The Photo Everyone Will Ask You About
Somewhere in your camera roll there is already a screenshot of this: a woman on white Caribbean sand, meters of fabric lifted into the wind behind her, an open horizon at her back. The messages we get from guests staying at Banyan Tree Mayakoba usually open with that exact picture and one line — "can we do this before the day gets going?" Whether it's an anniversary, a vow renewal or a honeymoon that deserves more than a phone selfie, this is the session that turns it into the photograph everyone asks about.
We've photographed thousands of sessions across Playa del Carmen, and the flying dress is the one we've refined into a choreography: we bring the dress in your color and size, an assistant shapes the fabric into the wind on every frame, and the photographer catches the peak of the movement at exactly the right beat. You stand where the light is best — the flying is our job.
Everything Is Arranged — You Just Step Into the Frame
Guests staying at Banyan Tree Mayakoba book this session because it asks almost nothing of them: no dress to pack, no poses to invent, no logistics to solve.
-
The dress comes to you
Choose your color from our curated collection, in sizes XS to XXXL. It travels to the beach with us — nothing extra in your suitcase, nothing to rent or return.
-
No modeling experience needed
Almost nobody who books us has done an editorial shoot before. We direct every frame — where to stand, where to look, what to do with your hands — while the assistant makes the fabric fly.
-
The beach is yours at first light
Before anyone else is on the sand, Xcalacoco is open and quiet — so the dress has open horizon to fly against with nobody else in the frame.
-
Done before your day starts
A short drive out, an unhurried hour, and you're back before anything else on your day has begun.
The Flying Dress Sessions Banyan Tree Couples Book Most
You did not book a private villa this secluded for a crowd. These are the three sessions we photograph most for guests staying at Banyan Tree Mayakoba:
Anniversaries
The dress steals the frame, but your partner doesn't have to stay behind the camera: most couples mix editorial solo shots with portraits of the two of you in the same soft morning light. Our anniversary session guide walks through how couples shape that hour.
Vow Renewals
The quieter, later thing — the two of you saying it again, on an open beach, with whoever you chose to bring along to hear it. The flying dress gives that moment its own dramatic frame, without turning it into a full ceremony. Our symbolic ceremony guide covers how a small beach moment like this is photographed.
Honeymoons
The first week of a marriage deserves one frame that is entirely yours — not a stranger's phone at arm's length. Our honeymoon session guide covers outfits and timing for a session like this.
What Your Session Looks Like
About one hour, fully guided from the first frame to the last. We arrive with the dress, you slip it over whatever you're wearing, and from there every shot is directed: the assistant lifts and shapes the fabric into the wind, the photographer calls the moment, and you simply hold the pose you've been placed in. Everything each package includes is laid out on our Flying Dress Playa del Carmen packages page.
Morning Keeps the Beach — and the Light — On Your Side
This stretch of coast faces east, so there's no sunset glowing over the water here — the reliable light window is the morning, when Xcalacoco is quiet and nearly empty and the sun comes in soft and low. We'll almost always propose an early slot for exactly that reason: clean backgrounds, no crowds, and you're back before your day's schedule opens.
Where We Fly the Dress Near Banyan Tree Mayakoba
Mayakoba sits behind its gate about nine kilometres north of downtown Playa del Carmen — a fifteen-minute drive we treat as part of the service. Mexican beaches are federal public property, so we meet you at Playa Xcalacoco, the free public beach beside the complex, regardless of any policy on outside vendors. For couples or groups of up to four we can arrange to pick you up. Want to go bigger? Add our flying dress with drone for the aerial shot of the dress spread across the sand, or the flying dress with horse for the full editorial fantasy.
Want a session beyond the flying dress? See our guide to couples photo sessions at Banyan Tree Mayakoba. And if this trip is the wedding itself, our guide to getting married at Banyan Tree Mayakoba covers the whole day.
Ready to Watch the Dress Fly?
Message us your dates and your color, and we'll confirm the meeting point at Playa Xcalacoco and the best time near Banyan Tree Mayakoba. We take a limited number of sessions each week.
Flying Dress at Banyan Tree Mayakoba — FAQ
I've never modeled — will I actually know what to do?
Yes, because you never have to decide anything mid-shoot. We direct every frame — where to stand, where to look, when to move — and the assistant handles the dress entirely. Almost none of our clients have done an editorial session before; it's designed for exactly that.
Do we shoot inside the resort?
No — sessions always happen at Playa Xcalacoco, the public beach a short drive from the complex. Mexican beaches are federal public property, so you get the same white sand and turquoise water without any resort paperwork.
Can my partner be in some of the shots?
Absolutely, and most sessions mix both: editorial solo frames with the dress, then portraits with your partner in the same light. Tell us who's coming and we'll plan the hour around it.
How much is a flying dress photoshoot at Banyan Tree Mayakoba?
Each package includes a different number of edited photos and add-ons, so the full breakdown lives on our Flying Dress Playa del Carmen packages page. Check it out, then book your date with us directly on WhatsApp.
What is the best time of day for the session?
Morning. This coast faces east, so there's no sunset over the water — the soft, reliable light is early, when the beach is at its emptiest. We'll recommend the exact window for your date.
Do you provide the flying dress?
Yes. We bring a curated collection of flowing dresses in multiple colors, sizes XS to XXXL, and it's included with the session — you don't rent, buy or pack anything.