AllyCatta

Hi, I'm very sorry that I didn't reply to your posts. Because I wasn't receiving notifications, I had no idea they were there and I stopped checking this link long, long ago. If you still have questions, please private message me. I seem to get occasional notifications of private messages, so I'm more likely to see and be able to answer your questions that way. I learned so much about Tulum weddings through planning and having my own that I'd love to share what I know with someone who might benefit from it! Congratulations and happy wedding planning!

Hi! Weddings at AyJ are gorgeous. I remember passing by one last year and thinking how beautiful it was. I'm sure your wedding will be wonderful! Congratulations! My best advice to you is to relax once you get down there. Things won't go "perfectly" but they'll be perfect anyway. You really can't go wrong in Tulum, which is, as you know, one of the most beautiful, special places on earth. If you're having a welcome party, hiring the salsa teachers from La Zebra is, as I said, my strongest recommendation. It was the best ice-breaker ever and everybody had such a great time. Other suggestions ... let me think ... Well, foodwise, one of the best, most reasonably-priced restaurants on the beach is at Dos Ceibas. Food in Tulum is expensive, so that's a really good tip for your guests. All meals are tasty there, including breakfast. I'd also really recommend that you have someone at your wedding ceremony and reception (it could easily be a guest) who is designated to keep things flowing smoothly and help make the transitions from one part of the event to the next. We didn't really have a person like that, so some of our transitions were a little disorganized-feeling. Some other thoughts: If you're down for an adventure, I recommend having a Mayan wedding ceremony, which was spiritual and different, fun and interactive, and totally beautiful. I had a salsa band at my wedding, which I probably wouldn't do again. We had more fun with the iPod (although there's something very special about live music). A mariachi band during the cocktail hour might have been a better choice for us. Hope some of this is helpful! Have a wonderful time in Tulum!

Hi! Sorry it's taken me so long to reply to your post! I haven't been checking the site beacuse I thought I'd be alerted to all new messages via email (I wasn't). Anyway, let me see if I can answer some of your questions. I'd also be happy to speak to you on the phone, which might be a better way to communicate about this and will gladly show you photos. Is there a way for us to arrange to communicate backchannel without my posting my contact info to the world? I'm not the savviest when it comes to sites like this. Ak'iin is an absoloutely amazing place to have your wedding. Their website used to be in English too -- not sure why it's only in Spanish now. The owner and manager of Ak'iin were my wedding coordinators. Sometimes they take "Tulum time" to respond to messages, but they are excellent and very professional planners. Can't hurt to send them a follow-up email if you still haven't heard back from them. I chose Ak'iin over La Zebra for several reasons, including date availability, price, responsiveness of wedding coordinators, and tastiness of food, but truthfully, both places are gorgeous and are used to having weddings, so I don't think you can go wrong. I must say I was very glad that I decided to have my wedding at Ak'iin and my welcome reception the night before at La Zebra. That was the perfect combo in my and my 50 guests' estimation -- all of whom said ours was the best wedding they'd ever been to! At our welcome reception, our event planner at La Zebra (Marion from Tulum Events/Caribe Events -- she's a delight) arranged for our guests to have salsa lessons. This was the wisest $150 we spent that week! The teachers were amazing and fun and the experience was the perfect ice-breaker. I couldn't recommend it more highly. The beach party the day after the wedding at Om Tulum was the perfect way to gather together again, lounge on the beach beds, eat some yummy pizzas and snacks, have some drinks (we paid for the food but did a cash bar), and "partique" the night before. Om Tulum may do smaller weddings, but their dining area can't accommodate a large group. Keep in mind that having your wedding in Tulum will likely turn out to be a lot more expensive than you thought it would be (that was certainly the case for me). When you have your wedding in a big resort, there are tons of discounts built in to the package deals they offer, but when you have your wedding in a place like Tulum it's like having an "a la carte wedding." You pay for each and every aspect seperately, which adds up. On the other hand, there are few more beautiful places on earth than Tulum. We couldn't have had a more magical, special wedding. Congratulations, happy planning, and let me know how else I might be helpful to you!

Hello, all. After 6 months of intense planning and preparation, I just had an amazing wedding at Ak'iin Beach Club in Tulum on Dec 30th. I would love to share all my hard-earned knowledge and insights with anyone who needs it. I have so much to suggest to brides who are planning their weddings at Ak'iin, as well as suggestions about where to hold your pre-wedding welcome reception (La Zebra) and where to hold your post-wedding beach party (Om Tulum). I have lots to share so let me know what would be most helpful!

Thanks for your words of welcome. I've decided on Akiin. Now I'm looking for a wedding photographer...

Hello, all, Thanks for welcoming me into this forum! I've read bits and pieces of this wonderful resource and am very happy to be a part of it. I am getting married in Tulum on Wed, Dec 30th. My big decision now is whether to have my wedding at La Zebra or at Akiin. I've been to La Zebra and absolutely loved the vibe and atmosphere of the outside, but I've been reading so many wonderful things about Aikiin (where I've never been) and think that may be the better choice. Furthermore, my friend ate at La Zebra and said the food wasn't so hot. Also, we won't have exclusive use of the place like we would at Akiin. A friend of mine who lived in Tulum for a few months said that she thought Akiin was too "spread out" and that La Zebra was cozier. I would welcome any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions any of you have on the La Zebra vs. Akiin debate. I've got to make this decision within a few days! Thank you so much! Ally