Mexico: a wedding, a vacation + muchos cervasas

Soooooo, for those of you who didn’t know, I just got back from a week long vacation in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico celebrating my sweet friend Holly’s wedding. It was AMAZING. Aside from gorgeous weather + lots of alcohol, it was a really nice time hanging out with some good people. When you vacation with people you become real close real fast, and it wasn’t long before I made bonds with my friends stronger and made new friendships too.

Typically when I travel I bring along my digital camera. And I almost always bring my camera along to weddings where I attend as a guest. I just like to snap some photos from my seat or photograph the people I’m with – adding another element to the way that people remember their wedding day. But for Holly’s wedding I wanted to challenge myself to use only my film camera. I had just gotten it and wanted to really dedicate myself to using it without relying on my digital as a crutch. I didn’t want to get frustrated and say “forget it, gimme the digital”.

There is something magical about film. Most people, myself included, can’t exactly put their finger on it. I’m not sure if its the knowledge that you only have one shot, one chance to get it right. No blinks, or stray hands or wonky eyes that you can fix with the next frame. Or if it’s the anticipation + waiting (and anxiety, if I’m being honest) for the film scans to arrive. What did you get? Does it translate how you saw it? Did you pick the right film for the scene? Did you expose correctly, did you nail focus?

Or maybe there is just a bit of magic in the film itself.

At any rate, I left Philadelphia with only my brand new Pentax and a bunch of rolls of film in tow. I don’t think I did too bad considering I was intoxicated for most of these.

 

 

 

My husband, Brandon, very often is subjected to being my test subject. Usually, it’s to test my light. In this case it was to use up the roll of film. The plus side is he gets lots of profile pics!

 

 

Insert all the laughter.

 

 

The LOVEBIRDS. Otherwise known as the Landolfs.

 

 

Our hotel was so beautiful and colorful. Although, all of Puerta Vallarta was. At night, the sun would set and light up our side of the building.

 

 

There’s that gorgeous bride..

 

 

Holly’s sister is married to Brandon’s (Holly’s new husband) brother. Basically, sisters married brothers. Anyway, Holly’s dad gave her away.. to the wrong brother. 🙂

 

 

When I got my film scans back, I told Brandon (my Brandon, the one down there) that there was a beautiful photograph of us but that I was making a bitch face. He responded with “Well that seems accurate.”

 

 

I looooooooooove details. Love them.

 

 

The day after the wedding, we decided to head downtown. Everything was so beautiful + charming. We roamed around the city, stopped in little stores and drank a little too much tequila.

 

 

Anddddddd, a lot of days looked like this. But, we always got up!

 

 

Holly’s brother, Joey, is also a photographer and so he scheduled a trash the dress session for a few days after the wedding. He very sweetly told me that I was welcome to tag along, and let me tell you this girl does not ever say no to a bride in a dress.

 

 

I seriously had THE BEST TIME EVER. So, all you destination brides: hit me up. I wanna photograph you + your love in a magical place during this magical time in your lives.

xoxo, Lauren