How I work with wedding planners in Los Cabos. Written for the planners I work with: how to protect the light, why the receiving line is the biggest risk, and how we coordinate in two languages. Last updated: September 2026.
I work with wedding planners across Los Cabos every season, and the weddings that go smoothly always have one thing in common: the planner and the photographer are working from the same timeline. This is written for the planners I work with, and for the ones I haven't met yet.
I'm Ana Badillo, a Cabo wedding photographer based in Cabo San Lucas. Here's how I like to work, and what helps me deliver the images your couples will love.
| Timeline | Build the day around the sun: the ceremony about ninety minutes before sunset |
| The biggest risk | The receiving line, which swallows the portrait window |
| What helps most | Protecting even twenty minutes for portraits right after the ceremony, before the cocktail hour |
| Location | The light is not uniform: an inland venue like Acre loses direct sun earlier than the coast, and it changes from resort to resort along the corridor |
| Scouting | Ana scouts each venue before the wedding day |
| Coordination | Fully bilingual: she coordinates directly with the planner, the venue and every vendor, in English or Spanish |
Timeline: protect the light
The single most useful thing you can do for the photography is build the day around the sun. In Los Cabos, a ceremony about ninety minutes before sunset gives us even light for the vows, warm golden-hour light for the couple portraits, and blue hour for the first dances. That window is short, and it's the best light of the day.
The biggest risk is the receiving line. If the couple goes straight from the ceremony into greeting every guest, the portrait window disappears and we lose the light. If you can protect even twenty minutes for portraits right after the ceremony, before the cocktail hour swallows the couple, the difference in the gallery is enormous. My guide to building a wedding timeline around golden hour explains the timing in detail.
Location: scouting matters
The light in Los Cabos is not uniform. An inland venue like Acre loses direct sun earlier than the coast because of the mountains, and along the Tourist Corridor the direction of the light changes from one resort to the next. I scout each venue before the wedding day so we know exactly where the sun will be and which spots give the best portraits.
If you're placing the ceremony, think about the background as well as the shade. A ceremony facing the water photographs beautifully; a ceremony facing the sun makes everyone squint. If you're unsure, I'm always happy to look at the layout with you in advance.
Coordination: one team, two languages
I'm fully bilingual, so I coordinate directly with you, the venue, and every vendor in English or Spanish. Before the wedding we'll confirm the timeline, the ceremony layout, the family shot list, and any lighting. On the day, I stay close to you and the couple without getting in the way of the schedule.
If your couple is coming from the US or Canada, I can also handle the planning conversations in English so nothing gets lost. Most of my couples are international, and I'm used to the rhythm of planning across time zones.
Working together
If you're a planner in Los Cabos and you'd like to work together, I'd love to be on your preferred-vendor list. I bring a bilingual team, deep local knowledge of the light and the venues, and a calm presence on the day. Reach out any time and I'll send my full portfolio and availability. For couples reading this, the destination weddings page is the place to start.
For the coverage and turnarounds we can commit to, see my Cabo couples and engagement sessions, and the official Los Cabos tourism board is a useful reference for your couples.
