It’s tough to chose the perfect all-inclusive resort for your destination wedding, I get it.

Maybe you’re considering a destination wedding, but just can’t seem to narrow it down to find THE ONE – the all-inclusive resort of your dreams? Never fear! Your favorite well-traveled, certified destination wedding expert travel agent is here!

And I’ve got some opinions to share. 

All-Inclusive Resorts for Destination Weddings

Let’s talk about all-inclusive resorts for a minute. There are a LOT of them out there, and they’re definitely not all created equally. 

Some are party scenes – think spring break, foam parties, and all of the resorts you’ve seen in teen movies.  Those probably aren’t for you and your destination wedding. 

There are some resorts that are almost silent, very calm, health-centric, “wellness resorts.” Depending on your group and your vibe, that may not be the type of place you throw the party of the year either.

Most of my couples tend to go for the “Goldilocks Window” of resorts.

The ones that have relaxing and quiet areas where you can get away, enjoy some zen, and just soak it all in, AND have music, activities, and fun experiences available for everyone who wants something fun to do and experience together. 

Those are the types of resorts I’m sharing with you today.

But keep in mind: one person’s “perfect resort” may be a total nightmare for someone else. That’s why I talk a LOT  with my destination wedding couples about their preferences, budget, vibes, wedding vision, and more, to ensure that I’m match-making them with the perfect resort FOR THEM.

So take this list of all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings with a grain of salt,and consider the info below as the inspiration it is meant to be.

When you’re ready, I’ll work directly with you and your fiancé to make sure that I’m pairing you with YOUR dream resort!

#10  Sanctuary Cap Cana

Sanctuary Cap Cana is one of my favorite all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings! This adults-only resort is less than a 20-minute drive from the Punta Cana airport in the Dominican Republic, and is absolutely gorgeous!

This resort is excellent for destination wedding groups without kids, who are looking for a sophisticated, luxurious resort with bright, natural rooms, delicious food, and fabulous wedding venues!

While most resorts in the DR are not necessarily known for their food, Sanctuary Cap Cana is! They’ve got five a la carte restaurants, a buffet, and 24-hour room service that spans the culinary range from Pan-Asian cuisine to Argentinean steaks, Italian, and more!

If you feel like you’ve been to all the best all-inclusive resorts for adults in Mexico, head here next to mix it up in the DR!

The one drawback to this beautiful resort is that there’s a little bit of a walk to get to the beach, but once you get there, get ready for an amazing time!

#9  Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana

Staying in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, we find our next all-inclusive resort for destination weddings: Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana!

This adults-only resort is lovely, and unsurprisingly, has an incredible beach! The wedding venues here mostly focus on the beach (and there are TONS of amazing set-ups available!), but if you’re a “NO sand at my wedding” person, don’t worry! 

First, there are some wedding venues at Secrets Royal Beach that aren’t on the beach – a beautiful patio / pool deck location, an open-air nightclub you can privatize, or a beautiful ballroom. 

But there are also some options for you if you’re looking for a beach wedding without sand. Secrets Royal Beach, like many all-inclusive resorts, will put down a platform or floor for your wedding. They’re totally customizable – some folks want everyone on the platform, while others want the platform to run the length of the aisle and the front for the wedding party. No matter your vision, your resort (on-site) destination wedding team will help you nail down your wedding vision for your budget!

Again, the DR is not necessarily known for its food, at least not in the way that Mexico is.. But Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana has excellent food and drinks, to ensure you and your destination wedding guests have an exceptional experience for your big day!

#8  Secrets Akumal

Next up in Mexico is another stunning adults-only resort, around an hour south of the Cancun airport – Secrets Akumal. A modern, luxurious property, Secrets Akumal is one of my absolute favorite all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings. 

My favorite story about this resort is one my friend told after she went.

She was hanging out at the pool during the day, and among his many stops at her chair to make sure she had everything she needed, he really went above and beyond! He cleaned and shined up her sunglasses when she wasn’t using them, brought her drinks, water, and snacks, and even came by with not one, but two types of sunscreen for her to choose from. For free. On a silver platter. 

WHAT!?

That kind of service is just incredible. Mexico is known for its fantastic service and hospitality already, but Secrets Akumal truly does the most. 

