Weddings in Playa del Carmen · Destination guide
Playa del Carmen Wedding Photographer
Design-led venues, private estates and a more cosmopolitan Riviera Maya.
Playa del Carmen is the more cosmopolitan Riviera Maya. The town has a real street life, which matters for a welcome dinner or a rehearsal. The coast on either side holds the venues couples travel for. The Xcaret resorts have rivers, coves and a chapel. Secrets Maroma sits on a beach that keeps appearing on lists of the best in the world. Secrets Moxche and UNICO bring contemporary Mayan design. Rosewood Mayakoba is woven through lagoons and mangroves, with overwater settings I have not found anywhere else.
Villa La Joya is the private estate of this stretch, between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras. It is the place where I most often photograph full wedding weekends: a welcome dinner one night, the ceremony the next, everyone under one roof. Grand Velas, The Fives and Valentin Imperial round out the resorts. Each has a different scale and a different beach.
Like the rest of this coast, the beach faces east, so the sun sets behind the venue. The last hour of the afternoon is the one I protect for your portraits. I have photographed more weddings here than in any other town on the Riviera Maya. Each venue guide below says where the light falls, which spots photograph best and what to ask the resort before you sign.
1 real wedding at Hotel Xcaret Arte — swipe to explore
5 real weddings at Hotel Xcaret México — swipe to explore
3 real weddings at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun — swipe to explore
1 real wedding at Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen — swipe to explore
1 real wedding at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences — swipe to explore
1 real wedding at UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya — swipe to explore
6 real weddings at Villa La Joya — swipe to explore
All real weddings in Playa del Carmen →
More Playa del Carmen venue guides
Beyond the wedding day
Photo sessions in Playa del Carmen
Photoshoots in Playa del Carmen: the full page →
7 sessions photographed here — engagement, lifestyle, family, rehearsal dinner — in the same light and with the same eye as the weddings.
Questions couples ask about getting married in Playa del Carmen
Does the sun set over the ocean in Playa del Carmen?
No. The beach faces east here, so the sun sets behind the venue, not over the water. The last hour of the afternoon gives soft, even light on the sand, and that is when I photograph the two of you. A few venues have a western view of their own. At Rosewood Mayakoba the Lagoon Lawn has sunset views toward the jungle side.
Should we choose a resort or a private villa near Playa del Carmen?
It changes the whole weekend. A resort gives you the infrastructure, the staff and a choice of ceremony spots, with other guests around. A private villa such as Villa La Joya gives you the place to yourselves, with no other guests in the background. A villa also does not limit your vendors the way a resort can. The villa suits couples who want everyone under one roof for several days.
Can we plan a full wedding weekend around Playa del Carmen?
Yes, and this is where I photograph most of them. The town has real restaurants and street life for a welcome party, and the venues are close enough to move between. If you add one event to the wedding day, I would choose the welcome party. That is where the families meet and the story of the weekend begins.
How far is Playa del Carmen from Cancun airport?
It depends on which side of town the venue is. Villa La Joya and Secrets Maroma, to the north, are about 30 to 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport. Venues further south, toward Akumal, are more than an hour away. Add time for traffic on the highway in the afternoon.
Do the resorts near Playa del Carmen allow outside photographers?
Most do, each with its own rules. Many charge an outside vendor fee, and the resort sets and collects it. Some waive it when the photography team stays at the resort for a few nights, so that is worth asking. Whatever applies to your date has to come from your wedding coordinator, in writing. Each venue guide on this page says what to ask.
How much does a wedding photographer cost in Playa del Carmen?
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 in Playa del Carmen book six to eight hours, so the coverage reaches from getting ready to the party. We are local, so travel here is included or minimal. To know where I would begin for your date, tell me about it at /contact/.
Getting married in Playa del Carmen?
I know these venues — their light, their rules and their best corners.