A Jewish Wedding with Editorial Edge at Papaya Playa Project Tulum
A black tie celebration with a secret after party location, photographed with a minimalist approach assisting Koko King
Location: Tulum Mexico
Venue: Papaya Playa Project
Planning: Angelina Cardenas & Peter Deanda
HMU: David Friedmann Beauty
Photography: 14 hours as a 2nd shooter
The images in this post are photographs I took as second shooter for renowned photographer Koko King. This is the second time I’ve worked with Koko after assisting her in Holbox – every time I work with her she re-wires my brain with her creative vision. This time her brief was to photograph the wedding clean, minimal and fashion forward. Hard flash for an editorial feel, loose and casual detail shots, clean white walls, and jungle green kept deliberately to a minimum. The result is one of my favourite galleries, dark and fashion-forward in a way that feels truly editorial.
Be warned – is a big selection of images to share, but clocking in at 14 hours of coverage this was a full and fabulous day. It’s worth mentioning that Koko was featured in both Carats & Cake and Lensel for this wedding – very well deserved.
Papaya Playa Project as a Wedding Venue
Papaya Playa Project is one of Tulum’s most iconic event spaces, a jungle-meets-beach property on the Tulum coastline. The bohemian architecture works equally for an intimate ceremony or a full production party. The venue’s density of lush green jungle, natural wood, stone and thatched palapas, creates a visually rich environment that, rewards a minimalist shooting approach. Isolating pockets of light and texture and creating space by using clean white walls as backgrounds focuses the gaze and creates clarity in what can be a visually chaotic environment.
A Jewish Wedding Ceremony at Casa Palapa
PPP offers Casa Palapa as the base for wedding events, with the bride getting ready in the main house, steps away from a large palapa covered wooden deck. While the protection from the elements is functional the lighting is low, and Koko chose to use my continuous light to illuminate the couple for the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony.
Stunning Reception Tablescapes Winding Through a Jungle Reception and a Secret After Party
The sprawling reception was moody and candlelit, each centrepiece individually lit to showcase the tropical florals. But that was not all – after the first dance, heavy drapes pulled back to reveal a hidden after party spacedisco balls, paper lantern lights, a celebrity DJ, and the full Burning Man energy. This wedding ran 14 hours and finished well past midnight. One of my favourite days I’ve been part of.