Getting Married at Costa Real Ixtapa: ULTIMATE GUIDE

by Advice & Tips, Wedding Venue Guides

Dreaming of a wedding where luxury meets the stunning coastline of the Pacific in Ixtapa? Welcome to Costa Real Ixtapa—an exquisite beachfront resort that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, world-class amenities, and impeccable service for your special day. With its expansive golden beaches, breathtaking ocean vistas, and a vibrant, yet elegant setting, Costa Real Ixtapa provides an unparalleled backdrop for your celebration. Whether you envision a grand ceremony on the sand, an elegant reception in a luxurious ballroom, or an intimate gathering by the sea, this magnificent venue promises a wedding experience as unforgettable as its spectacular sunsets.

Renowned for its beautifully appointed spaces and a sophisticated atmosphere, Costa Real Ixtapa seamlessly blends modern luxury with authentic Mexican charm. Its diverse event areas—from pristine beachfront locations and lush garden terraces to elegant ballrooms—are designed to reflect your unique love story, all while showcasing the captivating beauty of Ixtapa. Let the natural splendor, comprehensive services, and exclusive charm of this resort set the stage for your dream wedding.

Planning your perfect wedding in Ixtapa? Explore some of the best wedding photos in Ixtapa in this stunning destination, showcasing breathtaking moments captured in paradise.

Index

Is This Venue Right for Your Wedding?

 

Costa Real Ixtapa stands out for its prime beachfront location in Ixtapa, offering direct views of the Pacific Ocean and stunning sunsets, along with lush resort grounds. The venue’s expansive and elegant design, featuring multiple pools, gourmet restaurants, and direct access to a pristine beach, creates a luxurious and comfortable atmosphere perfect for destination weddings. Couples seeking a sophisticated yet vibrant beach wedding experience, with a full range of amenities and dedicated service, will find Costa Real Ixtapa provides a picturesque and grand setting.

Recent guest surveys indicate that **couples increasingly prioritize seamless experiences, diverse event spaces, and comprehensive services**. With its beautiful blend of coastal grandeur and resort luxury, and a focus on attentive, professional service, Costa Real Ixtapa offers a truly distinctive backdrop for your wedding photos and a memorable stay for your guests.

 

How Does a Wedding at Costa Real Ixtapa Work?

 

Planning your wedding at Costa Real Ixtapa is designed to be a luxurious and seamless process. Their dedicated on-site wedding specialists guide you through every step, ensuring your vision is brought to life with meticulous attention to detail. The resort offers flexible event spaces and bespoke wedding packages that can include everything from ceremony setup and world-class catering to professional coordination, vendor management, and guest accommodations.

This comprehensive support means you can relax and savor the moments while the resort’s expert team handles the logistics, allowing you to focus on celebrating your love in a beautiful, stress-free environment.

 

Best Months to Get Married

 

Ixtapa enjoys warm weather year-round, but the best months for a wedding are typically from November to May. This period offers pleasant temperatures, lower humidity, and minimal rainfall, creating ideal conditions for outdoor ceremonies and receptions. The drier season also provides consistent, beautiful natural light for photography.

Marrying during these months ensures optimal weather, while the summer/fall season (June-October) can be more humid and prone to afternoon showers, potentially offering cost savings but requiring stronger backup plans.

 

The Basics of Wedding Arrangements

 

Costa Real Ixtapa offers thoughtfully designed wedding arrangements tailored to various styles and sizes. These typically include:

  • Ceremony Setup: Options for elegant beachfront ceremonies, lush garden settings, or sophisticated indoor chapels/spaces, with various décor themes.
  • Reception Venues: Diverse spaces including grand ballrooms, spacious terraces with ocean views, and charming outdoor garden areas.
  • Catering: World-class in-house catering with customizable menus, emphasizing fresh local ingredients, international cuisine, and exquisite presentation. Options for plated dinners, lavish buffets, or interactive food stations.
  • Decor and Floral Arrangements: Collaboration with preferred florists and decorators for stunning, personalized designs that complement the resort’s elegance and your personal style.
  • Entertainment: Assistance with coordinating music (live bands, DJs, Mariachis) and other entertainment to create the perfect celebratory atmosphere.

These arrangements serve as a foundation and can be customized extensively to perfectly align with your dream wedding.

 

Who Pays for a Destination Wedding?

