How to Get Married in Puerto Vallarta

A Puerto Vallarta destination wedding has the kind of cinematic backdrop that practically does the photography for you, but the planning process has more moving pieces than couples typically expect: choosing between a symbolic and a legal ceremony, navigating apostille paperwork, locking in a room block, deciding between Puerto Vallarta proper and the Nuevo Vallarta or Punta de Mita corridors. This guide walks you through every step, in order, so you know exactly what’s coming and when.

The Puerto Vallarta Wedding Process at a Glance

Most Puerto Vallarta weddings follow the same path. Total planning timeline runs roughly 10 to 14 months from “we’re getting married in PV” to the wedding day itself (longer if your date falls during a major festival week). Here’s the broad shape:

• Months 10–14 out: Decide on legal vs symbolic ceremony, set a budget, choose a date, pick your wedding area, connect with a Specialist, choose your resort.
• Months 6–10 out: Lock in room block, customize your package, send save-the-dates, gather legal paperwork if applicable.
• Months 2–6 out: Send formal invitations, finalize vendors, plan group activities (whale-watching catamaran, old-town food tours), and confirm details with the on-site coordinator.
• Wedding week: Arrive in Puerto Vallarta, complete any final paperwork, host welcome events, and exchange vows.
• After the wedding: Apostille and register your Mexican marriage certificate at home (if you had a legal ceremony).

For the full destination-feel breakdown (what Puerto Vallarta is like, why it’s loved, what makes it distinct), see our Puerto Vallarta travel guide. This piece focuses on the how.

The Full Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: Decisions Before You Book

Step 1: Choose Between a Legal and a Symbolic Ceremony

A legal civil ceremony in Mexico is binding internationally but requires advance paperwork (apostilled birth certificates, certified Spanish translations, four witnesses), a health screening (HIV and syphilis tests) completed in the country, and three to four business days of pre-ceremony residency. A symbolic ceremony has none of those requirements: the couple exchanges vows, rings, and intentions, then handles the legal piece quietly at a courthouse back home. Most Puerto Vallarta couples choose symbolic for the simplicity. For full Mexican legal requirements, see our Mexico legal marriage guide.

Step 2: Set Your Budget

A typical Puerto Vallarta destination wedding runs roughly $7,000 to $14,000 all-in for the couple, covering wedding package, accommodations, airfare, and add-ons. Guest costs usually run lower than Caribbean equivalents thanks to the strong direct-flight grid from the US West Coast. The couple traditionally covers their own travel and the wedding-specific costs; guests typically cover their own airfare and rooms (with resort group discounts dropping guest rates significantly when you book a block).

Step 3: Pick Your Wedding Date

November through April is Puerto Vallarta’s sweet spot, with dry warm sunshine, low humidity, and reliable outdoor ceremonies. December through March doubles as humpback whale season in Banderas Bay. Pacific rainy season runs mid-June through October with daily afternoon thunderstorms; September is the statistical peak hurricane risk on the Pacific side. Watch the local festival calendar (Day of the Dead, Festival Gourmet, Guadalupe processions, Vallarta Pride) when picking your dates. For the full month-by-month breakdown, see our Best Time to Get Married in Puerto Vallarta guide.

Step 4: Decide on Your Wedding Area

Puerto Vallarta-area weddings split across three corridors: Puerto Vallarta proper (the south side of Banderas Bay, including Zona Romántica’s cobblestone old town, Marina Vallarta, and Conchas Chinas), Nuevo Vallarta (the high-rise all-inclusive corridor just north across the state line in Riviera Nayarit, about 20 minutes from PVR airport), and Punta de Mita and Bucerias (the luxury anchor of the broader area on the northern tip of Banderas Bay). Each has its own personality and pricing rhythm. Resort recommendations for each corridor are listed below.

Phase 2: Booking and Planning

Step 5: Connect with a Certified Destination Wedding Specialist

Working with a Certified Destination Wedding Specialist from this point forward is free for the couple (Specialists are paid by the resort partners) and significantly streamlines the rest of the process. Specialists know the Puerto Vallarta resort lineup, the festival calendar, the local event quirks, and the trade-offs between the three corridors. Plan for 10 to 14 months of lead time for peak-season dates; festival weeks need 14 to 18 months.

