The Sims’ Destination Wedding at Mexico’s Azul Sensatori Resort > Part 1

Jenna and Steve Getting Ready

The Girls Getting Ready at the Azul’s Vassa Spa

We began the morning of Jenna and Steve’s wedding by popping over to the Vassa Spa. The spa sits inside the stunning Azul Sensatori Resort by Karisma. To get there, we just had to follow the dragonflies that read “Relaxation This Way.” Jenna and her bridesmaids were having their hair and makeup done when we arrived. The stylists were busy creating beautiful braided up do’s to keep the ocean winds from ruining the styles. The wedding day was a breezy one, but the wind kept the heat down and the bugs away! We were quickly in and out with the girls because they were about to head back upstairs to finish getting ready.

The Guys Getting Ready in Building Number Four

So, we went up to the groom’s ready room and met up with Steve and his groomsmen. When we arrived, the guys were already getting organized for the day. Someone made a joke about taking some photos in the tub, and before we knew it, the groomsmen were all down to their boxers, hopping in. The tub was tight for four men to jump into, so they graciously let the groom in first, while they sat around the edges. When it was time to get out, Steve’s buddy Ryan (affectionately known as R. Kells), accidentally turned the water on! Needless to say, everyone got a little soaked in the process. Thankfully, the temperature outside was blistering, and it didn’t take long to dry off! The atmosphere with the groomsmen and Steve was pretty relaxed, which set the stage for the rest of the day. Most of the wedding followed suit, in that it was laid back and easygoing. Nobody seemed to take anything too seriously, and everyone was clearly there to have fun.

Once the guys were out of the tub, we turned to Steve and his gifts from his wife-to-be. To start, she got him an adorable custom book, detailing all the reasons she loves him. Little stick figures illustrated each point. Next, Steve opened up a stunning watch from iconic designer Michael Kors. Attached was a tiny note from Jenna that read: “5:30 pm… Don’t Be Late xoxo”. It was a cute little personal touch to the already beautiful gift.

Steve headed into the bathroom to shave and finish getting ready. Suddenly, he motioned us into the room. He’d caught a very embarrassed Clint looking up YouTube videos on how to tie a tie. We all had a good laugh because more than one of us has had to google the same instructions in the past!

When the guys were set up, they stood on the balcony for a few shots, the lush palm trees of the resort as the backdrop. When Steve and Jenna planned the wedding, they were smart and prepared lots of down time during the day. The downtime would prove to be a lifesaver. The heat was pretty intense at times, so it was necessary to pop back into the air-conditioned rooms now and then. Even after the short stint on the balcony, the guys needed to cool off a bit. We left them there so we could meet up with Jenna in the honeymoon suite.

The Girls Finish Getting Ready in the Honeymoon Suite

There was plenty of space to entertain in the room, which meant there was food and drink galore. Food followed the wedding party around all day, which ensured that they were well fed! In the honeymoon suite, Jenna, her Mom, and her three bridesmaids were all getting their final touches done. We took some detailed shots of Jenna’s jewelry and her neatly braided hair.

Jenna’s brother Byron, his wife Kate, and their child Evalie joined in on the fun. Kate, as a bridesmaid, was getting ready, so we grabbed some shots of little Evalie. Jenna wanted a photograph of her niece looking up at her gorgeous dress from Ethos Bridal, which was easier said than done. As soon as Evalie saw us with the camera, she became shy. Her parents sat and played with her on the floor for awhile, and slowly shifted toward the hanging gown. To get the shot, Evalie’s dad Byron stood up behind the dress with a crayon. To grab her attention, he asked Evalie whether or not he should draw on it! Her reaction as she looked up at the dress was perfect, and we captured it just in time!

We photographed some of Jenna’s jewelry and her beautiful dress before the girls piled onto the bed for a group shot. They were all wearing matching floral print robes that unified the party. Jenna opened a touching letter from Steve while her bridal party looked on. While the women were pouring champagne, we let it slip that the guys had done a bathtub shot. Immediately the ladies decided that they could do a better job. And so began a day-long wedding party competition.

The girls’ entrance into their tub was comparatively much more graceful. The tub shoot was short and sweet, and nobody accidentally turned on the taps! They kept it extra classy by holding onto their champagne and wearing big smiles on their faces.

Even though there was quite a bit of time before the ceremony, Jenna’s Dad headed up, already in his suit. We set up a first look so he could see his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time. She walked up and tapped his shoulder, and he turned around with a smile.

Her Mom helped her finish with the jewelry, and then we took some shots of the bride through her flowing veil.

