We love your kids—we really do. But we want our wedding to be your night off! Our age cut-off for children is 18.
Unfortunately we can only accomodate the guest specifically named on your invitation and on your RSVP form. Thank you for your understanding.
Yes, we will be offering a shuttle service throughout the night from our three hotel blocks to the Venue. Please do not drink and drive. We also encourage you to use the shuttles if you are not familiar with driving in Valle de Guadalupe as the roads are dark and curvy.
Yes, there will be plenty of parking. But please use our shuttle service if you will be drinking and don't have a designated driver or if you are not familiar with driving in Valle de Guadalupe.
We would prefer if you wore gowns or tux/black suit. But we want you to be comfortable, so we understand if you would rather wear something else. Please also consider wearing thicker heels (i.e. not stilettos) as our wedding/reception will be at a winery. Also it can get hot during the day, and a little cooler in the evening so bring a light jacket and opt for wearing clothes that is more airy. We are consciously having our events in shaded areas and evening to ensure that the heat is not an issue.
Yes, we will be having an intimate Catholic Mass on Friday (the day before our wedding) for any guests that wish to attend. We will also be having welcome drinks that evening. We will be providing shuttle services from the hotels to these events as well.
We highly recommend booking a transportation service from San Diego to Ensenada and back, rather than renting your own car and driving into Mexico (if you are not from the area). Please fill out our form to book a cross-border transportation service here: https://forms.gle/D54Gfw74xyPBETXPA While crossing the border into Mexico is usually very quick and easy (note that Friday evenings can have heavier traffic), crossing the border into the U.S. from Mexico is usually a very long endeavor. You should therefore provide yourself ample time to cross the border on Sunday. Transportation services will be especially helpful if you are flying back on Sunday, because it will make the border crossing into the U.S. run much more smoothly and quickly. Crossing the border by car on your own can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours, whereas a transportation service will cross the border via the bus lane drop you off right at the pedestrian border crossing entrance and pick you up on the other side. This is usually much faster. You can check border wait times in real time here:https://bwt.cbp.gov/
Please do not book your flight on Sunday earlier than 3pm to account for border crossing. You want to give yourself 2 hours at the airport before your flight, 30 minutes to get to the airport from the border, and 1.5 hours from Ensenada to the border. That is four hours of buffer time without accounting for the border crossing which can take anywhere from 2 to 7 hours if you do not do the transportation service. We therefore recommend booking your flight for 3pm on Sunday or later, and crossing the border as early as possible on Sunday (unless you will be staying in Valle de Guadalupe longer).
No, everyone in Valle and Ensenada will speak some English since it is so close to border and such a popular destination.
Because Valle is such a popular destination, most places will accept your U.S. credit cards and U.S. dollars. For those of you travelling from outside of the U.S. (i.e. Europe) we recommend getting U.S. dollars when you arrive at the airport in San Diego. You can also ask your hotel if you end up needing Mexican pesos for some reason and they should guide you to an ATM or help you exchange dollars to pesos there.
Unfortunately, Uber does not exist in el Valle. You can book a wine tour or transportation with Lupita from Red Wine Baja Tours here: https://redwinetoursinbaja.com/. Your hotel can also call a cab for you or provide you with their own transportation.
Crossing into Mexico does not require any paperwork. You do not have to worry about obtaining a visa or special documentation to enter Mexico. However, crossing into the U.S. requires documentation (i.e. Passport and Visas if required). Crossing the border will be essentially the same as when you enter the U.S. from an international flight--they will ask you the purpose of your visit, if you have anything to declare, etc. You will need your U.S. Passport or a valid visa for the U.S. Please do not carry anything with you that you are not allowed to carry with you on an international plane (i.e. fruit, plants, livestock etc).
The relaxing and low-key Valle de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Valley), located 20 minutes inland of Ensenada, is one of the world's hottest up-and-coming wine regions. Home to over 200 wineries, this region has not yet been completely discovered and still holds rustic charm. You will find modern, grandiose wineries next to vineyards that have been family owned for generations. Some of the best restaurants in Mexico can be found here too.
There are three border crossings that can get you to Valle de Guadalupe: (1) Tijuana, (2) Otay, and (3) Tecate. We recommend crossing the Tijuana border via San Ysidro and taking the route straight to Hotel Coral y Marina. Make sure to take the 1D toll road toward Ensenada (this is the scenic route; don’t let your GPS put you on the inland 1, as it takes you through not the best parts of Tijuana). There are tolls throughout the route and clean bathrooms at every toll booth. Each toll is around $2, so make sure to bring cash (lots of $1) as they may not give you change or give you change back in pesos. You can pay in U.S. dollars. The roads in Valle de Guadalupe are not paved; they are dirt roads and very bumpy. Drive an SUV if possible. Please check the other FAQ's for answers regarding border crossing questions.
Yes! Valle de Guadalupe is very safe. It is essentially a small rustic town, so it is much safer than any major city in the U.S. There is also a lot of tourism, so you will not feel out of place.