The Ultimate Almare Isla Mujeres Wedding Guide

A Yellow Umbrella Events Guide to Almare Isla Mujeres

Here’s everything you need to know about one of the most unique destination wedding resorts in Mexico – the wedding packages, venues, vendor details, and the things we always tell our couples before they decide.

First, Let's Talk About the Isla Mujeres

Before we get into packages and pricing, we need to talk about something that makes Almare fundamentally different from most of the resorts we work with: it’s on an island.

Isla Mujeres is a small, laid-back Caribbean island about 20 minutes by ferry from Cancun. It has a completely different energy than the Cancun Hotel Zone. It’s slower, quieter, and more intimate. Golf carts outnumber cars here. The streets are colorful and walkable. The ocean water is that impossible shade of turquoise that makes people gasp when they see it in person.

Almare Isla Mujeres resort sits right on the coast of Isla Mujeres as part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, which means it’s five-star in both service and design. It’s adults only, boutique in size, and visually stunning. There’s a private dock, beachfront ceremony spaces, and a design aesthetic that feels more like a high end retreat than a typical resort wedding venue.

If you and your partner have been dreaming of something that feels special and different, and not just another beach wedding at a big hotel zone resort, Almare Isla Mujeres deserves a serious look.

One thing to flag upfront: because it’s on an island, your guests will take the resort’s private boat over to the island or they need to plan to take the main ferry. It’s not complicated, but it does require a little more coordination than a resort you can drive to from the airport. This is something we factor into our room block and guest logistics when you plan with us.

Wedding Packages

Almare offers four wedding packages. They scale from a simple elopement for two all the way up to a full celebration for 100+ guests. All packages include a symbolic ceremony. (Almare does not perform legal weddings on property.) If you need to make it legal, most of our couples handle the paperwork at home before or after the trip and have the full celebration here. Here’s the breakdown of each package.

Two By The Sea $1,999 USD

For the couple only

This is their elopement package. If it’s just the two of you, or you want to keep things as intimate as it gets, Two By The Sea gives you a complete, beautiful experience without the complexity of a larger event.

You get a wedding coordinator, a symbolic ceremony with a non-denominational officiant, a ceremony table, bouquet(s) and boutonniere(s) for the couple, and an audio system with mic and speaker for 30 minutes. One member of the couple gets hair and makeup included on the day of the ceremony. The resort will upgrade your room category if availability allows, and you’ll receive a 10% spa discount and a 60-minute couples massage.

After the ceremony, there’s a romantic dinner reservation for two, a wedding cake for two, and a bottle of sparkling wine.

Best for: Elopements and intimate vow renewals. Couples who want the full experience without a guest list.

Only Us $3,850 USD (up to 6 guests) / $4,500 USD (10 guests)

For the couple + up to 10 guests

This is the micro-wedding package. Think immediate family and your closest circle – the people who were always going to be there no matter what.

You get everything in the Two by Sea package + more. The big upgrades over Two By The Sea are the pre-wedding virtual planning session with your coordinator, rehearsal scheduling and coordination, preferred dining reservations coordinated for your group, and a waived ceremony and dinner venue fee. On the day of, lunch is arranged for three people in the room while you’re getting ready. The ceremony includes a personalized officiant, ceremonial table, two floral aisle arrangements, cross-back wooden chairs, and a three-hour ceremony sound experience. After the ceremony, there’s a sunset champagne toast with a full bottle of Taittinger Brut for six guests.

For the dinner, you get a welcome cocktail, wedding cake, round tables, cross-back wooden chairs, and two cocktail tables.

Special benefits include $200 spa credit for the couple, 15% wellness discount, breakfast in bed the morning after, and late checkout (subject to availability).

*Additional guests: $165 USD per person

*Maximum 20 people total

*Recommended venue: Playa Palmeras (ocean-front, outdoor)

Best for: Couples who want a real, complete wedding experience with a very small and intentional guest list.

The Art of Forever $12,470 USD (20 guests) / $18,977 USD (50 guests)

For 20 – 50 guests

This is where it starts to feel like a full wedding. The Art of Forever includes everything —- ceremony, cocktail hour, DJ reception, plated dinner, and premium open bar – plus a pre-wedding menu tasting for the couple.

Before you arrive, you get a virtual planning session, rehearsal coordination, preferred dining reservations for your group, and two venue fees waived. On the wedding day, lunch is arranged for six people in a room. The ceremony includes a personalized officiant, ceremony table, bouquet and boutonniere, two floral aisle arrangements, and your choice of a violinist or guitarist for one 45-minute set.

