Playa del Carmen Wedding Photographer & Filmmaker
Photo + video collections from $3,850 USD
250+ weddings · Since 2018 · Playa del Carmen · Riviera Maya · Tulum · Cancún
You found your venue. You have the vision. Now you need two people who will show up knowing exactly where to stand, exactly when to move, and exactly how to stay out of your way — so the day you planned for a year feels like it belongs entirely to you.
We are Luis and Génessis, a husband-and-wife team documenting weddings across Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya since 2018. Over 250 weddings. A no-posing approach built around real moments. Photo and video by the same two people, in the same creative vision, from the same day.
The day you will actually remember — not the one you performed for the camera.
Most couples arrive at their wedding with a quiet fear they rarely say out loud: that the photos will feel staged. That they will look back in ten years and see two people trying to look natural instead of two people actually living it.
That fear disappears when you work with us.
Our approach is documentary at its core. We do not stop your day to create images — we move through it as it happens. We read the room, anticipate what is coming, and position ourselves for the moments before they peak. The nervous breath before the ceremony starts. The way your best friend grabs your hand without thinking. The first time your partner sees the reception and forgets the camera exists.
The gallery you will receive looks like your wedding. Not a version of it built for Instagram — the real one.
Two people. One story. Zero coordination required from you.
When you hire us, you are not hiring a photographer who brings a second shooter you have never spoken to. You are hiring Luis and Génessis — two people who have worked side by side since 2018, who share the same visual language, and who cover your wedding from two perspectives without you ever having to think about it.
While Luis has the ceremony from the front, Génessis has your parents' faces from the side. While the first dance is happening, both of you are covered from two angles simultaneously. Your photo gallery and your film were made by the same two people at the same wedding — one cohesive story, not two separate products stitched together afterward.
Your deliverables — exactly what you receive and when.
Your Grand Sneak Peek
Max 72 hours after the wedding you will recieve 80 to 110 fully edited images delivered before your honeymoon ends. Not a raw preview. Fully edited, same standard as your complete gallery.
Your photo gallery
6 to 8 weeks after the photo gallery delivered you will recieve from 500 to 650+ edited photos in a private password-protected online gallery. Every image edited by Luis and Génessis. No outsourcing, no batch processing.
your wedding videos
5 to 6 weeks after the gallery delivery, you will get your video or videos depending on your collection. Available in 5, 7-8, 10, and 20-minute versions. Raw footage options for ceremony, speeches, and first dance available in select collections.
playa del carmen wedding photography pricing.
Cancun falls within our local collection area — travel is fully included with no hidden fees.
Our wedding collections start at $4,650 USD, with full photo and video options available. Most of our Cancún couples book our full-day photo and video collection at $5,350 USD.
Add on services we provide
- Full Ceremony/ Speeches film
- Content creator Services
- Ceremony Live streaming
- Engagement photoshoots
- Underwater trash the dress
- Cinematic Teaser Videos
Playa del Carmen weddings we have documented.
Every image from a real wedding day. No styled shoots, no recreated moments.
unico 2087 wedding
meg + julius
secrets akumal wedding
janae + andy
hard rock riviera maya weding
shannon + sarp
Your date might still be available.
We document a maximum of six weddings per month. Peak season dates in Playa del Carmen — December through April — fill 12 to 18 months in advance. Fill out the form below and we will confirm availability within 24 hours.
Testimonials
Morgan + Jake
We did the 8 hours of coverage and I feel like it was the perfect amount of time. Luis and Genesis were so nice, caring, and funny throughout our day. They made it easy to just be in the moment while still getting all the photos and videos we wanted. Getting our photos and videos back made us feel like we got to see our wedding from our guests point of view. I would highly recommend Luis and Genesis for your photography/videography needs!
Testimonials
Callie + Blake
Luis & his wife are absolutely amazing! Their work is phenomenal & the energy they brought to our day was unmatched. All of our bridal party & guests even raved about how great they are! Highly highly recommend using them for your special day, they will not disappoint! We will cherish the photos & videos for the rest of our lives.
Are you still Planning Your playa del carmen Wedding? Here is Your complete guide to getting married in Playa del Carmen.
If you are still figuring out your Playa del Carmen wedding — venue, timing, budget, or all three — you are in the right place.
We have worked with couples at every stage of the process, from just-engaged and overwhelmed to finalizing details the week before the wedding. Whether you have your venue locked in or are still deciding between a private estate and a resort, we are here to help you think through the photography and videography part with clarity and real perspective.
On this page you will find:
Why so many couples choose Playa del Carmen over Cancún or Tulum
The venues we know best — and what each one is actually like to photograph
When to get married here and why your ceremony time matters more than you think
- How the vendor fee works at Playa del Carmen resorts
- What a realistic wedding day timeline looks like on this coast
- How to plan an elopement or intimate celebration in Playa del Carmen
We are not planners — but after 250+ weddings across Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya since 2018, we have seen what works, what does not, and what couples consistently wish they had known earlier. We are happy to share what we have learned to help make your planning smoother and more intentional.
