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Tying the Knot

By Sarah Muņoz

There are quite a few reasons why the Riviera Maya sees so many weddings every year: miles of gorgeous beaches and year-round warm weather, plus a vibrant culture coupled with the convenience and affordability of Mexico’s most popular destination.

The most enticing reason for many, however, is how easy and stress-free it is to marry here. Couples wanting to combine a cost-effective wedding and honeymoon have an almost infinite array of options encompassing all budgets—ranging from a low-key, barefoot affair in a tiny hotel in Tulum to a no-holds-barred luxurious fête in one of the five-star properties in Mayakoba. Weddings are so popular in the Riviera Maya that your hotel of choice can easily and expertly plan the day or getaway of your dreams, spicing things up to your liking with anything from a mariachi band to a harpist and fireworks. Many hotels and resorts have their own expert wedding planners and dedicated staff that will put together the day of your dreams, so all you have to do is show up with your beau and your guests, enjoy your surroundings and say “I do.”

The Gran Porto Real Playa del Carmen and the adults-only ROYAL Playa del Carmen from all-inclusive Real Resorts offer packages that come with the assistance of a dedicated wedding specialist, complete with romance services and luxury accommodations, plus extras like rose petals on your bed and scented candles. Their services include everything from signature wedding cakes to decorated gazebos, not to mention special spa treatments for the bride- and groom-to-be. They can also add any number of details to the couple's special day, such as a violinist, Mayan dancers or a three-hour cocktail cruise on a private yacht. The couple can choose to have a symbolic wedding, a Catholic ceremony in the seaside chapel or a Mayan ceremony, where a shaman invokes the Mayan gods. Real Resorts has an on-site civil registry right in Playa del Carmen so the couple can get their marriage license and paperwork ready.

Travelers who want to combine a magical wedding with activities for young and old also have a great amount of options, including Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa and its 17 water slides and water play areas. Here, guests can also enjoy complimentary snorkel tours in the resort’s cenotes, introductory scuba lessons, romantic canoe rides and more. More intimate properties such as Maroma Resort & Spa are proficient at putting together quiet couples-only encounters including a temazcal ceremony to purify mind and body or a picnic for two on the beach prior to a religious or non-denominational ceremony.



Many of the larger properties, including Real Resorts and the gourmet-inclusive El Dorado Seaside Suites from El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels and Azul Hotels by Karisma, also offer basic free wedding packages when a minimum number of rooms and/or nights are booked by a group or wedding party. The El Dorado family’s wedding and renewal services offer tons of amenities for customizing a dream ceremony and reception. Brides can opt to have an in-room attendant to offer dressing assistance and help with last-minute requests, while the groom and his groomsmen can enjoy a personal dressing room stocked with food and beverages. With the key details handled, couples are free to regularly check their online bridal registry, pamper themselves with seaside massages prior to the grand event and have a beachfront, rooftop or indoor ceremony, depending on their hotel of choice and their personal taste.

Even one of the Riviera Maya’s biggest attractions, Xcaret, has its own weddings team that arranges all the details for an unforgettable day. Couples can choose to marry in the Guadalupe Chapel or the St. Francis Chapel, which offers beautiful views of the region, or just hold their reception here and have guests enjoy all of the park’s offerings, including floating on underground rivers and swimming with dolphins.

Speaking of attractions, there’s no shortage of natural enticements for pre- and post-wedding entertainment. Whether it’s playing a round of golf at one of the region’s gorgeous greens, discovering the underwater wonders of the area or exploring the ruins of Cobá or Tulum, travelers can spend days on end discovering the riches of the Mexican Caribbean—a destination as sublime for a memorable wedding, vow renewal or anniversary as for an unforgettable honeymoon.

Ask your hotel or wedding planner of choice about marriage requirements in the Riviera Maya, or visit rivieramaya.com.