Everything You Need to Know!
We hope you know that your health and safety is incredibly important to us! Huatulco remains the beach destination with the lowest amount of cases (high of 17 at one point), every precaution is enforced and we felt incredibly safe there! This is how we plan to adapt to the pandemic (as of January 2021):
- We ask that all our guests get tested before leaving the US for the wedding. Here are some free testing options:
At-Home Kits: Pixel Lab Corp
- All wedding events are taking place outdoors in private locations with our own transportation
- Based on everyone's negative test results, masks will not be required at the resort but encouraged for anyone who would like to wear one
- We have bought out the entire resort Friday thru Monday morning meaning the only people outside of our guests will be the staff who remain masked and tested regularly
- Any guests staying outside of the resort are welcome anytime for pool hangs and private beach access. We are happy to provide private transportation
-Rapid Testing will be available at the resort on Friday March 26th for everyone flying back to the US Monday March 29th (also available at the clinic for those traveling Tuesday and on). The cost is $125 cash and financial assistance is available should you need it.
Our strategy continues to evolve and we will keep you updated. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any specific concerns or questions :)
The safety of our friends and family on our special day is most important to us! We’ll be reaching out to all of you individually to see how you’re faring during the COVID-19 crisis—our wedding would not be the same if we couldn’t celebrate it with each and everyone of you. We’re keeping in communication with our hosts in Mexico and are following all CDC and WHO guidelines. Based on the information given to us, we’ve decide to postpone our wedding until March 2021.
We have been to Mexico twice since the pandemic began and felt incredibly safe in Huatulco. The area is taking it very seriously (as are Mexico based airlines) and Huatulco remains the beach destination with the lowest count of coronavirus cases.
We are so grateful for your support and understanding as we walk through this year together. We can not wait to celebrate with you!!
A couple additional travel points to consider:
* Most airlines are offering no change or cancellation fees so booking a flight for the wedding is low-risk :)
* Travel insurance is an easy, and effective, way to get a little extra piece of mind. While it will not cover cancellations as a result of the pandemic, you can get medical coverage in the unlikely event you get sick while in Mexico. We are big fans of Generali Global Assistance
Las Bahias de Huatulco (the Huatulco Bays), most often referred to simply as Huatulco (pronounced "wah-tool-ko"), is a beach destination made up of nine bays with 36 beaches located on the Pacific coast of the state of Oaxaca. It's amazing and you're going to love it!
Santa Cruz Bay has a cruise ship port, marina, shops, and restaurants. La Crucecita is the downtown area with a great selection of restaurants and nightclubs, lively zocolo and shopping. Tangolunda is the largest of Huatulco's bays and is where most of Huatulco's large resorts are located.
Side note! It’s important not to confuse Santa Maria de Huatulco with the resort destination of Huatulco. The city of Santa Maria de Huatulco, while nearby and well worth visiting for its rich history, is located inland in the lowlands of the Sierra Madre Sur mountains beyond the Bahias de Huatulco International Airport (HUX). It's about 45 minutes from the resort/main events.
The easiest way to get to Huatulco is by taking a direct flight from Mexico City. Mexico City's airport is split into two terminals (1 & 2) which are separated by buses running every 20+ minutes. If you want to make the trip in one day, make sure both flights are in the same terminal and you have a layover of at least 2 hours (you will need to go through customs). While it's totally doable, it can cause stress and unnecessary rushing - no bueno! Normally we recommend breaking the trip to Huatulco over two days: Fly to Mexico City on Thursday, spend a wonderful evening in the country's capital (with beautiful Airbnb's under $30!), and take the short flight to Huatulco midday Friday to have a rested and relaxed start to our wedding weekend :)
Pro-Tip: Book your flights to Mexico City and to Huatulco separately. Booking the flights together (on Expedia, or other travel websites) will give you crazy flying times with long layovers (7 hours in Mexico City between 3-10 am, no thank you!) and won't necessarily lower the price. Just make sure you carry on all your luggage!
Getting to Huatulco from the west coast is a little tricky - but well worth it! Consider flying out of the Bay Area rather than Sacramento to get better prices and flight schedules and book directly on airline websites rather than Expedia, Travelocity, etc. Expect to pay around $350-$400 for a non-direct flight.
Best Direct Flight: SFO - MEX on Aeromexico/Delta (with middle seats blocked through March 30, 2021!)
Best Deal: Oakland - MEX on Volaris (as low as $280 if you fly overnight on 3/24 :)
Direct Flights from Mexico City to Huatulco (HUX) are available on Interjet, Volaris, Aeromexico & VivaAerobus for under $100 round trip.