After the ceremony, there’s a sunset toast at three cocktail tables with sparkling wine, plus appetizers (choose four options from hot or cold, vegetarian, meat, or seafood). The reception includes a full DJ setup with eight LED lights for three hours, a three-course plated dinner, premium open bar for three hours, wedding cake, sparkling wine toast, and round tables with cross-back wooden chairs.

Special benefits: $200 spa credit, 15% wellness discount, breakfast in bed, late checkout, one complimentary room upgrade, one complimentary room for the couple (non-cumulative), and two complimentary rooms for every 50 rooms booked.

*Additional guests: $217 USD per person

*Maximum 50 people.

*Recommended venues: Playa Palmeras or Sea Salt (Sea Salt privatization: +$5,000 USD)

Best for: Couples planning the full wedding experience with 20 to 50 guests.

The Eternal Celebration $22,660 USD (50 guests) / $33,500 USD (100 guests)

For 50 – 100 guests

This is the grand celebration package. Everything in The Art of Forever, scaled up for a larger guest count – more appetizers, a bigger cocktail hour, an MC added to the reception, and one major addition that sets this package apart: six mariachi musicians for a 45-minute set during your cocktail hour. If you’ve ever watched a room light up when a mariachi band walks in, you already know why this matters. It’s the kind of moment guests talk about for years.

Everything else mirrors The Art of Forever package in terms of structure – personalized ceremony, full cocktail hour, three-course plated dinner, three-hour premium open bar, DJ and MC for the reception. The cocktail hour steps up to five cocktail tables and 250 appetizers.

Additional guests: $217 USD per person

Maximum 100 people

Same venue notes apply, with Sea Salt privatization an additional $5,000 USD

Best for: Couples planning a larger celebration who want the full production – live music, big cocktail hour, etc, for 50 to 100 guests.

Wedding Package Comparison at a Glance

	Two By The Sea	Only Us	Art of Forever	Eternal Celebration
Starting price	$1,999	$3,850	$12,470	$22,660
Guest count	2	Up to 10	Up to 50	Up to 100
Virtual planning session	—	✓	✓	✓
Menu tasting	—	—	✓	✓
Live music	—	—	Violin or guitar	6-piece mariachi
Cocktail hour	—	Champagne toast	✓ with hors d’oeuvres	✓ with hors d’oeuvres
DJ reception	—	—	✓ 3 hrs	✓ 3 hrs + MC
Open bar	Sparkling wine	—	Premium 3 hrs	Premium 3 hrs
Plated dinner	Romantic dinner for 2	Dinner setup	3-course	3-course
Breakfast in bed	—	✓	✓	✓
Comp room	—	—	✓	✓

Venues

This is one of the areas where Almare really delivers. Because the resort is on Isla Mujeres with water on multiple sides, nearly every event space has a genuinely stunning backdrop. You’re not fighting for a good angle here. The good angle is everywhere.

Playa Palmeras

The main recommendation for most weddings

This is the ocean front outdoor venue and the one Almare recommends most often for ceremonies and receptions. White sand, turquoise water, swaying palms. It’s the classic Isla Mujeres beach setting done well, with ceremony chairs facing the water, natural light that turns golden in the late afternoon, and a backdrop that requires zero additional decoration to be breathtaking.

Most couples using the Only Us, Art of Forever, and Eternal Celebration packages will host their ceremony and dinner here. It’s the default recommendation for a reason.

Good for: Beach ceremonies, outdoor receptions, cocktail hours, most guest counts.

Sea Salt

Semi-private restaurant venue, available for additional fee to privatize

Sea Salt is the resort’s signature rooftop restaurant, and it can be used as a wedding reception venue for the Art of Forever and Eternal Celebration packages. The space has an elevated feel that’s different from the beach setup at Playa Palmeras and great for couples who want more of a dinner-party atmosphere.

Important to know: Sea Salt is included as a semi-private space, which means that even though you’ll have a dedicated area, there may be other guests having dinner on the rooftop in other areas while your reception is taking place. If you want to privatize it completely for your event, there’s an additional fee of $5,000 USD per event plus 16% taxes. Whether that’s worth it depends on your group size and how much the exclusivity matters to you. We’ll help you think it through.

Good for: Couples who want a more intimate and casual restaurant-style reception setting. Larger groups who want full privacy of the space.

The Private Dock

For photos and intimate moments

Almare’s private dock is one of the most photographed spots on the property, and for good reason. The combination of the wooden dock, the Caribbean water, and the resort in the background makes for images that look like they belong in a travel magazine. It’s not a formal event venue, but it’s a location your photographer will want to use, and something worth knowing about when you’re thinking through your day’s flow.

Good for: First looks, couples portraits, sunset photos.

