A Few Thoughts Before Your Wedding Day
A few gentle recommendations so you enjoy your wedding deeply — because the richer the experience, the more meaningful the photos become. Before anything else — thank you, truly. Being considered to document such a meaningful day in your lives is always an honor. These notes aren’t just about photos. They’re here to help you have the best experience possible — because when your wedding feels genuine and meaningful, the photographs naturally follow. Take this simply as gentle guidance. Trust yourselves first. At the end of the day, this is about your union, your story, and the life you’re choosing together.— Daniel Maldonado
Start With What Truly Matters
Start with the “why.”
Before the dress, the date, or the venue — ask yourselves what you truly want to feel that day. You’re here because you met and realized there was no one better to build a life with. That alone is worth celebrating. Keeping that clear helps every decision make more sense.
Let your wedding reflect your beliefs.
Talk about traditions, beliefs, and expectations — then choose only what genuinely connects with you, not what others expect. When the day feels honest to who you are, everything becomes deeper, more meaningful… and the photos naturally reflect that.
Vows — Let your heart guide you
Vows are one of the most beautiful parts of a wedding. I know speaking in front of people can feel intimidating, but it’s truly worth it. At their core, vows are simple promises — a rare chance to say out loud what you admire, appreciate, and love about the person you chose.
If you’re having a religious ceremony, there may be some structure, but many officiants allow personal vows if you ask. And one small tip: write them on paper, not your phone. It feels more intentional — and becomes something you can keep forever.
Invite the People Who Truly Matter
This sounds obvious, but many couples feel pressure to invite more people than they actually want. Give yourselves permission to invite:
- The people who genuinely make you happy
- The ones who know your story
- The ones you’ll be excited to hug that day
The venue, the date, and the light: decisions that change everything.
The venue (and often the date) is usually the first big decision — and it shapes almost everything that follows: the vibe, the logistics, the timeline, and honestly, even how your photos will feel. An urban venue in Quito’s downtown has a very different energy than an outdoor space in Puembo.
Because of that, ceremony timing matters more than most couples expect. If you have flexibility, I usually recommend planning it around 3–4 pm at the latest. This way, you’ll have beautiful natural light flowing through cocktail hour, relaxed portraits, and those golden sunset moments — often some of the most emotional photos of the day.
That said, I genuinely love daytime weddings too — even as early as 12 pm. The key is choosing a venue with good natural shade. Trees are ideal. If that’s not possible, umbrellas or covered areas for guests make all the difference. Midday sun can be intense, but with the right setup, it can still feel beautiful, comfortable, and wonderfully natural.
Not sure where to start? I’ve curated a list of venues around Quito — from urban lofts to countryside haciendas — with notes on light, space, and vibe to help you decide.
Choosing your ceremony: religious or symbolic?
This might be one of the most personal decisions you’ll make. Religious ceremonies — whether Catholic, Jewish, Christian, or others — carry beautiful, time-honored traditions and often follow a meaningful structure that has connected couples for generations.
A symbolic ceremony, on the other hand, is a blank canvas. Officiated by a friend, family member, or celebrant, it can be anything you want it to be. Intimate, unconventional, deeply personal. Some couples write their own vows, others create rituals — like planting a tree together or including loved ones in unexpected ways. There are no rules, only what feels true to you.
I wrote a blog post to help you understand the differences, with real examples and a few stories along the way. Because at the end of the day, the only “right” ceremony is the one that feels like yours.
Let the unexpected become part of the story
Something will probably not go exactly as planned — that’s normal. Take a breath, stay present, and remember why you’re there. People rarely remember the exact color of the flowers, but they always remember how they felt.
Prioritize the experience over perfection. When you truly enjoy the day, everything else — including the photos — naturally falls into place.
Leave space for real moments
Not everything needs to be perfectly timed. Add some buffer to your schedule — especially while getting ready, moving between places, and before the ceremony. It keeps stress low and leaves room for spontaneity.
Perfection isn’t the goal. The slightly imperfect moments are often the most human — and the ones you’ll remember most.
Choose a dress that feels like you (and lets you dance)
Pick a dress that truly represents you — not just what tradition, trends, or Pinterest say. It should feel amazing, yes… but also comfortable enough to hug everyone, move freely, and dance like nobody’s watching. If you can’t drop low on the dance floor, we may need to rethink it 😄
Comfort isn’t less elegant — it usually makes everything look better.
Natural Beauty Over Perfection
Hair and makeup should enhance, not mask.
And don’t stress about:
* A loose strand of hair
* A little dirt on the dress
* Real laughter lines
These details make your day human.
And human is beautiful.
Don’t skip the speeches — they’re worth it
You can ask people you love before the wedding to share a few words — a friend, sibling, grandparent, or even yourselves. It’s a rare chance for them to say what they truly feel, and it often becomes one of the most meaningful moments of the day.
Keep it simple: 2–6 speakers, about 2–3 minutes each. And if possible, printed notes always feel more personal than a phone.
Getting ready sets the tone
The morning of your wedding often holds some of the most intimate moments — parents getting emotional, friends laughing, that quiet anticipation before everything begins. Choosing a bright, spacious place with natural window light makes a big difference, both for how it feels and how it photographs.
If your venue has a good space, perfect — if not, a nearby hotel or Airbnb can work beautifully. Keep clutter minimal, have your details ready in one place, and surround yourselves with the people who truly make you feel calm and happy. Big group or small — there’s no right number, just what feels right to you.
First Look
Seeing each other before the ceremony can:
* Calm nerves
* Create private emotional space
* Free up time later
* Allow relaxed portraits
It’s entirely personal — there’s no right choice.
Unplugged Ceremony
Encouraging guests to put phones away:
* Helps them stay present
* Improves professional photos
* Keeps sightlines clear
* Makes reactions more genuine
Many couples simply include a note in invitations.
Family portraits — keep them natural
Family photos matter a lot, but they shouldn’t feel like a long photo session. The idea is to keep them simple, relaxed, and quick so you can get back to enjoying your wedding.
Being a bit organized beforehand helps — knowing who matters most, keeping a light atmosphere, and not overloading the list. When it flows naturally, the photos feel better… and so does the whole day.
Trust your decisions — and choose vendors you truly connect with
You’ll hear lots of opinions while planning. Listen if it helps, but remember: this wedding is yours. The best decisions usually come from what genuinely feels right to you as a couple.
And the same goes for your vendors. From makeup to flowers to photography — choose people you feel comfortable with, whose energy you trust. That human connection makes everything smoother, more relaxed, and honestly… much more enjoyable.
Eat. Seriously.
Sounds obvious, but couples forget all the time. The day moves fast — eat, hydrate, breathe. Taking care of yourselves keeps your energy up and helps you actually enjoy it.
Delegate responsibilities
Friends, family, planners, vendors — people generally want to help. Let them. It frees you to actually experience your wedding instead of managing it.
Your wedding doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be true.
Your wedding isn’t a production — it’s the first day of the life you’re building together. Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for truth.
Years from now, you won’t remember if everything went according to plan. You’ll remember the way your voice caught during your vows. The way your partner looked at you. The laughter. The tears. The real moments.
My photographs are simply windows into that day — real, human, and yours.
So as you walk toward each other, breathe. Look into their eyes. Smile — not for the camera, but for them.
The rest? That’s your story to live.
If this resonates with you — if you’re looking for someone who will document your day with this same heart and intention — I’d love to hear about your wedding plans. Tell me your story, and together we’ll create something beautiful.
