Choosing a venue is arguably the hardest part of planning a destination wedding. Brochures will show you perfect marketing photos, but as wedding photographers and videographers who work at these resorts every week, we see the reality: the lighting, the secret spots, and the real atmosphere.
At Vallarta Photo, we have captured countless love stories across Banderas Bay. Today, we want to share our honest perspective on 5 of the most iconic resorts in Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita, focusing on what matters most to you: How incredible will your photos and video look?
This isn’t your typical massive resort; it’s a boutique hotel often booked exclusively for wedding groups.
Why we love it for photos: The architecture has a beautiful, classic Mexican-European feel. It feels intimate and historic.
The Magic Shot: They have a stunning stone jetty/seawall area. We love taking couples there at sunset. The waves crash dramatically against the rocks, and since the hotel is private, we don’t have to dodge tourists in swimsuits in the background.
Best for: Couples who want total privacy and an “Old World” romantic vibe.
Located on a private beach surrounded by lush jungle, Hyatt Ziva is famous for its dramatic scenery.
Why we love it for photos: The Rocks! Unlike many flat beaches in the area, Hyatt Ziva has massive, beautiful rock formations right on the shore. These textures add an epic, cinematic quality to your portraits.
Video Team Insight: The beach is wide and secluded, making it perfect for drone shots (weather permitting) to capture the contrast between the deep green jungle and the blue ocean.
This is one of the newer players in the region, and its design is spectacularly modern.
Why we love it for photos: If you love a clean, editorial aesthetic, this is your spot. The resort features sleek architectural lines, polished concrete, and panoramic views of the Marietas Islands.
The Secret Spot: Their elevated wedding terraces offer some of the best sunset views in Riviera Nayarit. We can capture wide, sweeping shots of your ceremony with the open ocean as the only backdrop.
Located right in the Marina, Velas Vallarta feels like stepping into a lush, secret garden. It has a more traditional, authentic Mexican resort atmosphere compared to the ultra-modern hotels in the area.
Why we love it for photos: The greenery here is incredible. Because the resort is well-established, the palm trees and tropical plants are massive and dense, creating natural “tunnels” of green that look amazing in portraits.
The Photographer’s Surprise: You don’t need to go looking for nature; it comes to you! There are often peacocks roaming the gardens, which make for unique, colorful additions to your wedding album.
The Sunset Shot: They have a long stone jetty that stretches into the ocean. It’s one of our favorite spots to take the couple at golden hour to get that “walking on water” look with the Puerto Vallarta skyline in the distance.
If your vision is a quiet, intimate celebration without children running around in the background, Villa Premiere is perfection. It is a boutique, adults-only property that feels calm, elegant, and very close to the local culture.
Why we love it for photos: It offers the best of both worlds. You have a private beachfront for the ceremony, but you are literally steps away from the start of the Malecon. This means we can get clean, elegant resort photos and colorful, authentic street photos in the same hour.
The Aesthetic: The hotel has a very clean, white aesthetic that looks timeless in photos.
The Sunset Shot: There is a beautiful rock jetty right in front of the hotel. We love positioning couples there at sunset to catch the waves crashing against the rocks with the entire Bay of Banderas in the background.