Step 6: Choose Your Resort and Ceremony Venue

Match your resort to your guest count, your budget, and your wedding-week energy. Most Puerto Vallarta-area resorts have multiple ceremony venues (beachfront, garden, terrace, occasionally a chapel) and at least one indoor backup space. Couples wanting a non-resort ceremony often pair a Puerto Vallarta proper resort with a private rental venue in Zona Romántica for the ceremony itself. The Wedding Areas section below covers the key resorts by corridor.

Step 7: Lock In Your Room Block

A room block is a group reservation that holds rooms at a negotiated rate for your wedding guests. Most Puerto Vallarta-area resorts unlock complimentary wedding-package benefits at five rooms and higher-value perks (private receptions, complimentary cake, extended photography) at 10 rooms or more. Lock the block in alongside your resort contract; deposits are typically due 30 to 60 days after signing.

Step 8: Customize Your Wedding Package

The on-site resort wedding coordinator handles the day-of details: ceremony setup, florals, music, photography, dinner, and bar service. Puerto Vallarta resort packages typically range from a basic ceremony-only option (around $1,000 to $2,000) up through full-celebration tiers ($5,000 to $10,000+). Customizations like mariachi bands, premium florals, photography upgrades, and cocktail-hour bars are usually priced as add-ons. If a mariachi welcome at the rehearsal dinner is on your list, book it here.

Phase 3: Pre-Travel Prep

Step 9: Gather Legal Documents (If You’re Having a Civil Ceremony)

If you’re going legal in Puerto Vallarta, this step happens 4 to 8 weeks before travel. You’ll need apostilled and Spanish-translated birth certificates, single status affidavits, divorce decrees or death certificates if applicable, plus your passports and four witnesses (resort staff can serve if needed). All foreign documents must be apostilled in your home country and translated by a Mexico-licensed perito traductor (the resort coordinator typically arranges the translation). Symbolic ceremonies skip this step entirely.

Step 10: Send Invitations and Coordinate Guest Logistics

Send save-the-dates 9 to 12 months out so guests can request time off and book travel. Formal invitations follow 3 to 4 months before the wedding, with the room-block reservation deadline clearly noted. Include practical info: direct-flight options to PVR from major US cities, the resort’s location, suggested attire for ceremonies and welcome events, and group excursion options (whale-watching catamaran from December through March, old-town food tours, Marietas Islands boat trips). Many couples create a simple wedding website to centralize the information.

Step 11: Finalize the Details

2 to 4 months out, work with your on-site coordinator to finalize: ceremony scripting, florals, photography and videography, music selection (mariachi is a Puerto Vallarta signature; live bands and DJs are also available), bridal hair and makeup, attire (lighter fabrics work best year-round), welcome bags, and the day-of timeline. If your wedding week overlaps with Day of the Dead, the Guadalupe processions, or Vallarta Pride, build the festival energy into the rehearsal-dinner or after-party plans intentionally.

Phase 4: In Destination

Step 12: Arrive in Puerto Vallarta and Complete Final Paperwork

If you’re having a legal ceremony, plan to arrive at least three to four business days before the wedding. Your wedding coordinator will arrange the local health screening (the lab visit takes about 30 minutes, results in 24 to 48 hours) and submit your paperwork to the Civil Registry. For symbolic weddings, no advance arrival is required, but most couples land two to three days early for welcome events. Build in time for an old-town walk, a sunset malecón stroll, or a beach-club lunch with arriving guests.

Step 13: The Ceremony

On the wedding day, the on-site coordinator runs the timeline. For a legal civil ceremony, a Juez del Registro Civil from the Puerto Vallarta municipality performs the 20- to 30-minute ceremony (in Spanish, with an English interpreter typically arranged), and your four witnesses sign the acta de matrimonio. For symbolic ceremonies, the resort’s officiant or your chosen celebrant handles the vows. The reception follows: dinner, toasts, first dance, dancing, and often a surprise mariachi appearance partway through the night.

Phase 5: After the Wedding

Step 14: Apostille and Register Your Marriage at Home (If Legal)

If you had a civil ceremony, your Mexican acta de matrimonio is issued in Spanish. Your resort coordinator will help arrange the apostille through the Jalisco Secretaría de Gobierno before you leave Mexico (it takes a few business days). Once home, get the apostilled certificate translated into English by a certified translator and file the translated copy with your local county clerk or vital records office. Keep multiple certified copies for name changes, tax filings, and immigration paperwork.

Ceremony Options in Puerto Vallarta

There are three ways to exchange vows in Puerto Vallarta. Only one is legally binding, but all three can stand alone as the wedding moment itself.

