Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya is an adults-only resort of about 355 suites that opened in June 2023. Plan the ceremony about 90 minutes before sunset; the beach faces Cozumel, so the sun sets behind you.
Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya is an adults-only resort of about 355 suites that opened in June 2023. North of town the beaches are quieter and the resorts more spread out. This guide is the photographer's view: venues, light, timeline and vendor rules.
The Resort at a Glance
- ResortAn adults-only resort of about 355 suites that opened in June 2023
- AreaNorth of Playa del Carmen
- Beach facesEast, toward Cozumel
Venue names and capacities come from the resort's wedding listings and change with renovations and packages, so your coordinator's current sheet is the final word.
Where the Ceremony Happens
Listings describe indoor and outdoor wedding spaces, a ballroom for up to about 400, one of the largest wedding terraces in the region and a transparent platform for ceremonies over the pool. Ask the wedding team for current details.
Parque Fundadores, with the Portal Maya sculpture and the ferry pier to Cozumel, is the classic Playa del Carmen backdrop, busiest in the evening and quiet at sunrise.
Sunset and Light by Month
Times for this beach on the 15th of each month in 2027.
| Month | Sunrise | Golden | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 am | 5:56 pm | 6:28 pm |
| March | 6:57 am | 6:28 pm | 6:58 pm |
| May | 6:11 am | 6:47 pm | 7:18 pm |
| June | 6:07 am | 6:58 pm | 7:30 pm |
| July | 6:16 am | 7:01 pm | 7:32 pm |
| September | 6:35 am | 6:22 pm | 6:51 pm |
| November | 6:58 am | 5:36 pm | 6:07 pm |
| December | 7:17 am | 5:37 pm | 6:10 pm |
Playa del Carmen faces east toward Cozumel, so the sun rises over the channel and sets behind the town, leaving the beach in soft, even light at the end of the day. We plan ceremonies to start about 90 minutes before sunset, so that family photos and portraits fall in the warm last light. If you can face an early start, in December the sunrise appears from behind Cozumel.
Bringing Your Own Photographer
Like most all-inclusive resorts on this coast, Margaritaville Riviera Maya charges outside wedding photographers for access, either as a vendor fee or as a per-person day pass, and the amount changes by season and package. Ask for the exact figure in writing before you sign, and ask whether it applies per vendor or per person, because a photographer and a second shooter are two people. We send our insurance and identification paperwork to your coordinator ourselves. Our guide to outside photographers at resorts explains how these charges work.
Weddings in the Riviera Maya, Through Our Lens
Real IVAE Studios weddings and portraits along the Riviera Maya, so you can see how this light and water look on camera. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Margaritaville Riviera Maya.
Coverage and Prices
IVAE Studios wedding coverage starts at 1,800 to 2,800 USD for up to four hours. A full day of eight to ten hours with a second photographer is 3,500 to 5,500 USD, and photography with a wedding film is 5,500 to 8,000 USD. All prices are published on our site, and the full edited gallery is delivered within one to three business days.