A Yelapa wedding is small, barefoot, and arrives by boat. This car-free fishing village on the south shore of Banderas Bay has no road in, so couples who marry, elope, or honeymoon here swap the ballroom for a beach, a rooftop over the bay, or a jungle waterfall. Here's how it works as of October 2026: where couples celebrate, the legal step, getting guests here, and how to spend the days around the big one.
Planning a Yelapa wedding or elopement
Yelapa suits intimate weddings and elopements. Flowers, the cake, and every guest come in by water, so a local venue with its own planner and kitchen makes the logistics far easier. Two places that host weddings today:
- MiraMar Yelapa has a private rooftop patio above the ocean for proposals, group dinners, and wedding receptions. Its events page lists room for 2 to 65 people, onsite catering, a bar, and full event planning, including help with travel tips and accommodations for your guests.
- Sirena Morena is a beach club, restaurant, and bar on the sand that also hosts weddings, a natural fit for a welcome party or a reception with your toes in the sand.
Ask each venue what's included, how they handle guest boats, and which dates are open. If you have your heart set on a winter date, ask early.
The legal side of getting married in Mexico
In Mexico, only a civil marriage performed by a Registro Civil (Civil Registry) official is legally valid; a religious or symbolic ceremony on its own isn't. The U.S. Embassy notes that a civil wedding in Mexico is valid in the United States. Documents, translations, medical tests, and witnesses vary by state and office, so contact the Registro Civil where you plan to marry well ahead. Yelapa belongs to the municipality of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco. The U.S. Embassy's marriage page is a good place to start.
One simple route is to sign the legal papers at home, then hold a symbolic ceremony in Yelapa with no paperwork at all. Your venue or planner can tell you which route suits your date.
Getting your guests to Yelapa
Every guest arrives by boat. Water taxis run from Puerto Vallarta's Los Muertos Pier and from Boca de Tomatlán, and times change with the season, so send your guests the go2yelapa water taxi page along with our guide on how to get to Yelapa from Puerto Vallarta by boat.
Boats between Puerto Vallarta and Yelapa run in daylight, so an evening ceremony means your guests sleep in Yelapa. Build the weekend around it: arrive, celebrate, then enjoy a slow beach day before the boats home. Guests who fly in late can spend a night in town first; our post on a day and night in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone has ideas, and the morning boats leave from the same beach.
Remind everyone to bring cash pesos. Yelapa has no ATMs, and many places take cash only.
Where the couple and family stay
Yelapa has beach cabañas, small hotels, and hillside vacation rentals. For the couple and their closest family, a whole house gives you a kitchen, terraces for getting ready, and a calm place to come back to after the party. Our guide to where to stay in Yelapa compares the areas.
Casa Gratitud is a three-level, ocean-view villa in the jungle above the bay, with two king bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and views from every level. It sleeps 6 comfortably and up to 8 with rollaway beds, which fits the couple plus parents or a few close friends. Our host family meets you at the pier, helps with luggage, and is on hand for anything you need during your stay.
A Yelapa honeymoon: what to do
Yelapa's pace is the point of a honeymoon here. A few ideas for your days:
- Walk to the waterfall. Cola de Caballo is about 15 minutes uphill through town; our Yelapa waterfalls guide covers the easy walk and the longer jungle hike.
- Watch for whales. Humpbacks visit Banderas Bay from about mid-December through March, and you may spot them from the terrace. See our whale season guide.
- Book a massage or a yoga class. Our guide to yoga, massage, and retreats in Yelapa lists where to go.
- Take long lunches on the beach. Palapa restaurants line the sand, and our where to eat in Yelapa guide covers coffee, tacos, and pie.
- Head out on a private boat. Our host family can arrange a private boat for snorkeling, fishing, or whale watching; ask in your WhatsApp group and they'll quote the current price.
- Stay in for dinner. Our host family can cook for you, so a sunset dinner on the terrace takes no planning at all. It's a lovely setting for a proposal, too.
For more, see things to do in Yelapa, and pick your month with our best time to visit Yelapa guide.
Sources
- MiraMar Yelapa, events and weddings
- Sirena Morena, Instagram
- U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico, marriage
Plan your stay
Whether you're marrying in Yelapa, celebrating an anniversary, or starting married life with a quiet week by the sea, Casa Gratitud is a private, ocean-view home base with a local host family. It rents October through April. Check dates and rates and book direct with no booking fees at yelapacasagratitud.com.