The best months to get married in the Riviera Maya, Tulum, or Cancun?

With 15 years, living in the Riviera Maya, you can imagine that I’ve see all kinds of weather come through the peninsula, even on a couple’s wedding day! While you can search the internet for the Riviera Maya's rainy months, dry and cooler seasons, I can actually say that not always do these destinations follow any fixed weather pattern.

The rainy season typically starts at the end of May, aka hurricane season, and runs through November 30th. The month of May is the hottest month, with temperatures that can reach up to 98 degrees. However, May is still considered a drier month. When June arrives, so does the humidity. From July through most of October, you have both heat and humidity. With the exception of a storm, showers are sporadic, and not normally continuous as weather systems move in and out of the Yucatan peninsula pretty fast. The area does experience some breaks in the heat in the fall months. In November, we tend to see more rain fall as the seasons and the seas are changing at this time of the year. In 2020, we had a great deal of rain in November, more than in 2019. In December, we can still experience some wet weather. However, as we enter into winter in the Riviera Maya, weather patterns shift. While the start of winter is dry and comfortable, nights can dip well into the 60’s. The month of January in the US is typically the coldest month, and cooler in the Riviera Maya as well, with breezes from the north. The end of January, along with February, March, and April, are all fantastic months in terms of weather.

So, what are the best months to get married in the Riviera Maya? February, March, and April, would be perfect months, simply because the weather conditions are ideal for outdoor weddings. Couples can wear formal attire; gowns, suits, and still stay dry. However, these are also the peak months or high season in the Riviera Maya, when everyone else, especially from the US and Canada, want a break from winter. The pricing for wedding venues; boutique hotels, resorts, and private villas, will be much higher in the Caribbean's winter months than off-season, mid-season, and fall, simply because of the perfect weather,  along with a couple of holidays, both US and Mexican, that increase pricing, such as President’s week, Semana Santa, (Mexican Easter holidays) and Easter.

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May and June are popular months to get married in the Mexican Caribbean, as these are also key months in the US for weddings. May, June, will see warmer temps in the Riviera Maya, but beach settings dominate, as they always seem to have a sea breeze. July and August are vacation months for families, since kids are not in school. It’s not common for couples to pick summer months for destination weddings, although I’ve planned weddings for some couples with kids in attendance, simply because school was not in session.

September and October are popular months to be married in the Riviera Maya, as in the US. However, beware of hurricanes. The Riviera Maya has been very lucky for 20 years without damaging hurricanes, until October of 2021, where we experienced 2 hurricanes, back-to-back, within a 2-week time frame.  Luckily, these hurricanes did not do a great deal of damage. Yes, these are the lowest months, and indeed, there are some great deals out there for off-season, especially post-Covid. If you are planning a wedding in the fall months, I highly recommend to couples that they make certain that there is a Plan “B,” in place, in case of unforeseen weather. I have stressed the importance of this in a previous blog. (The 5 most common mistakes that couples make when planning a destination wedding.) Often, rain in the Caribbean is periodic, only lasting a short time, but in the fall months, rain can last much longer.  It’s not only moving ceremony setups, furniture, changing floor plans, etc., from the outside to the inside that you have to consider. You also have to take into consideration the space and if there is enough space at the protected or Plan “B,” location for all of the elements of the event. An experienced planner can avoid any stressful situations well before they occur, with a well thought-out plan for the venue.

What is the most popular month in the Riviera Maya, Tulum, and Cancun to get married? November has been the most popular month in the Riviera Maya to get married. We have seen a shift in couples wanting spring weddings; May and June, now levitate towards November settings.  

What’s not to love in November? Low season equals less people. Couples can incorporate delicious, seasonal offerings of the Caribbean and the Yucatan peninsula into their menus. November wedding color palettes are vibrant, rich, and harmonize with the lush, tropical surroundings. Perhaps the biggest love affair with November, is the fact that wedding costs are much more affordable compared to the higher seasons.

Happy Planning!