A Note on Venue Availability

All wedding venue locations at Almare are subject to availability and operational confirmation. Outdoor venues in Mexico can be impacted by weather, so if conditions aren’t right for your planned outdoor space, the resort team will work with you on alternatives. This is standard for any outdoor beach wedding. Your coordinator will discuss contingency plans with you as part of your pre-wedding planning process

Welcome Events

One of the best things about a destination wedding is that you’re not just having a wedding, you’re hosting a multi-day experience for people who traveled a long way to be there with you. A welcome event is how you set the tone from the very first night.

Almare doesn’t have a formal packaged welcome event, but the resort can accommodate private group dinners, welcome cocktail gatherings, and rehearsal dinners coordinated through your wedding team. Here’s how couples typically approach it:

Welcome Cocktail or Dinner

The most common welcome event is a casual cocktail gathering or group dinner the evening before the wedding. It gives guests who’ve just arrived a chance to settle in, meet each other if they don’t already know everyone, and start celebrating before the big day.

At Almare, your wedding coordinator can help arrange preferred restaurant reservations for your group at the resort’s dining venues. This is included as part of the Only Us, Art of Forever, and Eternal Celebration packages. The coordinator will handle getting your group seated together and making sure the evening runs smoothly.

For a more formal or fully private welcome dinner, speak with your coordinator about buyout options or private event setups. Additional costs will apply depending on guest count and the space.

Rehearsal Dinner

If you’re doing a ceremony rehearsal, which we always recommend for groups of any size, the night before is a natural time to gather for a relaxed rehearsal dinner. This doesn’t need to be elaborate. A reserved section of a restaurant, a set menu, and everyone together is all it takes.

The Only Us package and above include rehearsal scheduling and coordination as part of the package. Your coordinator handles the logistics so you’re not trying to wrangle guests on your own.

Day-After Brunch

Don’t underestimate the morning after. Guests are still on cloud nine, nobody has left yet, and a casual poolside brunch or breakfast is one of the most effortless, joyful ways to close out the celebration. It doesn’t need to be hosted or formal. Just coordinating a time and a place for everyone to gather is enough.

Your wedding coordinator can help arrange a group breakfast reservation. For couples who’ve booked the Only Us package or above, breakfast in bed for the couple is included, so you can enjoy your private morning and then join guests for a later brunch if you’d like

A Note on the Island Setting for Welcome Events

Because Almare is on Isla Mujeres, your welcome events take on a different character than they would at a Cancun hotel zone resort. The island itself is part of the experience. Some couples choose to organize a sunset golf cart tour of the island for guests on arrival day, or a group snorkeling excursion the day after the wedding. These aren’t resort organized events, but they’re easy to arrange through local island operators and make the trip feel like a real adventure for your guests. Ask us about local recommendations when you’re planning – we know the island well.

Photo & Video Vendors

The Resort’s Preferred Photographer: Dream Art Photography

Dream Art Photography is well established in the Cancun and Isla Mujeres market, and they know the Almare property well – the light, the dock, the best ceremony angles – in a way that an outside photographer would need time to discover. If you don’t have a photographer already in mind, Dream Art is a natural starting point.

Bringing Your Own Photographer or Videographer

You are welcome to bring an outside photographer or videographer to your Almare wedding, and this is the preferred option for a lot of our couples. However, any photographer or videographer not on the resort’s preferred vendor list is subject to an outside vendor fee.

Outside vendor fee for photography/videography: $225 USD per vendor

If you’ve already found a photographer you love and want to bring them in, budget for that fee. For most couples who’ve invested in a photographer they’re excited about, $225 is not a dealbreaker, as it’s significantly lower than most resort’s charge. it’s just something to know going in.

A Few Things Worth Knowing About Photos at Almare

The property is visually stunning, which makes the photographer’s job easier than at a lot of resorts. A few spots worth flagging for your photographer:

The private dock is the standout location. The combination of the wooden structure, the Caribbean water, and the resort backdrop makes for images that are specific to this place and you won’t get that shot anywhere else. Make sure your photographer knows about it and builds time into the day’s schedule for dock photos.

Sunset timing matters here. Because Isla Mujeres is oriented the way it is, the light during golden hour falls beautifully on the beachfront and dock areas. If you have any flexibility in your ceremony start time, a late afternoon ceremony followed immediately by sunset portraits is worth considering. Ask your photographer what they recommend once you’ve locked in a date.

The ferry crossing can actually make for beautiful documentary photos and/or video if you have a videographer with you. Arriving by private boat to a private island resort is such a moment so consider having them capture it.