 

In destination weddings at Costa Real Ixtapa, typically:

  • The couple covers the primary wedding costs, such as the venue rental, catering, and coordination services.
  • Guests are usually responsible for their own travel and accommodation, though the resort often offers discounted group rates for blocks of rooms.
  • The couple might choose to host additional events, like a welcome reception, rehearsal dinner, or farewell brunch, covering those costs for their guests.
  • Extra expenses for personalized decor, enhanced entertainment, or pre/post-wedding activities are typically the couple’s responsibility.
  • Gift registries or contributions towards travel/experiences are common, allowing guests to contribute in meaningful ways.

This structure allows the couple to tailor the main event while guests manage their personal travel arrangements, often benefiting from resort group rates and amenities.

 

Venue Capacity and Guest Accommodations

 

Costa Real Ixtapa features versatile spaces suitable for intimate gatherings to grand celebrations:

  • Main Event Spaces (e.g., Grand Ballroom, Beachfront Terrace): Ideal for a wide range of weddings, typically accommodating 50-300+ guests, depending on the specific venue and setup.
  • Beachfront Ceremony Area: Perfect for ceremonies up to 250 guests, offering stunning Pacific Ocean views.
  • Garden Terraces: Charming outdoor settings for ceremonies or receptions, often accommodating 50-150 guests.

The resort offers extensive on-site accommodations with a wide variety of rooms and suites, many with ocean views, ensuring all your guests can stay comfortably within the same property. Group arrangements and special rates are readily available for wedding blocks.

Ceremony and Reception Logistics

Costa Real Ixtapa’s dedicated wedding specialists expertly manage the flow of your day from saying “I do” to your final dance. A typical sequence might look like this:

Beachfront Ceremony: Exchange vows on the pristine sands of Ixtapa with the Pacific Ocean as your stunning backdrop, perhaps under an elegantly draped arch or gazebo.

Luxury Cocktail Hour: Guests enjoy premium cocktails and gourmet appetizers, often poolside, on a scenic terrace, or within a sophisticated lounge, as the sun dips below the horizon.

Grand Reception: Move to a dedicated reception area, such as a luxurious ballroom or a beautifully lit outdoor terrace, for a delectable meal, heartfelt toasts, and vibrant celebration with ample space for dancing.

Pro tip: Utilize the resort’s diverse settings. Consider a pre-wedding spa day, a welcome reception in one of their exclusive dining areas, and let the professional service and sophisticated ambiance of Costa Real Ixtapa elevate your celebration.

What’s Included in the Venue Rental Fee?

While specific inclusions vary based on your chosen wedding package, the core venue fee at Costa Real Ixtapa typically includes:

  • Exclusive Use of Designated Areas: Use of selected ceremony and reception spaces (e.g., beachfront, garden, ballroom) for the allocated time.
  • Basic Setup: Provision of standard resort tables, chairs, white linens, and basic dinnerware. Upgraded options are available.
  • Staffing: Dedicated event staff, including servers, bartenders, and a banquet manager to ensure smooth service during your event.
  • Basic Sound System: A simple sound system may be available for background music or speeches in certain areas; recommendations for professional AV rental can be provided for more extensive needs, especially for dancing.

Remember that premium furniture, elaborate floral installations, specialized lighting, or upgraded sound/visual equipment are usually additional costs, coordinated with your wedding specialist or external vendors.

Backup Plan for Outdoor Ceremonies

The Pacific coast of Guerrero, including Ixtapa, can experience tropical rain, especially during the wet season (June-October). Costa Real Ixtapa, as a full-service resort, has ample indoor ballroom spaces and covered terraces that can seamlessly serve as beautiful backup locations for ceremonies or receptions if weather is inclement, ensuring your celebration remains elegant and comfortable.

Pro tip: Discuss the backup options with your wedding specialist during your initial consultation. Understand the capacity and aesthetic of the alternative space to ensure it aligns with your vision, providing peace of mind regardless of the weather.

Payment Terms and Cancellation Policies

Booking your wedding at Costa Real Ixtapa involves a standard payment structure:

Initial Deposit: A non-refundable deposit, often ranging from $2,000–$5,000+ USD (or a percentage of the estimated total), is required to reserve your date and the venue.

Scheduled Payments: Further payments are typically scheduled at intervals (e.g., 9, 6, and 3 months prior) to cover estimated costs based on your arrangements and guest count.

Final Payment: The remaining balance is usually due approximately 30-60 days before the wedding date, along with the final guest count.

Cancellation policies are strict and vary depending on the timing of the cancellation relative to your wedding date. Review your contract carefully and consider wedding insurance to protect your investment against unforeseen circumstances.

On-Site Wedding Coordination and Planning Services

Costa Real Ixtapa offers dedicated on-site wedding specialists who are experts in planning and executing sophisticated events. Their services typically include:

Dedicated Wedding Specialist: A primary point of contact to guide you through every decision, manage vendor coordination, and oversee all resort-related logistics for your wedding.

