Why Unico 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya Is My Top Pick for a Destination Wedding in Mexico

I just got back from Unico 20°87° and I am still thinking about the foie gras.

That tells you everything you need to know, honestly. When a travel advisor specializing in destination weddings walks a resort and the thing that stays with her is the food, not the venue layout, not the group contract terms, not the room categories, you know the property is doing something right.

My husband and I spent several days at Unico 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya doing what I always do before I recommend a property to my couples: walking it, eating it, drinking it, sitting in every pool, and asking myself the honest question, would I put my clients here? The answer, without hesitation, is yes. But more than that, I kept thinking about a very specific couple while I was there. Maybe you're her…

She wants a wedding that feels like her.
She wants good food and better drinks.
She is not losing sleep over the centerpieces, but she will absolutely notice if the guacamole is not handmade.
She wants her guests to show up, eat something incredible, have a signature cocktail named after their dog, and go home saying that was the best wedding they've ever been to.
She wants to actually enjoy her own wedding weekend instead of running an event.

If that's you, keep reading. Because Unico 20°87° was built for you.

What Makes Unico 20°87° Different from Other Riviera Maya Wedding Resorts

There are a lot of all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya. A lot. And most of them will check the same boxes: beach ceremony, dinner reception, open bar, wedding coordinator. Fine. But fine is not what we're here for.

What sets Unico 20°87° apart for destination weddings in Mexico is that it has real personality. The property is rooted in the culture and art of the Yucatan region, and that shows up everywhere: in the decor, the food, the mixology program, the way the spaces feel. It is not a cookie-cutter resort dressed up with generic tropical accents. It has its own aesthetic foundation, which means that as a couple planning a destination wedding, you are building on something that already looks beautiful. You don't have to haul in a truckload of rentals and florals to make the space feel elevated. You can add linen, add flowers, add your personal touches, and it goes from beautiful to breathtaking. Or you can keep it minimal and let the resort do the heavy lifting. Either way, it works.

That is genuinely rare. Most all-inclusives need a lot of help to feel special. Unico does not.

The Three Pools (and Why They Actually Matter for a Destination Wedding)

One of the things I noticed immediately is that Unico has three distinct pools, and each one creates a completely different experience. This matters more than you might think when you're hosting a destination wedding.

Your guests are not a monologue. Some of them want to dance at the pool with a drink in hand by noon. Some of them want to read a book in peace. Some of them are somewhere in between. When all your guests are funneled into one loud pool situation, somebody is unhappy. At Unico, nobody has to compromise.

The quiet pool is where I spent most of my time. I sat in the sun with my husband, floaties in the water, and actually read an entire book from start to finish. (Bring a pool floatie, seriously, they have them and they are worth it.) No music drowning out your thoughts, no chaos, just actual relaxation. This is what I had been looking for.

The party pool is a completely different energy, and it is exactly what it sounds like. Live saxophone player, DJ, everyone in the water with drinks in hand, the kind of afternoon that becomes a story you tell for years. I watched it from a distance and it looked like an absolute blast.

For a destination wedding, this is a genuine selling point. You can tell your guests, with confidence, that whatever they need from this trip, Unico has a version of it. The relaxers will relax. The party people will party. Everyone wins.

The Food and Drinks: Above Average Is an Understatement

I am going to say this clearly: I am a food snob. I spent years in Montreal, Quebec, which means I have opinions about French food and I am not afraid to use them. So when I tell you that I got seconds on the foie gras at Avec, Unico's French-inspired restaurant, that is not a compliment I hand out lightly. It was that good.

Beyond Avec, the Mexican food is genuinely authentic. Not the watered-down, made-for-tourists version. Actual Mexican food with real flavors. In a resort context, that is impressive.

The mixology program at Unico is its own conversation, and honestly it deserves its own blog post (which is coming… stay tuned). But for context: my favorite drink was the Diego, a guava margarita that I could have happily consumed for the rest of my life. There is also the Pinku at the Japanese restaurant, a pink sake cocktail that is as good as it looks, and a kiwi mojito that I keep thinking about at random moments.

And here is the detail that I think says the most about this property: every bar has mocktails. Real, thoughtfully crafted mocktails which as formerly pregnant guest I SOOOO appreciate. Not just sparkling water with a lime wedge. For a destination wedding where you may have pregnant guests, non-drinkers, or guests in recovery, this is not a small thing. It shows that Unico is paying attention to everyone at the table. That is exactly the kind of guest experience your people deserve.

The Wedding Venues at Unico 20°87°

Let's talk ceremony spaces, because this is where a lot of couples get stuck. Everyone has a different vision, and not every venue fits every couple.

Unico has multiple ceremony and reception venues, and I walked all of them. Here is my honest take:

The Gazebo is the one that stopped me in my tracks. It is a dark wood structure with an ocean backdrop that does not require toes in the sand, which I know sounds counterintuitive for a beach wedding, but hear me out. Some couples want the ocean view without the ceremony logistics of an actual beach wedding (sand in shoes, wind in veil, chairs sinking into the ground). The Gazebo gives you that breathtaking ocean backdrop in a more structured setting. It fits up to 80 guests and is ceremony-only, which means you keep it sacred and move your guests to a separate reception space. It does not need much additional decor. I stood there and thought about how little I would add if it were my wedding.

