How to Elope in Mexico: The Ultimate Guide (2023)

Wondering how to elope in Mexico? This sunkissed land is quickly becoming a popular elopement destination and there’s no secret as to why. It holds some of the most incredible beaches, delicious food, and luxurious resorts. Its culture is vibrant, warm & full of passion, making it the perfect spot to proclaim your love & begin this adventure of marriage!

So what do you need to know when it comes to knowing how to elope in Mexico? Read on for a guide to locations, where to stay, what to do, when to go, and how to make sure your Mexico elopement is legal!

How to Elope in Mexico: The Best Places

These are my top recommendations for eloping in Mexico:

– Tulum

– Todos Santos

– Cabo San Lucas

Eloping in Tulum

When to Go

One of the greatest things about Tulum is that the best time to elope is during “off-season”, so more vendors will be available to travel with you & make your dream day come to life. I recommend planning your destination elopement for October-December. During this time the rainy season will be over, but the temperatures will still be pleasantly warm. More importantly, the seaweed will be gone. Seaweed often covers the beaches in other months, attracting mosquitoes– not ideal for your elopement day!

What to Do

If you’re wondering how to elope in Mexico, you’ve also got to consider all the amazing things you can do on your honeymoon. Tulum is located on the Yucatan Peninsula, which is home to thousands of beautiful cenotes, and some of the most unique and popular are located near Tulum. There are open, semi-open, and underground cenotes, all offering incredible swimming holes for your elopement adventure. You can book a private swimming tour of them, or you can even partake in other Tulum elopement activities such as snorkeling with turtles, ATVing, spa treatments, and romantic picnics on the beach.

Where to Stay

Since you’re figuring out how to elope in Mexico and your wedding experience can be as intimate as you want it to be, you can avoid big resort wedding packages, and book with the independent hotels on the beaches. One of the best is Maxanab, with its incredible villas & beachfront access. Or you can even rent one of the many luxury Airbnbs in town: here is my own personalized list!

Eloping to Cabo San Lucas

Perched on the edge of the Baja peninsula, this gorgeous resort town has deep blue seas and buckets of charm. It’s been a hot spot destination for fun filled beach trips because it truly has so much to offer for your Mexico elopement experience!

When to Go

Cabo stays warm all throughout the year, but the best time to go is May or November. This way you’ll avoid the summer heat, not to mention all the crowds that come with the holidays. Most people visit Cabo in the winter months to escape the winter weather & make use of their vacation time, but you can still enjoy the best of this paradise by going just before & have this tourist season.

What to Do

Cabo is home to a plethora of white sandy beaches, authentic cuisine, and seaside resorts & villas. Most of the fun in this area is found by the water– you can sprawl on Medano Beach, whale watch, snorkel or scuba dive, have a private boat ceremony with Lands End as your backdrop, or even take a canoe out to the island of Lover’s Beach to admire the beachside cliffs.

Where to Stay

Cabo offers an array of paradises for your stay, but my favorite of them all is the Acre Resort. If you’re dreaming about how to elope in Mexico, why would you settle for a generic experience? Here you can stay in a luxury villa or even in their treehouse rooms! If you’re looking for a more private stay, you can check out the many Airbnb villas & condos that flood the shoreline here!

Eloping to Todos Santos

Todos Santos is on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja Peninsula, and it truly has it all. With beautiful scenery & thriving arts culture, this hidden gem would make for the perfect mexico elopement destination!

When to Go

The best time to visit Todos Santos is September-November. During this time there will be fewer tourists and the weather will still be enjoyable, making for beautiful days on the beach, hiking through the mountains, and much more!

What to Do

Just about an hour north of Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos is smaller & less discovered than many of the Mexico elopement destinations, so you can get some of the same beauty in surrounding mountains, deserts, and beaches, but with fewer people and a more laid back feel. That’s why it’s such a great place to head to if you’re planning to elope in Mexico! You can sprawl out on the beaches, take an adventure to the nearby Sietta De La Laguna mountains, or walk the cobblestone streets of the town to experience its art.

Where to Stay

This Mexican oasis is not short of modern resorts & incredible stays. One of my favorite spots in this area is Pachamama Mexico, a glamping boutique hotel & wedding venue. You can’t beat its waterfront location, cute tepees, and impeccable design. The town of Todos Santos also holds some of the most iconic rentals, perfect to host a destination elopement. You can find my own personal list here!

How to Elope in Mexico

Acquiring a marriage license in Mexico can be a lengthy and complicated process. I recommend legally marrying at home & having a symbolic ceremony in Mexico, so you can fully soak up your elopement experience in Mexico without having to worry about logistics.

If you would rather legally get married in Mexico, you will need a passport, birth certificate, tourist card, and, believe it or not, a chest x-ray or a blood test that must be performed in Mexico. All documents need to be translated into Spanish and notarized by the nearest Mexican Consulate.

You can find more information on the Consulate website, but, again, if you’re wondering how to elope in Mexico, it’s really much easier to get your American marriage license before you head out on your adventure.

Your Perfect Mexico Elopement

I hope this has helped you as you start to create your plan for how to elope in Mexico. This is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that I can’t recommend enough! There is so much power in place. Where you choose to launch your love story says so much about who you are & who you hope to become!

Whether you’re dreaming of the lavish luxury of some of Mexico’s most exclusive & exquisite haunts, or you are hoping for a wild adventure in the coasts & villages, Mexico has it all. I’d love to connect with you to help you dream a little more about your perfect adventure elopement, so be sure to scroll through my blog and get in touch!