With tropical backdrops on beaches
and eco-parks, or near Mayan temples,
more U.S. couples are choosing Cancun
as the place to say "I do" ...
Ever consider a romantic warm weather destination for your wedding or a renewal of vows? What about the idea of connecting with your spiritual side to honor the sacred event?
The choices and amenities are extensive in Cancun, the heart of the Mexican Caribbean. From tropical gardens and sandy beaches nearly touching the Caribbean Sea to gazebos surrounded by acres of blue pools, an unforgettable wedding site is the perfect beginning to a memorable special day.
According to the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau, the number of couples from the United States who get married in Cancun steadily increases each year.
And it's no wonder.
More hotels and resorts, such as the Moon Palace Resort,
Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort, Krystal Cancun Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach, Sheraton Cancun Resort & Towers
and the Westin Regina Resort Cancun, are offering the services of wedding coordinators to make sure every detail is exactly right
during that most memorable of days.
"The resort's wedding planner will even coordinate the legal documents required by Mexican law," says Ana Patricia Morales Portas, vice president of the Quintana Roo Hotel Association. "The requirements are very simple - original or certified copies of birth certificates, valid passports, the tourist card received upon entering Cancun, and blood tests that now must be taken two working days before the wedding in Cancun."
Advice that applies to any destination wedding, Morales suggests that the wedding couple arrive in Cancun three working days prior to their wedding to submit all documents and meet with their wedding coordinator.
Choices abound with the Mayans as your guide
Whether you choose a traditional wedding or one under the turquoise sea with scuba gear in tow, Cancun's wedding sites are as varied as the couples exchanging nuptials.
The Mayan ruins of El Rey and Itchel Temple in the Hotel Zone provide a mystical connection to the Mayan Gods. The white sand beachfronts of the more than 150 hotels, resorts and timeshares provide a magical backdrop of the sea and sky.
An ideal way to renew wedding vows in a non-traditional fashion is to get married in a pre-Hispanic Mayan ceremony. These are available at Xcaret National Park, among other places. This ceremony commemorates the union of earth and sky, which represent the woman and her fertility and the man and his dominion over all things on earth.
With nature as your backdrop
If something more remote and tropical is your preference, there are several places such as Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, and eco-parks not more than an hour outside of Cancun.
Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Garrafon. Natural cenotes, rivers, inlets, exotic and exuberant tropical jungles can be the perfect setting for your wedding.
Bring loved ones along
No need to get married without family and friends as many Cancun resorts
such as Ceiba del Mar provide special group rates for the wedding party and guests.
At the Hyatt Regency Cancun and the all-inclusive Moon Palace couples can select
from several wedding packages that offer the wedding ceremony, reception and even massages and breakfast in bed for the wedding
couple.
In fact, the Moon Palace offers its guests a free wedding package that includes basic services such as a wedding coordinator,
a justice of the peace, legal documentation, meals, a wedding gazebo, and a red carpet setting for starring in your romantic Caribbean dream!