Resources.
Resources and advice for your Isla Mujeres wedding.
We hope that these resources, tips and bits of advice will make your destination wedding planning a little easier and less stressful.
We’re happy to help!
For over a decade, we’ve been helping couples plan their Isla Mujeres weddings, elopements and vow renewals.
During this time, we’ve learned a ton and would like to share our insight with you.
If you find our resources, tips and advice helpful, we would love to chat with you about your destination wedding on Isla Mujeres!
Why should you consider Isla Mujeres for your destination wedding?
Let us help you decide! Here are a few helpful tidbits about the island and all it has to offer.
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Isla Mujeres has managed to balance its fishing village quaintness and tourist industry without losing its charm. The island has a more relaxed and laid-back atmosphere than its neighbor across the bay, Cancun.
One of the main draws to the island is its stunning beach, Playa Norte, with crystal-clear water and powdery white sand. Besides hanging on the beach, another wonderful past-time is renting a golf cart and riding around the island. Although it’s only five miles long and a mile and a half at its widest point, the island offers lots to explore. A must see is the rugged coastline and rocky cliffs of Punta Sur, the south point. Pay the admission fee to the park and head to the very end of the point where the ruins of the ancient temple to the goddess Ixchel stand then walk down the stone stairway and explore the breathtaking views along the sea walk.
Just off the coast of the island is MUSEO, an underwater museum that showcases a collection of over 500 life-sized sculptures that have been submerged in the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. The sculptures were created to serve as an artificial reef, providing a habitat for a wide variety of marine life. The museum is accessible to both snorkelers and divers, making it an excellent activity for visitors of all skill levels.
One of the most popular activities for visitors to Isla Mujeres is a whale shark tour. These gentle giants can be seen in the waters surrounding the island from May to September, and swimming with them is an unforgettable experience.
After you return from your sea adventure, head back to the beach and watch the sunset before going to the pedestrian-only Hidalgo Street for dinner, a few drinks and people watching. Here you can enjoy live music every day of the week.
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Not at all! Most people speak English on the island so getting around won’t be a problem.
If you’re working with us it won’t be an issue either! English is Susan’s first language and Sabina speak English and German.
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Getting to Isla Mujeres from the United States is relatively easy. The island is located just off the coast of Cancun which has an international airport. Many cities across the US have direct flights to Cancun as well.
Once you arrive in Cancun, you can either take a private shuttle company, taxi or bus to the ferry port. The trip takes about 40 minutes from the airport to the ferry. Booking a shuttle company in advance is our preferred method of transportation and there are a number of reputable companies to choose from. Just ask!
The island is accessible by ferry. The main ferry port is Puerto Juarez which runs frequently and takes about 20-30 minutes to cross over to the island. There are a few additional ferry ports from the Cancun hotel zone that come to the island as well.
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Not at all! Matter of fact, many of our clients stay in Cancun and come to the island for their wedding.
Isla Mujeres is only a short 20-minute ferry ride from Cancun. There are several ports that serve Cancun and the hotel zone. The main ferry line is UltraMar, but there are a few new ones that have recently been added as well.
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The island is small, only five miles in length, so getting around the island is pretty easy. Once you debark the ferry, you can easily walk to the beach, restaurants and bars as well as many accommodations. If you are staying in the downtown area, also known as Centro, you don’t need transportation as everything is easily accessible on foot. If you want to reach other areas on the island, you can easily grab a taxi or rent of golf cart. Scooters and bicycles are also available to rent.
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Isla Mujeres has a great selection of hotels ranging from luxurious five-star properties to more affordable mid-range options. When considering staying at an all-inclusive resort, you might want to think twice as the island boasts a diverse and wide selection of amazing restaurants that you’ll want to experience.
Another popular option for accommodations on the island is vacation rentals. There are a wide range of options available from small apartments to spacious villas, vacation rentals are a great choice for families and groups of friends who want more space and privacy. Check out sites like Airbnb and VRBO to find a property that best fits your needs.
For budget-conscious travelers, hostels are a great option for accommodations on Isla Mujeres. For the size of the island, we have a number of options to choose from. While most hostels offer dormitory-style rooms, they also have private rooms for those who want more privacy.
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The island has a vibrant restaurant scene with a variety of options ranging from seafood to traditional Mexican cuisine, as well as international cuisine such as Italian, Mediterranean and Asian. There are also many casual beachfront eateries, food carts, and upscale dining options. Visitors can enjoy fresh seafood caught by local fishermen and try traditional dishes such as ceviche, tacos and guacamole. Many of the restaurants also offer vegetarian and vegan dishes.
