We had to reschedule several times due to bad weather, and Jorge was always extremely understanding and accommodating. Even after moving our vacation a couple of weeks later and then we had to reschedule again during the week we finally got there, Jorge was kind enough to keep us in his schedule no matter what, and it ended far better than we had planned.
Jorge recommended shooting in the early morning rather than during sunset, and I am so thankful we shot in the morning when it was not nearly as hot or crowded.
Marcos and I were pretty nervous since it was our first time having a professional take our pictures, but Jorge made us laugh and feel so comfortable that we forgot we were tired!
I could immediately tell by the way Jorge took in all the surroundings that he loves about the Art of photography, and he had many incredible ideas of where and how to shoot that we would never have thought. Not only was his creative direction helpful, but also the constant encouragement he gave us as we amateurs stumbled our way through the shoot.
Jorge was very patient and always reminded us to fix our hair. Jorge came up with ideas as we walked through the beautiful Hotel Xcaret! This hotel is a massive complex and requires a lot of foot travel, and Jorge was always so kind to walk with us to more locations we wanted photos.
After passing our time limit, Jorge kindly kept the shoot going to make sure we had photos in front of the spots we had planned ahead of time. Even though we had already been there almost a week, Marcos and I felt as if we were discovering the hotel again, but this time through a professional’s eyes.
Places we had quickly walked past were transformed into stunning backdrops for our engagement session! Looking back on the photos, it truly looks like an even more magical place because of his photography.
Marcos and I first met in Architecture School in Atlanta Georgia where a mutual friend asked Marcos to walk in with the cake for a surprise birthday celebration for me in our design studio. After becoming close friends, our relationship began in 2018, and we’ve been traveling the world, graduating from university, and beginning our careers together ever since.
One night on this family vacation, Marcos told me to wear my favorite dress as we would be eating at the nicest restaurant at the resort that night. Little did I know on our way to dinner, Marcos proposed on July 18th, 2022 at a beautiful spot in front of the Hotel Xcaret’s Chapel Of Todos Los Angeles to pop the question as the sun was setting.
After I said yes, we took pictures with his family and called mine to tell them the great news! Marcos debriefed me on how he had planned everything, including how he hired Jorge to take our photos professionally that week!
We talked and strolled along the river, the resort built between the hotels and the beach. We texted family members and talked about which church we wanted to get married in. When it was time for dinner, Marcos surprised me again with a fine dining experience at Xcaret’s called Xaak where we were served a multi-course meal each paired with a special wine.
The restaurant was unique as its floor-to-ceiling glass walls showcased how the floor elevation was below the water level of the river that flows through the resort. We ended this unforgettable night with another stroll along the beach.
Hotel Xcaret Arte was one of the most beautiful getaways we’ve experienced together. The architecture, culture, cuisine, and environment truly celebrated some of the beautiful aspects of Mexican culture.
This massive resort also features several large excursion parks. One of these parks, Parque Xcaret, featured many animal encounters, including walking underwater on the sea floor while schools of fish surround you.
Our favorite activity was their dolphin experience. We met Malu and her trainer! The trainer taught us many facts about dolphins and led Malu to perform tricks, such as kissing our cheeks and even helping us glide through the water with another dolphin by pushing our feet with their beaks.
It was a lifelong dream of mine as they are one of my favorite animals, and it was a truly unforgettable experience for both of us. Marcos and I also visited Xplor Fuego, an ATV park and ziplining experience at night. The ‘Fuego’ is for the large bursts of fire as we rode over terrain and ziplined through a ring of fire over the forest.
The dining experiences of Xcaret are also never disappointing. One of my favorite places to eat at the resort, and the one we most frequented, was Mercado San Juan. Every restaurant has a theme, and this one celebrates Mexico’s colorful marketplaces providing a variety of Mexican cuisine.
One night this restaurant had chefs from a few of the other exclusive resort restaurants come to Mercado to prepare endless dishes from that place’s menu. For example, the Japanese steakhouse restaurant had a booth serving endless sushi.
At the center of this massive resort complex was a large temple that served as a wayfinding landmark to navigate the grounds. At the top of the temple sits a catholic chapel with panoramic views of the ocean and the resort’s hotels. Marcos and I attended the most beautiful Sunday mass we have ever been to along with his family.
Looking back on it now, I am somewhat regretful not planning the wedding here, but we are happy with our decision to get married next September in our home catholic church we both grew up with.
After the mass, we are holding our reception in the Georgian Ballroom of the historical Biltmore Hotel in Atlanta: a hotel ballroom that was originally designed and built in 1920 and has now been restored for use as a venue.
Location: Hotel Xcaret Arte.
