Beach wedding | Say I Do In Peru

In Beach wedding/ Wedding Ideas/ Wedding tips/ Wedding Trends

Best Tips for for Wedding Photo Sessions

Wedding photo sessions are a big responsibility for photographer since they have to create unforgettable and unique memories for bride and groom. In 10 years the couple looking at their wedding photos, they will cherish memories of that day. Here a list of tips on how to plan the perfect wedding photo session:

Consider lighting when scheduling your photo session. Lighting is essential for the result of your photos, a good photographer knows how to use natural light at its best. If you are planning to take photos in an indoor location try to find a spot with large windows.

Make a list of shots that you consider mandatory, not more that 20-25 must-have shots so that you have also time for spontaneity. That way the photographer will know what are the photos he has to take during your photo session. This is crucial and we suggest to talk about it during the meeting you have with the photographer before the wedding. You can also ask the best man or the bridesmaid to help you with the list of mandatory photos. They might help looking for people who might need to be in that specific shot.

Retouch your make up. Before starting your photo session is important to retouch your make-up and hair, since you have already gone through the ceremony, hugged people and run to the photo session location. So you better bring with you your make-up artist or a little beauty-case with mascara, lipstick, powder, your hairbrush, and hairpins.

Make sure to have bride solo and groom solo shots. They should be included in your must-have shots list. Also do not forget the first-look photos, so emotional and intimate moment. This is certainly a great way to represent couple’s feelings on the wedding day.

Try to be relaxed, since every feeling will show in the photos. So first of all, try to fully enjoy your day, have a toast with your best friends, laugh with your family members and friends, so that you will also have these spontaneous and real shots.

Having great wedding photos will definitely help you cherish memories of that day. So give the wedding photography the right attention while planning your wedding.

October 29, 2021 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Decorations/ Destination weddings/ Wedding Trends

A Fun Peru Destination Wedding

Peru destination weddings can be so much fun! We had the pleasure to be part as wedding coordinators of a very special and entertained destination wedding in Paracas, a town located on the Peruvian central coast. It is about 3 hours car ride from Lima.

Bride and groom were looking for a relaxed wedding celebration with plenty of food and drinks, nothing too fancy, but something absolutely fun with a relaxed atmosphere for their guests. We tought about a beautiful Oceanfront venue in the area, with several open space options and fabulous grounds they could consider for their specia day.

The result was a stylish and fun wedding celebration in front of the Pacific Ocean, which blended the charme of Afro-Peruvian traditions and the modernity of Australian culture.

The ceremony setting was extremely simple, a foliage half-moon arch placed in one of the garden areas of the venue, rounded by tropical palms with the ocean right in front. We opted for wooden back chairs for the guests and little bougainvillea flower arrangements. Bestmen and bridesmaids, dressed up respectively in beige and tobacco tones, stand up at bride and groom’s sides. The sun was shining during the ceremony, the ocean breeze was quite intense, as well as the sound of the ocean’s waves…it was such a special moment for all.

The reception was really fun! Fourteen rounded table with white tablecloths, delicate flower arrangements with few cream, white or malva flowers, wooden chairs set around a squared wooden dancefloor structure placed in front of the long bar. As backing for the bar, we used vintage lamps hung up on different levels. Wooden and cream tones fabric were the main characters for the reception. The lighting effect was beautiful at night, few bulb lines hung from the top of the dancefloor to all the reception area and few reflectors for the party.

Bride and groom opted for a champagne fountain, very popular in Australian weddings. They started pouring champagne into the glasses and people helped themselves from the tower. The entertainment part was also very important for bride and groom, they choose an Afro-dance show and cajon and zapateo show. The cajon is a traditional Peruvian percussion instrument, a sort of box-shaped played with the hands and fingers, used in Afro-Peruvian music, but currently used also in flamenco. Zapateo is a type of dance, also typical of the Afro-Peruvian culture, where dancers use their feet as percussion instruments. It is usually accompanied by the Peruvian cajon.