When you have a craving for a sweet treat, you must try the churros and marquestias which you can find at pop-up stands in Centro.
Churros are a deep-fried dough, often sold covered in sugar. Marquesitas are a traditional dish from the Yucatan region of Mexico and are a crunchy, crepe style dessert rolled with your choice of fillings. My favorite filling combo is Nutella, banana and cheese. The salty and savory trio is to die for!
So you’ve decided Isla Mujeres is the destination for your wedding.
Congratulations!
These next FAQs will hopefully answer the additional questions you’re sure to have.
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Not to worry! Isla Mujeres Elopements can help. We not only live on the island, but have coordinated and photographed hundreds of weddings over the last decade, so reach out and let’s talk about your destination celebration.
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January through March is ideal for weddings. Evenings tend to cool off a bit while days are warm and wonderful, but not too humid or hot.
Starting around the beginning to middle of April, the weather starts changing and begins to get hotter and the humidity level starts raising; however, April and May are still wonderful months for a wedding.
June through September is the high season for rain, and rain can downpour for hours. Additionally, this is the hurricane season. The temps are hot, hot, hot, it is very, very humid and often there is no breeze to cool you down. Not ideal for a wedding.
Although October is still considered part of hurricane season and we may still get some rainy days, it’s one of our favorite months. It’s considered low season so the crowds haven’t taken over the beach yet and the ocean is like bathwater.
November and December are also wonderful months for a destination wedding. Daytime temps are perfect and the nights can cool down a tad so it’s comfortable.
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Having your wedding in Mexico one hour before sunset, also known as the "golden hour" or "magic hour," is the best time of the day from a photographer's perspective because of the soft, warm and flattering light that it provides. During this time, the sun is low in the sky and its light is diffused and scattered creating a beautiful, golden glow.
Additionally, it’s not as hot so you and your guests can enjoy your ceremony without the harsh rays of the Mexico sun beating down on you.
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When couples are contemplating doing a first look, they sometimes hesitate because they think it will be ‘bad luck’. Well let me dismiss any thoughts around that!
It all dates back to arranged marriages. According to tradition, the groom was not allowed to see the bride before the wedding. Why you ask? Because they didn’t want him to bolt!
Now that we have that resolved, let’s talk about the reasons why or why not to have a first look.
If you are wanting photos at the cliffs of Punta Sur and your ceremony is on the beach, then a couple’s pre-session may be perfect; however, if you still have your heart set on not seeing each other until you walk down the aisle, you can always schedule a session on another day. How fun will it be to wear your wedding dress twice!
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To secure your ideal date with us we recommend contacting us as soon as possible in your planning process. We often book dates six months to a year out, but we have also worked with couples that contacted us only a few months (or weeks) out.
To reserve our services, we need a signed contract and retainer.
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The ceremonies that we offer are spiritual and symbolic in nature which means they reflect and express the love you have for each other. No legal papers will be signed in the ceremony. To legalize your marriage, you will need to check with your home state.
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Sure do. The best, actually!
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Absolutely, we would be happy to provide you with recommendations! Just let us know what cuisine you’re craving and we’ll send you in the right direction.
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We watch the hour-by-hour reports constantly and if we happen to see that rain could be a problem with your scheduled time, we will offer to adjust the timing of the wedding to ‘dance’ around the rain. This is normally a great fix for a common shower.
If you are adventurous and want to have your ceremony in the rain, we are up for that also!
Please note that our ceremony sites do not offer covered areas nor are there backup options.
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The money paid to retain our services means that we are completely committed to you for your date. We’ve blocked out your date and made your event our highest priority. You have our guarantee that nothing will take precedence over your special day!
By dedicating this date to you, we have closed your date to other potential clients, essentially declining other business. Thus, should your event be cancelled for any reason, the money paid to retain our services is non-refundable. (The non-refundable retainer also covers administrative services and planning time occurring in advance of the event.)
If you paid in full at the time of booking, we are happy to refund you, minus the appropriate retainers, as set forth in the contract.
“On the big day, the weather wasn’t cooperating with our original schedule but we communicated the whole day and we were able to find a break in the rain for a gorgeous ceremony.”
We would love to work with you!
We know that planning a destination wedding from afar can be daunting, even if it’s only the two of you or with a few guests.
But don’t worry! We are here to help make the process stress free so you can focus on what’s important…your relationship and the fact that you’re coming to paradise for your destination wedding!