The Beach is available for ceremonies up to 150 guests with no ceremony setup fee, which is a notable perk. If toes in the sand is non-negotiable for you, this is your space.

For receptions, Unico has a range of options depending on your guest count and vision. The Nayade Terrace handles up to 180 for cocktails and 110 for a dinner-reception, with a beautiful open-air feel. The Beach Area scales up to 200 for cocktails, though note that during turtle nesting season (May through November), beach events must wrap by 7 PM, so that is something to plan around. For larger groups, the Terrace Verde and Ballroom both accommodate 500 to 600 guests for dinner-receptions, with no curfew, meaning the party can go as late as you want.

Every venue has its own personality, which is part of what makes Unico work for a destination wedding in Mexico. You are not choosing between slight variations of the same space. You are choosing based on your group size, your vibe, and how late you want the night to go.

The Wedding Packages: What's Actually Included

Unico operates through the All In Weddings program, and there are four wedding packages to choose from in 2026. Here is the honest breakdown:

The Classic Collection is included with your wedding deposit and covers the ceremony essentials: venue, themed decor, seating for 32 guests, bouquet and boutonniere, a non-denominational minister for symbolic or vow renewal ceremonies, audio system, a one-tier cake, and sparkling wine for the toast. It also includes the Unico Collection Honeymoon Experience — a romantic in-room breakfast, sparkling wine, and honeymoon room decoration — for the couple.

Wanderlust & Waves ($6,500 in 2026) adds themed florals, a ceremony soloist (violin, saxophone, or guitar — the live music is a genuinely beautiful touch), and upgrades to a two-tier cake.

Whispers of Jade ($7,500 in 2026) adds catering for 10 guests during the getting-ready process, which sounds small but is one of those details that makes the morning of your wedding feel taken care of instead of chaotic.

Iris in Bloom ($8,500 in 2026) adds a 50-minute couple's massage, a romantic dinner for two, and a bottle of whiskey for the getting-ready suite. If you want the full experience, this is the one.

Romance in Gold ($9,500 in 2026) is the top tier, adding four Moet bottles for the toast, welcome bag delivery for 15 rooms, and everything from the Iris in Bloom package. For a couple who wants to make sure every detail of the wedding weekend feels thoughtful and hosted, this is where you land.

All packages are for symbolic ceremonies. Civil ceremonies carry an additional government fee of $1,900 and require arriving three business days before the ceremony, worth knowing upfront.

For the reception, private wedding functions run $80 per guest for two hours, with additional hours at $25 per person. Cocktail hours after the ceremony start at $700 for groups of 10 to 20. It is a la carte beyond the packages, which gives you flexibility but also means you need to budget carefully.

One thing worth knowing: if you want access to your wedding coordinator before the standard six-month window, Unico offers the Diamond Planning Package for $1,000. For couples who want more planning time and earlier access to their coordinator, it is a worthwhile investment.

The Guest Experience: Why Your People Will Thank You

Here is the piece that matters most to me when I recommend a resort for a destination wedding. Your guests are spending real money to be there. They are taking time off work, booking flights, buying gifts. They deserve a resort that delivers.

Unico 20.87 delivers.

The rooms are genuinely beautiful. Dark wood finishes, luxurious bathrooms, and most rooms include a Jacuzzi tub — the kind of room where your guests check in, look around, and text you immediately that they already love you for picking this place. The staff are warm and attentive without being intrusive. The five restaurants mean that even a long wedding weekend does not get repetitive for anyone.

Could the resort use a few more organized activities? Maybe. But here is the thing: your guests are there for a wedding, and then they are there to relax. Unico is exceptional at both of those things. It is luxurious without being pretentious. It feels special without feeling stuffy.

That combination is harder to find than it sounds.

Is Unico 20°87° the Right Resort for Your Destination Wedding?

Unico 20°87° is not the right resort for every couple, and I would rather tell you that now than waste your time.

It is the right resort if you want a sophisticated, minimalist wedding with exceptional food and drinks, guests who will be genuinely well taken care of, and a property that has enough inherent beauty that you do not need to over-design your day. It is for the couple who cares more about how their guests feel than how the centerpieces photograph. It is for the bride who wants a signature cocktail named after her dog on the bar menu and a foie gras that makes people forget they are at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico.

It is probably not the right resort if you want a massive beach party, a resort with a huge entertainment program, or you have a very large guest list that needs a sprawling pool situation to spread out in.

If the first description sounds like you, I would love to talk.

Ready to Plan Your Destination Wedding at Unico 20°87°?

I have been to this property. I have walked the venues, eaten the food, sat in the quiet pool with my book, my husband, and a guava margarita. I know what it feels like to be a guest here, and I know what it takes to plan a destination wedding here that your people will talk about for years.

If Unico 20°87° is calling your name, let's start the conversation and we will figure out together whether this is the right resort for your wedding weekend.

And if you want to go deeper on the food and mixology, because trust me, there is a lot more to say, that blog is coming soon.