The party was so much fun, the dancefloor was so crowded and the guests danced until dawn.
This is definitely a great venue for outdoor wedding celebrations!

March 5, 2020 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Venues/ Wedding Ideas/ Wedding Trends

Elegant Destination Wedding Inspiration

Few weeks ago we had the opportunity to plan an elegant wedding in a charming oceanfront location nearby Lima and we felt in love with the decoration details. This wedding was all about flowers arrangements, flower centerpieces and a beautiful flower and foliage arch for the ceremony. The stunning venue did its part too, since all these elements combined with the location made everything even more perfect. Here I want to give you an idea of how the decoration details bride and groom choose really made a difference in creating the atmosphere they were looking for.

When I received the call from the couple, I immediately understood that they were looking for a special location and this is really one of a kind. That is why I proposed them this beautiful oceanfront villa with romans architecture pieces, a little pool and a beautiful garden area. I also understood they were looking for an elegant wedding with a Peruvian touch, so me and my team tried heard to propose them little but meaningful decoration details.

First, the charming and elegant arch! This was a super fluffy arch with foliage and flowers as ceremony backing. It was a great choice to have the ceremony in the evening under a beautiful sunset. The sunset light combined with the arch really created an outstanding atmosphere for unforgettable photos.

As I said above, this wedding was all about flowers. Apart from the arch, the beautiful flower arrangements at the center of the buffet table added an elegant touch to the wedding reception.

The bar was one of a kind with the beautiful eucalypt foliage backing, highlighted by hanging light bulbs. At the side of the bar we placed two big flower arrangements, to create a perfect symmetry. The effect was very elegant and romantic.

Another beautiful decoration detail was the ceiling of the tent, which mixes foliage dangling lianas with ivory fabric.

The table set up was very elegant, with a beautiful white, ivory and light pink roses with foliage, white tablecloth and crystal dishes with golden border. The chairs chosen for the reception were golden tiffany chairs with white cushions.

The tree in the reception area was decorated with hanging jars with white candles, another elegant touch.

On the wooden table for the sweets we placed a huge flower arrangement in ivory, light pink tones with foliage with truffle towers and little traditional Peruvian sweets.

Also the cake was very flowery, a beautiful three-tier with the top tier covered in gold fondant and decorated with white, red and gold flowers.

November 22, 2019 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Venues

A Charming Oceanfront Wedding Proposal

Last year we decided to lunch a new product considering that we understood that many couples traveling to Peru for fun and visiting the country wanted to make their trip very special and come back home with everlasting memories. We received many requests for organizing wedding proposals in special settings in Peru, so we decided to take care of this special and significant part of love stories as well. Actually, this is where everything begins: the wedding proposal!

Credits: Lara Momentos

Few months ago we had the chance to plan a charming wedding proposal for a young couple who decided to spend few weeks in Peru on holiday. It was all a big surprise for the bride-to-be and we secretely coordinate and plan all the details with her fiance. All the process was soooo detailed-oriented that we definitely understood what was the atmosphere he wanted to recreate for this special moment and we proposed to host the event in a beautiful oceanfront house along the Pacific coast. The house is located south of Lima, and it is a short car ride from the capital city.

Credits: Lara Momentos

Among the details we had to take in account there was the music, the food and champagne for the toast, the romantic decorations (rose petals, flower arrangements), a photographer, and everything could have helped recreating the atmosphere he was looking for.

Credits: Lara Momentos

We loved being part of this special moment, we loved the bride-to-be’s face when he went on his knees and asked her to marry him, we loved the venue and the music! Of course she said yes!

Credits: Lara Momentos

It was such a special moment for this young couple and we understood how important is all the work behind this! They will remember this moment forever and they will tell the future generations about it. Peru will always have a special place in their heart and be very meaningful for their relationship.

