While destination weddings are romantic and exciting, they generally is a headache. No wonder so many couples go for an easy-does-it resort wedding among the many gorgeous beaches and luxurious foliage of Mexico.
“Mexico has been a giant destination for weddings recently because, let’s face it, it stayed wide open during COVID, while some Caribbean islands are still holding onto certain restrictions,” JoAnn Gregoli, a marriage planner and owner of NYC’s Elegant Occasions, told The Post. “Plus it’s a simple flight from each the east and west coasts.”
But wedding planners warn that there’s still lots to contemplate south of the border. For one there’s the weather.
Los Cabos tends to have less rain than Riviera Maya, but should you’re in the inside of the country — say, in San Miguel — that you must do your research for timing. In Tulum, turtle hatching season closes the beach.
“Chances are you’ll be getting an amazing deal from a resort, but that could be since it’s hurricane season [June to November],” said Gregoli.
Still, there are worse things than bad weather: One other bride might be stealing your thunder. Many large resorts will host multiple weddings at the identical time, so should you aren’t booking out your complete resort, it’s essential to ask if other weddings are scheduled the identical day.
Many venues have surprisingly early noise curfews, too, so communicate with the resort if you should keep the tequila shots flowing late into the night.
Nevertheless, cultural differences are the very first thing to take into consideration, said Jove Meyer, a Latest York wedding planner and event
“A Mexican wedding could be very different from a normal American wedding, a Jewish wedding, an agnostic wedding, a Catholic wedding or an Indian wedding,” said Meyer, noting that while communication is vital, things move at a more leisurely pace in Mexico than in Latest York City, so consider more time. “They fundamentally just do things in a different way there. So you actually need to grasp and confer with a venue what a marriage looks prefer to them, what their standard wedding includes and what their level of service is.”
Meyer said that essentially the most successful wedding parties in Mexico embrace the differences and luxuriate in the laid-back atmosphere. Jove recommends planning hyperlocal activities to your guests like exploring ruins, diving tours and nights in town.
“That’s a part of the enjoyment and experience of being in Mexico,” he said. “It’s really leaning into all that it has to supply.”
Gregoli agrees. She recommends that couples mix elements of the local culture into their ceremony too, from shamanistic ceremonies and conch shell trumpeting to Mayan rituals with incense and chanting.
“You might be someplace special,” she said. “You might be someplace different. So research the local culture and infuse that into your wedding, since it makes it really memorable.”
Here’s a take a look at a few of Mexico’s most luxurious resort venues and the only-in-Mexico perks they provide.
Una gran fiesta
Saying “Sí, quiero” (that’s “I do” — sustain!) is simple on the stunning shores of the Pacific surrounding Punta de Mita. It’s even easier whenever you let an Auberge resort handle the entire exertions. Auberge Resorts Collection’s 59-room beachside Susurros del Corazón is opening Nov. 3, and the brand recent venue will soon gie US couples trying to tie the knot somewhere swish to have fun. That’s since it offers 600,000 square feet of event celebration locations — starting from its premier, 5,100-square-foot, indoor-outdoor Cantamar and Terrazza Cantamar space, to its private greenhouse-inspired dining garden Mari.
Catering is by Casamilpa, the resort’s seaside Mexican farmhouse, where seasonal vegetables paired with proteins fresh from the land and sea are on the menu.
The property has 59 rooms and suites, plus a top spa with 11 treatment rooms.
Weddings start at $300 per guest. Rooms start at $999 per night.
Flower power
The Rosewood Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos celebrated its twenty fifth birthday this summer, but for eager love birds, it’s offering recent and totally unique perks.
For example, the 83-room resort operates an A-team of wedding planners, generally known as the Department of Romance, which makes dreams come true on the Sea of Cortez. Think bespoke menus, cocktails, lighting and furnishing set-ups, decorations and event management.
Rosewood also believes that bouquets needs to be larger: Its in-house flower shop Flores del Paraiso makes a speciality of all arrangements larger-than-life. Just imagine expressing your love in custom clusters of 250 roses. Oh, and did we mention that you simply’ll receive a private butler for all of those little last-minute emergencies?