Audio & Visual Vendors

Sound and production at Almare is handled through INSPIRE, the resort’s preferred audiovisual vendor. They handle all aspects of event audio and production – ceremony sound systems, reception DJ setups, lighting, and any additional production elements you want to add beyond what’s included in your package.

What’s Included by Package

Two By The Sea: Basic audio system with mic and speaker for 30 minutes during the ceremony. No reception sound.

Only Us: Curated ceremony sound experience with mic, speaker, and a dedicated technician for three hours.

Art of Forever: Full DJ setup for the reception – mic, audio mixer, speakers, eight LED lights, DJ booth, and a DJ for three hours. Ceremony sound is not separately listed but is covered through the ceremony package.

The Eternal Celebration: Everything in The Art of Forever, plus an MC for the reception in addition to the DJ.

Outside A/V Vendors

If you want to bring in an audiovisual company that is not INSPIRE, the outside vendor fee is significantly higher than for other vendor categories.

Outside A/V vendor fee: $1,500 USD

This is the fee that catches couples off guard most often. If you have a specific company you already work with or a DJ you’re committed to, you can absolutely bring them. Just make sure that an extra $1,500 is in your budget. For most couples, the INSPIRE setup included in or available through the package is more than sufficient for a beach wedding of this scale.

Upgrades and Add-Ons

If you want to enhance the production beyond what’s included in your package, like additional lighting, upgraded speaker systems, special effects, a photo booth, or custom DJ hours, your coordinator can connect you with INSPIRE to discuss add-on options and pricing. Get any production upgrades quoted early in your planning process so they’re reflected in your full budget picture.

The base packages cover the ceremony and reception, but there are several areas where couples commonly add on to build out the full experience.

Hair & Makeup Vendors

The Two By The Sea package includes hair and makeup for one member of the couple on the wedding day. All other packages do not include hair and makeup beyond what couples arrange themselves through Almare’s preferred vendor.

Preferred hair & makeup vendor: Ursula López @ursulalopez.makeup

Ursula handles both bridal hair and makeup, and she’s available for bridesmaids and other members of the wedding party as well. The resort’s a la carte hair and makeup menu covers:

For the bride: Trial hair, trial makeup, wedding day hair, wedding day makeup.For the wedding party: Hair, makeup, or hair and makeup packages.

A few things to note: a minimum of four services must be booked, and a transfer charge applies. All pricing is subject to availability at the time of request. Contact Ursula directly once your wedding date is confirmed to check her availability and get current pricing.

Wedding Cake

A wedding cake is included in all four packages, but if you want to add a cake beyond what’s included, or if you’re customizing size, tiers, or flavor, here’s what to know:

A la carte wedding cake pricing: $15 USD per person + 16% taxes + 15% service charge.

Available designs: Naked, fondant, white buttercream, or chantilly.

Available flavors: Chocolate, vanilla, coffee, carrot, red velvet, lemon, and coconut

Up to three tiers. Note that flowers are not included with the cake and must be arranged separately through your floral vendor.

Florals & Décor Vendors

Florals beyond the bouquet and aisle arrangements included in the packages are arranged separately through Almare’s preferred floral vendors.

Blossom Cancun @blossomcancun
Florus Weddings @florusweddings

Both vendors are familiar with the Almare property and can quote additional ceremony arch arrangements, table centerpieces, reception décor, welcome signage, and anything else you want to add beyond the package inclusions. Contact them directly once your date and package are confirmed and share your vision early, because floral availability for specific flowers can vary by season.

Entertainment

Preferred entertainment vendor: Enlace Show

For entertainment beyond what’s included in the packages, like fire shows, live performers, specialty acts, additional musicians, Enlace Show is the contact.

The Eternal Celebration package includes six mariachi musicians as part of the package. For all other packages, live entertainment beyond the included violinist or guitarist (Art of Forever) is a la carte and arranged through Enlace Show.

Outside Vendor Fees Summary

For quick reference:

Outside audiovisual vendors: $1,500 USD
All other outside vendors (photography, florals, hair & makeup, entertainment, etc.): $225 USD per vendor

Off-Site Guest Fee

80% of your entire guest list must stay in your room block for a minimum of 3 nights. If any of your guests will not be staying at Almare as part of your room block but will attend wedding events, the resort charges a day pass fee.

Off-site guest fee: $100 USD per person

This covers resort access during your wedding schedule only. Guests can arrive 30 minutes before the ceremony and remain through the end of your last event. We always encourage couples to set up their room block early and strongly encourage all guests to book within it. Every room in your block earns you additional resort perks, and the off-site guest fee adds up fast if several guests decide to stay elsewhere.

