7 Helpful Tips From A Playa Del Carmen Engagement Photographer

Getting engaged is one of the most thrilling and terrifying experiences that, as a man, you will ever have to prepare for in your life.

You want it to be special, of course. None of this looking over at her while you’re watching Netflix, handing over a ring box,  and blurting out “So, you wanna?”

(Seriously. That’s how it happened for one girlfriend of ours. Surprise, surprise, that marriage didn’t last!)

Even if you think your girl is the type who is pretty easy going about this stuff, trust us, when it comes to getting engaged, EVERY girl wants you to go the extra mile and blow her mind.

So! Are you planning a vacation to the Riviera Maya, Mexico soon?

Then this is your perfect opportunity, amigo! A Playa del Carmen proposal is exactly what she is dreaming of.

And since your brains will be so scrambled with emotion and adrenaline in the moment, you will definitely need a professional engagement photographer there to help you remember the occasion.

Here is some advice as you prepare for an engagement photography session. We want your Mexico engagement to be a piece of cake, so you can get back to relaxing and enjoying your vacation. Sound good?

How do I get proposal photos without spoiling the surprise?

First things first. In all fairness, she is going to want to look great in her engagement photos, so she will need a heads up for this. Unless you totally have your heart set on a paparazzi proposal, we recommend telling her that you splurged on getting some photos of the two of you on vacation. Most girls seem to find this is a reasonable explanation for why a photographer is following them around.

You will start under the pretense of a couples’ vacation photography session, and then at a pre-determined time and location, you will pop the question, with the camera catching every moment. Easy peasy.

*Note: Arrange for some kind of prearranged signal from your photographer that it is the right time and location to propose. The last thing you want is to catch them unprepared!

What is the best location to propose in Playa del Carmen?

We covered the topic of engagement locations in detail in our article on what you need to know about Playa del Carmen engagement photography, so for our purposes here, we will stick with the most popular location for Riviera Maya engagements; the beach.

The beach gives you Mother Nature’s prettiest and most romantic backdrop.

We suggest avoiding the city beaches if possible because they’ve gotten pretty congested, and instead stick with public beach access points that are minutes outside the city center. (Don’t worry, we will help you with this!) Then after you propose, you can wander into Playa del Carmen to celebrate with dinner and drinks.

What is the best time of day to propose in Playa del Carmen?

The best engagement photos will come during the golden hour when the light is soft, buttery and romantic. You won’t get any harsh shadows on your faces, and the heat of the day will have subsided.

We recommend scheduling your engagement photography session to start about one to 1.5 hours before the sunset. Then pop the question about 15 minutes before the sun is scheduled to set. Round out your session with sunset photos of the two of you buzzing with love.

But! Mornings are great too, especially because the beaches are quieter and you will have more privacy. Plan to propose about an hour to 1.5 hours after sunrise for the best light.

How long is an engagement photography session?

We like to plan for 1.5 hours for the whole proposal session, but often it only takes an hour or so to capture the magic. Then you can get back to celebrating your engagement.

In our experience, it takes most couples’ about 15 minutes to find their groove in front of the camera, and we like to move through a variety of backdrops, whether that’s colorful city streets and beach, or lush jungle and the beach.

What should we wear to an engagement photography session?

First of all, wear something that makes you feel cool and comfortable. It’s hot here in Mexico, and stress is going to raise your body temperature even more.

Wear complementary colors, both to each other and to the environment. You can’t go wrong with white, blue, tan, or coral.

Avoid stripes or busy patterns, and please don’t wear gray….it is a magnifying glass for sweat! No Bueno.

What should I bring to my proposal session?

If you have props you want to incorporate, this is where you should coordinate with your engagement photographer ahead of time. It is much easier for us to bring along some extra goodies, rather than you, without raising suspicion.

Ideas:

• Champagne
• Message in a bottle to be ‘found’ on the beach
• A beach blanket and candles
• A sign

And from a more practical standpoint, bring water for that dry mouth!

How can I look good in my engagement photos?

Most guys we work with HATE having their picture taken. If you are one of these dudes who feels uncomfortable whenever a camera is pointed in your direction, here are two things to keep in mind:

1. Ignore the camera. Don’t look at it, until asked to.
2. Look at her instead. You’re about to propose, so just look at her and let us capture the magic in your face.

If you think you’re going to need more help than that, then check out our top ten tips on how to look terrific in photos.

Okay, let’s review the plan for those of you ‘to the point’ kind of guys:

• Tell her you are meeting a photographer for vacation photos
• Arrange for any props and special details for your photographer to bring
• Plan a signal that it’s the right time and place to propose
• Wear complimentary colors
• Meet the photographer one to 1.5 hours before sunset
• Snap off some photos of the two of your enjoying your vacation
• Look at her, not the camera
• Drop down on one knee about 10 minutes before sunset
• Head into Playa del Carmen to celebrate!

That’s it. You’re as ready as you’re ever going to be. Now get out there and put a ring on it!

And if you’re looking for the best Playa del Carmen photographer to capture your proposal, then get in touch with us now to book! We are Fun In The Sun Weddings, the best engagement photographers in Riviera Maya, Mexico.