So you’ve decided to take the plunge and head south of the border for your wedding day. We always love when our clients plan a destination wedding in Mexico but there are several key things to keep in mind before you make any official decisions. For example:

How much do you like tequila?

Are you a fan of beautiful tropical beaches?

All jokes aside, there are several more moving pieces when it comes to planning a destination wedding than doing something local or even within the US. The first step should be to contact a qualified destination wedding planner that can help you narrow down the location and then help you understand the pros and cons of each option you are presented with!

In the meantime, a few things to consider with a wedding in Mexico and a few things specific to Puerto Vallarta!

Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful coastal town on the west coast with stunning views of the water, a beautiful jungle-like mountain backdrop and fantastic venues for a beautiful and affordable wedding.

Getting Around

One of the reasons people pick PV as a location for their wedding is because of the plethora of options to get around town. Taxis are the cheapest option but require riders usually to carry cash (we’ll get to that later). If you arrive and realize you forgot to swap out your US dollars for MX pesos, that’s okay! Many places to take US dollars however they will charge a slightly higher exchange rate than if you got them exchanged beforehand.

The other added benefit is UBER is available and very reasonably priced! You can get from almost any part of town to another for less than $5-10 so it makes it convenient and affordable for guests to get around.

One big disclaimer that I always tell our clients to say explicitly on their website is about the UBER pick up at the PV airport. It will be about $10-$15 to get from the Airport to downtown PV (cinco de deciembre or zona romantica) but you’ll have to traverse up a a pedestrian bridge and go over the highway. The bridge has a ramp but it is steep and if you pack heavy (like I do) it will take a bit of maneuvering. For anyone with accessibility issues, a taxi or pre-planned transportation is recommended!

Some of the venues are located close enough to the downtown area that your guests can walk right outside their hotel room and smack dab into the middle of the nightlife of PV. Others are up the cliff-sides or tucked away farther up the coast or in the jungle. In this case, you’ll definitely want to communicate that to guests so they know they will have to hire transportation or ride share to get to and from the hotel.

Crime & Safety

PV is a safe and charming destination with low crime. There is a bustling night life, fabulous LGBTQ friendly areas and spots where children are out frolicking in the streets or in the beach well into the evening. With that being said, any city and especially any tourist destinations always have risks like petty crime and theft. Make sure your guests know to keep their eyes on their belongings and if possible use bags that zip closed and can be held on the front of the body.

Some of the roads in downtown are one way and some are not, because of it’s tourist designation, most signs are in english but it is still a good idea to remind travelers to be weary of crossing the road lest a rogue taxi zips by and to be careful if heading to secluded areas by themselves at night.

Water & Food Safety

You’ve heard of “Montezumas revenge” or a less alarming albeit still aptly named “travelers diarrhea” so it’s best to share with your guests some tips to help them prevent and also mitigate should they have any issues:

• Always request bottled water and be weary of ice! Most major areas are safe but if their ice comes from local tap water then it should be avoided
• Raw/fresh items that have been left out are also potential cuprits. Think twice about things like pico de gallo and salads, salsa etc. at the major touristy hubs
• Advise guests to travel with probiotics, pepto bismol and immodium in case they fall victims to any gastrointestinal issues. These things will help clear them up quickly!
• Fortunately there are clinics and pharmacies all over PV and most of them don’t require appointments so if someone does all ill from tap water or otherwise, they will be able to get relatively speedy care as needed.

Excursions & Activities

There are a plethora of activities to do while in PV, some are great for just you and your partner and some are fun for all of your guests! A few of our favorites for past clients have been:

• Boat excursions out to the islands, majahuitas and maraicas, the hotel will offer you a variety of tours as well but we always recommend a private charter when possible, drop us a line if you want, we know a guy ; )
• Day trip to Sayulita to take in more of the yoga/West Coast health retreat vibes
• Dinner at Le Kliff, perched high above town with the most spectacular sunsets in town!
• Zona Romantica is a fun downtown area that is chock full of quiet, romantic date night spots and fun beach party vibes. There is also amazing shopping from inexpensive local artisans all the way up to high end boutiques.

Currency & Exchange Rate

Many of the places in the busy areas take credit card however there are exceptions. For example, one of our favorite tucked away spots, Ocean Grill is a hidden gem on a jutted out cliffside over the water that is in a hidden cove, adults only, only accessible via boat and only takes cash. Most of the times places will list amounts in Mexican Pesos (at the time of writing this $1USD is about $17-$19MX Pesos) so don’t be shocked when you see fish tacos for $60, it’s more than likely in Pesos and closer to $3USD. I would recommend travelers get pesos from their banking institution to save a little bit before arrival but there are also plenty of atms available downtown if they forget. Just remember many banks charge an international transaction fee so check before you start swiping that card or withdrawing cash locally!