“Love is love” is the chant we hear in celebration of the right for same-sex couples to wed. What may be one of the noblest and most hopeful moments in many a life is today legal in about 30 countries. In 2021, the Yucatan passed laws that made same-sex weddings legal in the state, and earlier this year, those laws went into effect, making the millennia-old destination an alternative setting for this most important occasion.
Yucatan is a romantic destination by nature, nestled in the midst of an atmosphere of mysticism, magic, colour, history and locales pulled right from the screening of a romantic film In addition, with one of the most exquisite cuisines in Mexico, it is the ideal place to live and celebrate love.
The following are just some of the locations ready to help design a romantic getaway, be it a destination wedding or just a secluded moment with your beloved.
Zazil Tunich (Zaziltunich.com/en) is a 65-foot-deep cavern/cenote located in Valladolid and features more than 500,000 years of stone formations. Zazil Tunich has been named one of the most spectacular cenotes in the region and, with thousands of stalagmites and stalactites, it is the biggest one in Yucatan. For those not looking to do a traditional Western wedding ceremony, the location offers the opportunity to have a Maya commitment ceremony or to have a purification ceremony in the sacred water of Xibalba inside Zazil Tunich. The cenote is surrounded by Hacienda Selva Maya, which can accommodate large wedding celebrations.
Izamal is a 100% Yucatecan family business that runs the exclusive hotels of Rinconada del Convento, San Antonio de Padua and Tuul Hotel, offering authentic backdrops for expressive weddings and spectacular events, leveraging the magical and colonial atmosphere that is Izamal transmits to its visitors. The strategic location of its facilities — 38 guestrooms in three hotels — allows guests to easily convene
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Villa Mercedes Merida, Curio Collection by Hilton. In addition to elegant rooms and colonial architecture, this venue has three restaurant spaces, seven meeting rooms, a pool and a garden for weddings. Centrally located in the capital city Merida, it can also serve as the location for rehearsal dinners and, with 127 guestrooms, a place for the wedding party to stay at an economical rate.
Chable Resort & Spa is a magical backdrop for destination weddings. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the luxury complex radiates romance and sophistication. Tropical gardens boast a marvellous view of the original 19th-century walls of the former hacienda, while the exquisite cenote deck is situated in the heart of the wellness-spa. The property can accommodate weddings of up to 100 people.
Hacienda San Antonio Hool (Sanantoniohool.com/) dates back to the 17th century and has great historical and cultural value. The exotic gardens, which can host events for up to 700 people, create the perfect setting for this monumental building, since special interest was put in designing them using exuberant local endangered species such as the guayacán, machiche and Palo de tinte trees, as well as many original fruit trees and flower shrubs from the region.
Hacienda Temozon. A Luxury Collection Hotel, Temozon Sur has 28 rooms and event space that guests often use for weddings. The property boasts extensive gardens surrounded by storybook coral walls, white moldings and Mayan architecture. Couples can relax in the on-site spa, uniquely located in a cenote. (Marriott.com/en-us/hotels/
Hacienda Xcanatun by Angsana is surrounded by four acres of private gardens, filled with lush vegetation and bright tropical flowers that highlight the beauty that made it one of the most important haciendas in the Yucatan. Just 15 minutes away from downtown Merida, Hacienda Xcanatun by Angsana is located in an enclave where history and tradition come together. Restored to its 18th-century grandeur as one of the most iconic henequen (sisal) haciendas in the Yucatan, the resort features 18 historic suites that fuse contemporary details with local touches and 36 brand-new, exquisitely designed suites, offering the effortless harmony between nature and modern spaces. (Angsana.com/mexico/hacienda-
For those looking for a beach wedding, the Yucatan Riviera in Puerto Progreso offers paradisiacal beaches with soft white sands and beautiful emerald green waters, all surrounded by a great variety of flora and fauna. Kokomo Beach Club (Kokomo.mx) offers the retreat-like atmosphere of a private venue with almost 200 feet of private beach-front space. It’s also a six-room boutique hotel.
For those looking to take advantage of the destination wedding and follow it up with a honeymoon, the historic but luxurious one-room properties of Casa Azul by Private Haciendas (Privatehaciendas.com/azul.
Hotel Oriundo Luxury Nature (Facebook.com/Oriundo-Luxury-
Yucatan is home to a plethora of professional wedding planners, who can coordinate all details of a same-sex couple’s special day. The international airport of the capital city Merida offers nonstop flights from Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Diego and Oakland/San Francisco.
Edited by: Jill Walsh
10 Locations to Celebrate Same-Sex Weddings in the State of Yucatan
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