Vendor Liaison: Assistance with selecting and coordinating trusted local and international vendors for photography, music, flowers, decor, and more, leveraging their established relationships.

Timeline Creation & Management: Developing a detailed schedule for the entire wedding weekend, including pre- and post-wedding events, and ensuring everything runs flawlessly.

Rehearsal Coordination: Guiding your wedding party through the ceremony rehearsal at the venue.

Their comprehensive expertise in executing beautiful, large-scale and intimate events in a luxury resort setting is invaluable for a stress-free and spectacular planning experience.

Dietary and Menu Restrictions

Costa Real Ixtapa, with its expert in-house catering team, is highly capable of accommodating a wide range of dietary needs and preferences. They pride themselves on using fresh, high-quality ingredients, offering diverse culinary styles from authentic Mexican to international gourmet cuisine. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher-style, and allergy-specific meals can all be expertly prepared and served.

Menu consultations with the Executive Chef are a key part of the planning process, allowing you to tailor the menu precisely to your tastes and cultural preferences. You can arrange unique culinary experiences such as a sophisticated seafood station, an elaborate dessert bar, a premium tequila or wine tasting, or a custom-designed welcome cocktail to add a distinctive touch to your reception.

Music and Entertainment Restrictions

Costa Real Ixtapa welcomes various entertainment options, from elegant string quartets and romantic Mariachi bands to lively DJs and full bands. As a large resort, they have designated areas where amplified music is permitted, and their wedding team can advise on the best locations and schedules to ensure your celebration is vibrant while respecting other guests.

Typically, outdoor amplified music may have a curfew, often around 10:00 or 11:00 p.m., while indoor ballrooms can often accommodate longer hours. The resort team can suggest suitable indoor spaces or recommend transitioning to a quieter, more lounge-style atmosphere for extended celebrations.

Parking and Guest Logistics

Most guests will arrive via Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport (ZIH), which is conveniently located approximately a 20-minute drive from Costa Real Ixtapa. To facilitate guest transportation:

Airport Transfers: The resort concierge or your wedding specialist can help arrange private or shared shuttle services directly from ZIH. Taxis are also readily available at the airport.

Local Transportation: Movement around Ixtapa is easy with resort-provided shuttles, local taxis, or by pre-arranged private transportation for exploring the hotel zone, Marina, and nearby beaches or Zihuatanejo.

Parking: Ample secure parking is available on-site for guests who choose to rent cars or for local attendees.

Providing guests with clear instructions on airport arrival, recommended transportation options, and local travel well in advance is highly recommended.

Total Cost Breakdown for a Wedding at Costa Real Ixtapa

For an average wedding of about 50-100 guests at Costa Real Ixtapa, a rough estimate for your budget might be:

  • Venue Rental/Package Fee: $8,000–$30,000+ USD (often includes exclusive use of selected event spaces for a set number of hours, and may include some basic setup and coordination). All-inclusive packages can be higher.
  • Food and Beverage (per person): $100–$250+ USD per person. For 75 guests, budget $7,500–$18,750+. This typically includes open bar service.
  • Entertainment: $1,500–$5,000+ USD (professional DJ, live band, Mariachi, cultural performers).
  • Photography/Videography: $3,000–$8,000+ USD (depends on hours, photographers, and deliverables).
  • Florals and Enhanced Decor: $1,500–$6,000+ USD (depending on complexity, leveraging resort’s natural beauty, and imported vs. local flowers).
  • Taxes and Service Fees: Typically adds 16% VAT plus a 15-20% service charge on top of services. Budget at least 31-36% of total costs for this.

Total estimated costs could range from $25,000 to $65,000+ USD for a 75-guest wedding, highly dependent on specific package inclusions, menu selections, decor choices, and added luxuries. Prioritizing what matters most to you can help manage the budget effectively.

*Please note: These are estimates. Always obtain a customized quote directly from Costa Real Ixtapa’s wedding team.*

Splurge vs. Save

To save costs, consider a weekday wedding, opting for a brunch or lunch reception instead of dinner, choosing a buffet over a plated meal, or simplifying decor to highlight the resort’s existing beauty. Using the resort’s standard inclusions for chairs and linens is usually more cost-effective. To splurge, consider a fireworks display, a gourmet tasting menu with premium wine pairings, a pre-wedding sunset cruise, extended open bar packages, or elaborate floral and lighting installations across multiple resort areas.

