Cabo San Lucas Wedding Photographer: Amanda & Ryan’s Intimate Wedding at Esperanza

Some weddings are all about the party. Amanda & Ryan’s was much simpler: 40 of their closest people, a ceremony overlooking the ocean, and a whole weekend together at Esperanza in Cabo.

They found me through a Google search, sent me a message asking if I photograph weddings with 40 guests, and a few months later we were standing at Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection, watching the sun drop behind the arch while Ryan’s stepfather officiated their ceremony. This is their story — and everything I learned photographing a wedding this size at one of Cabo’s most beautiful resorts.

Esperanza sits on a bluff at the tip of the peninsula, with some of the most striking ocean views in all of Cabo San Lucas — including a clear line of sight to the iconic arch, El Arco. But what makes it special for a small wedding isn’t just the view.

Everyone I worked with was incredibly helpful. I was given permission to fly a drone (just had to confirm the time window in advance), and when I needed somewhere to leave my bags and charge batteries between sessions, the team pointed me to a space without hesitation. Small things like that make a real difference on a wedding day.

Amanda and Ryan live in California and are about as easygoing as couples come — the kind who are happiest over a good dinner, a game night, or just spending quiet time together. They found me through a Google search and reached out asking a simple question: do you photograph weddings with 40 guests?

That question says a lot about what they wanted — something intimate, not a production.

Before every wedding, I ask my couples for two things: a short PDF with photos and names of their closest family and friends, and a list of the group photo combinations they want — bride + groom with the groom’s parents, bride + groom with the bride’s sisters, and so on. Amanda put hers together, and on the day, my second shooter used it to call out names during group photos, which meant we moved through them quickly and had more time to walk around the resort together for portraits, because honestly, there’s a beautiful spot practically everywhere you look at Esperanza.

I also ask couples to share a Pinterest board with me before the wedding — not because I need it for editing style, since that’s always mine, but because it tells me exactly what kind of memories they’re picturing.

I always tell my couples: the welcome party is where the magic actually starts, even though most people don’t think of it that way.

It’s the first time I meet the couple and their family in person, we walk through a few spots for the next day’s photos together, and I get a feel for how the resort handles vendor check-in (Esperanza, like most luxury properties, has a strict entry process — but the team made it completely seamless for us).

I also do a quick 10-20 minute photo session with the couple during the welcome party. It doubles as a preview of how the next day will flow — and it’s the perfect excuse if you own two dresses you love: wear one to your welcome party, and save the other for the wedding day. Amanda did exactly that.

Amanda and Ryan got ready separately — Amanda with her family, Ryan with his friends — both within the resort. There’s a different kind of energy in each room on a wedding morning, and getting to photograph both before they saw each other is one of my favorite parts of any wedding day.

Before the ceremony, Amanda and Ryan had a first look and read private vows to each other — just the two of them, away from the guests. It’s one of my favorite moments to photograph on any wedding day, because it’s the one part that belongs entirely to the couple, with no one else watching.

Their ceremony took place at Cocina de Mar, one of Esperanza’s clifftop spaces — officiated by Ryan’s stepfather, which made it even more personal.

At this guest count, Cocina de Mar was the perfect fit. If you’re planning a wedding with more than 40 guests, I’d recommend considering a different area of the resort — this particular spot can start to feel tight, both for your guests and for your photographers trying to move around and capture everyone’s faces. For an elopement or a very small ceremony, though, it’s simply perfect.

Their dinner took place just steps from the ceremony site, with the same sweeping ocean view, timed for that golden hour light Cabo does so well. Amanda loved the floral arrangement recommendation, and the whole evening had that relaxed, intimate feeling you only get with a small group of people who actually matter to you.

One thing I love about Los Cabos compared with the Caribbean side of Mexico is the dry climate. Once the sun starts going down, evenings can feel much more comfortable, especially when everyone is dressed up.

A Sample Wedding Day Timeline at Esperanza

If you’re trying to picture how a day like this actually flows, here’s a simplified version of Amanda & Ryan’s timeline — a helpful starting point if you’re planning something similar:

Time	Activity
8:30 AM	Hair & makeup begins (bride)
1:00 PM	Getting ready wraps/ get ready groom & groomsmen
1:30 PM – 2:55 PM	Bridal party & groomsmen portraits
2:55 PM – 3:30 PM	First look & private vows
4:00 PM	Ceremony begins at Cocina de Mar
4:30 PM	Family portraits & couple photos / start Cocktail hour
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM	Ends cocktail hour- Guest transition to reception area
6:10 PM	Reception begins

Every wedding timeline shifts depending on guest count, ceremony location, coverage, and time of year. Sunset changes with the season, too. This timeline is based on May 29, so the exact times will vary depending on your wedding date.

After photographing weddings across Los Cabos, here’s what I tell couples planning something similar:

• Keep 40 guests or fewer if you want Cocina de Mar. It’s an intimate, stunning space — but it’s built for intimate numbers.
• If you love two dresses, wear both. One at your welcome party, one for the wedding. It’s a small thing that makes couples feel so much more relaxed on the actual day.
• Share your Pinterest board with your photographer. Not for editing style, but so they understand what matters to you — a candid moment in the sand or a perfectly posed portrait.
• If you want drone photography, ask early. Esperanza allows it, but they’ll want to know your timing in advance.
• Trust your resort’s wedding planner. Ours, Lorena, was in constant communication with me all day — checking in on timing, whether the bride was ready, whether we’d started photos. That kind of coordination makes everything smoother for everyone.

• Wedding Planner: Lorena Muy Toy, Esperanza Auberge Resorts Collection
• Makeup: Magic Hours Salon — Amanda’s makeup team for the wedding weekend.
• Florals: Floral Florería — the florist behind Amanda’s arrangements.

FAQ: Getting Married at Esperanza

Does Esperanza allow weddings with 40 guests? Yes — intimate weddings are one of the things Esperanza does best, and spaces like Cocina de Mar are ideally sized for a guest count around 40.

Do I need an outside wedding planner if I’m getting married at Esperanza? Not necessarily. Esperanza has an in-house wedding planning team who coordinates everything on-property, which made the entire day run smoothly for Amanda & Ryan.

Can the ceremony and reception happen in the same area? They don’t have to be in the exact same spot, but they can be close. Amanda & Ryan’s reception was just steps away from their ceremony site, with the same ocean view carried through the whole evening.

Is Esperanza a good fit for an elopement, not just a wedding with guests? Absolutely. Spaces like Cocina de Mar that feel a little tight for 40+ guests are actually perfect for a couple eloping just the two of them.

Ready to Plan Your Esperanza Wedding?

Amanda summed it up better than I could when she messaged me after seeing her gallery:
“We are obsessed — they are beautiful, you did an amazing job capturing both days.”

If you’re planning a small wedding at Esperanza, or somewhere else in Los Cabos, I can help you figure out the photography side of the day and guide you through the planning once we’re working together.