This resort is magnificent in every way, from its luxurious accommodations to the excellent dining options, and the beautiful wedding venues. Beach venue? Check. Poolside venue? Check. Secret Garden venue? Check and check. 

If you’re looking for a ridiculously luxurious resort in Mexico for an adults-only wedding group, and don’t mind a bit of a drive down from the airport, Secrets Akumal will not disappoint you! (or your guests!)

#7 Secrets Cap Cana

Heading back to Punta Cana is another Secrets resort – Secrets Cap Cana. (Can you tell that I love secrets resorts, wedding packages, and wedding teams?! They’re some of the absolute best all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings out there, and I love working with them!

Secrets Cap Cana is inside an exclusive gated community, which means private beaches and the highest level of luxury engulf you on Juanillo Beach! The crystal blue water and white, sugar-sand beach is simply to die for, and the pools, rooms, and grounds are modern and beautiful!

If you’re a beach lover who wants to have your destination wedding on one of the top beaches in the Dominican Republic (and don’t want to have kids there!), Secrets Cap Cana might just be for you!

#6 Secrets Playa Blanca

Let’s head back to Mexico for one of the newer all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings – Secrets Playa Blanca. 

As you may have guessed, this exquisite resort is on a huge stretch of white-sand beach, and is perfect for beach lovers who want to be surrounded by nature and beauty for their big day! 

While the vibes are relaxing and calm, there’s also plenty to do, including nearby golf, a night club (great for a destination wedding after party!), and even a unique Jungle Pool, which is a tropical paradise of private cabanas with poolside service, and lush greenery all around. 

Secrets Playa Blanca Wedding Venues

Secrets Playa Blanca has quickly become one of the most popular adults-only resorts in Mexico for destination weddings, and for good reason. Their wedding venues are stunnnnnninnnggggg… I’m kind of obsessed with watching Secrets Playa Blanca wedding videos on instagram.. 

I know lots of couples are looking for tropical, lush wedding venues where the space itself is super beautiful and doesn’t require much work. I think Secrets Playa Blanca’s wedding venues do that and more!! Some of my favorites are the Jungle Pool, Contoy Plaza, and Portofino Roof… each of them has plenty of space for you and your guests to boogie down, and has lots of greenery, and a simple touch of string lights will really create an intimate, beautiful vibe (and wedding photos!)

If you’ve got a healthy budget and are looking for something tropical for your wedding, beachy for your vacation, and new and modern for your accommodations.. Secrets Playa Blanca is the place for you!

#5 Unico 20º 87º Riviera Maya

What if I told you that there was an all-inclusive resort that has everything – beautiful pools, gorgeous beach, sexy, modern rooms, epic wedding venues, AND its own mixologist, chocolaterie, and amazing food?!

Around 90 minutes from the Cancun airport is the resort I lovingly think of as an adults-only, all-inclusive summer camp. 🙂 This place has relaxation space, but also has plenty of activities for all your wedding guests to do during their stay! Plus, you get your very own hat that you can have custom-painted, and then take home as a keepsake!

I’ve participated in Unico’s mixology class before, and it was so fun (and delicious!), and their hand-painted, artisan chocolate is too delicious for words. And the food? Forget about it! Very few all-inclusive resorts have food as great as Unico’s.

Why Unico is an amazing all-inclusive resort for destination weddings

I’ll give you the short of it: Unico 20º 87º Riviera Maya is one of my all-time favorite adults-only, all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings in Mexico. It’s got everything you could want, and has a truly excellent weddings team. 

Plus, Unico has got this super cool tool – a wedding cost calculator – that can give you an estimate of your wedding cost based on your guest count, wedding package choice, ‘extras,’ and more!

Fun fact: because I live and work in Atlanta, but am part of a travel agency based in Kansas City, MO, I actually have two reps for this resort brand (Unico, Hard Rock, and Ava), who I can call if I need any help for one of my couples or their wedding guests.

It really pays to know a guy, especially when something as important as your wedding is on the line!

#4 Live Aqua Cancun

Now if you want a much shorter drive from the Cancun airport, you’re in the right zone.. The Cancun Hotel Zone, to be specific! The hotel zone is a strip of land shared by many resorts, most of which were built in a “high rise” format, rather than built across a sprawling footprint, like most of the other resorts on this list. 

