I love the ocean, but there is nothing like lush destination wedding venue!
Some of my favorite all inclusive wedding destinations are the ones where the jungle runs right down to the water. You still get the swim up bar and the room block. You also get mountains in your ceremony photos, a waterfall excursion for the welcome day, and air that smells like rain and flowers. Though I am a total beach bum, there is nothing like lush destination wedding venues!
This post started years ago as a St. Patrick’s Day roundup of green getaways. I’ve rebuilt it for the couples I plan for now: people who want to say “I do” at an all inclusive resort in Mexico or the Caribbean, and who picture palm fronds and mountain ridges behind them instead of a flat stretch of beach. Here are the places I’d send you, and the honest details I’d tell you over coffee.
Why a Lush Destination Wedding Venue Changes Your Whole Week
A beach wedding is gorgeous. A beach wedding with a rainforest behind it is a different story. The backdrop does half the decorating, so your florals read richer and your photographer has depth to work with.
It changes the guest experience too. Your people get more than a lounge chair. They get zip lines, river tubing, cooking classes, and hikes to swimming holes, which means your wedding week turns into the trip everyone talks about for years.
One insider note: tropical places are green because it rains. Late fall into early winter, right after the rainy months, is often when the hills look their best. I’ll walk you through the season tradeoffs for each spot when we plan your date.
Costa Rica Weddings: Rainforest, Volcanoes, and Howler Monkeys
Costa Rica is the greenest place on this list. It’s made for couples who want their wedding week to feel like an adventure. Most all inclusive resorts sit in Guanacaste on the Pacific coast, where you fly into Liberia and are at your resort within an hour. Don’t be surprised if howler monkeys wake up your guests the first morning. Everyone ends up loving it.
For the full rainforest experience, send guests inland to Arenal. They can zip line over the canopy, soak in hot springs with a volcano view, and hike to La Fortuna waterfall. It’s a drive of a few hours from Guanacaste, so I love planning it as a pre or post wedding split stay for the adventurous crowd.
Guanacaste looks its greenest during the rainy season, which Costa Ricans call the green season. The dry months are sunnier but the hills turn golden. I’ll help you pick the date that gets you the look you want!
St. Lucia Weddings: The Pitons Do the Decorating
If you want the most dramatic view in the Caribbean behind your vows, it’s the Pitons. Two volcanic peaks rise straight out of the sea on St. Lucia’s southwest coast, covered in rainforest from top to bottom. Couples say “I do” with them in the background, and guests spend the week exploring the drive in volcano at Sulphur Springs, soaking in mud baths, and touring cocoa estates.
The honest part: most international flights land at Hewanorra on the south end, and many resorts sit up north. That transfer can run well over an hour on winding roads. I plan around it so your guests arrive with a drink in hand, not a headache. Want the full picture? Read my deeper look at the unique island of Saint Lucia.
Puerto Vallarta Weddings: Jungle Mountains on the Pacific
Puerto Vallarta gives you the Sierra Madre mountains wrapping around Banderas Bay, with jungle spilling down to the shoreline. It feels like real Mexico: cobblestone streets in the old town, a lively malecón for an after party, and sunsets over the water that make golden hour photos easy.
For a guest day that feels special, book water taxis down the coast to Las Animas beach, where the jungle comes right to the sand. Flights into Puerto Vallarta are easy from a lot of US cities, which makes it a favorite for couples with big guest lists. North of the city, Riviera Nayarit offers quieter resort stretches with the same green hills.
Torn between these already? Book a call with me here.
See more of Madison & Reid’s big day in Puerto Vallarta here.
Riviera Maya Weddings: Cenotes, Ruins, and Jungle Paths
For couples looking for lush destination wedding venues and options, this is my go to destination! Riviera Maya is popular for all inclusive resorts in Mexico, and plenty of couples don’t realize how green it is behind the beach. The coast is backed by thick jungle full of cenotes, which are freshwater sinkholes you can swim in. Some resorts have jungle paths and cenote style pools right on property.
Guests love a day at the Tulum ruins on the cliffs or snorkeling in an underground river. Flights into Cancun are the easiest in the region, so this is my go to when guests are coming from all over. One thing I always flag: seaweed season can affect some beaches in warmer months, so I steer you toward resorts and dates that keep your ceremony spot looking picture perfect.
See more of this Riviera Maya wedding here.
Jamaica Weddings: Waterfalls and Green Hills
Jamaica is lush from coast to hills, and Ocho Rios is the greenest wedding base I know on the island. Dunn’s River Falls is there, and climbing it with your whole group is the kind of story people will retell for years. Most guests fly into Montego Bay, and the drive to Ocho Rios is a long one, so I factor that into planning.
Negril gives you cliffs and famous sunsets on the west end. The music, food, and warmth of the people here make the whole week feel like a celebration. In Jamaica, Sandals is my go to resort brand as they always take care of couples, execute beautiful celebrations like Ashley & Jimmie’s at Sandals Royal Caribbean. Sandals offers some of the most beautiful and lush destination wedding venues and views!
How to Choose Between These Lush Destination Wedding Venues
Start with your guests. If most of your people are flying from all over the US, Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta make travel easiest. Perhaps your group is smaller and you want the most dramatic setting, St. Lucia is worth the extra travel time. If your crowd loves adventure, Costa Rica is hard to beat.
Then think about the week, not just the ceremony. Adventure lovers will be happiest where excursions are close. Couples who want everyone lounging together should lean toward a resort with the green views right on property.
Last, think about your date. Each island has a sweet spot where it’s green, comfortable, and less likely to see storms. If you’re still early in planning, grab my free destination wedding checklist or the guide to the 4 planning mistakes that catch couples off guard.
Plan Your Destination Wedding with DWD Travel
Choosing between all inclusive wedding destinations is the fun part, and it’s also where a friend who has been there saves you from a transfer nightmare or a rainy month. I handle the wedding and the travel for every guest you invite, so you get to be a guest at your own wedding. Book a call with me here and let’s find your wedding venue!
