11Jan

A Photographer’s Tropical Destination Wedding | Natalie and Dustin

By, January 11, 2016

We were thrilled when Dustin, one of our own star photographers, decided to tie the knot with his beautiful bride Natalie. Lucky for us, this fun and laid back couple chose to have their wedding in Mexico, just outside of Puerto Vallarta. The event was held at the luxurious Exclusive Resorts of Punta Mita, a tropical resort with immaculate private villas, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and even a private beach! It was the perfect setting for this intimate wedding.

Since Dustin is a lead shooter with True Photography, it’s no surprise that the property was a “true” photographer’s playground. This wedding was bursting with color, which came out brilliantly in their photographs.

Beautiful bride at Mexico destination wedding standing on the edge of an infinity pull with her reflection in the water.
The moment we laid eyes on the infinity pool, we knew we HAD to use it for some reflective photos. Luckily, the bride Natalie was a willing participant. Just as a nice breeze came in, she balanced along the edge of the pool, which resulted in the striking image above.Wedding couple having an intimate kiss in a hammock at their Destination Wedding in Mexico.
Bridal shoe detail photograph poolside at a destination wedding.
When photographing details, we love to bring in elements of the surroundings, in order to tell a story. In the photo above, we photographed Natalie’s glitzy heels in front of the pool that accompanied the couple’s private villa, where they spent a lot of down time.
0004 0005 Father helping son to get ready in this candid photograph Bride writing her vows in this intimate special candid moment
Before she got ready, Natalie took a moment to collect her thoughts and write down her vows. To capture this special candid moment at a distance, we quietly photographed through a chair :)
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The colors throughout the property tied in perfectly with the wedding color scheme. We took full advantage!
Photograph of bride and groom kissing at a destination wedding. Leading lines add emphasis to the couple. Glamour shot of beautiful bride at a tropical destination wedding
To add to the tropical feel of this wedding, we used the reflections in the windows to show the natural surroundings.
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The ceremony was held under a massive tree, just steps away from the crystal blue water. The couple was joined by their proud family for vow exchanges.0012 0013 0014 0015 Black and white photo of couple kissing while their guests are cheering in the background. Candid wedding moment under a veil on the rocky shores of Punta Mita 0018 0019 Shooting through flowers to for this romantic destination wedding moment. 0021 0022
To achieve the photo above, we ran in front of Natalie and Dustin with a cell-phone flashlight, the camera on a tripod, and a shutter speed of 8 seconds. Our penmanship practice came in handy ;)
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To see more of this tropical destination wedding, please click here. Congratulations to Natalie and Dustin!

27Nov

A La Valencia Wedding Coordinated by Cynthia Zatkin Events

By, November 27, 2012

As a La Jolla native, I adore the La Valencia Hotel, or “La V,” as we call it here. It is such a wonderful location with a historic 1920’s feel to it. With its landmark pink color and Spanish elements, the La V feels very old California. And since it also boasts an updated interior, and amazing food and service, it feels very modern at the same time.

When it came time to decide on a destination wedding venue, Debi and Scott decided on the La Valencia, and they couldn’t have picked a better location. The couple decided to do the majority of the planning themselves, and brought my company in for day-of coordination. Whether we are hired for day-of or full service, we always put the same energy and dedication into planning the wedding day, and we produce the best results possible within the time given.

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

I met with Debi and Scott about eight weeks prior to their big day to do a walkthrough at the venue. After going through questions regarding the set-up and timeline for their event, I created a detailed timeline, to serve as the master document for all the vendors.

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

Since the La V is so close to the ocean, the pair were able to jet down to the waterfront with their wedding party for a few photos. The green huts shown here line the walkway along La Jolla Cove park, and make for an adorable backdrop.

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

Debi and Scott both come from Jewish families, and it was very important for them to have Jewish traditions incorporated into their wedding. For example, The chuppah (wedding canopy), was crafted from the prayer shawls of the couple’s respective bar and bat mitzvahs. The prayer shawls were sewn together to represent the union of families. Very creative and so personal! The day’s events included a formal Ketubah signing prior to the ceremony, as well as traditional Jewish customs interwoven into the ceremony itself.

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

The reception took place in the Veranda room, where Debi and Scott chose to begin the evening with the Hora! The idea was to have the guests up and dancing before dinner even began. I love these photos of Debi and Scott surrounded by family and friends – and their expressions are priceless!

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

Rather than a traditional wedding cake, this couple opted for a small cutting cake, and a table of fantastic finger desserts from the amazing Michele Coulon. Lately, I have had a lot of couples opting for dessert displays, and a small ceremonial cake to cut. I love the idea and the look!

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

Debi and Scott made use of the La Valencia’s white linens, brought in gold Chivari chairs with matching chargers, and had very minimalist white flower centerpieces. It was classy but simple – and purposely so. I love planning according to the tastes and personalities of my individual clients.

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin EventsLa Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

I really enjoyed working with Debi and Scott! They were great decision makers and really enjoyable people, and I love that they just wanted a super fun party. Since my dad and his family are all Jewish, I appreciated the traditions, and really enjoyed the energy of this Jewish wedding. Mazel Tov!

La Valencia Wedding with Cynthia Zatkin Events

Coordinator: CZ Events
Photographer: True Photography Wedding
Venue: La Valencia
Bakery: Michele Coulon Dessertier
Linens and Rental: Raphael’s Party Rentals
Disc Jockey: Tim Altbaum Productions

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