In the Cancun hotel zone, we often think about resorts being squished together and having very little beach of their ‘own’ (all beaches in Mexico are technically public, but you know what I mean). Most of those resorts’ restaurants are found inside their one building, and they’ve got pools and a little, bitty beach. I don’t send too many destination wedding couples to the hotel zone, to be honest. Most want more space than a resort in the hotel zone has to offer.

Enter Live Aqua Cancun. 

Not Your Grandma’s Hotel Zone

Live Aqua Cancun is completely different from that ‘typical hotel zone’ resort you’re picturing and that I described above. 

They’ve got about one sixth of that entire hotel zone all to themselves! And in that 12 mile stretch, there are  50+ hotels and resorts…. So the fact that Live Aqua Cancun claims a sixth of that land means that it is significantly bigger and more spread out than most other hotel zone resorts.

Now that you understand the size and location of this stunner, I want to help you understand how perfect it is for destination weddings (and honeymoons, tbh). 

There are 321 suites, 80% of which are ocean front, and the others all have some kind of ocean view as well. There are 52 Aqua Suites (club suites), which the wedding couple gets upgraded to, nearly every time!

Plus you know those fancy buttons you can push above your bedside table? Yeah, Live Aqua Cancun’s rooms have the ability to open your ocean-front curtains with a push of the button… without getting out of bed. 

Dining options are abundant, too, with eight delicious restaurants spread across the property, along with buffets, a Starbucks (yes.. Starbucks is included in your all-inclusive resort package!), and more. 

Their spa? Epic. (trust me, I got a massage during my stay!) Their aromatherapy options in the spa and in your room? Sumptuous. 

Their pools? Plentiful, beautiful, and refreshing. Don’t skip the massive infinity pool that looks out across the white sandy beach and into the ocean!

Live Aqua Cancun Wedding Team

But I haven’t even told you the best part yet… the Live Aqua Cancun wedding team is run by the fabulous Christy M. and she takes the absolute best care of her couples. 

I mean it when I say that I’ve never met a resort wedding planner who cared so much about every, single, little detail of hundreds of other couples’ weddings. Yes, wedding planners care, but I’ve never met anyone who cares as much as Christy does. She is joy and attention to detail personified, and she is a complete pleasure to work with. 

In fact, she’s so great that she’s offered some special perks, freebies, and discounts for couples working with me! It’s specific to my organization, so if you’re interested – ask me for details!

And the wedding venues at Live Aqua Cancun Resort? RIDICULOUSLY beautiful! There are beach venues, pool deck venues, a sky terrace, and more. I recently went to a wedding event there, and Christy and her vendor team completely outdid themselves. We had a stunning welcome dinner at the pool deck while we watched the sunset and the full moon emerge! Our rehearsal dinner at the beachside restaurant was so, so fun! And the wedding itself that took place at the terrace, and the reception at the pool deck was so beautiful, I can’t stop posting pictures of it!

If you want to see dozens of real wedding photos of the wedding venues at Live Aqua Cancun, shoot me an email, and I’ll share the photo albums with you so you can see this amazing destination wedding venue for yourself.

#3 Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen

Fun fact #2 of this post: my very first destination wedding I booked after becoming a Certified Destination Wedding Expert was at Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen. You can read more about that wedding, and peep Samaria & Christian’s GORGEOUS wedding photos here. 

I absolutely love this resort – it’s in my top 3 all-inclusive resorts for destination weddings for a reason!

Secrets Moxche is truly one of the sexiest resorts in Mexico (and no, I’m not talking about Temptations resorts 😉 ) – it just gives insanely sexy vibes! The rooms are stunning, modern, and chic, the restaurants are some of the best in Playa del Carmen, the whole property is an absolute aesthetic, and the rooftop pools and bars? Forget about it.

Everything about this resort is insanely beautiful. 

They’ve got this massive, zero entry pool, surrounded by lush greenery… it feels like you’re in the ocean, but with clean water and no fish nipping at your toes! There are many more pools around the property, with beautiful hammocks, relaxing cabanas, or comfy beach chairs… and we haven’t even gotten to the actual beach yet!

