Moon Palace Cancun · Cancun venue guide
Moon Palace Cancun Wedding Photographer
One of the largest resorts on the Cancun coast: three sections, gazebos, a chapel and terraces for weddings of almost any size, and a program for South Asian celebrations.
Moon Palace is one of the largest resorts on this coast: more than 2,400 rooms in three sections, Nizuc, Sunrise and The Grand, about fifteen minutes from Cancun airport. That scale is its strength. It hosts weddings of almost any size, from an intimate ceremony to a celebration for hundreds, and each venue holds one wedding a day.
Its best settings for a wedding are its gazebos, its chapel and its terraces, more than its beach. It is also one of the resorts most requested for South Asian weddings, with a program built for them and a space for each event.
Where to say “I do” — and how each spot photographs
Tucan Gazebo
Among palms and gardens with views of the sea, listed for about 100 guests. A good balance of shade, green and water for the ceremony photographs.
Bugambilias Gazebo
Listed for up to about 100 guests. Open-air, with the breeze instead of air conditioning, and well suited to an intimate ceremony or a Haldi.
The chapel
Listed for about 60 guests seated and 80 standing. A covered ceremony that keeps older guests off the sand, and the natural rain plan.
Moon Light Terrace
An open-air terrace in the Sunrise section, often chosen for ceremonies late in the afternoon.
Lake Terrace
A reception terrace listed for about 150 guests at dinner and 300 for cocktails. It is often used for a Sangeet.
Grand Gazebo, Lily Gazebo and Lirios Garden
The settings of The Grand section: a structured garden gazebo, a smaller and tucked-away one, and a garden that suits a Haldi, a Mehndi or a brunch.
Ballrooms and Convention Center
Indoor spaces for large receptions and the plan if it rains.
The beach
Listed without a guest limit. It is not the strongest part of the resort: with the reef close by, seagrass reaches the shore and the water is less clear than elsewhere in Cancun, although the resort cleans it several times a day.
Moon Palace Cancun wedding packages and prices
These are the resort’s packages and prices, not mine. They come from published sources, checked October 2026, and the resort changes them, so confirm the current rates with its wedding team before you plan the budget.
| Package | Guests included | Published price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complimentary | 30 guests | Free with a room block | With a group of at least 10 paid rooms: ceremony venue, officiant, pergola, chairs, sparkling wine, sound, a dinner reservation and a wedding specialist. |
| Petite | 10 guests | From $2,150 | The essentials for an intimate ceremony. |
| Classic | 30 guests | From $3,650 | Adds flowers for the couple, a soloist, a cake, an open bar, a buffet and short photo coverage. |
| Prestige | 50 guests | From $12,000 | Adds a DJ, lighting, a dance floor, hors d’oeuvres and a short video. |
| Luxe | 75 guests | From $15,000 | The resort’s top package, with a larger dance floor, a party show and longer photo and video coverage. |
Starting rates from the resort’s latest published package list. Additional guests are charged per person on every package, and the resort changes its rates each year, so confirm everything with its wedding team, in writing, for your date. Several packages include short photo or video coverage by the resort’s own team; if you bring your own photographer, ask how that changes the package.
A photo timeline that works here
Based on a winter ceremony (sunset ≈ 6 pm). I adjust it to your date and your venue coordinator's schedule.
- 2:00 pm
- Getting ready — details, dress, final touches of makeup
- 3:15 pm
- Bride portraits and first look
- 4:00 pm
- Ceremony
- 4:40 pm
- Family and group photos, right where the ceremony ends
- 5:10 pm
- Couple session in the golden hour
- 6:15 pm
- Reception entrance and first dance
- 8:00 pm
- Open dance floor, toasts and party
First look — yes or no?
Recommended. The resort is large and the sections are a cart ride apart, so a first look gives you portraits before the ceremony and keeps the day from turning into transfers.
Logistics worth knowing
About fifteen minutes from Cancun International Airport, south of the city and away from the hotel zone. The resort spreads across three sections; golf carts with drivers and shuttle buses move guests between them, so build the transfers into the timeline. Guests staying at The Grand can use the other two sections, but not the other way around.
