott’s Mexico Wedding | Riviera Maya Cancun Destination Wedding Photographer
Riviera Maya Cancun Destination Wedding: Sydney and Scott’s Mexico destination wedding was a fantastic celebration! They are the nicest people and their family and friends are wonderful (seriously, I want to be friends with all of them forever). Everyone was really happy to gather together to see them get married in a gorgeous location! Trevor and I had so much fun capturing their celebration. Our photographer-videographer team worked together to document this epic party – even though it totally poured one of the days (hello, rainy season!). No worries; Sydney and Scott’s photos and video are stunning! Keep reading to see everything (but especially their romantic photos on the beach)!
Sydney and Scott’s Backstory
Sydney and Scott have been together for six years, meeting through Scott’s roommate who happened to work with Sydney. The two instantly hit it off! Four years later, Scott proposed to Sydney while out for a walk. Immediately after Sydney said yes, her best friends ran out from their hiding place cheering and hugging them (spoiler alert: same thing happened on their wedding day!). Scott ushered Sydney and her friends back to their apartment for a celebration with more friends, family, and their three-year-old kitty named Tux.
Full of adventure and always searching for new experiences, Sydney and Scott knew they wanted to tie the knot in Mexico – because it’s Mexico! We couldn’t agree more! El Dorado Casitas Royale Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico offers amazing views, all the tropical amenities a person could wish for, and an incredible rooftop ceremony location.
Welcome Party and Pre-Wedding Fun
Guests (including us!) arrived on Wednesday. After settling into the resort – which is just as magical at night as it is during the day – everyone gathered for a welcome dinner and drinks. The energy was palpable! So much love and excitement started the moment everyone gathered together. Guests received cute welcome bags with all the essentials! (Future destination wedding couples, handing out welcome bags at the welcome party is SO much better than having them left in rooms or handed out at reception – you get a few moments with each guest and can really thank them for joining the party.)
On Thursday, we had planned on scouting the best photo locations around the resort and taking all of the detail photos for Scott and Sydney … however, Mexico’s tropical climate had a different plan: it poured all day! Sydney and Scott’s guests didn’t mind; opting to lounge in the many pools in the resort or their swim-up Casita suites. Even with the rain, it was a relaxing day before the festivities on Friday.
Thinking ahead, we decided to switch up our plan, waiting to do outside b-roll photos and video when the rain stopped. Our team always arrives a few days before the wedding and stays a day or two afterwards for many reasons – inclement weather included! We prepared for unexpected challenges, and took detail photos the morning of the wedding and b-roll and photos of the resort on Saturday instead.
Riviera Maya Cancun Destination Wedding Day Preparations
The sunshine came on Friday, as Sydney and her bridesmaids started their wedding day preparations bright and early. Relaxing in the maid of honor’s suite, they enjoyed food and refreshments from the resort as I took photos. The suite had excellent natural light – a photographer’s dream! Sydney brought her hair and makeup stylist, Carli, from the States to expertly style Sydney, her bridesmaids, and her mom’s hair. The bridesmaids were stunning in their dusty blue dresses and the soft, pink and white flowers completed the look perfectly. Sydney was glowing in her wedding gown from True Society!
Trevor and I made the rounds, taking getting ready photos with Sydney and her group of boss bridesmaids then heading over to the groomsmen. Scott and the guys hung out in the best man’s room (the resort brought food up for them to enjoy quesadillas and refreshments for lunch). They talked and ate before suiting up in their dapper tuxes from Men’s Wearhouse. Scott had a jacket; the groomsmen didn’t. But they all finished out the look with a pair of Raybans! It was a chill start to the perfect day.
Riviera Maya Cancun Destination Wedding Rooftop Ceremony
Sydney and Scott met on the beach for their first look: it was gorgeous! Their reactions were sweet, and loving. Plus the backdrop was stunning – everything you could want from a beachfront location.
Sydney and Scott wanted their wedding to be a memorable, fun, and beautiful day. Their Mexico destination wedding included all those things! There are three sister resorts all in a row. El Dorado Casitas Royale and Eldorado Royale are the adults-only sections. Generations is an all-ages resort, and where Sydney and Scott chose for their ceremony location.
The Sky Deck at Generations was breathtaking. Their ceremony was warm, breezy, and beautiful. Sydney and Scott really had the perfect weather for their ceremony! Guests gathered for the ceremony at 5pm and they cheered when Sydney and Scott said, “I do”!
Riviera Maya Cancun Destination Wedding Reception
Sydney and Scott wanted their guests to have as much fun – and tequila! – as they wanted. Thus, everyone gathered at 6pm at Tucanes Bar to enjoy drinks and a buffet for dinner. Guests were greeted at the “door” with a welcome drink – and the alcohol kept flowing because their seating chart included mini Corona bottles with name tags! The decor was beautiful and the giant “LOVE” light-up sign was a fun focal-point. The buffet was overflowing with fresh shrimp and fish, tasty beef and chicken. Family and friends enjoyed their dinner grilled right in front of them as the sun set in the background.
The piñata was so much fun (a first for us, but hopefully not the last)! As people enjoyed the churro bar for desserts (what a great idea!), the resort DJ ramped up the party music. Sydney and Scott not only wanted their wedding to showcase their union and the start of their next adventure, but they wanted their guests to have a good time. All of that was achieved – some guests even jumping into the pool at the end of the night! I guarantee people will be talking about this wedding for years to come!
Sydney and Scott’s Riviera Maya, Mexico destination wedding was perfect! El Dorado Casitas had exceptional service, and provided one of the most beautiful rooftop ceremonies we’ve seen. We’d highly recommend them for any other couples who are looking for a fun destination wedding spot!
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Florist: Bifloral Wedding Flowers
Cake/dessert: El Dorado Resort
DJ/Band: El Dorado Resort
Hair/Makeup: Carli Rene
Catering/Rentals/Linens: El Dorado Resort
Wedding Dress: Belle Vogue Bridal
Bridesmaid dresses: Etsy
Bride’s shoes: Amazon
Groom: Men’s Wearhouse
[…] only are there great adults-only resorts in Mexico, but we were at this resort in December 2021 to photograph a wedding! The El Dorado Casitas Royale resort is connected to another adults-only resort (El Dorado […]