MEXICO WEDDING PLANNER - (Page 12)

Acapulco The Experience: A famous beach destination best known for the glitter of Acapulco Bay, now undergoing a renaissance of new properties and revamped attractions. Hotel Encanto Weather: Hot and humid during the days of summer, placid in the evenings and with a non-intrusive rainy season between June and October. We’ve yet to see a gray day in Acapulco— t is most deﬁnitely made for outside weddings. The Big Day: One of the newest kids in town is Hotel En- canto, a 44-suite boutique property perched atop a cliff in the Punta Diamante region. Its modern and creative look has been designed to allow grand views of the ocean, with open facades and private terraces overlooking the sea from each room. In other words, a dreamlike location for a wedding. The property is done up in lots of white and neon lights for a vibrant yet peaceful feel, with custom-designed furniture, wooden decks with canopied day beds and clean lines throughout. Couples and their guests will love the meditative garden area, library, signature restaurant (with panoramic views of Puerto Marques Bay) and even a private movie theater. All that, before they get to the spa and its yummy organic products. The hotel’s restaurant, Flor de Mar 360°, comes with celebrity chef Monica Patiño, who creates gastronomic treats such as chocolate-covered fruits (also available for sale in the property’s shop) that are great for adding local ﬂavor to a wedding reception. She is also able to design an unforgettable menu of fresh seafood and indigenous ingredients for a wedding dinner with a true taste of Acapulco. Couples considering Acapulco as their dream location have two venues to choose from at Hotel Encanto: the fantastic hotel deck or a huge palapa that can ﬁt up to 700 people. Given the hotel’s location, they’ll be blessed by wonderful breezes almost any day of the year, as well as a full-time onsite wedding coordinator. Rates for the hotel start at $375 per night. Two of Acapulco’s classics, Fairmont Acapulco Princess and Fairmont Pierre Marques, let couples enjoy facilities and services at both properties, so they can stay in one property and hold their ceremony at the other, should they wish. The Acapulco Princess has huge ballrooms that ﬁt more than 1,500, although they can be split up for smaller events. There’s a ﬂower shop and a shopping arcade, a beauty salon and lots of outdoor facilities overlooking the Paciﬁc Ocean, and, of course, decorators and wedding planners at the ready. These properties can also set up any number of themed ceremonies and receptions with folkloric dancers, ﬁreworks, Aztec “warriors” and more. Among the most popular options? A Gran Fiesta Mexicana set up around a “town square” within a makeshift colonial town setting complete with a bandstand, bell M12 May 2010 tower and cantina. A lavish buffet is set up on the square with wait staff decked out in traditional Mexican gear, grills in carts and barrows among the buffet tables and lots of colorful decorations and balloons. Rates start at $214 for both properties. Of course, as in other destinations, couples don’t just have to rely on hotel planners to put together their dream day. In Acapulco, Caty Gomez Eventos Exclusivos can put together a breathtaking ceremony in diverse locations, such as Finca El Paraiso, right on Puerto Marques Bay, or the rustic beauty of Casa Yal’ma Ka’an. Gomez also offers couples the chance to customize their choice of pre-designed “Wed Pages” to share videos and photos with family and friends, have them access a map of the wedding location and list activities they can all enjoy together. Another choice for a fairytale wedding in Acapulco is the La Capilla de la Paz or Chapel of Peace, which is surrounded by gardens and offers a dazzling view of the entire bay of Acapulco. It’s actually one of the city’s most recognizable spots, located 1,200 ft. above sea level and crowned with a 130-ft. cross adorned with quart reﬂectors adjacent to the chapel (despite the cross, this is a non-denominational venue). soaking in the rays by the beach and enjoying kayaks along the shore, but they might also want to hop on a short cruise of Acapulco Bay and admire the view from sea. Among the “musts” here are the famous cliff divers of La Quebrada, who brave crashing waves and 100-ft. altitudes to put on a remarkable show; the San Diego Fort, which houses the city’s history museum; and a glass-bottomed boat ride to Roqueta Island for some snorkeling. Another option is Laguna Coyuca, which is great for horseback riding. Enticing options outside of Acapulco include Taxco, famous for its colonial architecture and silversmiths, and the recently discovered zone of Tehuacalco, which lies just 50 minutes away from the city. Local DMCs such as Turismo Caleta and Acuario Tours provide all types of tours and transportation services for groups of different sizes and needs. ● Tours + Sites: Most couples will want to spend a lot of time Co n t a c t I n f o r m a t i o n Acuario Tours: acuariotours.com Caty Gomez Eventos Exclusivos: 52 (744) 484-3662; catygomez.com Fairmont Acapulco Princess / Fairmont Pierre Marques: (866) 540-4401; fairmont.com Hotel Encanto: hotelencanto.com.mx Turismo Caleta: turismocaleta.com.mx recommend.com http://www.acuariotours.com http://www.catygomez.com http://www.fairmont.com http://hotelencanto.com.mx http://turismocaleta.com.mx http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MEXICO WEDDING PLANNER

Los Cabos
Puerto Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit
Acapulco
San Miguel de Allende & Guanajuato
Morelia
Cuernavaca
Oaxaca
Yucatan
The Mexican Caribbean
You're Invited
Getting There

MEXICO WEDDING PLANNER