Occidental Costa Cancún is an adults-only all-inclusive by Barceló Hotel Group on the north shore of the Hotel Zone, facing the calm bay. The ceremony should start roughly 90 minutes before sunset, so that the portraits land in the warmest light.
Every resort in Cancún has a beach; what changes the photographs is which way that beach faces and how the day is planned around it. Occidental Costa Cancún is on the north shore of the Hotel Zone, on the Bahía de Mujeres. Here is how we would plan the photography of a wedding there.
The Resort at a Glance
- HotelAdults-only all-inclusive, Barceló Hotel Group
- Beach facesNorth, onto the calm Bahía de Mujeres
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
Occidental Costa Cancún hosts weddings, and its wedding team will give you the current list of ceremony and reception spaces, which changes with renovations and packages. On this coast the best ceremony spot is almost always on the sand or on a raised terrace facing the sea, with the pools and loungers out of the frame.
When you see the options, ask three things: which way the aisle faces, where the sun will be at your ceremony time, and how far the reception is from the ceremony. Short walks keep family photos inside the golden light. Public beaches along this shore, such as Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas, have the same calm water if you want a second setting.
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 | 5:54 pm | 6:26 pm |
| March | 6:56 am | 6:27 pm | 6:57 pm |
| May | 6:09 am | 6:47 pm | 7:18 pm |
| June | 6:05 am | 6:58 pm | 7:30 pm |
| July | 6:14 am | 7:00 pm | 7:32 pm |
| September | 6:34 am | 6:21 pm | 6:50 pm |
| November | 6:58 am | 5:34 pm | 6:06 pm |
| December | 7:17 am | 5:35 pm | 6:08 pm |
This part of the Hotel Zone faces north onto the calm Bahía de Mujeres. In summer the sun goes down to the west-northwest over the bay, one of the few places in Cancún where it sets near the water; in winter it sets behind the hotels and the beach gets soft, even light. A good rule here: start the ceremony about 90 minutes before sunset, and keep the final half hour of daylight for portraits.
Bringing Your Own Photographer
Bringing your own photographer to Occidental Costa Cancún is allowed, with an access charge for outside wedding vendors that the resort sets by season and package. Because the number moves, the only figure that counts is the one in your own contract or in an email from your coordinator. Ask two questions: is it per vendor or per person, and does a higher wedding package include it? We register with the resort and send our documents ourselves.
Weddings in the Cancún Hotel Zone, Through Our Lens
Real IVAE Studios weddings and portraits on the beaches of the Cancún Hotel Zone, so you can see how this light and water look on camera. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Occidental Costa Cancún.
Coverage and Prices
IVAE Studios publishes its prices. Half-day coverage of up to four hours is 1,800 to 2,800 USD, enough for the ceremony, family photos, portraits and the start of the reception. A full day of eight to ten hours with a second photographer is 3,500 to 5,500 USD, and adding a wedding film brings it to 5,500 to 8,000 USD. Every gallery is edited and delivered in a private 4K gallery within one to three business days.