The beach is fantastic, though like most beaches in Playa del Carmen, can be a bit rocky in some areas, and sometimes has a bit of sargassum (seaweed). I recently visited Secrets Moxche for the second time, right in the middle of sargassum season. And I’m pleased to say that their sargassum barriers were carrying the team!! Honestly, the sargassum is the reason that Secrets Moxche is as low as number 3 on my list of best adults-only resorts for destination weddings!

Their wedding team is amazing, and they truly perform exquisite ceremonies and events here – I mean just look at this place!!

If you’re looking for something chic, sexy, tropical and lush, as well as beachy with amazing wedding venues.. Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen may just be the right place for your destination wedding!

#2 Secrets Maroma

My top two adults-only, all-inclusive resort for destination weddings is none other than the fabulous Secrets Maroma. 

Nestled on Maroma beach, this is one of the absolute best resorts for all-inclusive weddings in the whole Mexican Caribbean. 

Yes, the beach is massive, gorgeous, and has won many awards for best beaches around the world. Yes, the grounds are tropical, lush, and beautiful. Of course, the food and drinks are amazing, the pools are relaxing and wonderful, and the accommodations are luxurious. 

But the wedding team? The best. 

Secrets Maroma has one of the very best wedding teams in the industry, and they are a pleasure to work with! Not only do they respond super quickly (something that isn’t tremendously common in the destination wedding resort team world), but they do a fantastic job at making your big day special, memorable, and exactly what you want. 

Secrets Maroma Wedding Venues

Most of their wedding venues are beach-centric, but even if you’re hoping to avoid sand on your wedding day, they’ve got some great solutions in a gazebo, and beautiful flooring for your walk down the aisle! 

Then they’ve got a wider variety of destination wedding reception venues at Secrets Maroma, so you can nail the vibe you’re looking for, and party the night away with your favorite people!

Of course, the food and drinks are amazing, but one of the things I love the most are the actual resort grounds. Secrets Maroma sits on a fairly big footprint, so you get a tropical, green experience anytime you walk to your room, restaurants, bars, the pools, beach, gym, or spa. 

Everything is a short walk away (which isn’t always a bad thing when the resort offers you endless food and drinks 😉 ), so you get to enjoy the beauty around you – particularly their stunning stretch of beach.

Secrets Maroma might be your best best If you’re a beach lover and want a luxury destination wedding in a gorgeous, tropical paradise, AND you want one of the best (and most responsive) resort wedding teams in the business.

#1 Hotel Xcaret Arte

Finally, my number one favorite adults-only, all-inclusive resort for destination weddings is… 🥁🥁🥁 Hotel Xcaret Arte.

I’ve been obsessed with this amazing property ever since I got to visit this spectacular resort and attend wedding events here early last year, and I have been absolutely obsessed with it ever since. (I mean, look at it… how could I not be obsessed!?)

This property is one of the three Xcaret resorts that are next to each other in the Riviera Maya in Mexico. This one is “adults only,” and strictly requires that all guests (including wedding guests) staying on the property must be 16 or older. 

Xcaret Arte is so many things; luxurious, beautiful, tropical, beachy, and more.. But what I love the most about this resort is how unique it is!

Xcaret Arte was built around and features Mexican and Mayan culture, with a focus on art!

Throughout the big, nature-filled property, you can see Mexican and Mayan art of many kinds, including sculptures, statues, paintings, mosaics, and more! Many of the foods you eat, the entertainment you consume, or the activities you participate in here will immerse you in the Mexican and Mayan culture even further!

Rooms at Hotel Xcaret Arte

The rooms are gorgeous inside, and have a hammock outside so you can enjoy nature, while relaxing in your room! The decor is modern, and they’re just really enjoyable rooms to be in! Plus, I love that most all room categories are exactly the same inside the rooms.

The main differences between types of rooms is their location and view. River view, garden view, ocean view, ocean front, swim-up… that’s where the differences lie. But no one in your group will get FOMO over someone else’s hammock on their balcony. 😉

Each accommodation building is called a “Casa” and each casa has its own theme, rooftop bar, and activities. One building offers painting classes, one sculpture classes, one knitting, and so on. It’s such a fun way to beat the heat and immerse yourself in the local culture (and have a handmade souvenir to take home!)