Vendor rules at Moon Palace Cancun
- Outside photographers: Accepted
- Personal vendors such as photographers, videographers and makeup artists are allowed. The resort asks for proof of liability insurance and registration with the coordinator, and charges an access fee per outside vendor. Decor, florals and audio-visual must be booked through the resort’s in-house vendors. Parking and meals for the vendor team are arranged in advance with the resort’s wedding planner.
- These rules belong to the resort, not to me. The resort sets the fee, charges it and changes it, often from one season to the next and sometimes from one wedding to the next, so I do not publish an amount here: any number you find online is already out of date for your date. Ask your wedding coordinator at the resort to confirm it in writing, and ask early: it is a real line in the budget. It is also worth asking whether there is any flexibility. Some venues waive or reduce the fee, often when the vendor team books rooms for a few nights or when the wedding is booked through certain agencies, and plenty of couples never find out because they never ask.
- Tell me about your wedding →
The light here
The beach faces east, so the sun sets inland, behind the resort. Plan portraits for the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset on your date, in the gardens, by the gazebos or on the terraces.
Questions couples ask about Moon Palace Cancun
Have you photographed at Moon Palace Cancun?
Yes. I have photographed two weddings here, and I have another one coming up. Their galleries are not on the site yet, which is why this guide has no real weddings below. I know the sections, the walks between them and where the light lands at the gazebos and the terraces.
Can we bring our own photographer to Moon Palace Cancun?
Yes. Personal vendors such as photographers, videographers and makeup artists are allowed. The resort asks for proof of liability insurance and registration with the wedding coordinator, and charges an access fee for each outside vendor. The resort sets that fee and changes it, so ask the coordinator to confirm it for your date, in writing.
Can we bring our own decorator or florist to Moon Palace Cancun?
No. Decor, florals and audio-visual have to be booked through the resort’s in-house vendors. Only personal vendors, like the photographer, the videographer and makeup, can come from outside.
What wedding packages does Moon Palace Cancun offer, and how much do they cost?
Five: a complimentary package for 30 guests with a group of at least 10 paid rooms, and published starting rates of about $2,150 for Petite, $3,650 for Classic, $12,000 for Prestige and $15,000 for Luxe. Each adds guests at a per-person rate. The rates change every year, so confirm them with the resort’s wedding team before you plan the budget.
Which ceremony spot is best at Moon Palace Cancun?
It depends on your guest list. The Tucan and Bugambilias gazebos suit ceremonies of up to about 100 guests, the chapel is the covered option, and the terraces take larger groups. For photographs, I like the gazebos among the gardens, with the sea behind.
Is the beach at Moon Palace good for a wedding?
It is not the resort’s strongest setting. With the reef close by, seagrass reaches the shore and the water is less clear than elsewhere in Cancun. The gazebos, the chapel and the terraces photograph better, and they are what I would choose here.
Is Moon Palace Cancun good for an Indian wedding?
Yes. It is one of the resorts most requested for South Asian weddings, with a program that covers the mandap, the horse for the Baraat and Indian cuisine, and a different space for each event. The order of events changes with every family, so the timeline is built with yours.
How far is Moon Palace from Cancun airport?
About fifteen minutes. It is south of the city, away from the hotel zone, which makes arrivals easy for guests.
What time does the music have to end at Moon Palace?
Ask the coordinator in writing what time music has to end in your venues. It shapes the timeline of the party, so it is worth knowing before you plan the reception.
What is the rain plan at Moon Palace Cancun?
The chapel for the ceremony, and the ballrooms and the convention center for the reception. Agree on it with the coordinator before the day, so the call on the morning is quick.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at Moon Palace Cancun?
Experienced destination wedding photographers in this area generally run from about $3,000 to $8,000 USD for the wedding day, and more for multi-day celebrations with film. Most couples marrying at Moon Palace Cancun book 6-8 hours, so the coverage reaches from getting ready to the party. Travel to this venue is included or minimal, we are local. To know where I would begin for your date, tell me about it at /contact/.
Getting married at Moon Palace Cancun?
I know this venue's light and its rules. Tell me your date and I'll tell you how I'd shoot it.