Sayulita & San Pancho Wedding Photographer
Sayulita and San Pancho are the surf towns of Riviera Nayarit: cobblestone streets, papel picado over the plaza, jungle down to the sand — and couples who want to marry barefoot, with the party a few steps from the waves.
I'm Julien Leveau, a French photographer living on Banderas Bay since 2006. I photograph weddings as they really happen, with a lot of photojournalism and a few fine-art portraits, and with my team I can film them too. Sayulita and San Pancho suit that style perfectly: nothing here is stiff, and the best moments are never posed.
Weddings I have photographed in Sayulita and San Pancho
- Roy & Emily in Sayulita — a destination wedding planned by Luz Ochoa of Sayulita Weddings, under a cloudless sky.
- Jen & Francesco — getting ready in Sayulita, then a beach ceremony at Sandzibar in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.
- Ceci & Francisco in San Pancho — a chic and boho wedding, with hurricane-season waves crashing behind the party.
- Ana & Alejandro at Hacienda San Pancho — a neo-colonial hacienda full of sculpture and contemporary art.
Sayulita or San Pancho?
Sayulita: the lively surf town
Sayulita is colourful, busy and full of music. A beach ceremony at sunset, then dinner in a boutique hotel, a villa in the hills or a restaurant in town: it is a wedding your guests will remember as a party. In high season the streets are crowded and narrow, so plan shuttles for your guests rather than cars.
San Pancho: the quiet village
San Francisco — San Pancho — is a few minutes north and much calmer, between the green Sierra Madre and a long, open beach. It suits couples who want privacy: villas, gardens, and haciendas such as Hacienda San Pancho, where the architecture gives photos something different from palm trees.
On this coast, the light is the guest of honour: the sun goes down straight over the Pacific.
Light, season and timing
From November to May, the dry season brings cloudless skies — the conditions Roy & Emily had. Summer is the rainy and hurricane season: the ocean can turn into a wave machine and hide the sunset, as it did for Ceci & Francisco, so keep a covered plan B. I suggest a ceremony that ends about an hour and a half before sunset, to keep the golden light for your portraits on the beach.
Sayulita is about an hour from Puerto Vallarta's airport. I also photograph weddings in Punta Mita and in Puerto Vallarta. Tell me your date and your venue: ask for your quote.
Sayulita and San Pancho weddings — questions
How far is Sayulita from Puerto Vallarta?
About an hour from Puerto Vallarta's international airport, and San Pancho a few minutes further north.
Can we get married on the beach in Sayulita?
Yes — a barefoot ceremony on the sand is what most couples come for. Roy & Emily married in Sayulita with Sayulita Weddings; your planner or venue arranges the beach set-up.
Should we choose Sayulita or San Pancho?
Sayulita if you want a lively town and a party atmosphere; San Pancho if you prefer a quieter village, villas and haciendas such as Hacienda San Pancho.
What about the rainy season?
Summer brings tropical rain and the hurricane season. Weddings still happen — Ceci & Francisco partied all night — but plan a covered option. November to May is the safest window.
Do you also film weddings?
Yes. My team and I can cover your day in photo and video together.
Do you speak English, Spanish and French?
Yes, all three. I am French and have lived in Mexico since 2006.