Getting Married at Villa Mandarinas, Puerto Vallarta: ULTIMATE GUIDE

by Advice & Tips, Wedding Venue Guides

Dreaming of a wedding where dramatic cliffs meet the turquoise waters of Banderas Bay, in an exclusive, private setting? Welcome to Villa Mandarinas in Puerto Vallarta—a luxurious oceanfront estate that offers an unparalleled blend of sophisticated design, breathtaking natural beauty, and intimate, world-class service for your special day. With its stunning ocean views, lush tropical gardens, and unique architectural charm, Villa Mandarinas provides an exceptionally private and picturesque backdrop for your celebration. Whether you envision an intimate ceremony on a sun-drenched terrace or a grand reception under the stars, this exquisite villa promises a wedding experience as unforgettable as its spectacular Pacific sunsets.

Renowned for its bespoke luxury and tranquil atmosphere, Villa Mandarinas seamlessly blends contemporary elegance with authentic Mexican warmth. Its exquisite spaces—from expansive ocean-view terraces and serene garden nooks to elegant indoor areas—are designed to reflect your unique love story, all while showcasing the captivating beauty of Puerto Vallarta’s south shore. Let the natural splendor and exclusive charm of this villa set the stage for your dream wedding.

Planning your perfect wedding in Puerto Vallarta? Explore some of the best wedding photos in Puerto Vallarta in this stunning destination, showcasing breathtaking moments captured in paradise. 

Index

Is This Venue Right for Your Wedding?

 

Villa Mandarinas in Puerto Vallarta stands out for its exclusive oceanfront location nestled along the stunning south shore, offering unparalleled privacy and breathtaking panoramic views of Banderas Bay. The villa’s unique architecture, luxurious amenities, infinity pools, and direct ocean access (or private cove) create a sophisticated and serene atmosphere perfect for highly personalized destination weddings. Couples who appreciate bespoke luxury, intimate settings, stunning design, and a direct connection with nature will find Villa Mandarinas provides an exceptionally private and picturesque backdrop.

Recent trends show that **couples increasingly prioritize unique, private settings and highly personalized guest experiences**. With its striking blend of dramatic coastline, lush tropical surroundings, and exceptional service through dedicated staff and planners, Villa Mandarinas offers a truly distinctive backdrop for your wedding photos and a memorable, exclusive escape for your guests.

 

How Does a Wedding at Villa Mandarinas Work?

 

Planning your wedding at Villa Mandarinas is a bespoke and intimate experience. Their dedicated villa staff, often in conjunction with highly-regarded local wedding planners, work closely with you to bring your vision to life with meticulous attention to detail. The villa offers a range of stunning event spaces and customizable services, including gourmet catering (often via a private chef or preferred caterers), décor, and vendor management.

This dedicated support and the privacy of the villa mean you can relax and savor the moments while the experts handle the logistics, allowing you to focus on celebrating your love in a beautiful, stress-free, and exceptionally personal environment.

 

Best Months to Get Married

 

Puerto Vallarta enjoys warm weather year-round, but the best months for a wedding are typically from November to May. This period offers pleasant temperatures, lower humidity, and minimal rainfall, creating ideal conditions for outdoor ceremonies and receptions. The drier season also provides consistent, beautiful natural light for photography.

Marrying during these months ensures optimal weather, while the summer/fall season (June-October) can be more humid and prone to afternoon showers, potentially offering cost savings on some vendor services but requiring robust backup plans.

 

The Basics of Wedding Packages & Services

 

Villa Mandarinas often works with premier wedding planners to create custom wedding experiences rather than offering fixed packages. A typical offering, built around the villa rental, might include coordination for:

  • Ceremony Setup: Options for stunning oceanfront terraces, lush gardens, a private palapa overlooking the sea, or even a secluded beach cove, with elegant seating and bespoke décor.
  • Reception Venues: Use of elegant outdoor living areas, poolside terraces, or intimate dining spaces within the villa, transformed to your theme.
  • Catering: Gourmet catering, often arranged through the villa’s private chef or preferred high-end caterers, featuring personalized menus with fresh, local ingredients.
  • Decor and Floral Arrangements: Collaboration with top florists and designers for custom arrangements and décor to match your vision perfectly.
  • Entertainment: Assistance with coordinating a wide range of music (from solo guitarists to full bands or DJs) and other entertainment.

These elements are tailored extensively to perfectly align with your dream wedding, focusing on exclusivity and personalization.

