Destination Scout

Welcome to the forum. Tulum is one of my favorite places. I just ran a site visit to Tulum in November. You can read some of our feedback here. http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...11-15-a-48981/

Your plan sounds great! Many of the girls here on the forum have written their own ceremonies. I personally think they are the best kind. It makes the whole experience so personal and touching. Welcome to the forum!

I really like Le Reve, just north of Playa del Carmen. IMO they have one of the most secluded beaches that close to the airport. They only have 25 rooms, so you would have the hotel all to yourself. They are not typically AI, but you can probably work include a meal plan in your wedding contract. I visited them on my last site visit to the area. Here is the trip review from that trip (including pictures). http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...11-15-a-48981/ Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Yay! Thanks for running this. Please count me in. The holidays really took a toll on my wardrobe selection. I cut myself down to 1,200 calories a day and lost all the water weight. Now the real work begins:)

ddk - I personally haven't done Xcaret, but I have heard a lot of people say that it is way too touristy BUT that the shows are phenomenal. Another option that is close to Dreams Tulum is Xpa-Ha. I haven't been here either since I am always on a time crunch - but I suggest that you swing in. It is on your way to Dreams and you can make a quick decision which one is for you. Both Hidden Worlds & Xpu-Ha are close to Dreams and about the same price. Xpu-Ha has a lazy river, etc. It does seem a little more touristy but it will eat up more of the day. Good luck - and let us know what you decide.

Congratulations! Everything looks great! You will have a beautiful day.

Cancun, Mexico Climate I stand corrected. Both months have an average humidity of 84%, the avg. high is 90 in July and 89 in June, but there are an avg of 6 days of rain in June but only 4 in July.

Welcome to the forum. I was married at Milamores in Tulum, and rented a house in the Rancho San Eric preserve myself. I know the area well. You can read my review for some hints. I ran a site visit tour in November. The feedback can be found here. http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...11-15-a-48981/

Welcome! Both months are pretty tough in Playa, but June is a little less hot and humid than July.

Jen we had a pagan/mayan ceremony. The officiant presented us to the four cardinal directions (each represented by a different guest), each of which represents a trait needed in marriage (love, strength, beauty, purity) and sprinkled us with flower petals (to signify giving us their blessing). After each direction all the guests either played instruments (drums, clapped) to celebrate. We had one of our friends step in and lead the exchanging of vows, and then we went around the circle and had each guest say something small, either a good wish or a word of advice. At that point we gave the guest a lei as a token of our appreciation. We had 20 guests, but I've seen this same ceremony performed with a guest list of 50 people. There are many pictures of our ceremony at Tulum, Mexico Wedding Photography: Malisa and Todd – Dreamtime Images One of my favorite websites that gives some awesome ideas for writing your own ceremony is Chicago Wedding Officiants Wedding Offic Good luck. Your wedding will be great no matter what you choose.

I was married on the Carribean coast of Mexico. We had our guests stand in a circle around us BUT it was part of the ceremony. I thought it turned out lovely. However, I have had chairs used, benches could be another option.

Your DJ probably has lighting. DJ Mannia does and he is based out of Cancun. EW Cancun (coordinator and decorator) also has lighting.

I had this same fear. We had a few things happen that really made the reception a blast. 1) My 70 year old in-laws kicked off the party by breakdancing to "Bust-A-Move" 2) We set up a photobooth 3) We had salsa instructors come in about an hour and a half into the dancing 4) Tequila shots

Found it. Here is a small cluster of Tulum beach shots. The first one is at the ruins. Beaches - a set on Flickr

I'm super jealous. Enjoy your trip. Hoyt, I have pictures of the ruins I'll upload tonight. What part of the Tulum beach do you want. It is different depending on where you are on the beach. It's probably easier for you to tell me what you are looking for and I'll pick the place and show you the picture.

How fun! I'm going to consider this as well.

Hmmm... modern boutique... On the beach? In a vineyard? What climate?

It's going well, thanks for asking. I ran my first scouting trip to Tulum with two possible clients. We had a great time. You can read the trip report at http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...11-15-a-48981/ I really enjoyed going, and learning more about the area. The other couples really appreciated finding some locations they hadn't read about before. In early November, I played a role as an intermediary between a hotel that did not have a website and the bridal party. I helped them make their reservations and transfer all of their money across the border without any drama. This is a huge issue with small vendors and I was glad that I could help. I am in the process of finalizing plans for a wedding in May. We've made all of our decisions and are in the midst of paying all of our deposits. This is a huge win for the bride, who has just purchased her first home. We are six months away and she is able to enjoy being engaged instead of trying to finish planning her wedding. Tulum is a great location and I love helping people find what they need in the area, but I'm ready for a new challenge. I'm waiting for someone to send me off into the wild.

Very fun! These are very cool pictures.

