Picture-Perfect Weddings

Getting married in paradise

By Kirstin Frieze

There are many special occasions in life for which we spend months, if not years, contemplating, preparing, saving for and happily confirming the logistics of. Vacations and weddings are just two such occasions. Heading into the planning stages with great zeal, energy and excited anticipation, we seek the ultimate goal of a memorable experience with loved ones in a remarkable setting, wherein things come off flawlessly from beginning to end. For many couples, combining their vows with their vacation seems a match made in heaven, and Los Cabos tops the list of the perfect place to do both.

Resting at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas offer brides and grooms the serenity and natural splendor found in the outdoors, the warmth and rich culture that is Mexico, and the proximity that many travelers seek. With choices of backdrops ranging from the Sea of Cortés to the Pacific Ocean and the expansive Baja desert, plus the level of service found only in luxury resort destinations, Los Cabos boasts an array of options for any type of wedding. Go big with lavish flowers and hundreds of guests in a hotel ballroom, or say “I do” on a private beach before the sinking sun with merely a handful of friends. No-muss-no-fuss brides and those wishing to rival Cinderella are all welcome here.

Within San José del Cabo’s famed hotel zone is the all-new, 12-acre Cabo Azul Resort & Spa. Opened in 2007 and due to be complete in 2010, this pristine white beachfront resort integrates natural elegance, playful lighting effects, fire sculptures and waterscapes throughout the property. Let the on-site wedding coordinator and skilled catering staff work with you and for you to create the wedding day you’ve dreamed of. Make your rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception something truly spectacular by choosing any of the several venues offered at Cabo Azul Resort: the beach, a spacious terrace, indoor ballroom or penthouse balcony — all with impressive views of the sparkling sea. For the ultimate in romance, opt for the truly unique five-story wedding chapel, appropriately named El Corazón, the heart, where candles line the waterfalls within the open-air locale.

Another noteworthy option for wedding festivities in San José del Cabo is the all-inclusive Crowne Plaza Los Cabos Grand Faro Resort. Just minutes from the colonial charm of downtown San José and situated along the shore of the Sea of Cortés, Crowne Plaza means never having to leave the premises, unless of course, you want to. Like the resort itself, the wedding services available here will leave you longing for nothing. Enhance your ideal day by having the ceremony in the sand overlooking the azure waters of the sea — or go for the outdoor gazebo in the grass, surrounded by your nearest and dearest, where you can admire the peaceful waters from afar. Perhaps a terrace or patio will provide the perfect blend of intimacy and elegance. If pure formality and grandeur is what you seek, though, Crowne Plaza has spacious indoor ballrooms and event centers available as well, complete with the necessary equipment for making your day of commitment something worth remembering. Book the wedding and stay for the honeymoon, too! Crowne Plaza offers various packages for both of these special events.

Brides and grooms-to-be who prefer the livelier Cabo San Lucas over serene San José will be delighted by what the brand-new Casa Dorada Los Cabos can offer. A hop, skip and a tiny jump from the breaking waves on Médano Beach, Cabo’s most popular swimming beach, this all-suite resort gives you the unheard-of option of utilizing the resort’s recommended wedding coordinator or choosing one on your own. Let these experts help you make decisions regarding menu suggestions, decorations, flowers, photography and live entertainment. Select the breezy terrace of any of the resort’s three restaurants for exchanging vows with your better half, or consider a fabulous event room if a party for less than 50 people is what you’re considering. Opting for the pool deck or private beach club for your nuptials or reception afterward will ensure plenty of space and pure beauty, with El Arco, Cabo’s famous rock landmark, making its presence known in the background. Want the waves ebbing and flowing in your photos? Stake your claim on Casa Dorada’s beach and capture the essence of a real Baja wedding. Choosing this resort guarantees that designer sophistication and natural beauty will surround you on your big day.

When your day of bliss will be witnessed by between five and 150 guests, Cabo Villas Beach Resort & Spa can take the wedding worries away. Also located on Médano Beach in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Villas’ specialized wedding staff is known for creating a rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony and reception as breathtaking, distinguished and relaxing as the resort itself. Select a luxurious upper-level penthouse, the beige sandy beach, an outdoor terrace overlooking the Sea of Cortés or the rooftop Baja Brewing Co. restaurant. Cabo Villas’ wedding professionals will guide you toward the perfect music, meal, photographer, fireworks and floral arrangements to create the day that surpasses your dreams.

