Image by Raw Shoots. See more of this real wedding here.
Mexico destination weddings have all the time been popular, but they appear to be all the fad lately. And we understand why. The country boasts beautiful coastlines, lush jungles, colourful cities, ancient architecture, and splendid 5-star resorts. Not to say the delicious food, vibrant culture, and delicious drinks. But there’s rather a lot to know when planning one.
From selecting the precise time of yr to tie the knot to making sure that you simply’re legally married, we’re putting together the whole lot you could find out about planning your personal getaway “I do’s.”
Top Cities For A Mexico Destination Wedding
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is positioned on the tip of Baja California, and is by far one of the vital popular Mexico destinations for a marriage. That’s since it has an enormous array of white sand beaches, impressive coastal landscapes, stunning desert scenery, and high-end resorts.
Puerto Vallarta
Situated on the west coast of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta is the right destination for adventure lovers. When you and your better half are big nature fans and love things like zip lining, bungee jumping, and exploring rushing waterfalls, this may increasingly be the place for you.
Cancun
Cancun sits in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is home to a big and easy-to-navigate international airport–making it one of the vital accessible destinations to fly into. The town has the identical white sandy beaches you’d anticipate finding, nevertheless it’s also known for its Mayan ruins and nightlife scene–aka, it’s the very best place to go when you’re in search of a celebration.
Image by Luxart Wedding Studio. See more of this real wedding here
Tulum
There’s a very good probability you already know no less than one one who has tied the knot in Tulum. That’s since it has quickly turn out to be one of the vital common Mexico wedding destinations over these past few years. It’s not hard to see why. It boasts incredibly blue waters, chic boutique hotels, incredibly delicious restaurants, and ancient Mayan ruins. Only downside? It’s a couple of two-hour drive from the Cancun airport.
San Miguel de Allende
For an authentic city experience, consider San Miguel de Allende, positioned within the Colonial Highlands region. The colourful city is complete with a wealthy wine scene, colourful buildings, infinite markets and artisans, and arguably a few of the very best food you’ll ever have in your life.
Best Time Of 12 months For A Mexico Destination Wedding
Because Mexico is a tropical destination, it’s crucial to time your wedding accurately to avoid hurricane season. This rainy season normally takes place from June to October. This implies the prospect of your ceremony getting rained out is pretty high. Nonetheless, tropical destinations normally only receive rainfall for 1-2 hours at a time.
To get the very best weather possible, consider January through early May. Since the weather is so beautiful this time of yr, this is understood to be peak season, which might result in higher prices. You wish to be mindful of this when putting together your destination wedding budget.
Image by Nahuel Aseff. See more of this real wedding here
FAQs
What Does A Mexico Destination Wedding Cost?
Very similar to every other wedding, the fee of your wedding will vary depending in your venue, vendors, etc. On average, you may expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000. While many assume that a destination wedding is dearer, Mexico destination weddings actually are inclined to be cheaper than the typical wedding within the US–which is about $30,000.
Why is that this the case? Many resorts in Mexico are all-inclusive. This implies you pay a flat price for the venue, catering, bar, wedding cake, music, etc.
What Costs Should You Cover For Your Guests?
Certainly one of the advantages of getting a destination wedding is that it naturally trims your guest list. That’s because–typically–the couple tying the knot will not be accountable for covering any costs for the guests. This implies they’re accountable for booking their very own hotel, airfare, etc. Nonetheless, we propose booking a hotel block in order that they get a reduced rate and are near all of the fun, though this isn’t mandatory. Do what suits best on your budget, but don’t be surprised if some people can’t make it for financial reasons.
When Should You Send Out Save The Dates & Invites?
When planning a destination wedding, it’s essential to send out your save the dates as soon as possible. Ideally, this may fall about eight to 12 months before your big day. Invitations should then follow about six months before your wedding. This provides your guests loads of time to book their flights and lodging.
When Should You Begin Booking Your Vendors?