 

Who Pays for a Destination Wedding?

 

In destination weddings at Villa Mandarinas, typically:

  • The couple covers the primary wedding costs, such as the villa rental fee, catering, planning services, decor, and entertainment.
  • Guests are usually responsible for their own travel and accommodation. If not staying at Villa Mandarinas, they would book nearby hotels or other villas.
  • The couple might choose to host additional events, like a welcome dinner at the villa or a farewell brunch, covering those costs.
  • Extra expenses for highly personalized decor, upgraded entertainment, or pre/post-wedding excursions are typically the couple’s responsibility.
  • Gift registries or contributions towards honeymoon experiences are common.

This structure allows the couple to curate an exclusive event while guests manage their personal travel arrangements.

 

Venue Capacity and Guest Accommodations

 

Villa Mandarinas is ideal for intimate to medium-sized luxury weddings:

  • Event Spaces: Can typically accommodate guest counts from 20 up to 80-100 guests for a seated dinner and dancing, depending on the specific areas of the villa utilized. Larger numbers might be possible for cocktail-style receptions.
  • On-Site Accommodations: Villa Mandarinas itself offers luxurious accommodation in its multiple suites (e.g., 8-10+ suites, sleeping 16-20+ guests). This is perfect for the wedding party and close family.

For guests beyond the villa’s capacity, the villa management or your wedding planner can recommend nearby boutique hotels, other luxury villas, or upscale resorts in Puerto Vallarta. Arranging group transportation is key for a seamless experience.

Ceremony and Reception Logistics

The Villa Mandarinas team, alongside your wedding planner, will expertly manage the flow of your day. A typical sequence might be:

Ceremony on an Ocean-View Terrace: Exchange vows on one of the villa’s stunning multi-level terraces with the Pacific Ocean as your breathtaking backdrop.

Cocktail Hour by the Infinity Pool: Guests enjoy bespoke cocktails and gourmet canapés by the villa’s spectacular infinity pool, often timed with the dramatic Puerto Vallarta sunset.

Reception Under the Stars or Palapa: Move to a beautifully decorated outdoor dining area, a grand palapa, or another elegant space within the villa for a gourmet dinner, heartfelt toasts, and dancing.

Pro tip: Leverage Villa Mandarinas’ unique, multi-level architecture and distinct, beautifully designed spaces. Consider a welcome cocktail party in one area, the ceremony in another with a dramatic ocean view, and the reception in a third to offer guests a progressive experience of the property’s exclusive charm and beauty.

What’s Included in the Villa Rental Fee?

The villa rental fee at Villa Mandarinas typically includes:

  • Exclusive Use: Exclusive use of the entire Villa Mandarinas estate, its grounds, and amenities for the agreed-upon rental period (often a minimum number of nights is required).
  • Accommodations: Lodging for a specified number of guests in the villa’s luxurious suites.
  • Villa Staff: Services of the dedicated villa staff, which usually includes a house manager/concierge, chef (for non-event meals, or event meals at an additional cost), housekeepers, and groundskeepers.
  • Basic Amenities: Use of pools, lounge areas, basic sound system for ambiance, Wi-Fi, etc.

Event-specific items like catering for the wedding, extensive floral design, specialized lighting, additional staffing for the event, and specific furniture rentals are typically arranged and priced separately, often through your wedding planner.

Backup Plan for Outdoor Ceremonies

Puerto Vallarta can experience tropical rain, especially during the wet season (June-October). Villa Mandarinas typically utilizes its spacious covered terraces, elegant indoor living areas, or grand palapas as beautiful and seamless backup options. These spaces are designed to maintain the luxurious feel and stunning views, ensuring your celebration remains magical regardless of weather.

Pro tip: Discuss the backup options in detail with the villa management and your planner. Visualize how these spaces would be set up to ensure they align with your vision, even as a contingency.

Payment Terms and Cancellation Policies

Booking your wedding at Villa Mandarinas involves a payment structure typical for luxury villa rentals:

Initial Deposit: A significant non-refundable deposit, often 50% of the total villa rental fee, is required to reserve your dates. This could range from $7,000–$20,000+ USD depending on the season and length of stay.

Further Payments: Additional payments for event services (catering, decor, etc.) will be scheduled by your wedding planner or service providers.

Final Payment: The remaining balance for the villa rental is usually due 60-90 days before arrival. Final payments for event services are typically due 30-45 days before the wedding.

