Destination Weddings Are a Seabreeze in Cancun.

On-site Wedding Coordinators Ease Planning for Couples Marrying in Romantic Cancun

CANCUN, Mexico -- As a perfect solution for today's busy couples, brides and grooms are taking a new twist on the destination wedding concept by combining their nuptials and honeymoons into one exotic locale. This sweeping new trend, known as a "weddingmoon," allows couples to take advantage of romantic, upscale and often more affordable packages in some of the world's most breathtaking sites, including top international leisure destination, Cancun, Mexico. And with Cancun's wealth of skilled wedding experts and world-class resorts, planning a destination weddingmoon is a piece of wedding cake!

Having performed more than 4,400 weddings in 2005 alone, Cancun's experienced wedding and travel professionals are equipped to handle every important detail, from coordinating traditional elements like flowers, food and musicians to handling destination-specific issues like transportation and translators. A wealth of resources ensures that once the ceremony is over, newly betrothed couples are guaranteed a stress-free getaway, courtesy of the Mayan Gold Coast.

The ROYAL in Cancun is one of many resorts to provide on-site blood testing for both the bride and groom, a legal requirement for marriage in Mexico. The ROYAL includes this service as part of its wedding packages, which range in price from US$1,280 to US$1,680. When a couple books five nights or more in the resort's Presidential Suite, they receive a complimentary package, which includes the required legal services, a personal wedding coordinator, a beachfront setting for the ceremony, a 30-minute couple's massage, the bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, as well as a wedding cake, among many other benefits and amenities. Upgraded packages are also available for a fee.

The ROYAL's on-site wedding coordinators meet with each couple prior to the ceremony to translate paperwork, to confirm identification, and to perform the required blood test by a qualified lab technician. Once all legal requirements are fulfilled, the wedding staff moves to arrange all other details of the chosen package, including music, flowers, and meals. This all-suite, all-inclusive and all-adult beachfront property hosts ceremonies that range from intimate ceremonies to grand affairs, also boasting the first freestanding resort wedding chapel in Cancun.

Palace Resorts, another top weddingmoon provider in Cancun, offers a free wedding package for guests at its all-inclusive Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort. This option includes all document arrangements, a wedding coordinator, a Justice of the Peace to conduct the ceremony, a Marriage License and Certificate, a wedding gazebo as the ceremony site, 4 bottles of champagne, breakfast in bed the following morning, and additional products and services. In 2005, this resort accounted for over 1,900 of the weddings performed in Cancun.

The adults-only Le Blanc Spa Resort also offers a complimentary wedding as a part of their all-inclusive vacation packages, which range from US$462 to US$638 per room, per night. This option includes a wedding on the beach or in the resort's wedding gazebo, all document arrangements, a Justice of the Peace, Marriage Certificate, and dinner reservations for up to 25 guests from the wedding party. Also included is a LeBlanc Honeymoon Package that provides keepsake "Honeymooners" embroidered bathrobes, a nightly variety of Petit Fours (dessert snacks), flower arrangements, a fruit platter, a beach bag, sparkling wine and late checkout.

Customized wedding packages are also available from all of these resorts, as well as many other properties throughout Cancun, allowing the bride and groom to ensure personal touches for their weddingmoon experience.

For example, at the elite Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, a wedding specialist plans every detail by creating an event-specific timeline for the couple's special day. Resort chefs are available to customize the ideal wedding cake as well as to cater meals that range from gourmet buffets to champagne cocktails, including vegetarian, vegan, and kosher cuisines. An assortment of wedding and honeymoon packages provide romantic and intimate touches throughout the couple's stay, including Casitas, homemade cabanas that offer candlelit dinners for two with a private saxophonist on the beach.

Catholic couples that wish to marry in a beachfront ceremony authorized by the Catholic Church can do so at each of Cancun's two Marriott resorts, the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort. Both have recently been authorized to perform Catholic weddings by the Bishop of Cancun, Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cardenas, and their Nuptial Gazebos have been approved for use as Catholic Altars. A variety of wedding and honeymoon packages are also available.

Weddingmooners at the Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Grand, a AAA Five Diamond resort, may choose to partake in a Grand Romance package for $999 per room, per night, which includes oceanfront suite accommodations, a beachside candlelight dinner under the stars, two signature massage treatments, daily breakfast buffets, a bouquet of flowers, a chilled bottle of champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries, a rose petal turndown, and two complimentary specialty robe souvenirs, among other romantic amenities.

Another Grupo Posadas property, the Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun, offers an Indulge Romance package for just $599 per room, per night, which includes ocean view accommodations, a $100 credit in any of the hotel's three restaurants, two signature massage treatments, daily breakfast buffets, a bouquet of flowers, a chilled bottle of champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries, a rose petal turndown, a music CD, and two complimentary specialty robe souvenirs.

A variety of experienced wedding planning companies, such as Cancun Bridal and Cancun Wedding Consultants, also specialize in tailoring weddingmoons to meet diverse client needs. Each provides assistance with the legal requirements of marriage, as well as the services of florists, photographers, and musicians. They can also accommodate unique ceremony themes, venues, and honeymoon locales.

"Providing a seamless wedding experience from start to finish allows the bride and groom to truly enjoy the destination's countless appeals," explains Arturo Escaip Manzur, CEO of the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Drawn to our enchanting 'Cancun Blue' sea, close proximity to Mayan ruins and cultural sites, upscale spas and eco-adventures, couples are guaranteed to start their lives together with one-of-a-kind memories that will last a lifetime."

For more information about the legal requirements for U.S. citizens to hold a civil marriage ceremony in Cancun, visit www.cancun.info.

ABOUT CANCUN - www.cancun.info or www.cancun.travel

Cancun is situated on the northeastern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, uniquely bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the tranquil Nichupte Lagoon. The destination is renowned for its 16-mile stretch of white sandy beaches, world-class hotels, exceptional recreation features and proximity to historic Mayan archeological sites. Visitors to Cancun can enjoy the Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest coral reef in the world and action-packed participatory sports activities that capitalize on Cancun's exceptionally clear, blue waters.

High-resolution photos are available upon request.