Destination Wedding: Antigua, Guatemala
I have known Dave for some time. He and I worked on our fair share of weddings together before he and his girlfriend, Betia, set out for Tokyo, Japan to start the next chapter of their lives. A deep human being with an adventurous spirit sets out into the world to carve his own path in life. It’s a story for a beach read romance novel. But there he was standing in front of me, sipping on scotch, playing his harmonica in Antigua, Guatemala on his wedding day.
Being asked to travel to some far off place is exotic and exciting for people like me. It’s not only the opportunity to photograph a whole new place, but to experience it as well. When Dave and Betia reached out to me about photographing their wedding in Guatemala, i was expecting the traditional 20-30 people reception, but this wasn’t exactly a destination wedding. This was more of a coming home wedding for Betia.
After only a couple minutes with Betia’s family in Guatemala, it was easy to see why they wanted to have there wedding there instead of Dave’s home in New Jersey, or there current home in Tokyo. I have never felt more welcomed in a foreign country before in my life.
From friendly locals to home-made lunches at Abuela’s house. Warm wishes at the market, and friendly bus-drives.
When it came to the wedding day, Maria and I were beyond excited that we had all the time in the world to play around with Betia’s details in the morning.
Getting ready for the first look is always one of my favorite parts of the day. The build up for that moment is always a lot of fun to witness.
A first look on the streets of Antigua! I love when the couple decides to see each other before the ceremony. I’ve always felt that it makes it a little more meaningful for them, and it’s a much more relaxed feel. None of the common stresses of being the center of attention.
Outdoor wedding among some ruins is something completely unique and exhilarating for a wedding photographer. Throw in perfect weather and some serious emotions, and I won’t want it to be over.
There really are no words to describe the vibe this wedding had going. The friends and family all coming together for these two amazing people was something to strive for. It’s rare to see so many people from so many parts of the world come together like this, but the way we saw them interact with one another was amazing.
There was so much love and passion poured into this reception. Dave’s friends played the guitar and sang for their first dance, family brought home-made foods, and everything was locally grown and harvested from the community.
It’s hard for me to talk about this event and really put it into words . Dave is one of those people everyone should know, and Betia is someone nobody can forget. Getting to know them better was such a privilege and I’m honored that I could be there for them on their wedding day. Antigua will forever hold a special place in my heart as one of the most welcoming places I have ever visited.
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