Playacar Beach Anniversary Photography
Tanya & Ian
Celebrate 15 Years of Marriage With a Mini Vacation to the Riviera Maya
When we first received an email from Tanya inquiring about our couple’s session, she mentioned that their mini-vacation to the Mayan Riviera was a last minute booking to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary. We were absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to photograph a couple on such a momentous occasion. And, not only had they never been to Mexico, or done any sort of all-inclusive resort previously, they had actually never been on any sort of vacation the entire time they have been together. So it seems only fitting they had a chance to escape to the lovely Azul Sensatori close to Puerto Morelos, where we had the pleasure of photographing a wedding mid-January this year. They agreed to grab a taxi and come to Playa del Carmen for an evening visit so they could see what the thriving small beach town has to offer, and for the photo session as well. These two adorable Canadians met way back in high school, in their physics class to be exact, and married four years after graduation. Since they were both still attending University, their primary focus was on maintaining a healthy flow between their married life and each pursuing a post-secondary education. And a few years later, they decided to expand their family, bringing their son into the world in 2011. Two years after his arrival, they welcomed their daughter into the world and couldn’t be more ecstatic about being parents. They are exceptionally proud parents, and were more than happy to share personal memories about their family. They treasure the family they have, and it was very refreshing to see such a happily married couple, with such a fondness for the family life they have built for themselves, treasuring every day as it comes, and really appreciating the little things in life. I think one of the most memorable quotes from our time with Tanya and Ian is hearing that they still joke that some days it still feels like they’re in high school, minus the few grey hairs. High-school sweetheart stories are always so heart-warming and cute.
As it turns out, Ian has been spending his spare time renovating their new home of six months, and their 15-year anniversary seemed a perfect excuse to sneak away together and have a chance to just let go, and breathe deep. It not only sounds like he needed this vacation, but more so, that these two really deserved this vacation. Tanya and Ian are true gems, and they were so open, easy and happy to go with the flow of the session. These two have kind hearts, and kind souls, and their children are lucky to be raised by such devoted and loving parents. During our email correspondence before their arrival, Tanya even took time to ask if there was anything she could bring for us that we might be longing for from Canada that is unavailable here. How sweet is that? Of course, our immediate response was flavoured potato chips of any kind really, just something that’s not lime or spice or cheese. And being the sweetheart that she is, she went out of her way to bring multiple flavours and even apologized profusely for the bags that ruptured during the flight. Seriously, Tanya has a heart of gold. I would like to highlight this as a perfect example of a relationship blossoming and growing into a profound and deep love for their respective partner. I think that Tanya herself explained it best saying “I think the only thing that is different is that our love and appreciation for one another has grown”. Hearing something so sweet, so genuine and so considerate has me smiling from ear-to-ear and feeling all sorts of warm, fuzzy feelings. We are very happy we had a chance to meet Tanya and Ian, and hope our paths cross again should they manage to vacation with the kids in a few years.