Here a list of things we planned for this special event:

We found the perfect venue, a beautiful house located south of Lima with a balcony and a little swimmingpool overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In few words the venue was perfect for the occasion. After the proposal the couple went for a little photo session on the beach and the photos are amazing! We really loved the venue choice!

Credits: Lara Momentos

We had a photographer to capture the very special moment of the wedding proposal! He was obviously hidden behind a wall, as we were at the beginning when they got into the house. We believed that they wanted to have vivid memories of the moment and share them with their family and friends who couldn’t join them for the wedding proposal.

Credits: Lara Momentos

We had a singer with an acustic guitar to recreate a romantic atmosphere and play a meaningful song for the couple.

Credits: Lara Momentos

We booked a little catering service with appetizers and a bottle of champagne for the toast.

Credits: Lara Momentos

We decorated the house’s living room with rose petals and we used romantic decorations, such as the “Love” sign and a red heart in the balcony where the actual wedding proposal happened with flowers!

Credits: Lara Momentos

I hope you loved this wedding proposal inspirations as we do, and that you start planning a wedding proposal yourself for your next trip with your fiance!

March 8, 2019 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Cakes/ Decorations/ Destination weddings/ Elopement/ entertainment/ peruvian style/ Venues/ Wedding Trends

The best of our 2016 weddings

So the 2016 is over and it was a great year, full of challenges and successful destination weddings in Peru. Me and my team worked extremely hard to satisfied and fulfill all of our bride and groom’s requests. At Say I Do in Peru we believe that we cannot start a new year without looking back at what we have done so far and making a point on what we have done well or wrong, what we have learnt and what we have achieved the past year.

In 2016 we have learnt that there are no obstacles impossible to overcome and we actually worked hard to achieve our couples wedding goals. We have learnt that each couple is different, each couple has their special point of views and it has a special way to deal with the wedding planning process. I have grown up a lot this year personally and professionally and I am extremely proud of what I have achieved and the wonderful weddings I have planned in Peru’s most amazing destinations!

The idea of this article is to collect the best moments, details, decorations of our 2016 weddings and it is indeed an opportunity to make you people understand what is my work about!

So here the most amazing sweet table from a wedding I organized in November, with French macarons, decorative macarons towers, chocolate truffles, tarts (lemon, chocolate, pecan), traditional “alfajores”, a Peruvian sweet filled with “dulce de leche”, and much more. This special table, placed at the entrance of the reception area, was decorated with white orchids, glass vases filled with water and white candles, the impact was awesome and the sweets were deliciousssss! The theme of the wedding was Art Deco so the decorative elements added were in line with it, therefore we can see geometrical patterns structures, black, white and gold color scheme and white orchids, the bride’s flower choice for the entire wedding event.

Here the most amazing scenery of 2016, this picture say it all. This is an elopement in the middle of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, organized in a beautiful property nearby the Urubamba River. We found this stunning venue for this lovely couple after a visit in the area and we felt in love with this colonial church and the beauty of the well-maintained grounds. On top of that, the presence of the Andes makes this venue even more charming. The tent structure was actually really simple, since the aim was to preserve the beauty of the place itself. We add few flower decorations on the tent and we opt for this elegant white wrought iron chairs. The result was amazing, as you can see.

Here the most elegant ceremony tent for this couple who wanted to get married in a beachfront location. We selected Paracas as destination and it was easy to create this elegant and sophisticated wedding atmosphere there. White, light grey and taupe were the main colors for this wedding celebration by the Pacific Ocean. The white chairs, the elegant chair decorations, the white petals on the aisle and the white and greenery tent give the setting a magnificent elegance, enriched by the Ocean breeze and the light blue clean sky.

This is without doubt one of the most amazing wedding shot of 2016, we love the symmetry of the elements and how the colors combined with the background. This snapshot absolutely summarizes what an Andean wedding is, what are the mysticism and intimacy behind this kind of ceremony and the brightness of the colors of that moment. The venue selected was located in Cusco, it was a ground area rounded by Incas walls, a very quiet place, ideal for this kind of intimate ceremony.