Symbolic Ceremony (Most Popular)

The vast majority of Puerto Vallarta destination weddings are symbolic. No document requirements, no health screening, no residency window, and full flexibility on ceremony scripting. Most all-inclusive wedding packages default to this option.

Civil Ceremony (Legally Binding)

A civil ceremony performed by a Juez del Registro Civil from the Puerto Vallarta municipality is the only legally binding option in Mexico. Requires advance paperwork, four witnesses, three to four days in country, and a local health screening. See our Mexico legal marriage guide for the full breakdown.

Religious Ceremony

Puerto Vallarta has a particularly strong Catholic tradition, with several photogenic chapels and the iconic Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in the old town. Religious ceremonies aren’t legally binding in Mexico unless paired with a civil ceremony, but many resorts have on-site chapels or can arrange a visiting officiant. Plan for longer lead times, especially in the busy December Guadalupe season.

Puerto Vallarta’s Wedding Areas

Puerto Vallarta proper sits on the south side of Banderas Bay, but the broader wedding market stretches across three distinct corridors. Each has its own personality and pricing rhythm.

Puerto Vallarta Proper (South Side of Banderas Bay)

The city itself, including Zona Romántica (the cobblestone old town), Marina Vallarta, and Conchas Chinas. Best for couples wanting the full Puerto Vallarta experience: old-town walks, the malecón boardwalk, mariachi-soaked dinners, and resorts within walking distance of city life. Major resorts to know: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, Secrets Vallarta Bay, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort.

Nuevo Vallarta (North Side of Banderas Bay)

Just across the state line in Riviera Nayarit, Nuevo Vallarta is the high-rise all-inclusive corridor with a calmer, family-friendlier energy than PV proper. About a 20-minute drive from PVR airport. Major resorts: Marival Distinct Luxury Residences, Riu Palace Pacifico, Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, and Iberostar Selection Playa Mita.

Punta de Mita and Bucerias (Further North)

The luxury anchor of the broader area is on the northern tip of Banderas Bay. Punta de Mita has resorts like Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, St. Regis Punta Mita, W Punta de Mita, and Conrad Punta de Mita. Best for couples wanting the most polished luxury experience and the calmest beachfront, with the slight trade-off of longer transfers from the airport and the city.

Puerto Vallarta Wedding Planning FAQs

How long does the entire Puerto Vallarta wedding planning process take?

Plan for 10 to 14 months from initial decision to the wedding day for peak-season dates (November through April). Festival weeks (Day of the Dead, Guadalupe processions, Festival Gourmet, Vallarta Pride) need 14 to 18 months. Shoulder months can sometimes come together in 8 to 10 months; low-season dates can sometimes work in 6 to 9 months if you’re flexible.

Do we have to be in Puerto Vallarta before our wedding?

For a legal civil ceremony, yes: three to four business days in the country for the health screening and document submission. For a symbolic ceremony, no advance arrival is required, but most couples land two to three days early for welcome events and old-town time.

What’s the simplest way to get married in Puerto Vallarta?

The simplest path is a symbolic ceremony in Puerto Vallarta paired with a legal civil ceremony at home. The symbolic ceremony has no document, residency, or health-screening requirements, which keeps planning streamlined and arrival flexible. Most Puerto Vallarta couples choose this path.

Can same-sex couples get married in Puerto Vallarta?

Yes. Same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide in Mexico since 2022, with full recognition in every state, including Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta has been a leading Mexican destination for LGBTQ+ travel and weddings for decades, and several resorts actively position themselves around inclusive wedding programming.

How much should we expect to spend on a Puerto Vallarta wedding?

A typical Puerto Vallarta destination wedding runs roughly $7,000 to $14,000 all-in for the couple, with smaller and larger options at either end. The wedding package itself usually runs $1,000 to $7,000, depending on tier; accommodations, airfare, and add-ons make up the rest. Complimentary packages with a qualifying room block can bring the wedding package line to zero.

Start Planning Your Puerto Vallarta Wedding Today

Puerto Vallarta has been a top destination wedding hub for decades because the process works. Reliable Pacific weather, direct flights, a deep resort lineup, and a wedding-coordination ecosystem that handles almost everything for you. The 14-step path above is the same one our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists walk every couple through.

Fill out our online wedding planning form and we’ll match you with a Specialist who knows the Puerto Vallarta resort landscape inside and out.