Cancellation policies for villa rentals are generally very strict, with deposits often being non-refundable. Review all contracts carefully and strongly consider comprehensive wedding and travel insurance.

Coordination & Planning Services

While Villa Mandarinas has exceptional on-site staff to manage the property and guest experience, comprehensive wedding planning is typically handled by an external, professional wedding planner who specializes in luxury villa weddings in Puerto Vallarta. The villa management can provide excellent recommendations. These planners offer:

Full-Service Planning: From initial concept and budget management to vendor selection, design, and day-of execution.

Vendor Curation: Access to a network of trusted, high-quality local vendors for florals, photography, music, catering, etc.

Logistics Management: Detailed timelines, guest transportation, setup, and teardown.

Their expertise in orchestrating flawless events in unique private villa settings is invaluable for a sophisticated and stress-free experience.

Dietary and Menu Restrictions

Catering at Villa Mandarinas is a highly personalized affair, often handled by the villa’s private chef for smaller groups or by elite external catering companies for larger wedding events. They are exceptionally skilled at accommodating a wide range of dietary needs: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher-style, halal, and any allergies. Menus are custom-designed in consultation with you, featuring fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients, often with an emphasis on gourmet Mexican or international cuisine.

Tastings can usually be arranged, allowing you to perfect your wedding menu. Creative food stations, tequila or mezcal tasting bars, and late-night snacks are popular additions.

Music and Entertainment Restrictions

Villa Mandarinas, as an exclusive private property often located in residential areas, respects local noise ordinances. While it welcomes diverse entertainment—from solo musicians and mariachi bands to DJs and live bands—there are usually restrictions on outdoor amplified music.

Typically, outdoor music may need to be lowered or concluded by 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. Your wedding planner will be familiar with these regulations and can advise on transitioning the party to an indoor space if available and suitable, or planning the entertainment schedule accordingly.

Parking and Guest Logistics

Guests typically arrive via Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR). Villa Mandarinas is located on Puerto Vallarta’s exclusive south shore, approximately a 45-60 minute drive south from the airport, depending on traffic.

Airport Transfers: Your wedding planner or the villa concierge can arrange private or group airport transfers.

Guest Transportation: For wedding day events, pre-arranged shuttle services are highly recommended for guests not staying at the villa, as parking at private villas is often very limited. Water taxis from nearby piers (like Boca de Tomatlán) can also be a scenic option for accessing some south shore villas or for excursions.

Providing clear directions and transportation details to your guests well in advance is crucial for a smooth experience.

Total Cost Breakdown for a Wedding at Villa Mandarinas

For an exclusive wedding of about 50 guests at Villa Mandarinas, a rough estimate for your budget might be:

  • Villa Rental Fee: $8,000–$20,000+ USD per night (often with a 3-7 night minimum, particularly in high season). For a 3-night stay: $24,000–$60,000+ USD. This fee usually includes accommodation for a set number of guests and basic staff services.
  • Wedding Planner Fee: $5,000–$10,000+ USD for full planning and coordination.
  • Food and Beverage (per person): $180–$350+ USD per person for gourmet catering, open bar with premium spirits. For 50 guests: $9,000–$17,500+.
  • Entertainment: $2,500–$7,000+ USD (e.g., live band, DJ, lighting, special performers).
  • Photography/Videography: $5,000–$10,000+ USD for experienced destination wedding professionals.
  • Florals and Enhanced Decor: $5,000–$15,000+ USD for bespoke, high-impact designs.
  • Taxes and Service Fees: Applicable VAT (16%) and service charges (10-20%) on catering and some services. Plus potential vendor markups. Budget at least 30% of event-related costs.

Total estimated costs could range significantly, from $50,000 to $100,000+ USD for a 50-guest wedding over a multi-day villa rental, highly dependent on the length of stay, level of customization, vendor choices, and guest count. Villa Mandarinas is a premier, luxury venue, and budgets reflect this exclusivity.

*Please note: These are broad estimates. Villa Mandarinas and your chosen wedding planner will provide a customized quote based on your specific requirements.*

Splurge vs. Save

To manage costs, consider an off-season or mid-week rental (if discounts apply), a shorter rental duration (if minimums allow), or simplifying some décor elements. Focusing on the inherent beauty of the villa can reduce the need for excessive decoration. To splurge, consider extending the villa rental for a longer private vacation for you and your closest guests, chartering a private yacht for a pre-wedding event, flying in a celebrity chef or entertainer, elaborate firework displays, or highly customized welcome gifts and experiences for every guest.

