Our wedding was technically a destination wedding… kind of. I lived in Mazatlán for many years, but I don’t anymore, and about 80% of our guests traveled to be there. Some are from Mazatlán but now live in other cities, and a lot of us flew in from the U.S.
For those who don’t know, I used to work in the wedding industry in Mazatlán. I had my business, Festen Eventos y Postres, and I was always recommending it as a wedding destination. It’s such a beautiful place, the ocean is warm, and compared to other popular spots in Mexico, it’s still very reasonable. Honestly, Mazatlán has nothing to envy from places like Baja or the Riviera Maya.
We closed the guest list at 100 people. A perfect number. I don’t know why, but round numbers just feel right… tell me I’m not the only one.
Since we were bringing so many people to my hometown, I really wanted to turn it into more than just a wedding. I wanted everyone to experience Mazatlán the way I love it.
The wedding was on a Friday, so I asked everyone to try to arrive by Wednesday. That night we did a small bachelor/bachelorette celebration. The girls went to La Sala de Despecho (very on brand), and the guys went bar hopping in downtown Mazatlán. At some point, the groom even got to DJ for about five minutes and was living his best life.
On Thursday, I planned a trip to El Quelite. We hired a Guagua bus to take us there and back, and everyone loved it. El Quelite is a super picturesque little town with colorful, rustic, colonial-style houses. We had lunch at El Mesón de los Laureanos, which is a must. I knew they were going to love that kind of traditional northern Mexican food, and they did.
That same day, we all went to a Venados de Mazatlán baseball game since the season was on. This was such a hit. People loved the energy, the mascot Venny, the cheer squads, and especially the merch. The Venados always have the coolest jerseys and hats. After the game, I went home to rest because the next day was the big day.
I’ll leave the wedding itself for a separate post because it deserves its own moment, especially to talk about all the amazing vendors.
The day after the wedding, we planned a catamaran trip. It takes you around the bay, out to see the sea lions, and stops near Isla de en Medio where you can swim and relax for a bit before heading back.
For many of our guests, this was their first time really experiencing the ocean in Mazatlán, and it showed off. The water was warm, calm, and much clearer than in the port area. Everyone was so happy. A little tired from the wedding and all the activities, but happy.
And then we added banda.
A friend gifted it to us, and it honestly made the whole experience. It felt very Mazatlán in the best way.
That was our destination wedding. By the end, so many people told me I should start planning trips like this, and honestly… I loved seeing everyone enjoy my hometown so much.
If this post didn’t convince you to have your wedding in Mazatlán, go read the next one… that one might do it.