The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences · Playa del Carmen venue guide
The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences Wedding Photographer
Residence-style beachfront resort north of Playa del Carmen with spacious suites and flexible venues for wedding groups.
The Fives Beach is a residence-style resort north of Playa del Carmen: apartment-sized suites with full kitchens and living areas, which changes the getting-ready coverage entirely — space to breathe, real window light, and family able to gather rather than crowding a hotel room.
I have photographed a wedding here. The ceremony was on a wooden deck by the sea, under an open gazebo, and the reception in a white pavilion facing the water. The jungle paths and a hidden garden of rock and vines gave the portraits a second setting, away from the beach.
Where to say “I do” — and how each spot photographs
Beachfront Gazebo
Direct Caribbean view with a defined ceremony structure. It avoids putting the entire setup deep in the sand but remains exposed to wind and bright afternoon light.
Sky Deck
A fourth-floor rooftop with elevator access and open Caribbean views. It photographs best later in the day because the space is exposed to sun and wind.
Muelle 8
One of the resort's current wedding venue options. It gives a more structured oceanfront setting than a fully open beach setup; confirm the exact event configuration and capacity for your date.
Grand Garden
A greener inland alternative to the beach that gives more separation from reflective sand and open-water wind. Light can become softer but less even under tropical foliage.
Jungle paths
Shaded paths with wooden railings between the suites and the beach. Private and green, which is why the first look happens here.
The hidden garden
A small clearing of rock, vines and gravel inside the jungle. Soft light all afternoon, and it looks nothing like a resort.
Oceanfront pavilion
A white structure facing the water, used for receptions. With a chandelier at night it photographs bright and clean.
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
- 3:15 pm
- First look and couple portraits
- 4:00 pm
- Ceremony
- 4:40 pm
- Family and wedding-party photos where the ceremony ends
- 5:10 pm
- Golden-hour couple session
- 6:15 pm
- Reception entrance and first dance
- 8:00 pm
- Open dance floor
First look — yes or no?
Recommended. At the wedding I photographed here, the first look was on a path through the jungle, away from the guests. With the portraits done early, the golden hour stays free for the beach.
Logistics worth knowing
The Fives currently describes the resort as about 40 minutes south of Cancun International Airport and about 10 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen. The wedding planner asks for the photography team's full names, arrival time and contact email in advance, and expects the team on property about half an hour before coverage starts. Build elevator and property-transition time into rooftop, beach and garden movements.
Vendor rules at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences
- Outside photographers: Accepted
- Outside photographers are accepted. The Fives wedding team asks for the full names of the photography team, the arrival time and a contact email before the wedding, so leave room for that in the planning. Confirm the current fee with the 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 Fives Beach faces the Caribbean, so the water is on the sunrise side and sunset falls inland. Keep the final 45 to 60 minutes before sunset for portraits. Sunset here runs roughly 5:10-6:25 p.m. from November through February and 6:25-7:30 p.m. from June through August, so check the exact date before locking the ceremony time.
Real weddings at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences
Questions couples ask about The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences
Can we bring our own photographer to The Fives Beach?
Yes. The Fives coordinates access for outside photography teams directly with the wedding planner, so register your team in advance.
What does the resort need from our photographer before the wedding?
Full names of the photography team, their arrival time and a contact email. Your coordinator may ask for more, so confirm the final checklist for your date.
How far is The Fives Beach from Cancun airport?
The resort currently describes itself as approximately 40 minutes south of Cancun International Airport.
Does the beach show the sunset over the ocean?
No. The Caribbean is on the east side of the property. For sunset light, use the final part of the afternoon while expecting the sun to set inland behind the resort.
Should we do a first look at The Fives Beach?
Yes, and the jungle paths make it easy. At the wedding I photographed here, the first look was on a path through the trees, away from the guests. With the portraits done early, the golden hour stays free for the beach.
Have you photographed at The Fives Beach?
Yes, a wedding. The ceremony was on a wooden deck by the sea, under an open gazebo. Portraits were on the beach, on the jungle paths and in a garden of rock and vines. The reception was in a white pavilion facing the water.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at The Fives 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 The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences 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 The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences?
I've photographed here — I know the light, the spots and the rules.