Not sure where you are staying. Al Cielo is a great location between Playa and Tulum. They only have 4 rooms but a huge restaurant on a very private beach shared only with Essencia. Another option would be a beach restaurant in Tulum, there are several to choose from but the most accommodating might be Mil Amores, Posada Lamar, and Cesiak. An option on the north side of Playa would be Le Reve, but that's iffier because they have 25 rooms. If you were only coming for the day it would really depend on what is going on in their hotel at that time. Those are all beach options because I assumed that you were talking about the whole day: ceremony & reception. However, if you are just thinking of the reception there are a ton of options because you wouldn't necessarily need to be on the beach.

Welcome Amy! You guys sound like me and my husband. We settled on the sleepy town of Tulum, MX. It has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and has all sorts of accomodations from AI's, cabana hotels, to private villas (one built by Pablo Escobar).

Welcome to the forum Scotch. Your resort prices sound right. I was just at the judge's office in Tulum Mexico last week and the total legal fees, including blood test and translations were about $900, and that didn't include transportation to have someone come to me to do the bloodwork or file the paperwork. You have to be in the US when everyone signs and dates the US legal certificate, so no, it's not really legal to do it that way. Some states are more lenient than others. Here in AZ no one really monitors it, so it was possible for us to make our friend our officiant and sign it the day that we wanted. However, in CA you have to have everything notarized, so that wouldn't fly. If it makes you feel better, in AZ our legal marriage certificate is a 2 inch slip of copied paper. It's not anything I would frame.

And to answer the postage question. It is 105 pesos for the stamp only. I'll follow up on the cost of the postcard.

