Best wedding venues on the Riviera Maya | Wedding Zone Local

Best wedding venues on the Riviera Maya

When it comes to destination weddings, Mexico’s Riviera Maya has a lot going for it. One factor in the region’s favor is the ease of getting there. Most wedding guests will fly into Cancun International Airport, which is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour’s drive to various points within the Riviera Maya. There are many direct and connecting flights from the U.S. to Cancun, making it easy for wedding guests to book convenient travel arrangements. One thing to keep in mind: U.S. citizens will need a passport traveling to Mexico.

There are many resorts to choose from in the Riviera Maya. The larger ones have wedding packages and designated wedding planners. Many of the resort’s spas have special services available for the bride and her closest friends and family members. Jack-and-Jill Bachelor Parties are a trend that is catching fire and the larger Riviera Maya resorts have enough features and amenities to satisfy both male and female groups intent on partying separately. Don’t be afraid to switch it up a bit, with a men’s day at the spa and a women’s golf tournament on the links.

 

Source: Mark Rogers, USA Today

 

If couples are looking for the full resort experience, they should take a look at Barceló Maya Beach resort. Composed of five all-inclusive resorts that are adjacent to each other, it’s a destination within a destination. They’ve taken an out-of-the-box approach to destination weddings and have unique ways of getting hitched. Brides can make a splash arriving along the beach on horseback or along the resort’s pier via boat or jet ski. Fire dancers are available as entertainment for the reception. The resort can execute wedding ceremonies for different faiths, including Hindu and Jewish, and can supply kosher food and beverage for the reception. Couples interested in incorporating local culture into their special day can have a Mystical Mayan Ceremony performed in Mayan or Spanish by a legitimate shaman, or Maya holy man, with all the guests dressed in white.

The all-inclusive rock ‘n’ roll infused Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya has a partnership with celebrity event designer, Colin Cowie. This assures a couple’s destination wedding is sophisticated and customized, with a choice of nine wedding collections (these have intriguing names like “Metallic Dunes” and “Rocker Chic”). Couples will also have a variety of wedding venues to choose from, including terraces, gardens and beautiful beaches.

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa sits on a sugar-white beach only five minutes from the soul-stirring archaeological site, Tulum. The high-end all-inclusive resort has a Dreams of Love Wedding package that makes it super-easy to plan a destination wedding. In addition to the expected wedding services (judge or minister, flowers, wedding cake, etc.) they also go the extra mile by having a resort staff member prepare and iron the couple’s wedding garments. The newly wedded couple can also return to the resort for free nights on their first anniversary.

The all-inclusive Sandos Caracol Eco Experience Resort in Riviera Maya offers brides and grooms a complimentary honeymoon package if they host a wedding at the resort. The package also provides newlyweds with a romantic dinner and late check-out. Weddings take place on the resort’s Cenote Cristalino; a Maya cenote is an underground well with spiritual significance. The ceremony is accompanied by Maya drumming and includes a romantic boat ride with wine and chocolate-covered strawberries (watch the wedding dress!). Additional aspects of the Maya ceremony are temezcal (Maya steam bath) treatments, and an opportunity to make a donation to the less-fortunate members of the surrounding community.

Couples desiring a high-end wedding in an eco-sensitive setting can choose one of the resorts at Mayakoba, a planned development with a selection of luxe hotels. Properties at Mayakoba include Rosewood, Banyan Tree and Fairmont properties. The complex offers a unique ecosystem of carefully maintained dunes, mangroves and freshwater lagoons that create a romantic atmosphere.

Rosewood Mayakoba can tailor a wedding ceremony with a variety of settings including the lagoons and mangroves as an atmospheric backdrop. The resort provides an intriguing selection of ceremonies, including those that are nondenominational and symbolic. They also offer a Mayan ceremony, with a shaman overseeing the exchange of vows; and a sand ceremony, with the union symbolized by the mingling of different-colored sands.

The Fairmont Mayakoba takes a more traditional approach to weddings, although they can also custom-design a ceremony. The resort has several ball rooms that can be matched to the size of the wedding and reception. Couples can also exchange vows on the beach or on the resort’s expansive lawn. The Fairmont Mayakoba’s Beach Area Casita Suites are perfect for newlyweds, being situated in the resort’s private area, while still being only steps from the beach. These casita suites have exclusive butler service, a main bathroom with a soaker tub, their own infinity pool on the roof terrace and a wrap-around balcony looking out on the lagoon.

The Banyan Tree Mayakoba‘s wedding package is complete with all essentials, including extra perks like a cocktail party, three-tier wedding cake and complimentary villa upgrade. Banyan Tree’s Spa Pool Villas provide a serene lagoon-side setting. Couple can receive spa treatments at their personal outdoor massage deck. They can also relax in their villa’s outdoor area equipped with massage beds, loungers and a dining area, and enjoy such romantic touches as two outdoor showers.

Some people would say that all marriages are symbolic, although they are backed up by a legal license. In the case of gay marriage in the Riviera Maya, couples will have to be content with a purely symbolic union since legal ceremonies are not performed for same-sex couples. There are many resorts and hotels where a symbolic gay union can take place. Resorts listed by GayDestinationWeddings.com include Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Hotel Riu Palace Riviera Maya, Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, and Viceroy Riviera Maya.

 

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