Currently booking Cabo weddings for 2026 and 2027 — limited dates available.
Playa del Carmen vs the rest — what actually makes it different.
Compared to Cancún, Playa del Carmen feels more creative and less resort-corridor — more private venues, more boutique properties, more visual variety for couples who want something that feels distinctly theirs. The Mayakoba complex alone offers a range of experiences that has no equivalent anywhere in the Cancún hotel zone.
Compared to Tulum, the logistics are more accessible and the range of venue options is significantly wider — from ultra-luxury resorts to fully private beach clubs, all within a 30-minute drive.
For couples who want creative freedom, a more distinctive visual environment, or a private venue without sacrificing service — Playa del Carmen is almost always the better choice.
The venues — what they are actually like to photograph.
Secrets Moxché is the most visually distinctive newer resort in Playa del Carmen. The rooftop sky gazebo on the 10th floor is the highest ceremony space in the entire municipality — panoramic ocean views that photograph unlike anything else in the area. Three man-made cenotes, seven pools, and a design language rooted in the natural textures of the Yucatán peninsula.
Rosewood Mayakoba sits inside a 620-acre gated enclave of lagoons, mangroves, and jungle north of Playa del Carmen. Consistently ranked among the finest resort experiences in Mexico — lagoon suites, cenotes, and ceremony spaces that feel completely removed from the outside world. The arrival experience alone, by boat through the lagoon, sets the tone for everything that follows.
Fairmont Mayakoba offers the largest beachfront in the Mayakoba complex and the most event space for larger celebrations. Lush, layered, and beautifully lit at golden hour — one of the most photogenic properties in the entire Riviera Maya corridor.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba brings a completely different visual language — Asian-influenced architecture inside a Mexican jungle, private pool villas, and lagoon waterways. Guests arrive to their rooms by boat. The aesthetic here is unlike anything else on this coast.
Blue Venado is a private beach club exclusively dedicated to weddings. No resort guests, no vendor fees, no early curfews. Located in the secluded bay of Paamul south of Playa del Carmen — rustic-chic palapas, lush greenery, and Caribbean beach that stays exclusively yours all night. One of our personal favorites on the entire coast.
Villa La Joya is a private beachfront estate just north of Playa del Carmen — grand staircase, tropical gardens, Caribbean views, and complete freedom to design every detail without resort restrictions. No vendor fees.
Jardín del Mar offers a private beachfront palapa, direct ocean access, and a consecrated Catholic chapel — one of the few private venues in Playa del Carmen that covers the full experience from ceremony to reception in one location.
The vendor fee — what it means in Playa del Carmen.
Most all-inclusive resorts in Playa del Carmen charge an outside vendor fee for photographers who are not on their preferred vendor list. This is a fee you negotiate directly with your resort — not something we manage for you, but something we guide you through completely.
We know the vendor fee process at most major properties along this corridor and will walk you through exactly what to expect at your specific venue on our first call. Some resorts also allow photographers to stay on property as an alternative — whether that makes more sense depends on your specific situation.
Private venues like Villa La Joya, Blue Venado, and Jardín del Mar have no vendor fees.
How the light works in Playa del Carmen — and why your ceremony time matters.
In Playa del Carmen, the sun sets behind the jungle to the west — not over the ocean. That means golden hour light comes from behind the trees and hits the beach at a low, warm, cinematic angle that transforms ordinary resort settings into something extraordinary.
We recommend ceremonies that end at least 90 minutes before sunset — enough time for post-ceremony portraits, bridal party photos, family portraits, and a dedicated 20 to 30-minute couple session during the first half of cocktail hour while the light is doing what only it does here.
The difference between a ceremony ending at 5pm and one ending at 6:30pm is not one hour. It is every portrait from your wedding day. We build every timeline around this window from the first call.
The best season to get married in Playa del Carmen.
December through April is the ideal window — stable weather, no sargassum, consistent sunshine, and the warm directional light that makes outdoor ceremonies and golden hour portraits look extraordinary.
From mid-April, sargassum begins arriving on the Caribbean coast and typically stays through September. Some of the private venues like Blue Venado Paamul sit in more sheltered bays and are less affected than open ocean beaches — worth asking about if your date falls in this window.
September through November is the rainiest period. Some of the most dramatic wedding images we have ever made came from this season — but flexibility on timing matters more here than any other time of year.
A realistic Playa del Carmen wedding day timeline.
Based on a typical December through April sunset around 6:00 to 6:30pm.
2:00 PM — Bride getting ready: accessories, dressing, first look with bridesmaids, first look with father, final portraits in bridal suite
3:00 PM — Groom getting ready: room portraits and preparation
3:30 PM — First look (couple) → family and bridal party portraits immediately after
4:30 PM — Luis and Génessis move to ceremony area
5:00 PM — Ceremony
5:30 to 6:00 PM — Post-ceremony: drone group photo, bridal party portraits, family portraits
6:00 PM — Cocktail begins. Couple portraits during first 30 minutes while golden hour is active
7:00 PM — Reception: entrance, first dance, speeches, dinner, cake cutting
8:30 PM — Dance floor opens
10:00 PM — Coverage ends
This is a framework — every venue and couple is different. We build your specific timeline together on our consultation call.