As a wedding destination, Cabo’s appeal lies in the fact that both the Sea of Cortés and the Pacific Ocean are just a stone’s throw away from each other. The Pueblo Bonito resorts, four in Cabo San Lucas, provide guests with the option of enjoying both! While two of the group’s resorts offer the action of the Sea of Cortés, Pueblo Bonito Pacífica Holistic Retreat & Spa and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa boast the seclusion and natural mystery of the Pacific. Featured in the Condé Nast Gold List of the world’s best resorts each year since 2007, these properties take quality and service to a new level. With their location around the bend from El Arco at Land’s End, Sunset Beach and Pacífica are for those couples seeking solace and peace, as well as unparalleled attention to detail. And beach ceremonies here will allow couples to watch a complete sunset, an event other properties cannot promise.

Not every couple has direction when it comes to a destination wedding, though, and the process can be overwhelming with so many fantastic choices for venues. If you’re the couple who wants as many wedding options as possible and will accept nothing less than the most highly qualified and experienced staff to take charge of your special day, selecting a wedding planning company may be the way to go. With Los Cabos rising to the top of the in-demand wedding locales across the globe, there are more than a handful to pick from.

Sunset Weddings has been arranging and perfecting the concept of destination weddings in Los Cabos for more than 10 years, successfully pulling off more than 1,600 events to date. Having worked with every gorgeous hotel and resort in the vicinity, both big and small, this husband and wife–owned company understands what it takes to pull off a small or even spectacular ceremony. Be it a villa, boat, chapel, beach or five-star property, sites offered by Sunset Weddings are infinite. From gifts and personalized mementos to getaways for the entire bridal party, this company can accommodate any wedding-day wish.

Legal Requirements for getting married in Mexico

All documents except Tourist Visas should be submitted well in advance of the wedding, because they must be translated into Spanish. Civil weddings are performed in Spanish by a judge and are legal worldwide.

• Valid passports
• Copies of Tourist Visas (received on the plane)
• Copies of birth certificates
• Copies of divorce decrees, if applicable (It is necessary to be divorced for one year before being married in Mexico. The divorce decree must be translated by an official in Baja California Sur.)
• Blood test performed in the state where you are being married
• Four witnesses over the age of 18

Lorena Fabela
Meet Las Ventanas’ Amor Aficionado

By Rick Stedman

If you truly want to impress the love of your life, consult the Department of Romance at Las Ventanas al Paraíso. Romance and PR coordinator Lorena Fabela is the amor aficionado who serves in the unique capacity of fulfilling the wishes of lovers in love. “We always try to look for the ‘wow’ effect,” she explains. A sampling of that “wow” effect might include a helicopter proposal, candlelit dinner for two on the beach, a private cruise on the Sea of Cortés or an aromatherapy massage for two. Whatever the request, the goal is the same: To make the romantic dreams of every Las Ventanas guest a reality.

Before guests arrive, they fill out a personal profile regarding their preferences and a list of options. “Most of the time, women are very specific with what they want,” says Fabela, “while the men tend to go more with my recommendations.” Whether it’s an opulent display of affection or simply a time to retreat from the world, Las Ventanas guarantees your love meter will be off the charts by the time you depart.

Setting the tone throughout Las Ventanas are the enchanting Mediterranean-Mexican style architecture and design. In each room, guests will find personal spas, rooftop patios and telescopes for stargazing. In addition, all suites feature butler service, spacious living areas, wood-burning fireplaces and magnificent panoramic views of the sea, sand and desert gardens. There are also three love trees throughout the property that turn guests’ fancy to thoughts of love at this fantastic Five-Diamond resort.

“We have achieved a Five-Diamond rating for the eighth straight year because our entire staff is passionately dedicated to setting international standards for a luxury resort by delivering the ultimate personalized service and an unsurpassed guest experience,” says Managing Director Lionel Álvarez. “Lorena has personally provided our guests with memories that will last a lifetime.”

Fabela, who grew up in Mazatlán and studied international marketing, has lived in Los Cabos for six years. “Los Cabos is paradise,” she declares. Thus, working at Las Ventanas al Paraíso, which is Spanish for “windows to paradise,” seems like the perfect match. The irony of Lorena Fabela heading the Department of Romance is that she herself is single. “After working at this job for three years, I have seen a lot of romantic expressions, and I have certain expectations,” she explains with a smile. “I am waiting for my perfect match.”

To continue learning more about the fine hotels, resorts and condos in Los Cabos, please visit: www.VisitLosCabos.org or click here for a complete quick list of accommodations.

Why is Cabo so much fun? There is so much to do! Click here for a list of dive, watersports, fishing and tour operators. You'll also find links to Cabo's world class golf courses, spas, adventure tours, horseback riding, wedding coordinators and cruises.