In July, 20 gay and lesbian couples got married in a mass wedding on the beach in Acapulco. One month earlier, Mexico’s top court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide. These are just the latest examples of how gay-friendly Mexico has become, and why it’s becoming an increasingly popular place for LGBT destination weddings (Mexico City was the first large metropolis in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage, back in 2010).
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DON’T MISS: LGBT Destination Weddings: Top 3 Places in Brazil for Gay Weddings
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The importance of the LGBT travel market and destination weddings and honeymoons was a topic of discussion during LGBT Confex, Mexico’s largest LGBT business and travel expo, which took place in the city of Mérida in September (I made a presentation there about media relations and you can read my report, watch my video presentation as well as exclusive interviews from the event by clicking here).
So if you’re thinking of tying the knot and are interested in doing it in an especially beautiful location, how to start? How do you find the best options for destination weddings in Mexico? Here are a few helpful tips to get started — and they just might get you thinking about a honeymoon in Mexico, too. After all, sharing romantic moments on a beautiful Mexico beach work for many different occasions, whether it’s for vacation, getting married or sharing a memorable luna de miel.
1. Use Resources. There are plenty of ways to access information about LGBT-friendly destinations, hotels and vendors. A site called Engaygedweddings.com, for example, has a section devoted solely to Mexico, with gay-friendly accommodations, ceremony and reception venues, officiants, ministers and even DJs. GayDestinationWeddings.com also has a Mexico section, which provides overviews about eight destinations in Mexico and connects you directly with wedding planners. Experienced planners — and even hotels that offer destination wedding packages that include the services of a coordinator — should be able to explain the legal details, paperwork and anything that needs to be done beforehand, so be sure to have your questions ready.
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DON’T MISS: Orgullo Gay: Mexico City’s Colorful Gay Pride Parade (PHOTOS)
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2. Decide the destination. Mexico is a vast nation with lots of great options, so you’ll need to narrow your choices based on your own personal idea of the perfect setting for a wedding, whether it be big city, small town, deserted beach or amid an exciting gay nightlife scene. Puerto Vallarta is the highest-profile destination for LGBT travelers from the United States and Canada, but you’ll also find gay-friendly options in Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Los Cabos and Zihuatanejo. Acapulco made headlines this year with its mass gay wedding on the beach, and a variety of hotels welcome LGBT couples. Or for big-city sophistication and excitement, Mexico City offers a vibrant and welcoming environment with great hotels and everything from nightlife to fine dining, shopping and lots of culture.
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DON’T MISS: Gay Marriage & Same-Sex Destination Weddings in Mexico City — A Guide to Planning
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3. Shop the packages. A variety of gay-friendly hotels in Mexico offer LGBT destination wedding packages, which include all the necessary elements for a complete wedding. Grand Oasis Sens, an all-inclusive, adults-only resort in Cancun, offers an LGBT wedding package that includes VIP check-in, a bottle of sparkling wine, tropical flowers and a venue for the ceremony — and it’s free with the regular room rate. In Puerto Vallarta, Costa Sur Resort & Spa offers an All Inclusive Wedding Package that provides most of the elements you need for a wedding when you book 10 rooms — it even includes a free wedding banquet and four hours of open bar. And a company called Cabo Villas lists a variety of hotels in Los Cabos that are able to host same-sex wedding ceremonies.