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Destination weddings are truly special because they enable the happy couple to have an intimate celebration with close family and friends. For the ultimate destination wedding experience, some brides opt to have their wedding at a private villa. Most villas offer all of the luxuries of high-end resorts (and sometimes more!), but on a much more personal scale. Imagine having your wedding take place at a picturesque villa inhabited only by you and your guests. The surroundings, the experience and the memories will never be forgotten. If you’re considering a villa wedding in Mexico, BDW has done the work for you! Take a look at our guide to some amazing villas in various parts of Mexico and start planning your dream wedding. VILLAS IN RIVIERA MAYA Casa Vela Come and enjoy and exotic vacation experience at this 100 acre nature preserve near Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya adjacent to Mayakoba just south of Cancun. Casa Vela is a handcrafted, all hardwood home that accommodates two couples in luxurious privacy. Each suite has king size bed and private full bathroom with separate shower and toilet rooms. One suite also has a marble tub, while the other suite has a sleeping loft with two singles which works well for families with children. Click here for more information, pics, rates and to book. Villa highlights: If you book at least 5 nights, a chef is included 24/7 concierge Maid and gardener service Modern kitchen Wireless internet Paddle board, fishing boat and other athletic equipment available Special notes: Maximum Occupancy: 6 guests Children are welcome Pets are not allowed Non-smoking villa Security Deposit is required 4 Hours AC per day (solar powered) 300 meter walk to the villa from the entrance (cars not permitted directly at the villa) Check-in: 3:00pm Check out: 12 Noon Holiday Rates are slightly higher, please inquire All rates subject to change Villa Aqua Flowing curves, swimming pool and lots of luxurious space...Aqua Villa is full of light and space with multiple living areas, gourmet kitchen and much more to enjoy on holiday in Mexico. Aqua Villa has a privileged location. It is just few minutes walking distance to the beach and is also very close to downtown Playa del Carmen. A relaxing 10-15 minute walk will take you to "La 5ta Ave.", the heart of playa where you will find shopping, dinning and entertainment. Click here for more information, pics, rates and to book. Villa highlights: Concierge service Cook Gardener and maid services Special Notes: Maximum Occupancy: 12 guests Children are welcome Pets are not allowed Non smoking villa Check-in: 4:00pm Check out: 12 Noon Holiday Rates are slightly higher, please inquire All rates subject to change Weddings & Social events permitted VILLAS IN PUERTO VALLARTA Puerto Vallarta Beach Club The Puerto Vallarta Beach Club is a private enclave of one to four bedroom luxury beachfront villas with all the world-class services of a 5-star resort. The Villas are peacefully nestled in a tropical waterfront jungle on a private estate, yet walking distance to shops, restaurants, and the fun nightlife of Puerto Vallarta. Each Villa can be rented for as few as 3 nights. The Puerto Vallarta Beach Club offers 3 free-standing, exquisitely designed beach front tropical villas. Located on the best part of Los Muertos Beach, the villas can be rented separately or together. When combined with Villa Verano a 12-bedroom estate just above the Beach Club, groups of up to 44 may be graciously accommodated. The Beach Club also provides the flexibility of renting from 1-10 rooms. A full-time English-speaking concierge provides all guest services. Among the many world-class amenities, there is a fully air-conditioned gym, a club house, and beach service. There is no other property of this kind on the Mexican Riviera, and membership is not required. Click here for more information, pics, rates and to book. Villa highlights: An on-site concierge can assist with wedding planning. Wedding coordinators are also offered! Infinity pool Gourmet kitchen with on call chefs and personal grocery shopper Full spa services Housekeeping Private beach Kayaks and beach sports equipent are provided Wireless internet, long distance phone service, house computer Flat screen TVs Special Notes: Rates do not include services such as spa treatments, on-call chefs, and your personal grocery shopper. Christmas/New Year's rates available upon request. Check-in Time: 3:00pm Check Out: no later than 11:00am Villa Verano The Villa has been host to movie stars, international VIPs, and dignitaries, and has been televised in 31 countries. Villa Verano offers up to 11 bedrooms plus a 1 bedroom owner's "beachhouse." Perched on the most tranquil end of Los Muertos Beach, the Villa has the finest location in Vallarta with the best grounds and largest pool of any other Villa in Puerto Vallarta, just walking distance to all the shops, restaurants and nightlife. The full time staff of 10, including 2 executive chefs, are considered one of the finest trained staffs in Mexico. The Villa's concierge fulfills all the guests' desires from planning personalized menus to orchestrating spa services by the pool. When combined with the Puerto Vallarta Beach Club Villas, up to 44 guests can be comfortably accommodated, all on one private estate. Click here for more information, pics, rates and to book. Villa highlights: Spa services Housekeeping services Personal grocery shopper Access to a private beach Special Notes: Rates quoted are for 8 bedrooms please add $336 per bedroom per night in high season (11/01 - 5/15) and $252 per bedroom per night in low season (5/16 - 10/31) + government tax There is an 8 bedroom, 4 night minimum year round with the exception of any reservation that includes Thanksgiving Day (10 bedroom, 7 night minimum) and Christmas/New Year's (11 bedroom, 7 night minimum) Holiday rates are slightly higher.please inquire Check in time is after 3 pm, check out time is prior to 11 am Security Deposit is required All rates subject to change Other Useful Resources for Planning a Villa Wedding in Mexico: Cabo Wedding Planning Forums Riviera Maya, Cancun & Surrounding Areas Wedding Planning Forums Puerto Vallarta Wedding Planning Forum Fun Things to Do in Mexico: Visit the gorgeous underwater cenotes. Many BDW brides have taken amazing Trash the Dress photos here! Visit the Ruins of Chichen Itza. (It's an UNESCO World Heritage site!) Visit the Tulum Mayan Ruins Visit Xcaret Park in Riviera Maya, an eco-archaeological park where you can snorkel, swim with dolphins and more! Zipline above the jungle canopy Legal Requirements for Obtaining a Marriage License in Mexico: Consent: People under the age of 18 may not get married in Mexico without parental consent. With parental consent, boys have to be at least 16 and girls need to be at least 14 years of age. Foreigners Getting Married to Foreigners: You don't need to be resident in Mexico in order to get married there, you'll just need a passport and your tourist permit, plus some other paperwork (see below). If you plan to get married to a Mexican in Mexico, you will need additional documentation. Chest X-rays and Blood Tests: These must be done locally in Mexico, as the results of the blood tests and the X-ray documentation must be in Spanish and the tests need to be done within a certain time frame of the Marriage Application Form being completed. Not all states require the Chest X-rays. Check locally. Four Witnesses: You will need to have 4 witnesses present at the legal ceremony, and they must have valid identification (Passport). Validity Outside of Mexico: Your Marriage Certificate will be valid world-wide, BUT you should get your certificate 'legalised' in Mexico to ensure it is legally accepted when you get back home. The process is the reverse of getting your Native documentation legalised by the necessary authorities (e.g. Foreign Office) for marriage in Mexico (see below); The registry office in Mexico will tell you where this can be done locally. Required Legal Documents An American or other foreigner wishing to be married in Mexico must present to the appropriate Civil Registry certain documents described in the paragraphs below. All documents from the U.S., except for the valid U.S. passport, must be authenticated by an American authority (usually the Secretary of State), from the state where they originated, who attaches an "Apostille" to the documents listed below. Important! ALL Foreign documents listed below (with the exception of your passport) will need to be: Translated into Spanish; Notarised by your nearest Mexican Consulate and; Be 'Legalised' in the country where you live by the appropriate organisation or authorities. (In the UK the Foreign Office undertakes this task; link to the Legalisation page the on the Foreign Office's web site for details about obtaining this service). Marriage Application Forms: These forms are attained from the local registry office in Mexico. You will need to specify whether you will get married under joint or separate property on this form. Passport: Full Passport, valid for at least 6 months and a copy of same (both the bride and groom). Travel Permits: Original copies of the tourist permit which was completed at the port of entry or other resident permit (visa, FM3, FM2, etc) Birth Certificates: These will need to be certified and translated by an approved translator. Contact your nearest Mexican Consulate for more details. Divorce Decree / Death Certificate: If either or both persons were previously married, then copies of Divorce Decree/ Death Certificate, if applicable (see Previously Married) will be required for presentation. Chest X-Rays: The Plates from the Chest X-rays (Get these in Mexico) Blood Test Results: Written results of the blood test, written in Spanish (Get blood test done in Mexico). Again, these must be done locally in Mexico, as the results of the blood tests and the X-ray documentation must be in Spanish and the tests need to be done within a certain time frame of the Marriage Application Form being completed. Not all states require the Chest X-rays. Check locally. The Marriage Process In Mexico, only civil marriage is recognized as legal. Persons wishing to do so may also have a religious ceremony, but it has no legal effect and does not replace in any way the legal binding civil marriage. A civil wedding in Mexico is fully valid for legal purpose in the U.S. Civil marriages are performed by the Civil Registry of each municipality (Registro Civil). Marriages are performed without charge at the premises of the "Registro Civil". They may also be performed elsewhere, but in this case a fee is charged which should be ascertained from the "Registro Civil". Foreigners are not subject to a residence requirement but will have to identify themselves by a presentation of their tourist cards and of a valid passport and a copy of their birth certificates authenticated and translated as described above. Foreigners planning to marry a Mexican citizen should pay particular attention to the special requirements listed in paragraph below. Persons previously married must present proof of the termination of that marriage in the form of a divorce decree or death certificate. If the divorce or death took place outside of Mexico, it must be authenticated and translated into Spanish. Divorced people cannot marry in Mexico until one year after the termination of the divorce. If either party is widowed, the death certificate of the deceased spouse will be needed as part of the documentation requirements. If you plan to marry a Mexican National in Mexico, you'll need to fulfill some additional requirements: In addition to all of the above documentation, you will need to obtain permission from the "Secretaria de Gobernacion - Oficina de Migracion" where for a fee of around US$200/£130 you'll need to acquire a permit to marry a Mexican national. The document is known as "Permiso para contraer matrimonio con un nacional". The office issuing this permit must be the same office that has jurisdiction over the area where the marriage is to take place - so check beforehand! This process can take from two days to two weeks, depending on the State and the people at the local government office: be prepared to be patient if you have to! Foreigners wishing to marry a Mexican citizen must first obtain permission to do so from the "Instituto Nacional de Migración" Secretaria de Gobernación (Ministry of Interior). Marriage Fees You will need to pay your Marriage License fee (approx £20/US$30*), allow the waiting period to go by (anything from 30 minutes to a few days, depending on the State), and then the ceremony can take place and the marriage will be legal. The least expensive option is to have the ceremony performed at the Local Registry Office. For a further fee, you can arrange for the ceremony to take place elsewhere (hotel, beach, colonial mansion, etc). You will need to make further arrangements with all parties involved, or instruct your Wedding Planner to arrange this on your behalf. Once the civil ceremony has been completed, you will need to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate (Acta de Matrimonio). This will prove that you have been legally wed in accordance with Mexican law, and the marriage will be recognised just about everywhere in the world where it can be, including the USA, Canada, United Kingdom / EU.