Riu Palace Peninsula is a Riu Palace all-inclusive on the north shore of the Hotel Zone, beside Riu Caribe, on the calm Bahía de Mujeres. 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. Riu Palace Peninsula 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
- HotelRiu Palace category all-inclusive
- 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
Riu Palace Peninsula 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 | 7:16 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. Plan the ceremony for roughly 90 minutes before sunset; the portraits then land in the softest light of the day.
Bringing Your Own Photographer
Expect Riu Palace Peninsula to charge outside wedding vendors for access. Resorts call it a vendor fee, an outside supplier fee or a day pass, and they revise it by season and wedding package, which is why we do not print a number here. The moment to negotiate it is before you sign your wedding package; afterwards coordinators have little room. Ask whether it is charged per vendor or per person, and get the answer by email. We handle the paperwork with your coordinator.
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 Riu Palace Peninsula.
Coverage and Prices
Our wedding prices are public. Up to four hours of coverage costs 1,800 to 2,800 USD; a full day of eight to ten hours with a second photographer is 3,500 to 5,500 USD; photography plus a wedding film is 5,500 to 8,000 USD. The resort's access charge for outside vendors is separate and paid to the hotel. Your edited gallery arrives within one to three business days.