It's simple to fly to Huatulco from NYC via Mexico City. There are several direct flights on many airlines and expect to pay around $350 round trip to MEX - check airline websites as well as Expedia, Travelocity, etc to get the best pricing. **Many airlines have scaled down service due to the pandemic so prices are currently higher than usual **
Our Recommended Airline: Aeromexico/Delta (with middle seats blocked through March 30, 2021!) Currently, the best deal is to book a roundtrip flight to Mexico City in the morning and a separate afternoon flight from MEX-Huatulco (~$425 booked separately and $600+ booked together)
Alternative Route: Some of you may prefer to skip Mexico City airport (we felt safe and even stayed in an airport hotel in August to avoid a seven hour layover in the airport). American Airlines offers NYC to HUX with a layover in Dallas if you fly on Sunday 3/21 or Tuesday 3/23 and return Sunday 3/28 or Tuesday 3/30 (around $475 roundtrip).
Direct flights from Mexico City to Huatulco (HUX) are available on Interjet, Volaris, Aeromexico & VivaAerobus for under $100 round trip.
We can help you get group rates! We love to plan trips and are happy to help you :) Several airlines offer discounts to groups of 10 or more and several of you will be traveling on the same days from the same locations. Please email us a travel schedule that works for you and we can help connect you with the right companions and flights :)
There is a reason we chose to get married in this part of Mexico - it's one of our favorite places!! Consider extending your trip by adding in stops in Puerto Escondido, Mazunte or Oaxaca City :) Let us know if you're interested and we can send our recommendations!!
We are happy to provide roundtrip transportation from the airport and to the weekend's festivities :) Please let us know your flight number and lodging details so we can plan accordingly.
Additionally, taxis are plentiful, easy to schedule and very inexpensive. Your hotel or Airbnb host should be able to help you with this.
Renting a car is also easy and convenient - as long as you can drive a stick! Car rental reservations can be made online and picked up at the airport upon arrival. While the rental fee is very cheap - $3-5/day! - you must buy insurance in Mexico at pick-up. Expect an additional $20 per day. Do not buy insurance online when you reserve your rental (on Expedia, rental sites, etc) - it does not count! You can opt out of the insurance but will need to put down a minimum of $2,500 on your credit card as collateral.
Huatulco (and the Oaxacan coast in general) is an amazing area and we can't wait for you to experience it! You really can have as active or relaxed trip as you would like. We've really enjoyed waking the city, eating ALL the food, chilling on the beach and exploring the area. There is a magical sunset hike an hour away in Mazunte (another great little beach town) which would make an excellent Sunday evening excursion - ya wanna? :)
Here's a link to give you some ideas of what you can do:
Oaxacan MUSTS are Mole (Amarillo is Daphne's fav!), tlayudas, Oaxaca cheese and chapuilnes (fried grasshoppers!). It's best to be brave and try something new but be smart about it! There are a few things to keep in mind:
The water can make us ill so always drink it from the bottle. Huatulco does have one of the best water purification systems in the country so risk is low - but better to be safe than sorry! Has Joe ever told you about Cuba..?
If you're having ice in your drink, check that it was made using filtered water (99% of restaurants already do this).
Be careful with fruit and vegetables. If you are out and about, only eat what you can peel yourself and steer clear of smoothie/fresh juice street carts. Fresh fruit and salads from restaurants are totally cool. Otherwise just make sure you soak anything you buy from the market in sanitized water using the drops provided in your welcome bag :)
Q. What is the weather like in Huatulco?
A. Warm! It's usually high 80's. It is much closer to the equator so the sun is intense - bring your sunscreen! Humidity is usually low but there can be occasional afternoon/evening showers which can create it.
Q. Is it safe to travel to Huatulco?
A. Absolutely! Overall Mexico is relatively safe and Oaxaca is arguably the safest state in the country. There are currently no travel restrictions for Americans. Huatulco is an up & coming tourist destination (think Cabo or Cancun 25 years ago) which means the government has put in tons of money and resources ensuring it is a clean, safe and friendly destination for all travelers - especially LGTBQ+
Q. Will there be Mocktails?
A. You better believe it! Our mocktail game will be on point! And yes, there will be alcohol available at the reception for those of you who still like that kind of thing.
Q. What do I wear to the wedding?
A. Officially our dress code is Tropical Formal :) While we would love to have a black-tie wedding, it's simply not realistic in this location! There's no need for heavy fabrics, dark colors, full suits, jackets or even socks at our outdoor event. See the link below for a more detailed description: