Cabo Weddings: How to Tie the Knot in the Baja

Cabo weddings can be magical and as wedding season approaches it may be time to examine more closely what goes into planning a wedding in Cabo, possibly the ideal backdrop for launching a romantic life together. Exchanging wedding vows in front of loved ones and friends often lives up to the hype and for that moment, couples want everything to be perfect. But, before getting to that particular moment (the parties, receptions, honeymoon), we need to look at just what a wedding in Los Cabos requires and how to best manage these details. 

It goes without saying that Los Cabos, Mexico is an ideal wedding destination. Top reasons include the variety of scenic backdrops available, top-shelf luxury venues to keep guests talking about it for months to come, and, often, reasonable costs. To organize a dreamy Cabo wedding celebration, read onward. 

Cabo Weddings: Why Get Married in Los Cabos?

Consider the warm and sunny days year-round, mountainous and desert landscapes accessing the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific, and flexibility regarding wedding costs.

Cabo Weddings: Weather

Planning a wedding celebration calls for perfect weather and Los Cabos definitely has the shimmering weather to match the glittery dresses and table dressings.

Cabo has around 360 sunny days a year on average. Also, air temperatures are comfortable or warm most of the year, becoming hot from late spring to early autumn during afternoon hours.

Cabo Weddings: Beautiful Backdrops

Cabo Weddings: Costs

The Cabo wedding budget depends on many things – the expertise of your wedding planner, location of the venue, selected services, number of guests, etc. Still, some realistic estimates by the number of guests are:Less than 50 guests:

*$20,000-$28,000

*50-100 guests: $29,000-$70,000

*100-200 guests: $60,000-$84,000

*200+ guests: $90,000-$180,000

To benefit from certain discounts, consider organizing your wedding in Los Cabos from May to September. Note, that spending less than $20,000 for a Cabo wedding is virtually impossible, regardless of the season and the number of guests.

Cabo Wedding: Venues

Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, and the Tourist Corridor between them brim with venues suitable for your wedding celebration. And most of them fall into the following categories:

*Restaurants – booking the entire venue isn’t usually possible since they remain open to the public. The cost for around 50 guests is typically between $25,000 and $35,000. 

*Villas: Renting a villa is ideal for up to 100 guests. The main benefit of having a villa-style wedding is having everything your way, plus you enjoy premium services and have all the privacy you need. The major downside may be a minimum stay of three nights. Plan to spend between $25,000 and $45,000 for a 50-guest wedding, although some creative research can bring costs down considerably. Booking a large villa for these plans may turn out to be the most cost-effective choice and the one with the most “wows.”

It may also be the most convenient. Several companies offer wide choices in large villas on the beach in Los Cabos accommodating from ten to 30 guests. All ceremonies and receptions can be held there, chef services and catering cab be arranged by dedicated concierge services. The marrying couple can have nuptials on the beach and then be ferried off to a nearby resort or additional villa for privacy. Beachfront villas can start at $3,500 a night for ten guests, saving them plenty of problems and overcharges that may be found at resorts for the simplest of services.

*Resorts: The price tag for your wedding may vary widely from one resort to another. All-inclusive resorts usually charge up to $25,000 for a 50-guest nuptial event. Higher end luxury resorts are likely to run $55,000 and $85,000 for these guests, although there is room to trade around and get added perks and complimentary rooms for some of the guests. Often these venues offer departments that put it all together for the big day, food, flowers, libations, entertainment – all the details that need to go just right. 

Mantea Casa Cabo 

Mantea Casa Cabo is a villa in Cabo San Lucas offering a wide range of amenities and services. It accommodates 20 sitting and 75 standing guests, and has eight rooms that could accommodate up to 16 lodgers in total for a buy-out. 

This Cabo wedding venue features two infinity pools with views of the sandy beach and the Pacific, massage, yoga, and swim-up bar. 

Villa Miramar

The oceanfront views and the lush tropical environment make Miramar a reasonable contender for your Cabo wedding venue. It can accommodate 20 sitting and 60 standing guests, while four bedrooms can sleep 12 people. Some of its premium facilities include a Jacuzzi, infinity-edge swimming pool, patio, and bar.

Villa Leonetti

Leonetti is a stylish villa boasting views of Cabo San Lucas, its marina, the Sea of Cortez, and the ocean. This trendy Cabo wedding venue can accommodate 20 sitting and 40 standing guests, with four rooms that can sleep 10 sleeping. Some useful features Villa Leonetti has to offer are a Jacuzzi, swimming pool, and barbecue.

Los Cabos Wedding Requirements

Couples need to obtain the marriage license by meeting certain requirements and providing paperwork to wed in Los Cabos.

Documents

To get the license, each party has to provide the following:

*Birth certificates copies

*Valid passport or driver’s license to confirm identity (note that officials accept copies). Four witnesses have to prove their identities, too.

*Tourist card or visa received upon arrival

*Parents’ ages, names, addresses, occupations, and nationalities

*Blood test certificates you received at a Baja California Sur lab no later than 48 hours before the wedding takes place. Your hosts may help you with this.

*If applicable, divorce or widowed decree. If divorced, you need to be apart for at least a year to wed in Mexico. 

In general, you’ll need a few days to complete the required procedure. To speed things up, consider hiring a coordinator.

Cabo Wedding Types

Also, you can choose one or both of the following types of wedding in Los Cabos:

*A civil (legal) ceremony (Matrimonio Civil) is the official wedding ceremony in Mexico. Carried out by a Spanish-speaking judge, it can be organized at a registry office or at the location you choose for a fee. If you wish to have a wedding service in English, you can hire a translator. When you exchange vows, you get wedding documents recognized throughout the world. 

*A religious (symbolic) ceremony, unlike civil, isn’t legally valid and won’t alter your marital status. However, a religious ceremony allows you to personalize wedding vows, speeches, and rituals. In short, you are in complete control of your wedding ceremony. 

Recommended Cabo Destination Wedding Timeline

To have enough time to organize your Cabo wedding stress-free, take the following approach:

1. Think about the wedding type (civil or religious) some nine to 12 months in advance. Also, start thinking about the details, such as designs and activities.
2. Start shortlisting Cabo wedding venues between six and nine months before the wedding. Send invitations and inform your guests about flight and other details.
3. Guests should have their room reservations in order three to six months before your wedding. Also, brainstorm what outfits you’ll wear during the various celebrations.
4. Leave the last months before the wedding day only for adjustments, requirements you can’t complete earlier, and final payments.

More information: www.visitloscabos.travel/weddings; Official Wedding Guide