Short version: pick Jalisco for haciendas, lake views, and the shortest flight from Texas at the lowest price. Pick Riviera Nayarit for a classic beach wedding with mature resort infrastructure. Pick San Miguel de Allende for a colonial, editorial-style wedding. Pick Los Cabos for desert-meets-ocean drama, if budget and a slightly longer flight aren't a concern.
The four destinations, side by side
| Destination | Vibe | Flight from TX | Collections from | State Dept level1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalisco | Haciendas, lakefront, agave fields | ~2-2.5 hrs (Guadalajara) | $2,200 | 3, with tourist carve-out |
| Riviera Nayarit | Beach, established resort corridor | ~2.5 hrs (Puerto Vallarta) | $2,600 | 2 |
| San Miguel de Allende | Colonial streets, pink stone churches | ~1 hr connection (León/Querétaro) | $2,500 | 3, with tourist carve-out |
| Los Cabos | Desert meets ocean, dramatic coastline | ~2.5-3 hrs (SJD) | $3,400 | 2 |
Collections from reflects each destination's lowest photography-only collection price; see each destination page for full pricing and what's included.
Jalisco — best for value and proximity
The shortest flight from Texas, the lowest starting price of the four, and a range of settings from colonial haciendas in Los Altos to lakefront terraces above Chapala. If getting the most guests there easily and affordably matters most, this is usually the answer.
See the full Jalisco Experience →
Riviera Nayarit — best for the classic beach wedding
Puerto Vallarta is the most established destination wedding market in Mexico for American couples, with the resort and venue infrastructure to prove it. If your mental image of a "destination wedding" is an oceanfront ceremony at golden hour, this is that image.
See the full Riviera Nayarit Experience →
San Miguel de Allende — best for an editorial, colonial-style wedding
No beach, no coast — instead, cobblestone streets, pink stone churches, and light that photographs like a European hill town. It requires a connection through León or Querétaro rather than a direct flight, which is the trade-off for a genuinely distinct backdrop few other Mexico destinations offer.
See the full San Miguel de Allende Experience →
Los Cabos — best for a bigger production, if budget allows
The highest starting price of the four, reflecting a higher-cost vendor and venue market — but also the most dramatic single visual: desert cliffs dropping into the Pacific. We take a limited number of Los Cabos weddings per year specifically because of the travel this destination requires from our own team.
See the full Los Cabos Experience →
On the safety numbers: Jalisco and Guanajuato both carry a Level 3 state-wide advisory, but the State Department explicitly excludes the wedding corridors — Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, Ajijic, and San Miguel de Allende itself — from that rating.1 Nayarit and Baja California Sur both sit at Level 2. Read our full breakdown in Is It Safe to Get Married in Mexico?
How to actually decide
- Guest travel is the top priority → Jalisco or Riviera Nayarit (shortest, most direct flights)
- Budget is the top priority → Jalisco (lowest starting collection price)
- The look is the top priority, beach → Riviera Nayarit or Los Cabos
- The look is the top priority, colonial/editorial → San Miguel de Allende
- You want a lake instead of an ocean → Jalisco (Chapala/Ajijic)
Sources
- U.S. Department of State, Mexico Travel Advisory, accessed July 2026.
- Pricing and flight data based on Lemus Weddings' own collections and venue network across Jalisco, Riviera Nayarit, San Miguel de Allende, and Los Cabos, 2026.