Outdoors is the whole point here. Banderas Bay is one of the deepest natural bays in the Americas; the Sierra Madre mountains drop straight into it, and the light in the hour before sunset turns everything gold. If you’re picturing your destination wedding under an open sky, this stretch of Mexico’s Pacific coast makes a strong case.
What surprises couples is the sheer variety. This isn’t only a beach destination. Within a forty-minute drive, you can choose between sand, jungle-edged gardens, marble courtyards, elevated terraces, and clifftop platforms with nothing but ocean behind you. Guest counts run from 40 to 650 outdoors, so the setting doesn’t limit the size of your celebration.
Below are the resorts in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit with the deepest outdoor venue collections, the ones where you can genuinely run the whole day outside and move between three or four distinct settings. Our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists can help you compare capacities and package pricing when you’re ready.
Top Outdoor Destination Wedding Venues at Top Puerto Vallarta Resorts
Each of these Puerto Vallarta resorts offers several outdoor venues rather than a single ceremony spot, which is what lets you put the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception in three different places without leaving the property.
1. Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta
Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta occupies its own cove at the southern edge of the city, and its outdoor lineup covers every altitude. The beach accommodates 500 guests, the Sky Penthouse Terrace gives you panoramic bay views for 80, the Palmas Terrace seats 68, and the gazebo takes an intimate ceremony of 40.
Family-friendly with a genuinely private setting, which is rare this close to town. The resort supports Catholic, Jewish, South Asian, symbolic, and civil ceremony formats, so almost any tradition can be held outdoors here.
Learn more about Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta and get a free quote today >>
2. Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta has the largest outdoor capacity in the region by a wide margin. Sunset Beach and Ciao Beach each hold 650 guests, the Splash Terrace takes 160 for a reception with the sound of the waves behind it, and the Frida Terrace seats 120.
The gazebo handles ceremonies for 100. Family-friendly, Diamond-level, and in Nuevo Vallarta, where the beach is wide and flat rather than the narrower strips closer to the city.
Learn more about Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta and get a free quote today >>
3. Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa
Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa offers the most distinctive outdoor collection on the coast. Sierra seats 300 with the bay spread out below, the Tierra Luna Forum sits high above the water for 200, the Plazoleta brings stone pathways and Spanish-inspired architecture for 100, and the Orange Tree is tucked into the tropical gardens for another 100.
Add the beach at 150 and a pool venue at 300, and you have six genuinely different looks on one property. The jungle setting south of the city is the draw.
Learn more about Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
4. Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort
Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort sits at the northern end of Banderas Bay near Sayulita, and the Garden Bahia Mita is one of the largest open-air garden venues in Mexico at up to 400 guests. The Beach Garden and Wooden Deck take 240, the Moon Deck 200, and the Sand Terrace 80.
Adults-only and quieter than the resorts closer to town, with The Nest as a 50-guest option for couples who want something small. Worth the longer transfer if seclusion matters to you.
Learn more about Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort and get a free quote today >>
5. Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa
Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa gives you a straightforward outdoor progression: beach ceremony for up to 200, cocktails on the Terraza La Vista for 100, then the Pool Terrace for a 200-guest reception under the stars.
The beachfront gazebo is the alternative for a 70-guest ceremony. Family-friendly and right in the hotel zone, so guests can walk the Malecon or head into Old Town between events.
Learn more about Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
6. Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa punches above its price point on outdoor variety. La Placita is a marble courtyard with columns and a central fountain that looks nothing like the rest of the coast, and it seats 150. The Solarium is an open-air space for up to 250, and the Mezzanine Terrace another 150 with the horizon in view.
Beach ceremonies take 150, and the gazebo takes 100. Family-friendly, Diamond-level, and the best value option on this list if the budget is doing a lot of work.
Learn more about Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
7. Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit
Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit carries four sizeable outdoor wedding venues. The Garden holds 250 for a ceremony or reception, the Patio 220 with a relaxed, casually elegant feel, Capriccio Beach 200, and the Mai Tai beach club 300 for a reception with sunset views.
Family-friendly and in Nuevo Vallarta. The scale of the outdoor spaces here suits couples with larger guest lists who don’t want a ballroom.
Learn more about Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit and get a free quote today >>
8. Armony Marival Resort & Spa Punta de Mita
Armony Marival Resort & Spa Punta de Mita has the most dramatic outdoor wedding venue in the region. The Vent sits at the top of a cliff with panoramic ocean views and holds 140 for a ceremony, reception, or cocktail hour, and The Vent Garden extends the same setting for 80.
