Venue guide · Riviera Maya, Mexico
Andaz Mayakoba
Wedding video + photos
A resort in the Mayakoba community on the Riviera Maya, where a white-sand Caribbean beach meets winding lagoons and mangroves. Tonya and Ori spent a three-day weekend here with us, from the welcome party to a hora on a packed dance floor.
A film we shot at Andaz Mayakoba
From the wedding we filmed here
Tonya and Ori's ceremony at Andaz Mayakoba was a beautifully intimate Jewish ceremony on the beach, with Tonya's cousin Tee beside her as maid of honor. Then the night took off: a fire performance from Tonya's brother at cocktail hour, dragon dancers leading the couple back in after an outfit change, and a hora that lifted them high above the dance floor.
Quick facts
- Part of Mayakoba, a resort community on the Riviera Maya near Playa del Carmen
- A white-sand beach on the Caribbean, with lagoons and mangroves running through the resort
- Celebration spaces from the beach to a lagoon-side pool and the Balam ballroom and garden
From behind the camera
Filming at Andaz Mayakoba: what we've learned.
- Best first look spot
- Tonya and Ori saved seeing each other for the ceremony itself. Tonya walked down the sandy beach to meet Ori under the chuppah, the canopy at the heart of a Jewish wedding that stands for the home a couple builds together. No first look could have matched it.
- The light
- In December it was still sunny enough to feel like a beach wedding, with plenty of shade under the trees. The weather was mild enough that the day before the wedding we filmed Tonya and Ori simply enjoying time together, and we wove those moments into their film to help tell their story.
- The ceremony
- Right on the beach, a short walk from the resort: easy for guests, and beautiful for photos and video. Beaches are rarely still, and it was a bit windy that day, so we plan our audio for it, with mics on the people whose words matter and protection against the wind, so every word of the vows comes through.
- The reception
- Outdoors, with tables set up around the pool and lighting that bathed everything in purple: string lights and tall uplights, dramatic, with a real party atmosphere. Watch the end of their film: Tonya's dad closed out the night by jumping in the pool.
- If it rains
- December falls in the Riviera Maya's dry season, after the rainy and hurricane months, with warm days and milder evenings. Tonya and Ori's weather cooperated, no rain plan was needed and everything went exactly to plan. Credit to their planning team at Better Together Mexico.
- Drone-friendly?
- Yes, with the resort's rules in mind. Andaz Mayakoba allows drones only over the private event areas, to protect the privacy of guests who aren't part of the wedding, and asks for signed paperwork and proof of insurance first. For Tonya and Ori we flew from the beach next to the property, which got us the aerials without disturbing anyone. Policies change, so we check with the resort before every trip.
- One tip for your timeline
- Ask about the resort's drone policy early. At Andaz Mayakoba it came through the planners, with paperwork to sign and insurance to show, and we're happy to handle all of it so it never lands on your plate.
Questions
Andaz Mayakoba questions.
Have you filmed a wedding at Andaz Mayakoba?
Yes. We filmed Tonya & Ori's wedding at Andaz Mayakoba. Their film is on this page.
Where's the best spot for a first look at Andaz Mayakoba?
Tonya and Ori saved seeing each other for the ceremony itself. Tonya walked down the sandy beach to meet Ori under the chuppah, the canopy at the heart of a Jewish wedding that stands for the home a couple builds together. No first look could have matched it.
What happens if it rains at Andaz Mayakoba?
December falls in the Riviera Maya's dry season, after the rainy and hurricane months, with warm days and milder evenings. Tonya and Ori's weather cooperated, no rain plan was needed and everything went exactly to plan. Credit to their planning team at Better Together Mexico.