Oaxaca Elopement Guide
Oaxaca Elopement Guide
Oaxaca is a beautiful and culturally rich state in Mexico that is known for it’s colorful streets, delicious cuisine, sandy beaches, cobblestone streets, and historic sites.
Planning your elopement or intimate wedding in such a unique and beautiful place like Oaxaca, definitely still needs some preparation and planning for it to be amazing AND stress-free.
I’m gonna cover best ceremony locations, lodging, and helpful tips on planning your Oaxaca Elopement!
Location
First you’ll want to decide on what area of Oaxaca you want to have your elopement. The two most popular destinations in the state would be Oaxaca city (Centro), or the coastal side of the state - Puerto Escondido. Of course there is so much more to the state but these two destinations are the most popular and most accesible.
Oaxaca Centro: is known for it’s large church, access to ruins like Mitla, the pyramids at Monte Alban, the Arbol del Tule, colorful cobblestone streets, and is the hub of Oaxacan cuisine and food markets. You can also easily travel to mezcal refineries from the center as well as the iconic yet more distant (1 hour 30min from the Centro) Hierve el Agua.
Monte Alban
Puerto Escondido: Is known for it’s beaches, seafood, good surf, nightlife, snorkeling, diving, sea turtles, dolphins and even sport fishing.
Two very distinct vibes! If exploring cobblestone streets, taking a mole class, cheering with mexzcal, and visiting some ruins sounds more like you guys, then Oaxaca centro would be the right fit. If you picture you’re ceremony on a sandy cove beach, eating fresh fish tacos, followed by a celebratory surf session, then Puerto Escondido would be the right fit!
Seasons
When to plan your elopement? Well Oaxaca has typically two seasons, a dry and wet season. Dry season runs from October-April, and the wet/rainy season runs May-September. Although during the rainy season you can still have plenty of beautiful days with only the occasional rain storm that rolls through in the evenings.
Going in dry season ensures good weather, but might have more foot traffic and higher travel rates. Likewise, going in the off season could ensure better deals, less people, but weather can be unpredictable.
I would suggest aiming for October, November, & December.
Crowds
Oaxaca is a hot spot for visitors and tourism, for the best elopement experience and to have a bit more privacy and seclusion aim to have your elopement during a weekday- and have your ceremony during sunrise or sunset.
Keep in mind to avoid any peak holidays, and even Mexican holidays such as “Day of the Dead”, or the Guelaguetza which can cause an influx of people/crowds/ special events that can take over certain areas.
Ceremony Location & Lodging
When it comes to elopements, lodging is very important, as it can serve as not only your getting ready photos but can also serve as your actual ceremony location. Many hotels/airbnbs/ rentals in Oaxaca have beautiful properties with courtyards and distinct features that makes it easy to host a small ceremony right on the property. Not only does it make for a more streamlined day but can also cut any additional costs of renting a private space or venue. Make sure to choose a rental/lodging that fits your needs, and of course double check with them that it’s ok to have a short ceremony there.
City Centro Hotel
My top lodging recommendations in Oaxaca Centro that could serve well for an elopement are:
Grana B&B (highly recommend)
Hotel Azul
Hotel Escondido Oaxaca
RosaMate Casa
Quinta Real Oaxaca
City Centro Hotel
My top lodging recommendations in Puerto Escondido that could serve well for an elopement are:
Hotel Escondido
Posada Real Cocos Beach Club
Casa Orgullosa
Casa Bacana
Casa Malandra
Villas in Rancho Neptuno
Villas Carrizalillo
Other Ceremony Locations in Oaxaca Centro
In Oaxaca Centro you could share vows in front of the Templo Santo Domingo or even on the side of the templo. If you wanted colorful streets and murals as the backdrop to your vows, you could head over to the neighborhood of Jalatlaco. Or for a large area with a great view, the Plaza de La Danza could be perfect too.
In front of the Templo Santo Domingo
If you’re looking for a more adventurous location you could adventure over and share your vows at Hierve el Agua, the natural mineral springs that act as natures infinity pool overlooking the green valley.
Maybe you want to share vows in front of the Arbol Del Tule, which has the stoutest tree trunk in the world, or maybe you’re envisioning sharing your vows amongst the rows of agave at a Mezcaleria! There are so many options.
You could even consider “el Jardin Etnobotanico” for your vows, although this does require special advanced permits. Note: Even if you just want to come and take portraits here, permits are still needed, make sure to reach out in advance. In a pinch, you can do the 1 hour walking tour and take photos this way, however you have to stay with the group, (there is an usher making sure you’re not lagging behind), and for the most iconic photo spots (the cactus wall) we only had about 5-8 minutes for shooting.
