White Wedding

Last Friday I had the opportunity to shoot at quite a spectacular wedding reception.

For weeks I’d been in contact with Luis who works at DeSantos restaurant, one of the top restaurants in town. It’s unclear exactly what his role is there. He’s some sort of manager of the nightclub, the restaurant, and their burgeoning catering business. I met him sort of by accident. One night I was walking by the restaurant and thought, “oh, that’s where DeSantos is” because I’d heard about the place a lot and had even walked by it but never made the connection. I stopped to look at the menu and a guy came out and asked me if I was ready for dinner (something typical to ask here). I told him I was on my way to another place, but he asked if I wanted to come in and take a look at the restaurant. Sure, why not. He showed me all around and brought me upstairs to their open-air lounge. The theme is all white and chrome with sort of beds for guests to lounge on – very trendy. He asked if I wanted a drink (on him), but I said I felt funny drinking in a bar alone. He told me I could have a drink with a guy who was sitting at the bar and introduced me to Luis. We talked for a little while and I told him how I was a photographer. He told me how DeSantos is getting more involved with catering events and how they had a wedding coming up in December and he didn’t know if they had a photographer, but that he’d check and maybe hook me up.


Over the past several weeks we played telephone tag and I stopped by the restaurant a few times and eventually found out that the couple already had their photographer (no great surprise since it was so close to the wedding). But Luis said that he wanted to put together a portfolio to be able to show to prospective clients of the work the restaurant could do for weddings and other events. We never worked out any sort of business agreement, but last Friday I found myself going to the wedding.

I had to take a cab to get there because it was in Nuevo Vallarta which is actually in the next state of Nayarit (hence, it’s an hour behind Vallarta time) even though it’s just the next town north of Puerto Vallarta. Nuevo Vallarta has been developed for luxury hotels and homes, and businesses. There’s actually a gate to get into the place. It’s really weird, like a sort of planned community that almost feels like a movie set.


The wedding was at a private home called Casa Los Truncos. It’s the most spectacular home I’ve ever been in. I can’t imagine someone living there; it’s really more like a museum. The decoration was simple but very elegant and at the couple’s request, all the guests wore white.


Late in the evening, their friend Fher (short for Fernando) performed with the band who’d been hired for the occasion. He happens to be the lead singer for Mana which is probably the most famous pop/rock group in Mexico. I’d been unimpressed with Mana’s music in the past, but had a feeling that it would be better live, especially with the energy of a crowd. I wasn’t disappointed with Fher’s performance; I guess they have a new fan.

Apparently Mexican weddings can go till 6 or 7 in the morning but luckily one of the owners of DeSantos (Luis Miguel) gave me a ride home at around 4:30am because I live on his way home. I spoke to Luis Miguel on the drive home and he said DeSantos would recommend me for future weddings. Who knows how sincere he was because he’s yet to see my photography. But I think I got some good shots so I just need to edit and meet with them to show them my work. Hopefully it’s the start of a good working relationship with them.


Whatever happens, it was an interesting experience to be at a wedding of the rich and famous here in Mexico. As my neighbor has said, you just don't see people like this walking down the street. They definitely exist here because there is a lot of wealth in this country. But at one point it struck me how different these people were from the people I encounter most days.