Ladies also get a two-hour bridal party with a pre-wedding spa experience that features a “Holistic Twilight Ceremony,” and a Mayan ritual with sage smoke and shaman prayers “to honor Mother Earth and the 4 elements” — followed by a customized massage for every guest, in fact.
There are two venues on the resort: the dramatic, white-sand beach along the Sea of Cortez, perfect for seated dinners and cocktail receptions; and the al fresco party spots La Plaza & La Pergola (vivid stars and flaming urns). After the vows, set things off with a firework show.
Rooms start at $900, with a three-night minimum.
Latest attitude
In case you’re heading right down to Mexico because tradition ain’t your thang, then try the Hilton Vallarta Riviera, just down the coast from Punta Mita on the stunning beaches of Bahia Banderas.
Not only does the 444-room, all-inclusive resort specialise in LGBTQ+ weddings with Equality Institute-certified planners, however the property is conveniently split into an adults-only wing and a family wing, ideal whenever you need time away out of your 25 little cousins from Jersey.
Couples wed along the shimmering pool deck on the beach club, or the rain-proof ballrooms and Sky bar.
Weddings range from $1,970 for the Signature package that features the couple and up to twenty-eight guests, to $13,150 for the resort’s biggest blowout celebration.
Rooms start at $198.
Magic trick
The world’s favorite selfie spot also makes for a dreamy wedding locale.
Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya, which opened this May as Hilton’s first all-inclusive resort in Tulum, boasts white sand, blue water and authentic Mayan ceremonies. To seal the deal, a shaman will officiate, followed by a one-hour reception with the chef’s selection menu in one in all the hotel’s 10 event spaces.
Special touches include copal incense, veils, torches, lamps and bushels of seasonal flowers. The hotel offers wedding coordinators, but you’ll need your individual for greater than 100 guests.
Meanwhile, the resort, which shares a campus (and perks) with Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, recently launched Enclave — an elevated room category for an exclusive experience, resembling a separate pool and access to exclusive wellness and fitness offerings, perfect for a party searching for a more private experience.
Weddings range from $2,800 to $14,000. Rooms start at $352.
Heart of the matter
Let’s face it: Not everyone seems to be a beach person. If that’s you, Belmond’s stunning Casa de Sierra Nevada inland in San Miguel de Allende is your venue.
Composed of a cluster of heritage mansions, with just 37 unique rooms, the hotel is surrounded by the wealthy, with seventeenth and 18th century baroque and neoclassical colonial structures, and World Heritage Sites.
You’ll need to suck up the culture, and the hotel’s dedicated special events team is here to assist. Try creating your individual mini-mojiganga (pronounced: mo-he-gang-ga — they’re the region’s famed papier mâché parade puppets) with a resident artist, or take some guided tours.
The cuisine of the Bajío region is second to none, so that you’ll need to arrive hungry. The hotel can arrange anything from casual BBQs under the celebs, private wine and spirit tastings or classes with their in-house chef at Sazón Cookery School.
When it’s time to wed, gather inside verdant gardens for a singular blessing with a live band and show-stopping ceremony.
Buyouts start at $29,415 plus taxes and repair charge. Rooms this fall start at $375 per night.
Go big or go home
In case you need a Mexican wedding that basically wows, it’s gotta be the 4 Seasons Punta Mita.
Larger parties will need to book Cuevas Beach, where 250 guests have fun with their toes within the sand. For a sublime, unique elopement, “the Rock,” a natural formation in the course of the Pacific Ocean, accommodates as much as 12 guests. But there other equally playful and romantic ceremony sites on property including beaches, gardens and pools.
The 177-room resort will arrange every detail and cater to each whim, from planning florals, décor and menus to arranging your guests’ stay via their dedicated wedding team. 4 packages are on offer but seeing that you simply are on the 4 Seasons, let your imagination run wild and go fully bespoke. For instance, you possibly can release a turtle as a part of the ceremony; have mariachis escort your guests, and even serve your guests “the very best tequila in world” from a barrel with the couple’s initials on it.
Wedding prices vary, but you possibly can plan on about $250 per guest. Rooms start at $600.