Portraits in El Jardin Etnobotanico
Other Ceremony Locations in Puerto Escondido
For a sandy beach cove you could go to a local spot, Playa Carrizalillo!
Playa Bacocho or Playa Coral (small entrance fee).
If you’re feeling adventurous you could do a horse back ride to natural springs and share your vows there. Or even sharing your vows on board a boat out in the water while dolphin sighting!
Officiants & Marriage License
So here’s what I’ve learned about getting married in Mexico, or more accuratley eloping in Mexico. It’s that you’re going to have to do the paperwork at home either beforehand or after you get back home. I mean, you legally CAN get married in Mexico, however the process can be quiet tedious! Especially if you’re coming from out of the country and don’t speak Spanish. In Mexico to legally get married it’s required that you both provide bloodwork (must be taken in Mexico by a doctor), and submit an application in person.
The next tricky part? Finding an officiant. Officiants are hard to come by, and that’s because most people who get married in Mexico, are catholic, and of course get married through the church. Officiants in Oaxaca are slim, and are more common in areas like Cancun (big wedding scene) were wedding planners serve the role, or hire someone to be an officiant. However for elopements, wedding planners won’t work with you or give you the contact info to their officiants. If they do, they tend to be on the $$$ pricy side and some only can do the officiating in Spanish.
So what to do?
When it’s a two person elopement, you both just share your vows to each other, you exchange rings, and self-solemnize. If you’re planning to have a few guests, you could always ask a friend or family to serve the role of officiant to direct the ceremony. Again this is why we do the legal paper work at home! Some people might say, well what’s the point? Isn’t it just pretend if it’s not legal? Not at all, I always say it’s the intention that counts! You get married when you commit yourself to your partner, and a paper is just the formality.
There are a few alternatives to an officiant that I have found, and those are spiritual ceremonies that you can do. They are typically called prehistoric ceremonies, led by a shaman, there is a blessing, and can be a great option!
I would highly recommend checking out “Spirituality Oaxaca” they do wedding ceremonies, they can do them in Oaxaca Centro, Puerto Escondido, and different areas of Oaxaca. They can even help setup a picnic for after the ceremony or plan your entire event! Check them out.
Spiritual Ceremonies: Spirituality Oaxaca
Celebrate
The beauty of an elopement, is that you have the power to craft your day, you get to make it as easy-going or as elaborate as you’d like! For some it could be as simple as sharing vows just the two of you followed by portraits and stopping by a local restaurant or street vendor or awesome mezcal bar to celebrate. For other couples who have a handful of close friends and family joining, it might look like a beach ceremony followed by a more private/catered mini reception dinner. Or for the solo adventurous couple, celebrating might look like a celebratory surf session followed by beer and tacos! There is no right or wrong way of celebrating, you get to choose what’s right for you and your budget.
Travel
If you plan on visiting both Oaxaca Centro and Puerto Escondido, keep in mind it’s about a 3 hour driving distance from one another. You can also take a commercial flight from both major airports. Or if you’re looking to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido within 30 minutes, there is a small airline/plane called “AeroTucan” that leaves once a day for around $200 pp.
Details
Just because it’s an elopement doesn’t mean you can’t have all the fun of putting together fun wedding details together. Since you’re traveling to such a wonderfully cultural rich location, feel free to incorporate some of those features.
Ceremony
For example, a great way to highlight a ceremony space for an elopement is by using a rug. Oaxaca is famous for it’s colorful woven rugs, you can buy one and then still use it as decor for your home when you get back. In the same fashion, you could buy artisanal mexican lanterns to identify the space, or other art/scultpures that catch you’re eye.
Vow Books
Same goes for vow books, I would have fun with it, and get some customized from etsy that relate to Oaxaca or Mexico! Even plain vow books are better than none at all, as the other option is your cellphone, and that just doesn’t convey the same emotion in photos.
Dress/Attire
You might be inspired by the location, and reach for a more boho style gown like the Coco Gown from Grace Loves Lace, or it might inspire you to more fun and adventurous colors. You might even purchase something to wear at the many outdoor markets while in town.
THAT’S IT!
Hopefully you are now well on your way to the best elopement day ever in Oaxaca, Mexico!
xx
Cheers
Hi there, I’m Nelly.
YOUR ELOPEMENT EXPERT + PHOTOGRAPHER
READY FOR ME TO CAPTURE YOUR OAXACA ELOPEMENT? AWESOME! REACH OUT AND LET’S CHAT.