Why You Should Consider a Destination Wedding in Mexico

Let's be real, what people will remember most is the food — am I right? Traditional Mexican cuisine equals best wedding food ever. Hot and fresh tortillas, chilaquiles, flautas, melt-in-your-mouth carnitas, refreshing margaritas, all the guacamole your heart desires. I could go on, but my stomach is already growling.

The real magic of Mexico are the cultural offerings you can enjoy and take part in. You can watch traditional folk dance and mariachi band performances and participate in once-in-a-lifetime Mayan ceremonies with your wedding party or just with your betrothed. For instance, the Grand Oasis Tulum offers Temazcal, an ancient therapeutic experience that is similar to a sauna or sweat lodge, as well as a spiritual Mayan beach ceremony led by a legitimate shaman. It's a beautiful experience your guests will remember long after the wedding day.

This is a Mayan beach ceremony at the Grand Oasis Tulum.

Any tropical location where it's acceptable to spend your days in a bikini is gonna be sexy, but there are other ways Mexico ups the heat factor. The adults-only Grand Oasis Sens, for instance, includes such spicy offerings as a burlesque show, belly dancing performances, a topless pool, and in-the-dark dining at the Black Hole restaurant. Did I mention there are no kids?

See what I mean?

Who needs decor when you have a view like this? Oasis wedding director Paloma Flores says, "Couples choose Mexico, and Cancun specifically, because they can count on one of the world's most beautiful beaches as their backdrop. Our white sand and turquoise water allure many of our couples."

It's easy to transition from your big day to your honeymoon seamlessly when they're both in the same place. Have a relaxing, tropical vacation with your spouse as soon as you say "I do."

I can't attest to every hotel in Mexico, but I can say the team at Oasis was kind, accommodating, and passionate about what they do. Flores says, "Mexican hospitality and service is a major differentiator and something our couples really appreciate throughout the planning process. The professionalism and experience of the staff dedicated to weddings is number one worldwide."

You'd think an all-inclusive wedding on a beautiful beach with your closest friends and family would be crazy expensive, but Mexico is shockingly affordable. To give you an idea of just how inexpensive it can be, Oasis wedding packages range in price from $575 for the bare-bones ceremony with six guests to $3,950 for up to 50 guests that pulls out all the stops. We're talking a Smart car for the couple, VIP access for the couple and four guests, a personal concierge, the bridal suite, room upgrades, a rehearsal dinner, hair and makeup, and even a night for your first anniversary (among other things).

For comparison, the average cost of a wedding in the United States is $26,444, and that doesn't include the honeymoon!

At Oasis, most of the budget-friendly packages include bridal suites — and they really think of everything for these. Not only are they spacious and include multiple rooms, they feature makeup stations, a handy hook for your wedding dress, and other bridal-specific details for you and your bridesmaids to get ready.

There's even a stand for your bouquet.

Mexico offers a plethora of reasonably priced all-inclusive resorts, like the Grand Oasis Tulum (pictured here) — and what wedding guest wouldn't want a drink-heavy, beach vacation in Mexico?

If you're looking for warm weather and sunny skies, Mexico has you covered. If you're looking for snow, however, you might be disappointed.

When the planning is in someone else's hands, it's a lot less stressful. So one perk of having a destination wedding is you're sort of forced to let go of a lot of the planning since there's only so much you can do from home. Many wedding packages include a planner like Paloma Flores at Oasis who handles all the decor and setup so you don't have to stress about it.

And don't think you have to do the traditional beach decor just because you're in Mexico! This rustic-modern setup is a chic twist on the classic beach look.

Getting hitched in Mexico makes for the perfect excuse to keep going back every year (or every few years) for your anniversary. At Oasis, they're even creating an "O Weddings Boulevard" that displays the name and wedding date of all the couples who celebrate their big day at the hotel. So you (or your guests) can return and reminisce about your wedding.