As with every wedding, the further out you book your vendors, the higher. When you’ve had your eye on a selected vendor for some time, reach out ASAP to make sure that you get to work with them. And don’t be afraid to bring a vendor from home. Just be mindful that you’ll need to pay for his or her travel expenses.
Should You Hire A Wedding Planner?
Speaking of vendors, we are able to’t recommend hiring a wedding planner enough. They’re extremely aware of the destination, its vendors, and suggestions and tricks to enable you lower your expenses in the long term. Unsure where to begin? Try our directory of wedding planners in Mexico.
Image by Mariana Pierce. See more of this real wedding here
Legal Requirements For A Mexico Destination Wedding
There’s rather a lot to think about legally with regards to your destination wedding in Mexico. Many couples decide to tie the knot at a courthouse every week or so before they jet off. This ensures that the marriage is legal of their home country. Nonetheless, when you want your legally binding marriage to happen in Mexico, there are a number of things that you might have to do.
To make sure that you may legally marry, you would like the next:
- Marriage application forms
- A tourist/visitor’s permit
- Blood test results (which may be done in Mexico not than 14 days before your marriage application)
- Valid passports
- Birth certificates
It’s also essential to keep in mind that your marriage will only be legally binding if you might have a civil ceremony. During this civil ceremony, you would like no less than 4 witnesses, you might have to reach on the resort no less than three business days before the ceremony, and you may’t say “I do” on a Sunday. Sound like rather a lot? We all know–that’s why most individuals forgo jumping through these hoops!
Our advice is to research your destination’s legal requirements early on within the wedding planning process when you plan to have a legally binding wedding in Mexico. This may make sure that you might have all the documentation you would like, which can prevent unwanted hiccups. This can be something a planner is great for.
Image by Conie Suarez Bravo. See more of this real elopement here
Ways To Incorporate Mexican Culture Into Your Wedding
Decor
There are some staple decor pieces within the Mexican culture that it’s possible you’ll already be aware of. Think papel picado banners, colourful textiles, star pendant lights, and daring florals.
Mayan Ceremony
We’ve featured quite a number of Mexican destination weddings on Junebug, and one thing we never tire of seeing is couples incorporating a Mayan ceremony into their big day. These symbolic ceremonies are stuffed with mysticism and spirituality and are officiated by a native priest, referred to as a shaman. In it, the newlyweds are introduced to the 4 elements: Earth, water, fire, and air–all of that are thought to bring energy and harmony to the couple.
This type of ceremony occurs in nature, normally at an archaeological site or a cenote. That’s why they’re extremely popular in places like Tulum or Playa del Carmen.
Image by Mariana Pierce. See more of this real wedding here
Mojigangas Parades
When you’ve settled on San Miguel de Allende on your wedding, don’t forget to take to the streets in a Mojiganas parade. These parades happen with giant paper mache puppets and music. It’s the right approach to have a good time one of the vital essential days of your life.
Tequila
After all, this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning tequila. There are such a lot of ways to make use of the standard Mexican spirit. You and your spouse can take a unity tequila shot during your ceremony, have your entire guests take one with you after you seal your love with a kiss, serve margaritas during cocktail hour, or you may offer a tequila tasting during your reception. The choices are infinite.
Mariachi Band
Every wedding needs good music. And nothing is more festive than hiring a mariachi band. They’re a fun addition to your ceremony or cocktail hour when you need to get everyone ready for a fiesta.
Image by Alison Vagnini. See more of this real wedding here
Street Food
Mexican food is arguably one of the vital popular cuisines on this planet–and for a very good reason. Moderately than serve a sit-down dinner consisting of chicken or steak, consider serving Mexican street food comparable to tacos, elote, chips and guacamole, enchiladas, etc. And you may’t ignore churros and Mexican wedding cookies!
We all know that nailing a budget down on your Mexico destination wedding looks as if a frightening task. That’s why we’ve broken it down for you and created a free budget spreadsheet so that you may keep track of your expenses and have the marriage of your dreams.
Image by Pablo Laguia. See more of this real wedding here