The wedding cake has always a special place in a wedding celebration, it is a decorative element so it needs to be beautiful, but of course it also needs to be delicious! Here one of our favorite from 2016 wedding, this wedding cake was actually an art piece, with the perfect flowers decorations and the two doves as topper, to represent the romance and kind of the bride and groom’s love. In Greek mythology doves are associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who was always depicted with doves fluttering around or on her arms; we really loved the romance and the idea beyond this unique wedding cake.

We also loved this romantic entrance of bride and groom to the hacienda we selected for their wedding. This was a beautiful country wedding nearby Lima and we loved how all the rustic and country elements combine between each other to recreate the perfect atmosphere of a Peruvian Hacienda wedding. This white carriage was the cherry on top of the cake, and all the wedding guests were totally amazed by the beauty of the horse and the carriage’s flower decorations.

This is just a little part of our 2016 weddings and I feel extremely proud of the job I have done, and happy to be part of these couples’ life forever… but now let’s start focusing on the 2017 weddings, I need to get back to work! 😀

February 6, 2017 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Decorations/ entertainment/ Wedding Trends

“Hora Loca”: the perfect way to make your wedding guests dance until dawn!

View More: http://maikdobiey.pass.us/wedding-leigh-luis

It is very common that at certain point of the wedding planning process a foreign bride or groom ended up asking me this question: “I have heard about “hora loca” from my Peruvian relatives or friends, could you please clarify what exactly is? And I always laugh out loud with my team, since this “hora loca” thing really sounds like crazy things to the majority of foreign couples, but they are always very fascinated by it! I guess the exotic side of the expression makes it very attractive to foreigners! Even thought is very common in Latin America and in Miami as well, it is actually unknown to many foreign couples.

What exactly is “hora loca”? Why is a Peruvian weddings must-have? “Hora loca” is a transitional hour between the wedding reception and the party time, the English translation would be crazy hour. It is a way to encourage your guests to stand up and join the dance floor for a little shake! So it is basically a way to start the party, even if sometimes couple decide to have “hora loca” when the party has already started as a way to give a little boost to it! This decision is actually up to you. But one thing is true: at certain point of your wedding celebration you need to boost the party, since people will be tired after the ceremony, the cocktail, all the talks, the photos and the reception but you still want them to have fun for your special day.

Do you remember Mardi Gras in New Orleans or Carnival in Brazil? Well, let’s say that “hora loca” is a bit like a Mardi Gras celebration mixed with Brazilian Carnival parade. You will have glow-sticks, sparkly masks, sparkly ties and hats, oversize and colorful glasses, feather boas and colorful balloons all over the reception area during “hora loca”, usually waiters will pass between the tables and distribute these party items to your guests as they pour onto the dance floor. The Dj will be ready to play the best party music ever and pump up the volume. You will have to hire dancers, stilt walkers and other kind of performers to make it spectacular.

The “hora loca” concept evolved since the last years, you now have plenty of options of thematic shows, you can have a techno theme, an afro theme, a Peruvian “chicha” theme, 80’s theme and much more! You can also have a double “hora loca”, in this case you will have two different shows of 30 minutes each. So Carnivalesque mini-bash is a lot of fun, I can swear you that all the people will get ridiculous and this will help boost your wedding party! Never underestimate Latinos guys; we know exactly how to party!

The “hora loca” would be your surprise factor for your wedding celebration, your guests, especially international ones, will be fascinated by it no matter their background is and Peruvians will have a lot of fun! Chaos will surrounds you, happiness will appear on your guests face and you end up having a wonderful party in a special party, because the “hora loca” is actually a party in a party! So my advice if you are going to get married in Peru is only one: GO FOR IT SINCE YOUR GUESTS WILL LOVE IT AND PARTY TILL THINGS GET CRAZY!