What Your Wedding Day Will Look Like

This is the part where your wedding day all comes together at Almare Isla Mujeres. Every wedding is different, but here’s what a well-planned wedding day typically looks like at this property, from getting ready through the last dance:

Morning: Getting Ready

The morning of your wedding is yours. The Art of Forever and Eternal Celebration packages include in-room lunch for the wedding party (six people) while you’re getting ready, so there’s no need to rush to a restaurant. If you’ve booked Ursula López for hair and makeup, she’ll come to you.

Use this time slowly. Isla Mujeres is a place that rewards a slower pace, and your wedding morning should feel like the start of a celebration, not a sprint.

Early Afternoon: Pre-Ceremony Photos

If your photographer is doing a first look, early afternoon before the ceremony is the time for it. This is also when your coordinator is finalizing setup at Playa Palmeras or your chosen venue. Your guests will start making their way from their rooms.

The private dock is an excellent location for pre-ceremony portraits. The light in the early afternoon is bright and warm, and the dock gives you a frame that’s completely unique to Almare.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening: The Ceremony

Ceremony timing at Almare tends to work best in the late afternoon (typically 4PM – 5:30PM) so that your ceremony wraps just as golden hour begins. This gives you a beautiful ceremony in natural light and flows directly into sunset portraits immediately after.

Your coordinator is on site managing all the moving pieces. Guests are seated in cross-back wooden chairs at Playa Palmeras. The sound technician has the ceremony audio running. Your officiant is ready. Everything your package includes – the florals, the ceremony table, the champagne for the toast – is already in place.

Sunset: Champagne Toast and Cocktail Hour

Immediately after the ceremony, while you step away for sunset portraits on the dock, your guests move into the cocktail hour. For the Art of Forever and Eternal Celebration packages, this means cocktail tables, hors d’oeuvres making their rounds, and a sunset toast with sparkling wine. For the Eternal Celebration, this is also when the mariachi band takes the floor.

This hour is one of the most important parts of the day. It gives guests time to mingle and celebrate before dinner, and it gives you and your photographer time to capture the light without feeling rushed.

Evening: Dinner and Reception

Once cocktail hour wraps, guests move to the dinner setup of round tables with cross-back wooden chairs, linens, and whatever additional décor you’ve arranged with your floral vendor. The welcome cocktail kicks off the dinner experience, followed by the three-course plated meal.

The DJ takes over as dinner transitions into dancing. The premium open bar runs for three hours. Your wedding cake is served. The Eternal Celebration package adds an MC to help run the flow of the evening and keep energy high.

How late things run depends on your venue and what additional event hours you’ve arranged. Speak with your coordinator about end times for your specific venue when you’re planning.

The Morning After

For couples on any package from Only Us and up, the morning after includes breakfast in bed, which is exactly what it sounds like. Coordinate the timing with your concierge the night before.

If you’ve arranged a day-after brunch for your guests, the morning after is when everyone comes together one last time before people start heading to the ferry or the private boat departure. It’s relaxed, the pressure is off, and it’s one of the best parts of a destination wedding – that bonus morning with your favorite people on a beautiful island before real life resumes.

A Few Practical Notes for the Day

You’ll want to confirm your boat transfers or ferry coordination in advance. Guests who are not staying at the resort need to know when and where to catch the ferry from Cancun, and what to expect on arrival at the dock, as they will not be able to take advantage of the private boat transfer back to Cancun.

Weather is always a factor for outdoor beach events in Mexico. Your coordinator will have a contingency plan ready. Trust them. They’ve done this many times.

Have your playlist ready for your DJ well in advance (or have your play list prepared, if you’re not having a DJ). Almare requires playlists to be shared ahead of time, not handed over the day of.

Tell your guests about the golf carts. Half (if not every one) of them will want to rent one and explore the island! It’s one of the best things about Isla Mujeres and a great way for guests to fill their time between events. I couldn’t imagine a wedding weekend on Isla Mujeres without cruising around the island for a day on the golf carts.

Ready to Start Planning Your Almara Destination Wedding?

Almare Isla Mujeres is one of the most distinctive destination wedding venues we work with. It’s not the right fit for every couple, but if the island setting resonates with you, and you want something elevated, intimate, and truly different from the typical resort wedding, it’s hard to beat.

We’d love to be part of your wedding story. Whether you’re ready to lock in a date or just starting to figure out if Almare is the right fit for your group, our team is here to answer every question – the ones in this guide and the ones that aren’t. Reach out and let’s start with a conversation.

This guide was prepared by Yellow Umbrella Events. All packages, pricing, and policies are provided by Almare Isla Mujeres and are subject to change at any time without notice. Always confirm current details before you sign anything.