Photography with Andre Gouin Photography
We at Andre Gouin Photography love shooting South Asian destination weddings here in Riviera Maya and other destinations across Mexico and the Caribbean. I have been shooting weddings full time for more than 5 years now and have specialized in Indian weddings over the last few years! We have teamed up with Shaadi Destinations to create incredible memories for our mutual clients and can’t wait to show you who we are and why we love what we do!
It’s more than just pretty images… This is your life story
What inspired you to start shooting weddings?
What inspired me to start was the pure magic of turning something that only happens once (like every single minute of our lives) into something that will remain forever. To me, that opportunity is just amazing.
I’ve been shooting weddings full-time for the last 5+ years now. Indian weddings have been a big part of my evolution as a photographer and my appreciation for the Indian culture. I LOVE everything about them - the colors, the pride, the food, and most of all the people. What I offer to my couples is a hyper-personalized attention from start to finish. Now, I’m so happy to have turned a big passion of mine into a successful way of life that, luckily enough has taken me to travel to so many awesome places (which I absolutely love to do since i’m a sucker for adventure!), allowing me to capture the most amazing heartfelt moments between so many beautiful souls.
Ruchi and Eric’s stunning Jewish and Hindu wedding ceremony in Costa Mujeres, Mexico
I like to work closely with my brides and grooms to understand their needs and what they find more important as far as photography and their general experience during the wedding week goes, so we can create together in the most fun and enjoyable way! I love to create a connection with my couples and not just be the ‘’random guy with the camera’’ following everyone on the big day!
I have been able to create long lasting friendships with my couples and that’s really what shooting weddings is all about. I have a deep admiration of the love shared by the brides and grooms and am so excited for all the Shaadi Destinations weddings coming up that we are apart of in the next 24 months!!
Tell us something about your personal life that clients wouldn't find out from your Instagram page or wedding albums?
I grew up in a small town in Baja called Ensenada. I’m an outdoorsy guy! I love surfing, nature, animals, adventure, music, and connecting with others. I like simple things but I have a very curious mind. I like to go deep with my thoughts on why things are the way they are. I spend a lot of time in my head trying to understand life.
I LOVE anything genuine: people, emotions, ideas!
Seema and Sagar sharing a special moment on their wedding day at Royalton Riviera Cancun
Most importantly, something you may not know is that my wife Sandra Carolina is an amazing make-up artist. She is an amazing talent and we often get to work together on weddings which makes for such a fun and unique environment for the bride. She also helps many Shaadi Destinations Indian brides on their dream looks and loves Indian weddings. She is the BEST decision I've ever made. Now we live in paradise with our 3 furry family members (2 dogs 1 cat!) Life is GREAT!
Describe your style of photography in 3 words or describe your style of photography in 1 sentence
I would have to distill it to these three words: Creative; Organic; Fun
My best shots are those that had these three elements where I was able to capture the moment in a unique and creative way, where the moment was totally organic and not scripted, and not only was the moment amazingly fun, but the unveiling of the photo to the bride and groom brought them great joy.
Cute moment before Shradha and Sameer’s walk down the aisle at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
What makes an Indian wedding so unique to shoot for you?
It’s ALWAYS a good time and there just isn’t a dull moment all week! I think the Indian culture is, in a lot of ways, similar to Mexican culture. It’s colorful, warm, fun, and loud! There are suprises, emotional highs like the Sangeet, emotional lows like the vidai (which is such a unique and momentous experience to capture), and everything in between all wrapped up in a few days of chaos. Whether there is lots of decor and production or whether the couple prefers incredibly simple looks, you can always count on Indian weddings to have the most energy and excitement.
What is the best shooting experience you've had at a wedding? What made it special?
It’s hard to choose one moment because each wedding I have shot had something that made it special and unforgettable. Every wedding is a special and unique experience for me! Creating a bond with the couple that goes beyond a ‘’photographer - client’’ relationship is what makes it extra special, always!
Dan’s baraat through the Grand Palladium village was EPIC! What a moment captured by Andre!
What should couples think about when hiring their wedding photographer?
Your photographer will be next to you the whole time (from in the room as you are dolled up with your bridesmaids to going on adventures to Isla Mujeres for your engagement shoot) so you need someone that you feel very comfortable with, that’s number 1! And second, I’d say, understand that great pictures are the result of great team work between the couple and the photographer. So trust is important. Much more important than scripting and coming in with expectations of exactly what your memories will look like.
What piece of advice would you give brides and grooms to ensure that they get wedding photos they love forever?
Be yourselves - your love is special and between the two of you who found each other and fell in love with each other based on who you are. So when you are yourself, it is impossible for me to not capture that in the pictures we leave you with at the end of the day :) Relax and have a great time!
Andre loves the connection he makes with each couple! Ruchi and Eric came down for site inspections through the Shaadi Destinations Seamless Site Inspection Program and got to have their engagement shoot done with Sandra Carolina on Makeup and Andre on Photography
What is your favorite moment you like to capture?
My favorite moment to capture of an Indian destination wedding is definitely the bride and groom session before or after the ceremony. While each day of an Indian wedding has it’s excitement, the energy on wedding day when the bride and groom are alone and away from the chaos is the most exciting for me. Other than this, I would say the Baraat is always a pleasure to be apart of and shoot!!
Where is the best place for brides and grooms to see your work?
Other than the Shaadi Destinations Instagram where you can find a lot of our work, I would definitely say our own Instagram and website. Definitely check it out and reach out - we love connecting and getting to know new couples.
With a deep appreciation for culture, Andre makes sure to capture all the night’s iconic moments
What differentiates your Shaadi Destinations brides and grooms compared to other couple you work with?
I have shot so many destination weddings over the years as a primary shooter and even more as a secondary shooter when I started out. I have had the privilege of even being at Shaadi Destinations founders Shree and Milan’s wedding in Playa Mujeres, Mexico working alongside one of my best friends Hideki from Button Up! I absolutely love teaming up with Shaadi Destinations because I can always rest easy knowing that they somehow end up with the most amazing couples.
The brides and grooms of Shaadi Destinations are always the nicest people - they are genuine, they are intelligent, and they have trust in both Shaadi Destinations and in who they hire for vendors. That trust goes so far because we, as vendors, operate the best when the guards are down and we are just having an amazing time in paradise. I can’t recommend working with SD enough if you want your wedding to be as best as it can be.
More Shaadi Destinations weddings photographed by Andre Gouin Photography
Shaadi Destinations is the premier, award winning, modern-day destination wedding travel agency for South Asian couples seeking a streamlined process, incredible experiences, and a party friends and family will never forget! We save our couples thousands of dollars while throwing them the wedding festivities dreams are made of.
We live and breathe destination weddings - with just one consultation, you will be light years ahead in your destination wedding planning process. In less than one week, Shaadi Destinations will find you the most perfect resort that meets your needs, your budget, and your desires. With our vendor relationships and pre-negotiated exclusive perks at resorts across Mexico and the Caribbean, we are confident we can find exactly what you are looking for. You'll find we have the best rates, best incentives, and best booking experience.
