Svetlana & Dmytro
Considering the close proximity of Azul Fives in relation to our home, and our familiarity with their beachfront, we had eagerly been anticipating photographing a wedding at the resort for quite some time before Svetlana and Dmytro contacted us. They were the first couple who also requested we meet on Skype to discuss their wedding details at length before even deciding to book with us. It certainly helped us build a report with the couple instantly, as everyone just seemed to click right away, and in no time they were contacting us to save the date and be their wedding photographers. We were aware the wedding would be entirely in Russian, and that we would not be able to communicate with the vast majority of their attending guests, and we were more than happy to welcome the challenge, and embrace it even. Having fairly strong and significant Ukrainian roots ourselves, I was really excited over the opportunity to immerse ourselves in Russian culture and language for the day. And it felt great knowing that Svetlana and Dmytro felt confident in our abilities to still capture the necessary moments, despite the obvious language barrier. Svetlana and Dmytro had their maid-of-honour and bestman run each other love letters from one another, and catching their quiet moments reflecting on the other’s written words, was beautiful and special. Once ready, Svetlana visited with her parents before heading out towards the ceremony gardens, a complimentary upgrade from the resort since the initial setting was meant to be beachfront.
The ceremony gardens were quite an impressive offer, appearing pristine and well manicured, and they made for absolutely fantastic photos. Their wooden structure with a perfect view of the pier and Caribbean Sea made for a great backdrop during the ceremony. They even included a printed larger-than-life size poster banner set up, from their engagement photo shoot. Seeing this photo, alongside others from their save the date flyers, had me reminiscing of their shared love story, about meeting at a friend’s BBQ July 2012. It had me thinking back to their adventurous and interesting first dates and really appreciating enjoying so many activities together, from hookah lounges to arcade games, and beyond. They certainly have their moments where they can relax and appreciate good theatre, but these two also love embracing adrenaline rushes with sports like ATVing and snowboarding. It should come as no surprise that the proposal for their engagement took place in a tropical setting like the Dominican Republic, followed by a destination wedding here in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. And when it came to Svetlana & Dmytro scheduling in time for their newlyweds creatives, it was a top priority, allowing us ample time to tour the grounds and photograph some exceptionally intimate moments between these lovebirds before the sun had officially set for the evening.
The grand entrance that Svetlana & Dmytro had planned was accompanied by a traditional “Bread and Salt” offering that is customary in Russian wedding traditions. Following their tradition, was a wedding sand ceremony, with the two of them pouring their respective vials of sand into one larger vessel. Dinner was enjoyed with various dishes being presented at various stages throughout the evening, peppered in between were speeches from family and friends who had traveled far and near to attend. Everyone was in for quite the surprise when the bride and groom rushed away after dinner without saying a word, only to return in outfit changes, ready to dance a choreographed number much to everyone’s excitement. As more courses were served, Svetlana returned to her wedding dress once more and additional speeches were heard, before the night was able to proceed forward with parent dances, a bouquet and garter toss, and overall dance circles getting everyone involved. More drinks were shared, the couple made their rounds to each of the tables, and the night continued onward with festive spirits and excitement for the newlyweds.