Steve and Jenna’s First Look

For the first look between Jenna and Steve, we had to perform a bit of a dance to get them together without seeing one another first. It involved hiding in the concierge room and sneaking down hallways. We finally got Steve and one of his groomsmen Curtis into a room to wait. Once we’d hidden Jenna, we brought Steve out into the concourse of the hotel, where the tropical breeze rustled the palm trees.

Nervously, he waited, hands clasped behind his back.

From down the hall, Jenna walked up behind him, and with a gentle tap on the shoulder, he turned around. Steve wears his heart on his sleeve, and when he saw his future wife all dressed up, a few tears sprung up in his eyes.

Once we had the first look, my wife Jen had food and drinks ready in our room for everyone to recharge from the heat before it was time for the formals.

The Creative Formals at the Azul Sensatori by Karisma

When the party had sufficiently cooled off, we took them back out into the sun. We started the shoot at the back of the property, in a secluded, lush oasis. In the shade of the palm trees, we photographed Jenna and Steve’s sunlight dappled faces.

We moved onto the beach and took up residence inside one of the cozy cabanas. Jenna and Steve brought a starfish out, and we photographed the wedding rings around one of its arms against a white sand backdrop. They also wanted a classic beach holiday shot, so they grabbed a few Heinekens and relaxed on the loungers. On our way to our next location, we took an epic wide shot of the couple in front of the resort’s grand staircase.

The wedding party joined us in the Azul Sensatori’s Starbucks hut. The location functions not only as a coffee shop but as an alternate wedding venue for the resort. The shelter is spacious and unique, with swinging benches and lounge sofas. We took some photos of the bride with each of her bridesmaids, the groom with each of his groomsmen, and then full party shots. We used the swinging benches for the group shots and began with the women. Once the girls had taken their photos, the guys piped up, and the competition flared up again. Posing in the same way as the girls, the groomsmen couldn’t help but laugh as they tried to remain elegant. We wrapped up our Starbucks adventure with a group shot on the swinging benches.

We walked to the front of the resort, where a massive marlin statue greets guests over a flowing fountain. The wedding party crawled up to the edge of the fountain for an epic long shot. A few buses were pulling up, but they graciously waited for us to finish. We walked around the marlin to the shade, where we snapped a final group shot. The intense heat of the asphalt signaled that it was time to recharge for the ceremony.

The excellent staff at the Azul Sensatori were acutely aware of the time the wedding party had spent outside. So, on their re-emergence into the hotel, the staff gave the party cold towels to combat the Caribbean heat. The Azul staff were incredible during the whole stay. They always went the extra mile to make sure Steve and Jenna had a truly memorable wedding experience.

Before the ceremony, the family congregated for group shots under the trees.

Online Gallery

An online gallery of all their images is available for the next 90 days. From the online gallery you are able to favourite images, order prints and share the gallery with your family and friends. The gallery can be accessed via the link below and you can contact the couple directly for their secure password.

The Sims Wedding Day Slideshow

Above you will find the Wedding Slideshow that we created from a selection of the best edited photos that we captured on their special day.

Additional Blog Posts for Jenna and Steve

In addition to their incredible wedding day celebration, they also have other blog posts you can enjoy. Click the links below to check out those posts.

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this special day with them and all their family and friends. We wish them many years of happiness together.

Want to share in the experience? Contact us today for a free consultation or click here to book a portrait session! We also have a wickedly fun Calgary Photo Booth that is great for any event as well as Corporate and Event Photography for all sorts of events and corporate functions.

Destination Wedding Photographer – JM Photography © 2017

The Sims’ Wedding Credits

Date | 4.4.17
Destination Wedding Planner & Travel Agent – Pamela Walker
Karisma Hotels Wedding Designer – Javier Cruz
Ceremony & Reception Venue – Azul Sensatori Resort
Hair and Makeup – Azul Sensatori Salon
Wedding Cake – Made by the Resort’s Culinary Staff
Wedding Dress – Ethos Bridal
Photography by Jeremy Martel

Learn more about our studio

JM Photography offers Calgary brides the very best in wedding photography! Our unique style and best in class experience is one of a kind. Each wedding is treated with the greatest of care and creativity, resulting in breathtaking imagery. We also offer Calgary newborn photography, capture maternity sessions as well as family portraits.

We are one of the top studios in Western Canada, servicing the Calgary area, including but not limited to, Canmore, Banff, Cochrane, Chestermere, Airdrie, Lethbridge, and Red Deer. We also offer coverage in Edmonton, Vancouver and to destinations worldwide.