The restaurants there represent many cultures, and have world-class chefs truly elevating your all-inclusive stay – the drinking and dining experiences here at Xcaret Arte are outstanding!

What To Do at Hotel Xcaret Arte

So we know the rooms are modern, luxurious, and relaxing, and they’re in buildings with different themes, and the food’s supposed to be good… but what about the actual property. What’s there to do there? 

The beach is incredible, and wow do the ocean front rooms have a ridiculously beautiful view of the ocean!!

But Xcaret Arte is unique in another way – it’s got a river running through the property that is lovely to look at and swim in! So some rooms are river view rooms, including a few special “swim-out” type of room categories. 

On the massive grounds, you can enjoy the art, interact with local animals, swim or paddle the river, enjoy one of the many pools and swim-up bars (even these are fancy and gorgeous!), take advantage of their world-class spa, or… you can have unlimited adventures and excursions!

Xcaret Arte and Access to Xcaret Parks

One of the biggest “pluses” to choosing Hotel Xcaret Arte – my favorite all-inclusive resort for a destination wedding – is that you and your guests will not only have access to the entire all-inclusive resort, but you will also have access to numerous Xcaret parks.

These are “theme parks,” but not like you think. Think less Six Flags and more snorkeling, zip lining, paddling, and adventuring.  Each park has its own focus, and offers many different opportunities to participate in excursions, cultural or animal experiences, or other fun activities!

You also get access to the Xcaret Ferry to Isla Mujeres and Cozumel… that’s unheard of, you guys. No only do you get to eat, drink, and do whatever you want while on property, but you get to take a ferry to one or two amazing islands, filled with their own adventures… for free?

Oh, and they include an Xcaret Catamaran tour to Isla Mujeres, too! Snorkeling, drinks, box lunch, time to explore the town, and transportation to and from the pier are all included!

The best of both worlds with Xcaret Arte

I just can’t get over that when you stay at an Xcaret property, you gain access and transportation to Xcaret parks, ferries, and catamarans. This set up is completely perfect for destination wedding groups! 

If your group wants to split up and into bridal parties, families, friend groups, or just you and your fiance to get away and have your own, shared experience.. You can do that at the numerous parks and excursions available to you! 

If your entire family wants to go on a snorkeling adventure together the day before the wedding, you can do that, easily!

Are you and your besties adrenaline junkies and want to zipline the day away before you tie the knot? Done.

Yes, Xcaret is a slightly more expensive option when choosing an all-inclusive destination wedding resort, but when you look at all of the inclusions, holy moly is it worth it!!

Hotel Xcaret Arte Wedding Venues

Oops, I did it again.. I got so excited about how amazing the Xcaret Arte resort is that I almost forgot to talk about their wedding venues and team… in short, they’re excellent.

Xcaret Arte has some super-gorgeous, unique wedding venues that will absolutely knock the socks off your friends and family.. And give you a wedding that no one will ever forget!

Fun fact #3 of today: If you and your group are staying at Hotel Xcaret Arte, you could have your wedding at the actual resort – Xcaret Arte, or you could have your wedding at Xcaret Park! I know a “theme park” doesn’t sound like an amazing wedding venue right off the bat, but just wait until you see it! There are seaside wedding venues and an in-cave wedding venue that will blow you away! Just note that Xcaret Park weddings can’t start until the late evening, as the park has to close operations and set up your event items. 

The on-site wedding venues at Xcaret Arte are some of my favorites.. The Ecuminical chapel is stunning, and you can have an exquisite, private reception on the beach down below – with the quiet water of the river flowing by you. 

And the other venues? Ugh, too beautiful, words can’t do them justice. Check them out in the photos below!

Hopefully it’s easy to see why this is my absolute favorite resort for adults-only destination weddings!

Ready to Choose Your Destination Wedding Resort?

I hope that my list of top all-inclusive, adults-only resorts for destination weddings was inspiring and helped you see some of the possibilities for your dream destination wedding!

If you’re ready to choose your own resort and start planning your picture-perfect destination wedding, just click the link below to get started with a free consultation call (phone or video- your choice!) I would absolutely love to help you plan the perfect trip, with the perfect people, for your perfect wedding!