Playa del Carmen · Venue guide
Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
Adults-only all-inclusive on Maroma Beach — consistently ranked among the best beaches in the world, with powder-white sand ceremonies.
Secrets Maroma sits on Maroma Beach — routinely ranked among the best beaches in the world, and honestly, the ranking is deserved: the sand is powder, the water gradient is unreal, and the beach is deep enough that ceremonies feel private even at a full resort. Adults-only, which keeps the backdrop calm.
We photograph here regularly and our Maroma galleries are among the most-viewed on this site. The beach does half the work; knowing where the light lands at each hour does the other half.
Where to say “I do” — and how each spot photographs
Beach Area / South Beach
The strongest direct Caribbean backdrop. Hyatt's current event page lists the overall Beach Area for up to 400 guests, although wedding-specific setups can use smaller sections. A May ceremony here was photographed at South Beach.
Wedding Gazebo / Gazebo Pool Terrace
A structured open-air alternative to a ceremony directly in the sand. Hyatt currently lists the Gazebo Pool Terrace at up to 100 guests.
Seaside & Garden Terrace
Open-air space combining greenery with proximity to the ocean. Hyatt currently lists the larger Seaside & Garden Terrace event area for up to 400 guests; confirm the exact wedding section and floor plan because wedding-specific capacities can be lower.
Oceana Terrace
Ocean-view terrace commonly used for ceremonies or receptions. Current wedding venue references list approximately 100 guests depending on setup.
Ballroom
Air-conditioned indoor option and weather backup. Wedding-specific sources commonly list approximately 300 guests, depending on configuration.
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?
Optional. Maroma’s beach is west-friendly late in the day, so ceremony-first timelines work if you marry by 4 pm in winter. Later than that, do a first look — the shoreline reflections at golden hour are not something to rush.
Logistics worth knowing
Secrets Maroma is in the Playa Maroma corridor between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Hyatt currently describes the resort as about 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport; real road time should still be padded for traffic. At a May wedding here, coverage moved from the getting-ready rooms to a first look, a South Beach ceremony, family portraits, golden-hour portraits and the reception without ever leaving the property.
Vendor rules at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
- Outside photographers: Accepted
- Outside photography is allowed. A current 2027 Secrets Maroma wedding guide requires outside vendors to sign the Resort Regulation for External Vendors two weeks before the wedding. The guide's Wedding Pass applies to wedding guests who are not staying at the resort and should not be assumed to be the photographer's vendor credential.
- 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
Maroma Beach is on the Caribbean side of the Riviera Maya, so the water is the sunrise direction and sunset falls inland. Protect the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset for portraits. Around January, sunset is approximately 6:20 p.m.; in June it runs roughly 7:25-7:32 p.m. A May wedding here held 6:20 to 6:45 p.m. specifically for golden-hour portraits after the ceremony.
Real weddings at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
Questions couples ask about Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun
Can we bring our own photographer to Secrets Maroma?
Yes. Outside photographers are accepted, and Kristina has photographed a wedding there.
Is there an outside photographer fee?
Yes, and it changes by wedding year: the current guide charges for a photo or video team up to a set number of staff, plus more per additional person. The resort sets it, collects it and revises it, so we do not publish an amount: any figure would already be old for your date. Ask your wedding coordinator to confirm it in writing.
Does the photographer use the Wedding Pass?
Do not assume so. The guide describes that pass for wedding guests who are not staying at the resort; outside vendors fall under a separate regulation, which here also means signing the resort's external-vendor agreement ahead of the wedding.
Do outside vendors need to register in advance?
Yes for the current 2027 policy. The wedding guide says outside vendors must sign the Resort Regulation for External Vendors two weeks before the wedding.
Where should we plan golden-hour portraits?
Reserve the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset. The ocean is on the sunrise side, so the sun sets inland rather than over the Caribbean.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at Secrets Maroma Beach?
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 Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera 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 see where I would begin for your date, the collections live at /pricing/.
Getting married at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun?
I've photographed here — I know the light, the spots and the rules.