Photography: Maik Dobiey

October 25, 2016 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Beauty & Fashion/ colors palette/ Decorations/ Flowers/ Venues/ Wedding Trends

Ocean Breeze: a romantic color palette for a beach wedding

Light blue and pink tones are a perfect combination if we want to create a sophisticated and romantic atmosphere. If we add some green detail for example foliage in the flowers we can reach the perfect contrast for a fun, elegant and romantic beach wedding.

Bridesmaids can opt for neutral colors dresses which perfectly combined with location while the bride will opt for a white dress like the ocean’s foam.

And do not forget about the shoes!

This is an extremely important detail…we suggest to opt for gold and white shoes.

The groom can opt for a cream suit, which will be perfect at the bride’s side. Better with some color details which will drow guests attention.

These tones are very appropriate to the location, since they allow to recall the ocean breeze, its freshness and its romantic side.

October 14, 2016 By sayinperu

In Beach wedding/ Destination weddings/ entertainment/ Guests/ Save The Date/ Venues/ Wedding Trends

Can I have a beach wedding in Peru?

When it comes to destination weddings we generally think about weddings in exotic destinations, beachfront weddings with beautiful landscapes, lot of sunshine, stunning sunsets and the smell of the ocean breeze everywhere. This is what comes to my mind…So, one of the questions I often receive from couples is: “is it possible to have a beach wedding in Peru?”

Of course it is!!! Peru is known as a country with a huge variety of landscapes and climate areas. We have three main regions: mountains, forest and coast. Peru has a charming biodiversity and this makes it one of the best touristic destinations in the world! That is why we are able to offer to couples interested in a destination wedding a wide variety of options for their wedding ceremony and reception! So if you are planning to have an exotic beach front wedding ceremony with all the elements we saw before (beautiful landscapes, lot of sunshine, stunning sunsets and the smell of the ocean breeze) you should definitely include Peru in your list!

I will try to do my best to include the best options here, but I am sure this list will not be a closed one; there will be always a new beautiful destination to discover…that is actually the best part of my work! I am very open to new challenges and I love discovering new venues around the country!

The first destination on my list is Paracas, it is located near Lima, in the Ica region, and it offers beautiful beaches, sun and an amazing fauna. Here you have plenty of choices of venues located in front of the beach, the main hotel chains have their resorts there and the area is pretty quiet and peaceful. So you and your guests will enjoy sun, ocean breeze and you will totally relax under the sun. I do not know if the wife and husband to be will actually manage to relax, we all know that if you are getting married you are all but relax! However, I swear that your guests will have a great time there! There are so many activities and tours they can be engaged in, or they can simply lie on the beach with a great Pisco-based cocktail in a hand and a tasty and fresh “ceviche” in the other! You do not know what Pisco and ceviche are? Oh God you are missing two of life’s pleasures…check it out here and here!

Another destination you might consider is Mancora, located up north in the Piura region. This is place for beautiful and wild beaches, sunshine and stunning sunsets. Same as Paracas, you have extensive venue choices for beach-front weddings and you will definitely have lot of fun. And while you are walking down the aisle barefooted, you will be trapped by the wonderful sunset on the Pacific Ocean. If you have guests who love surfing, or if you love it yourself, this is the spot to choose. Mancora is one of the best destinations in the country for surf spots.

As you know Lima is the only Latin America’s capital city overlooking the Pacific Ocean, so why do not opt for Lima! There are also here different options you can consider, especially luxury private beach houses in the south area of the capital city. They are mainly located few kilometers far away from Lima. These houses are amazing venues, where you and your guests will have a private and intimate wedding ceremony and you will party until dawn to celebrate your special day! I can ensure you that this is a great option, especially if you have Peruvian guests living in Lima who are not eager to travel elsewhere.

As I said above, these are only few options, but there are many more to discover. Let’s say that Peru is an amazing country and it always gives surprise!

August 12, 2016 By sayinperu