What we consistently see go wrong at Playa del Carmen weddings.
Hair and makeup runs longer than expected. Every additional person in the bridal suite adds time — and makeup artists almost always underestimate the full group. Start at least 30 minutes earlier than your artist's estimate.
Resort coordinator vs wedding planner confusion. Your resort coordinator executes the hotel's packages. A wedding planner advocates for your vision and manages every vendor including us. The couples with their own planner consistently have smoother, more personal days.
Not enough time between ceremony and cocktail. At larger Playa del Carmen resorts, distances between ceremony space, portrait locations, and cocktail venue add up. Build in transition time — 15 minutes disappears before anyone notices.
Skipping video. The most consistent regret we hear from couples after the wedding. Photos show how it looked. Video shows how it felt — your partner's voice during the vows, your father's laugh during the speech, the energy of the dance floor at 10pm. The gap between photo-only and full photo and video is smaller than most couples expect.
Common questions about Playa del Carmen weddings.
We are not used to being photographed. Will it show?
It shows the opposite way you expect. Couples who have never been professionally photographed tend to stop performing for the camera much faster — which means the images feel more real, not less.
Our entire approach is built around this. We create a natural environment and document what happens in it.
Do you know our venue?
After 250+ weddings across Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya since 2018, almost certainly.
If we have not been to your specific property, we research it thoroughly before arriving — light angles, coordinator contacts, ceremony positions, and logistics. You will never feel like we are figuring out your venue on your wedding day.
How does the vendor fee work at Playa del Carmen resorts?
You negotiate this directly with your resort — we walk you through the full process on our consultation call, including what to expect at your specific property and whether staying on site might make more sense than paying the fee.
Private venues like Blue Venado, Jardin Del Mar and Villa La Joya have no vendor fees.
How far ahead should we book?
As early as possible. December through April peak season dates fill 12 to 18 months out.
We document a maximum of six weddings per month — reach out now and we will confirm availability immediately.
Do we need a wedding planner for a destination wedding in Playa del Carmen, or can the resort coordinator handle everything?
This is one of the most important distinctions in destination wedding planning — and one that catches couples off guard more often than almost anything else.
Your resort coordinator works for the hotel. Their job is to execute the packages the hotel offers, manage the venue logistics, and make sure the property runs smoothly on your wedding day.
They are good at what they do — but what they do is not the same as what a wedding planner does.
A wedding planner works for you. They manage every vendor relationship including ours, advocate for your vision when it conflicts with the venue's standard packages, handle the timeline across all moving parts, and absorb the day-of logistics so you never have to. The couples who have the most personal, relaxed, and smoothly run weddings in Playa del Carmen consistently have their own planner alongside the resort team.
You do not legally need one. But after 250+ weddings across this coast, we have seen the difference it makes — and we always recommend it.
What happens if it rains?
Brief afternoon showers are common in Playa del Carmen and rarely end a wedding day.
We know every venue's covered backup spaces and have photographed in every condition this coast produces. If anything, the light after a brief rain is often the most dramatic of the entire season.
Playa del Carmen elopements — a different kind of wedding day.
A wedding with two guests can be just as powerful as a wedding with two hundred. Some of the most emotionally raw and visually extraordinary days we have documented on this coast have been intimate ceremonies — just the two of you, or a handful of the people who matter most, in a setting that a crowd would make impossible.
Playa del Carmen is one of the strongest elopement destinations in Mexico. Private beach access, freshwater cenotes, boutique jungle venues, and a natural environment that photographs beautifully at every hour of the day. You are not limited to a ceremony space designed for a crowd — you can get married exactly where and how you want.
An elopement is not a smaller wedding. It is a different experience entirely.
The couples who get the most out of eloping in Playa del Carmen treat it as a full experience — not a stripped-down version of a traditional wedding but something built from scratch around what matters to them. A cenote ceremony followed by portraits on the beach. Vows at golden hour at a private venue with dinner for eight afterward. A two-day experience that moves between the jungle, the coast, and an intimate table at one of the best restaurants in the Riviera Maya.
When you work with us for an elopement, we help you design the full experience — locations, timing, light, and a custom collection that fits exactly what you have in mind. Every elopement we document is completely different. Every one is built to match.
We will be building a dedicated elopement section covering everything you need to plan an elopement across Mexico — from Playa del Carmen to Tulum to Valle de Guadalupe. For now, if you are thinking about eloping here, the best first step is a conversation.
Tell us what you are imagining. We will build the rest.
Ready to Plan Your Wedding or elopement in playa del carmen?
You’ve got the vision. Maybe even the venue. Now it’s time to choose the people who will help you remember it all.
If you’re looking for a team who will guide you gently, support you emotionally, and deliver photo + film that feels like your memories — we’d love to be part of your day.
Whether you’re deep into planning or just starting, we’re here to make it feel clear, calm, and aligned with what really matters.
