A Belize wedding runs about 20-30% more affordable than the same wedding in the US, not the 30-40% you might see quoted elsewhere. It’s still not Mexico-cheap though, Belize has only about 400,000 people total and our largest hotel on the entire coast has just 150 rooms, so there’s no economy of scale the way Mexico has it. That means almost everything gets priced and added individually rather than bundled into one big all-inclusive package the way it would be in Cancun or Tulum. If budget is the top priority, Mexico is usually the better fit. If Belize is calling you for other reasons, the tradeoff is worth knowing going in.
Yes, your guest count changes your Belize wedding cost directly, and most venues cap capacity, so lock your number in early. If you plan around 40 guests and end up with 100, the venue you fell in love with may not be able to host you, and by the time you find out, other venues at your date may already be booked. Packages are usually built for a set headcount, come in under it and you’re fine, go over it and you’ll pay a per-person rate for every extra guest.
Do we need to be residents of Belize to get married there?
No. Anyone can get married in Belize. There are two paths: a symbolic wedding with no legal requirements, not internationally recognized, or a civil ceremony, which is. For the legally recognized version, both the bride and groom need to be in Belize for 3 full business days before applying for the marriage license. Less than that, and you can apply for an expedited permit for an additional fee.
You’ll need a valid passport, a clear copy of the picture page before you arrive plus a photo of your entry stamp once you land, valid passports for each witness, one male and one female, both over 18, a completed Belize marriage license application, and, if either of you was previously married, a certified divorce decree or a death certificate for a deceased spouse. The Justice of the Peace will ask to see all of this again right before the ceremony.
Yes, a legal civil ceremony in Belize is internationally recognized. After the wedding, you’ll wait for the Belize Wedding Certificate, typically 3-8 months, before you can register the marriage at your local public office back home.
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Contact UsTulum has its own distinct identity, boho, elegant, and upscale, but still relaxed and nothing cookie-cutter, closer to comparing New York to Florida than comparing two similar beach towns. Most people hear “destination wedding in Mexico” and picture Cancun, because that’s what their friend or cousin did, but Tulum is a different experience entirely. It also has its own international airport that functions almost like a destination in itself, and it’s still under two hours from Cancun if you’d rather fly in that way.
Plan on $25,000-$35,000 all in, US dollars, for a typical group of 50-65 guests, the average size we’re seeing right now. That number surprises a lot of couples who assumed it’d land closer to $10,000. For context, the same wedding at the same quality level in the US, for 50-65 people, runs $50,000-$60,000, roughly double.
What’s actually included in a base Tulum wedding package?
A standard beach wedding fee in Mexico typically includes an arch, a buffet-style reception, tables with white linens, regular chairs, basic lighting, and usually a two-hour rehearsal dinner. It generally does not include decorations, a DJ, a dance floor, upgraded lighting, or more than a simple bridal bouquet. Anything beyond the basics gets added individually, which is exactly why two weddings at the same hotel can end up costing very different amounts.
Yes, meaningfully. At an all-inclusive property, your guests are already paying for food and drinks as part of their stay, so when it comes to your reception, that cost is already covered rather than layered on top. That matters because the reception typically runs about 60% of a total wedding budget.
Technically, yes, all beaches in Mexico are public. That said, a hotel tucked into a secluded cove functions like a private beach in practice, since there’s no foot traffic passing through.
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Contact UsChoosing between Belize and Tulum comes down to your priorities, not one right answer. If budget is the deciding factor, Mexico is generally the more affordable route since it has the scale and infrastructure to bundle costs into all-inclusive packages. If you’re drawn to something more remote, jungle-and-waterfall, or a different kind of Caribbean feel with a smaller, more intentional guest experience, Belize is worth the tradeoff in cost.
Plan on 10-18 months. The earlier you start, the better your options for venues and hotel room blocks. Most on-site hotel wedding coordinators won’t actually plan the day-of details until about 3 months out, which is completely normal, even though it can make couples nervous that nothing’s happening in the meantime.
Do we need to hire our own wedding planner, or does the resort handle it?
Yes, hire a professional if your wedding is more than a basic setup. There’s a lot more happening behind the scenes than most couples expect: florists, rental companies, hair and makeup, photographers, videographers, audio-visual, the people physically setting up on the beach. Working with us starts with a real conversation about your group and priorities, then we help you navigate vendor and venue selection using firsthand knowledge, we’ve personally visited every property we recommend. From there, guest logistics, itineraries, reminders, and problem-solving are handled for you through the ceremony.
You don’t have to become your guests’ travel agent, that’s part of what we handle. We manage guest logistics directly: itineraries, booking reminders, and answering the questions guests would otherwise send straight to you. That’s intentional, so you can enjoy your engagement instead of fielding fifty texts about flight times.
There’s no single best time, it’s a tradeoff. High season, spring break, summer, major holiday stretches, is when it’s easiest for guests to get time off, but rates are at their highest. Low season, think May or October, gets you better rates and a quieter property, but fewer guests may be able to make the trip. Worth noting separately: hurricane season generally runs June through October, a real factor for outdoor beach ceremonies specifically.
Yes, and it’s more manageable than it sounds, especially working with a planner who’s actually walked the property. We’ve personally visited every venue we recommend, so we can tell you what the restaurants are actually like, which spot photographs best at sunset, and where the online photos don’t quite match reality. That said, a site visit beforehand does make some of the final decisions easier if it’s possible for you.
Most hotels have a backup indoor or covered location for your ceremony, so rain doesn’t derail the day. One thing that trips couples up more than weather itself is timing a sunset ceremony too close to sunset, if hair, makeup, or a groomsman running late eats into that window, you can lose the light fast. The safer move is planning your ceremony about an hour before sunset, which still leaves room for sunset photos afterward without gambling the whole ceremony on perfect timing.
