What It’s Like to Photograph a Mexico City Elopement from Start to Finish
Here is the story of Tatiana & Steffan’s wedding day, as told through the eyes of elopement photographer JB Manzo.
I’ve photographed weddings in more than a dozen countries, but there was something about this day that stayed with me in a way I didn’t expect. It was my very first Mexico City elopement with the Eloping Is Fun team, and from the moment I arrived at Tatiana and Steffan’s hotel in Polanco to the final toast at dinner, it felt like we were moving through something sacred. Every detail held weight. The way the bride and groom chose to keep the day just between the two of them. The way the city seemed to open its arms to them – from a quiet bar where they saw each other for the first time, to an empty church that felt like it had been waiting just for them.
Although wedding photography has taken me around the world, this elopement was especially meaningful to me because Mexico is my home. I live here with my wife and two children, and getting to share this place with a couple seeing it for the first time brought up emotions I didn’t quite expect.
On this day, I wasn’t just their photographer. I was their guide, their witness, and, by the end of it, their friend. That’s what made it so powerful. This wasn’t a team flown in from somewhere else. This was locals caring for them, walking them through the streets we know by heart, and showing them the Mexico City we love. Not just the polished postcard version, but the textured, living place we call home.
I want to tell the story of that day not just through the photographs I took, but through the moments I saw and felt as we moved through the city together. It was a quiet unfolding of beauty, intimacy, and connection. And yes, a few surprises that made the story even richer.
A Morning in Polanco
We started the day at Hotel Alexander in Polanco, one of the most elegant neighborhoods in Mexico City. It’s a peaceful place with tree-lined streets and the perfect starting point for a day like this.
When I arrived, the couple was already in their suite getting ready together. The bride was doing her makeup. She seemed a little nervous, but in the best way… excited, grateful, very present. We also had our incredible florist there finalizing a few beautiful details. And my wife joined us for the morning too. Not as part of the team exactly, but she wanted to come along as a quiet presence of support when she found out the bride was pregnant. She’s been pregnant twice and knew how to offer that calm, steady care Tatiana needed that day. It was beautiful to watch that connection form.
As always, I started capturing the quiet moments: little glances, the way light moved across the room, how they interacted with each other. This kind of work doesn’t require staging. It just requires being present and letting the moments speak.
A First Look That Stopped Time
While the bride finished getting ready, the groom moved to another part of the hotel. He made some video calls to family in Florida because SURPRISE! None of them knew they were getting married that weekend!
This was a true elopement. Just the two of them. It made every part of the day feel more intimate and personal.
We set up the first look in a quiet hotel bar. The groom waited there with a cocktail in hand (and a mocktail waiting for the bride). He chatted with his family and tried to stay composed, but you could feel the energy building.
When the bride walked in, it was like time paused. She relaxed the moment she saw him and his expression softened immediately. You could see how grounded they made each other feel. I stood back with my camera, letting the emotion unfold. They clinked glasses, shared a quiet moment, and the whole energy shifted from anticipation to joy.
The Ceremony in San Ángel: Quiet, Sacred, Unexpected
Soon after, we left for the ceremony in San Ángel, a beautiful and historic neighborhood in the south of the city known for its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture. The ceremony took place at a church tucked into the heart of the neighborhood. And here’s where something unexpected and wonderful happened: it was empty!
In Mexico, churches are often full, even on weekdays. But this one was completely still. In a city of over 20 million people, we didn’t see anyone. It was just us! The couple stood together and exchanged vows. I moved quietly, capturing every angle I could. I didn’t hear every word of the ceremony, but I didn’t need to. You could see the emotion in their faces when it ended. Tatiana’s tears and the way Steffan reached for her hand.
Divine Timing: Portraits Inside the Church
Then something serendipitous happened. Just as we were about to leave, the church doors opened. They had been closed when we arrived, but now they swung open like an invitation. We stepped inside and were able to create some of the most beautiful photographs of the day. For Tatiana, these photos were deeply important. Her family is Catholic, and having images that honored that part of her life gave the day a new layer of meaning.
We had maybe 15 or 20 minutes inside before another church ceremony began. It was just enough time. We moved through the space with care, capturing portraits that felt reverent and cinematic. The bride was glowing and the groom was relaxed. This was another moment that felt like it had been orchestrated by something greater than any of us, and these are some of my favorite images from the whole day.
Gentle Rain and a Perfect Meal
As we left the church, a gentle rain began to fall. It wasn’t the kind of rain that ruins your day but the kind that adds a little magic. My wife found some umbrellas and we walked a short distance to the closest restaurant.
The rain led us straight into one of the most beautiful, unexpected discoveries I’ve made in Mexico City. This was one of the most stunning, high-quality restaurants I’d ever been to. And the best part was, we didn’t even plan to go there! It was simply there waiting for us just a few steps from the church.
We sat down — Tatiana, Steffan, the officiant Gracie, my wife, and me — and shared a beautiful meal. The food was traditional Mexican with a modern twist. The atmosphere was warm and vibrant. We talked, laughed, and told stories. The newlyweds shared about their life in Texas, their families, and their dreams. It didn’t feel like work, it felt like sharing a meal with old friends.
A City That Gave Us Everything
This was more than just a wedding day. It was a love story unfolding at its own pace, guided by instinct and feeling. A day shaped by the city and all the small moments it gifted us.
As a photographer, I always try to document love in a way that feels honest and human. And on this day, I saw it everywhere. I saw it in the bride’s quiet resilience, in the groom’s steady support, in the laughter over dinner, and in the stillness of an empty church.
Mexico City has a way of opening itself to you if you let it. And that’s what this couple did. They let the city lead. They let our team hold them. And in doing so, they created a wedding day that didn’t follow a script but told their story perfectly.
This was the first of many, and I’ll never forget it.
— JB Manzo
Photographer, Eloping Is Fun, Mexico City Team
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