La Brise takes 200 for a reception with sweeping coastal views, and Capriccio Beach handles 100 in the sand. Out on the Punta de Mita peninsula, about an hour from the airport.
Learn more about Armony Marival Resort & Spa Punta de Mita and get a free quote today >>
More Information for Planning Your Outdoor Destination Wedding in Puerto Vallarta
An outdoor destination wedding here is straightforward to plan, but a few local factors are worth knowing before you set a date. Here’s what our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists flag most often.
Outdoor Destination Wedding Venues Appeal
The backdrop does the work. Banderas Bay curves for miles with the Sierra Madre behind it, so almost every outdoor wedding venue on this coast has mountains in one direction and open Pacific in the other. That’s a different look from the flat Caribbean horizon, and it photographs beautifully.
Sunset timing is genuinely reliable. Because the coast faces west, the sun sets over the water rather than behind you, which means a late-afternoon ceremony gives you golden light on your faces and a sunset in the background at the same time. Your photographer will thank you.
Outdoor spaces also cost less to dress. A garden already has flowers in it, a beach already has an ocean behind it, and a clifftop needs nothing at all. Couples who prioritize outdoor venues consistently spend less on decor than couples building out a blank interior room.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Cost
The average cost of a destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta is $10,215 all-in for the couple, covering the wedding package, accommodations, airfare, and add-ons. Hotel costs average about $299 per person per night over a typical five-night stay, and airfare runs $200 to $800 per couple. Our Puerto Vallarta couples average 23 guests.
These averages reflect real spend data from couples who booked their destination wedding with our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists.
Outdoor wedding venues are almost always included in the base package at an all-inclusive, which is part of why they’re the default choice. Budget separately for a weather backup if you’re marrying between June and October.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Packages
Resorts across Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit offer complimentary and deposit-only wedding packages with a qualifying room block. Entry tiers run roughly $1,350 to $5,000 and cover the venue, officiant, basic decor, cake, and toast. Mid-tier packages land between $5,500 and $7,000 with private receptions and upgraded florals, and full productions run $7,500 to $14,000 and up.
If you want more than one outdoor wedding venue across the day, ask how many are included before you sign. Some resorts include the ceremony venue and charge a setup fee for the second and third spaces.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Travel Information
Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport handles direct flights from most major US and Canadian cities. Transfers are 10 to 15 minutes to the hotel zone and Marina Vallarta, 25 to 40 minutes to Nuevo Vallarta, and around an hour to Punta de Mita.
For outdoor destination weddings, November through April is the window. Dry, warm, low humidity, and humpback whales in the bay from December into March. May and November are shoulder months with good weather and better rates. June through October brings the rain, and while the storms are usually short, an outdoor-only plan is a gamble in those months.
Puerto Vallarta Outdoor Destination Wedding Venue FAQs
What kinds of outdoor wedding venues can you book in Puerto Vallarta?
Beaches, gardens, gazebos, pool decks, terraces, marble courtyards, rooftop and clifftop platforms, and beach clubs. Resorts across Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit typically offer three to six distinct outdoor venues each, with capacities from 40 guests up to 650.
When is the best time of year for an outdoor wedding in Puerto Vallarta?
November through April is the dry season and the safest bet for an outdoor celebration. May and November offer similar weather with slightly lower rates. June through October is the rainy season, when afternoon and evening storms are common, so you’ll want a covered backup venue confirmed in writing.
Do we need a backup plan for an outdoor wedding?
Yes, and most wedding resorts will assign one automatically. The important thing is to confirm which specific indoor or covered space is being held for you, and by what time on the day the decision gets made. Couples run into trouble when the backup is described vaguely at booking and turns out to be already committed to another event.
Get Ready to Plan the Outdoor Destination Wedding of Your Dreams in Puerto Vallarta
Few places give you this much outdoor range in such a small area. Sand, gardens, courtyards, terraces, and clifftops, all within a short drive of each other, all facing a sunset over the Pacific. Whether you want 40 guests barefoot at the water’s edge or 600 under the stars, the setting is already there.
Fill out our online wedding planning form, and one of our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists will help you compare outdoor venues, capacities, and package pricing across the region.
About the Author
Maggie Sabin
Maggie started as the SEO Manager at DestinationWeddings.com in 2024, where she works to drive organic traffic and conversions while creating meaningful, SEO-optimized content for the website. Previously, Maggie's career spanned from Human Resources & Recruitment to teaching at international schools for almost 10 years. Maggie spends her free time traveling, learning new languages, reading non-fiction books, working out, going to the beach and spending time cuddling her dog, Lola!