So we are back. Here is what we learned on our trip. Le Reve Tips Look for the "Tides" sign off the 307 The Le Reve sign is very small. Don't judge the hotel by the approach This is one of the craziest roads I've driven in Mexico. After rain, some of the potholes could be mistaken for ponds. Other Tips Don't park by the yellow or red curbs That is a no parking zone. Police will take your license plate instead of issuing a parking ticket. Lodging Hotel Lunata My favorite place on 5th Ave. It's a very cute, garden style pure old Mexican style hotel. I'll be staying here the next time I want to spend the night on 5th. Mesquito Blue Beautiful fun decor and pool area. Very quiet for being on 5th. 45 rooms or suites. Great for large parties, but will not host weddings. Mesquito Beach Related to Mesquito Beach, this also has great decor and pool. Set on the beach, it has a great restaurant. This part of the beach is very busy. One of the girls mentioned that it would be like getting married in front of 500 of your not so closest friends. Blue Parrot Didn't tour the property but wanted to mention that is on the beach right next to Mesquito Blue. For those of you looking for a private wedding on the beach - this is not the location. Basico Thumbs down. Very fun 80's look - that hasn't seen a paintbrush since. The place smells really bad. Activities Drive into Playa and walk 5th Ave. Restaurants and Food Le Reve Tasty and nicely presented. I thought the tortilla soup was a little hollow but every one else raved about their food. Transportation Cancun Rent a Car I highly recommend them. Their price includes all taxes and insurance. The car was clean and reliable. Top picks in Playa I've always been reluctant to consider Playa del Carmen for a wedding. This isn't a sleepy little fishing town any more and there are skyscraper hotels from Cancun to Xcaret. However, I found a gem at Le Reve. Next to the Tides, between Aventura Palace & Catalonia Maya, this hotel is found in the center of a small bay that hides the two mammoth hotels from view. The covered, open-air restaurant is large enough to host your dining and dancing. The 25 rooms have air conditioning and hair dryers. The hotel is decorated with locally made tile and light fixtures. Doranna is also a fantastic hairdresser. Located just off of 28th St and 5th Ave. she managed to whirl up two great updo's that perfectly matched my client's tastes (pictures still to be posted). The Road to Tulum I had heard about Al Cielo on the road to Tulum. Word has it that it is on a lonely beach near Barcelo. The hotel has 4 rooms right on the beach and a huge restaurant large enough to feed 50. This makes it an interesting option for weddings that require blow driers. Al Cielo certainly is on a lonely beach. It's quieter than Tulum - more like Sian Ka'an without the trash. It's also next to Essencia, which is a gorgeous hotel. Once a hacienda built by an Italian Duchess, this is Mil Amores but larger and fully staffed. They have an organic spa that is to die for. They roast the herbs outside and many of the treatment rooms have dipping pools surrounded by the jungle. The treatments are reasonably priced at $130/massage. The hotel rooms are not at $600/night. Beautiful location though. I'm definitely recommending this for the girl's spa day. My "To Do" List Found a place to rent generators Found local party furniture rental Found two local florists Found hairstylist & make-up artist Dinner by Mindy Mindy was kind enough to cater a private dinner for us at Mil Amores. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves. This is the way all scouting trips should go. Two fantastic couples, 3 amazing tasting courses, 2 bottles of wonderful wine in one of the most romantic places in Tulum. The wind was softly blowing, we were surrounded by candles and I fell in love - with everything. Mindy really did an outstanding job. The shrimp was just spicy enough, the beef was juicy and the flan was creamy. Tequila My husband is a tequila connoisseur. We probably own 30 bottles of tequila. The last time we were in Mexico he fell in love with this really cheap bottle of Tequila "Orrendain" (the brand, not the type). He asked me to bring him home a bottle of Orrendain Joven. The last day in Mexico I wandered around and found him two bottles, paying no attention to the "EXTRA" typed below the joven, in a different font. Low and behold it's Extra Joven - extra young. Not the same. Oh well. I'll just have to go back. Tips Everything takes longer It takes 20 minutes to drive down the beach road. So don't. Rent a bike or stay put. Order a private dinner on the beach. Everyone is so accomodating. Just ask and it will happen. It will be the most romantic night of your life - until you do it again. Lodging Mayan Hostel Tulum Still don't like this hostel, but the client's were at Blue Tulum and it was close. Thumping music and drafty walls made this an unpleasant stay. Blue Tulum Was pleased to stay here in for two nights. Comfortable beds, hot clean water, and super accommodating staff. Really wish they had a beach and put the outlets in places I could find them. Ocho 25 rooms. Some close to the ocean, some not so much. The selling point on this hotel is their great restaurant. It is a large raised palapa. Their beach has beds and both the restaurant and beach have plenty of helpful staff. They are currently closed, but we all have our fingers crossed that they will be up and running again soon. Las Ranitas I have hope for this property. 25 spacious rooms. They have a pool, tennis courts, massage cabana and a large restaurant. This hotel has good bones and a new owner that promises to have a remodeling project finished by the end of the year. They plan on repainting and replacing all of the textiles. I will be e-mailing them for frequent updates. Mil Amores Mil Amores - 1,000 Loves. My heart stays here every time I leave. The beautiful spacious rooms, the airy palapas, the intriguing architecture. The staff that bends over backwards to please your every whim. I heart Mil Amores. Shambala Petite Very cute almost oriental hotel. 9 Rooms and prideful owner on site. Amansala So this is where the party people stay! This fun hotel is run by 3 25 year old hot boys. It's a bikini boot camp/yoga retreat/hotel for the single and fit. This is where your young single friends should stay. Activities Spa at Essensia Absolutely beautiful and serene. I could spend the entire day here by myself, or with my girlfriends, or my husband....maybe I just wouldn't leave. Massages by Margo While I did not have time to receive a massage, one of my couples did. They both said that they were amazing massages. She even got the butt really well- which is usually a miss hear in the states. I look forward to my massage next time. Hidden Worlds I dropped Couple #1 off at Hidden Worlds while I went and finished my to do list. They came back happy and excited. The first cenote is a hoot to zip line into, the second cenote has very cool snorkeling. Skip the skycycle. It goes WAY TOO SLOW. Friday night at Mezzanine If you want to "club it" in Tulum, this is where you would go. The music was loud, the entertainment was - well, entertaining and Mezzanine is just a cool venue. Sunday Night Salsa Lessons My old friend Romero wasn't teaching this week, but I know he's still around. The salsa lessons let anyone join in and have fun. Afterwards the music continues so that everyone can practice. Restaurants and Food Cocktails at Cesiak Sunset at Cesiak can't be beat. There's no where else in town where you can watch the sunset of the lagoon. Pizza at Om Eat your heart out Jim. Mindy - caterer She used to run an "intimate dining" company in San Francisco. Now she raises her family in Tulum. She has excellent roots in the community that allow her to find staff to cater private events. Her husband is a sommolier, so you could say they are a match made in heaven - and we reaped the benefits. Teetotum Tulum I don't think I ordered right here. I had the breakfast burrito, and it was ok. Everyone else had the coconut french toast and they all ooh'd over it. Very cute swedish interior. Cetli Yumm.... The appetizers were different spreads for our homemade bread. We greedily asked for more bread. Then we ordered the grilled fish and veggies, and the challa and chicken empanada with green mole sauce. It was earthy and rich with spices without being too hot. The owner Claudia is very sweet and is so proud of her restaurant. She is considering catering for us. La Zebra Always consistently good food and service. A great stage and dancing area for large parties. Transportation Collectivo There is now a collectivo that runs up and down the beach road. Hooray! Bike After the second day of scouting I really get tired of driving this bike. I truly suggest getting a bike for a most relaxing stay. Walk I woke up every morning and took a walk on the beach. How fantastic is that? I met Ed, because I thought he looked like Kevin from the Tulum forum. A great guy from Canada who's been traveling for a whole year. I'm uber jealous. Enjoy the pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/3582353...7622799699315/

Congratulations! You have some great choices. Do you scuba? I ask because you have some of the scuba meccas. What is the age range of your wedding party? I only ask because grandma probably won't be up for Columbia or Guatemala. I love LOVE love Guatemala though - so if that's the way you go I can give you loads of info.