Wedding Arrangements and What’s Included

Costa Real Ixtapa often offers comprehensive wedding packages, which can be customized, ensuring a seamless and luxurious experience. Common inclusions in a resort wedding package might be:

  • Venue Rental: Use of designated ceremony and reception areas for a set period.
  • Accommodation Perks: Complimentary room nights for the couple, special rates for guests, or upgrades.
  • Ceremony Setup: Elegant setup including chairs, an arch or gazebo, and aisle decor.
  • Minister/Officiant: Assistance with arranging services (symbolic or legal, with legal requiring separate paperwork/fees).
  • Cocktail Hour: Standard bar service and a selection of hot and cold appetizers.
  • Reception Catering: Choice of plated dinner, gourmet buffet, or food stations, along with a wedding cake sourced from the resort’s pastry chef.
  • Bar Service: Open bar for a specified duration (e.g., 3-5 hours) with premium beverage options.
  • Basic Decor: Standard linens, centerpieces, and lighting for reception tables.
  • Wedding Specialist: Dedicated on-site professional to assist with all wedding details and coordination.
  • Bridal Suite: Often includes a complimentary bridal suite for the wedding night.

Pro tip: All-inclusive resorts like Costa Real Ixtapa often provide significant value through their packages, bundling many services. Explore their options thoroughly to see what best fits your needs and budget, simplifying planning significantly.

Activities for Other Days

Keep your guests entertained throughout their stay at Costa Real Ixtapa and the surrounding area:

  • Guests can enjoy the resort’s numerous amenities: multiple swimming pools, world-class spa services, fitness center, tennis courts, and on-site dining.
  • Arrange a group outing for golf at a nearby championship course or organize a deep-sea fishing excursion from the Ixtapa Marina.
  • Book water sports like jet-skiing, paddleboarding, or snorkeling tours to nearby Ixtapa Island (Isla Ixtapa).
  • Host a casual welcome reception, themed dinner, or farewell brunch within the resort’s various restaurants or private event spaces.
  • Explore the vibrant Ixtapa hotel zone, enjoy local markets, or take a short taxi ride to Zihuatanejo for a taste of authentic Mexican village life.
  • Arrange adventurous excursions like ATV tours, horseback riding on the beach, or exploring local ecological parks.

Three Practical Tips for Brides

1) Leverage Resort Expertise: Your dedicated wedding specialist at Costa Real Ixtapa is a treasure trove of local knowledge and planning experience. Trust their recommendations for vendors and logistics, and don’t hesitate to ask for their insights on local customs or unique touches to enhance your day.

2) Plan for the Sun and Sea: While beautiful, Ixtapa’s climate means considering lightweight, breathable fabrics for your gown, opting for hairstyles that withstand humidity, and using setting spray for makeup. Incorporate plenty of sunscreen for yourself and your guests, and remember to stay hydrated.

3) Embrace the Resort’s Offerings: Costa Real Ixtapa offers a wealth of amenities. Consider utilizing their spa for pre-wedding relaxation, their beauty salon for hair and makeup, and their diverse dining options for rehearsal dinners or welcome parties. This streamlines logistics and enhances the overall guest experience.

Two Bride Reviews

“Our wedding at Costa Real Ixtapa was everything we dreamed of and more. The resort handled every detail flawlessly, from the stunning beachfront ceremony to the elegant ballroom reception. Our wedding specialist was an absolute angel, making sure everything was perfect. Our guests raved about the food, the service, and the beautiful setting. It was a truly luxurious and unforgettable experience!” – Sarah M.

“We chose Costa Real Ixtapa for our destination wedding, and it was the best decision. The resort’s multiple event spaces gave us so many options, and we loved having all our guests stay on-site. The in-house catering was phenomenal, and the staff’s professionalism made us feel completely at ease. Watching the sunset from our reception terrace was magical. Highly recommend for couples looking for a sophisticated beach wedding with top-tier service.” – Jessica T.

My Final Thoughts as a Wedding Photographer

Having photographed weddings across Mexico, Costa Real Ixtapa offers a truly dynamic and luxurious setting for wedding photography. The resort’s expansive grounds, pristine beachfront, elegant ballrooms, and beautifully manicured gardens provide a diverse range of stunning backdrops. The prime oceanfront location means capturing dramatic sunset portraits is a highlight, offering that quintessential tropical wedding feel with a touch of grandeur. The professional staff and seamless operation of a resort like Costa Real Ixtapa allow for a stress-free environment, enabling me to focus purely on capturing authentic emotions and beautiful moments. If you’re dreaming of a wedding that combines sophisticated luxury, comprehensive amenities, and breathtaking natural beauty with impeccable service, Costa Real Ixtapa is an outstanding choice. It photographs with a grand, vibrant, and truly memorable feel, reflecting the refined spirit of your special day.

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