Wedding Offerings and Inclusions

Villa Mandarinas typically does not offer fixed “packages” in the resort sense. Instead, you secure the exclusive rental of the property, and all wedding services are layered on as bespoke elements, usually coordinated through a professional wedding planner. A comprehensive proposal, developed with your planner, would generally include:

  • Exclusive Villa Rental: Use of the entire estate, its suites for accommodation (for a specified number of guests), pools, gardens, and all common areas for a defined period.
  • Villa Staffing: Services of the regular villa staff (chef for daily non-event meals, housekeepers, concierge, groundskeepers). Additional staff for the wedding event (servers, bartenders) are arranged separately.
  • Customized Event Design: Working with planners and designers for ceremony and reception setup, florals, lighting, and all aesthetic details.
  • Gourmet Catering & Bar Service: Tailored menus and beverage selections from high-end providers.
  • Vendor Coordination: Management of all chosen vendors (photography, entertainment, etc.).

The focus is on creating a unique, highly personalized event rather than selecting from pre-set options. The value lies in the exclusivity, privacy, and tailored luxury.

Activities for Other Days

Keep your guests entertained throughout their stay in and around Villa Mandarinas and Puerto Vallarta:

  • Host a welcome cocktail party or a relaxed post-wedding brunch at the villa, utilizing its beautiful terraces or poolside areas.
  • Arrange for in-villa spa treatments, private yoga sessions, or cooking classes with the villa’s chef.
  • Organize a boat trip from a nearby pier (e.g., Boca de Tomatlán) to explore secluded south shore beaches like Yelapa or Las Ánimas, or for snorkeling/diving in Los Arcos National Marine Park.
  • Guests can enjoy the villa’s private amenities: swimming pools, direct ocean access for kayaking or paddleboarding (if available), or simply relaxing with the stunning views.
  • Plan an excursion to Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone for shopping, art galleries, and dining experiences.
  • Consider adventure activities like ziplining in the nearby Sierra Madre mountains.

Three Practical Tips for Brides

1) Embrace the Setting, But Plan for Logistics: The south shore’s beauty is unparalleled, but access can sometimes be more challenging than central PV. Ensure robust transportation plans for guests not staying at the villa, and communicate these clearly.

2) Trust Your Planner for a Villa Wedding: A private villa wedding has many moving parts. A seasoned local wedding planner specializing in villa events is essential for a seamless and stress-free experience at a venue like Villa Mandarinas.

3) Maximize the Villa Experience: If your budget allows, consider extending your stay or hosting multiple smaller events (welcome dinner, farewell brunch) at the villa to make the most of the incredible private setting with your closest friends and family.

Two Bride Reviews

“Our wedding at Villa Mandarinas was an absolute fairytale. The privacy and the stunning ocean views from every corner of the villa were simply breathtaking. The villa staff were incredible, anticipating our every need, and our planner helped create a truly personal and luxurious multi-day experience. It felt like our own private paradise, and our guests are still raving about it!” – Olivia M.

“Choosing Villa Mandarinas for our destination wedding was the best decision we ever made. The architecture is a work of art, the service was beyond impeccable, and the location on Puerto Vallarta’s south shore is just magical. Our guests loved being able to stay on-site in such luxury and enjoy all the villa’s amenities. The sunset ceremony on the main terrace followed by dinner under the stars was unforgettable. Worth every penny for a truly once-in-a-lifetime celebration.” – David L.

My Final Thoughts as a Wedding Photographer

Having photographed weddings across Mexico’s most exclusive locations, Villa Mandarinas in Puerto Vallarta consistently stands out as a photographer’s dream canvas. Its unique, sophisticated architecture, luxurious details, and dramatic cliffside setting over the azure waters of Banderas Bay provide an endless array of opportunities for breathtaking, editorial-quality shots. The intimacy and exclusivity of a private villa like Mandarinas allow for a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere, which is key to capturing genuine, emotive moments. The interplay of natural light across its multiple terraces, stunning infinity pools, and lush, tropical gardens, especially during the golden hour and sunset, is simply magical. For couples seeking an ultra-stylish, deeply personal, and truly unforgettable wedding experience with world-class visuals, Villa Mandarinas is an exceptional choice that epitomizes luxury and unique beauty in Puerto Vallarta.

Want to get in touch?

Click here!