A wedding at Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos is usually a full weekend, not a single day. Ana Badillo has photographed weddings at this all-inclusive resort in San José del Cabo for years. Here is how the spaces, the light and a big guest list come together. Last updated: September 2026.
The resort is all-inclusive and family-friendly, in the hotel zone of San José del Cabo, and most couples bring a group that fills the ceremony and then some. That is part of the fun, and it is also what makes the timeline the most important thing I plan. Many of those couples also book a family session at the resort while everyone is in town.
I have photographed weddings here for years as a Cabo destination wedding photographer. Here is what I have learned about the spaces, the light, and how to keep a big celebration on schedule without rushing the parts that matter.
| Venue | Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos |
| Location | The hotel zone of San José del Cabo |
| Type | All-inclusive and family-friendly |
| Ceremony spaces | The gazebo or the beachfront |
| Best light | Late afternoon, with the ceremony about ninety minutes before sunset |
| Getting ready | Covered two to three hours before the ceremony, in the rooms |
| Large groups | A second photographer covers the ceremony and getting-ready at the same time |
The spaces, and how I use them
Most ceremonies happen at the gazebo or on the beachfront, and the light there is best in the late afternoon. The gazebo gives you a clean, classic frame with the ocean behind the couple, which photographs well from the back of the aisle. The beach is more open, so I scout the tide line in the morning and pick a spot that keeps the couple above the wet sand.
Getting-ready photos happen in the rooms, and the window light is genuinely good if we work near it. I arrive two to three hours before the ceremony to cover the dress, the details, and both sides of the party.
The light, and an honest warning
I schedule the ceremony for about ninety minutes before sunset. That gives even light for the vows, golden hour for the couple portraits, and blue hour for the first dances. In the summer months I push everything later, because a mid-afternoon ceremony in July means heat and hard shadows that nobody enjoys.
One thing to plan for: a resort this size means logistics. Guests move slowly between the ceremony, the cocktail hour, and the reception, and the light does not wait. I build the couple portraits into a specific window right after the ceremony, before the reception, and I keep that window protected. If we lose it to a receiving line, we lose the best light of the day.
The portraits
The beach and the resort grounds give us variety without traveling. We can do the formal group photos at the gazebo, then walk to the sand for the couple portraits, then use the architecture for a few more frames as the light drops. If your group is large, I bring a second photographer so the ceremony and the getting-ready coverage happen at the same time.
Planning your Hyatt Ziva wedding
Tell me your date, your guest count, and whether you want coverage of the welcome party and the getting-ready hours. I will help you build a timeline that protects the golden hour, and I will coordinate with your planner and the resort so the photography fits the day instead of fighting it. For more on venues and planning, see my guide to the best wedding venues in Cabo and my destination wedding photography page.
See more of my Cabo couples and engagement sessions, and the official Los Cabos tourism board for the area.
