Weddings after Covid. Love conquers all.

We can all agree that this has been a crazy year for weddings. After 3 weddings in the first quarter of 2020, all hell broke loose, with the pandemic and the Riviera Maya going into lockdown in late March. With good reason, couples started to postpone their summer and autumn weddings due to the uncertainties of the travel industry, global concerns, and declining guest lists. While the international airport in Cancun never closed down, the Riviera Maya initiated a soft reopening of some hotels in mid-June and started to welcome back guests. Everyone has remained cautious and stepped up procedures. All hotels are now open!

Here’s the thing – while big soirees might be out of style due to lingering Covid concerns, the intimate, micro-weddings along with mini-moons will be the new norm for a while.  How so? Private Villas have been becoming more and more popular, not only for families, groups of friends, or mini-retreats but for their privacy, gourmet chefs, customized amenities, and concierge services, which make them also ideal for wedding and event venues. Experiences, more than ever, is what guests want, especially after a 6-month lockdown. Couples are on board, in light of the Covid-crunch, and finding that everything they need or want is at a private villa or boutique venue. Couples are saying “yes,” to a full buy-out of boutique properties to stage their wedding and accommodate all their guests.  So what are some of the benefits? In addition to privacy, private villas and smaller hotels offer a variety of unique spaces or venue options, sandy, less-traveled beaches, crafted menus by creative, award-winning chefs, stunning views, simplified planning, a committed staff with full attention on its guests, freedom and control of providers and a unique experience for all. Guests not only enjoy being part of a destination wedding, but they also feel like they are on vacation and part of the couple's honeymoon or mini-moon.

What's a Mini-moon?  A mini-moon is a shorter honeymoon, not traditionally a week, but a long weekend or 5-night itinerary that can include the day of arrival or welcome for guests, rehearsal dinner, wedding day celebrations, day after wedding brunch and activities, time for some excursions and of course, a little indulgence.

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The Riviera Maya offers amazing, beachfront villas and unique properties for iconic celebrations. Guests will favor wedding venues being hosted at private villas, boutique hotels, and smaller venues and luxury resorts, that offer outdoor amenities, and a variety of spaces for guests to roam. As a Planner, rest assured we’ve been working diligently with our preferred providers to get Covid-compliant, creative in the floor and seating plans, and catering protocols.  

The overall wedding design will have a bigger visual impact on events after Covid and in the future.  One thing for sure is that couples planning a wedding, will more than ever before, savor every moment of their destination wedding as indeed, love is patient and love conquers all.