Exclusive Wedding Experiences
All wedding experiences at Finca San Mateo include:
​
-
Exclusive private use of the estate on the day of the event
-
Ceremony space at the Estate Chapel and Garden
-
Aperitivo and dinner celebration space at the Estate Courtyard
-
Natural settings for photography at The Hacienda and Estate Chapel grounds
-
Onsite Estate Manager coordination and support
-
Luxury Transportation on the day of the event for guests from Antigua hotels and parking areas. Parking available for up to 6 cars for family and wedding planner
-
Clear vendor and sound guidelines
​
Catering, décor, music, and full planning must be arranged separately with your wedding planner.
​
To preserve the exclusive and intimate experience we offer, we host only a limited number of weddings each year, each one up to 100 guests.
A Unique Destination for
Exclusive, Intimate Weddings
​​
Privacy and Exclusivity
Because all events are full-estate buyouts, you and your guests can enjoy Finca San Mateo all to yourselves. In keeping with the nature of the location, all events are capped at 100 guests. Other than guests of our events, the estate is not open to the public.
​
Location - Getting There
The estate is located just 10 minutes from downtown Antigua Guatemala, in a rural location overlooking forests, mountains and the Agua volcano. It is reached by a scenic paved mountain road. All events include transportation with luxury coaches (Mercedes Benz Sprinter or similar) with uniformed drivers, who pick guests at hotels or parking lots and take them to the estate's Gate Court. After the celebration, the coaches make periodic returns to allow guests to retire at leisure.
A small number of parking spaces are available for the immediate family and wedding planners. Vendors can park prior to the event on Friday and Saturday morning to set up, and on Sunday to remove their equipment.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​
​
​
​​
Luxury Residence Accommodations
The bridal party or family members can stay at the Hacienda, the imposing residence at the heart of the estate. It includes six ensuite bedrooms, a full kitchen, a formal dining room and salon, and a private lounge that can be used as boudoir for dressing, makeup and hair, and bridal party get togethers. Housekeeping is included, and breakfast is served daily.
Signature Wedding Experiences Typical Schedule
Weddings in Guatemala are traditionally held on Saturdays. Our signature events start on Fridays at 4:00 PM with the arrival of the bridal party or the family members who will stay at the Hacienda, while vendors can start setting any equipment and decorations.
On Saturday, setting is finalized while the bridal party prepares at the Hacienda. Guests arrive in the early afternoon and the event can continue until midnight. The following day, the bridal party can enjoy breakfast at the Hacienda and check out by 11:00 AM. Vendors must retire all equipment and leave the premises clean by noon at the latest.
​
Music and Dancing
We encourage to focus celebrations at Finca San Mateo on ceremony, conversation and meaningful personal connections. Live instrumental performances during the ceremony, aperitivo cocktails and dinner go very well with the dramatic architecture and landscape. We suggest that dancing music be limited in time, sound level and space to allow for an intimate and intentional social experience.
We reserve the right of prior approval for special installations and performances associated with music and dancing, as well as others such as beam lights and fireworks to ensure the harmony of the planned celebration with the estate's primary character as a private residence, an agricultural and forest estate and the anchoring property in the local village.
​
Photography Sessions
The estate offers many beautiful settings for photography, including gardens, forests and landscapes, and architectural vignettes. Upon request, the Palladian Villa can be made available for a 2-hour long photographic session of the couple and the bridal party. The villa is not open to guests during the event.
​​
​​
Event Logistics
We have a prep kitchen for caterers, unisex guest bathrooms, and existing architectural lighting. You may choose to further decorate and light the spaces, or just let the perfect blend of natural landscape and architecture set the mood.
​
Dates and Seasons
In Guatemala, the peak season for destination weddings is from late October to April. This is the dry season, with consistent clear skies and beautiful golden hour afternoons. Events can also be held during the low season, June to mid-October. The low season can provide significant saving opportunities, considering the need to accommodate for potential rain.
​
​During the peak season, late October to April, all events require the two-night stays as described. During the low season, June to mid-October, we can accommodate venue-only rentals on Saturdays, as well as the signature wedding weekend with stays at attractive discounted rates. We are closed for annual break during the month of May.
​​​​​​
​
Staffing
The Estate Manager leads a team that includes the Hacienda's hospitality staff and a maintenance and groundskeeping team. They will ensure the Hacienda functions perfectly by performing housekeeping and serving breakfast to Hacienda guests, as well as tea and coffee for the bridal party. They will also ensure the facilities, such as the prep kitchen and guest bathrooms, are ready to receive. The Estate Manager will stay on the premises during the event to ensure guidelines are followed and provide assistance if needed.
​​​​​​​​​
​
Inquiries
We welcome trade inquiries from wedding planners and travel professionals, as well as directly from couples and their families. Please contact us and we will gladly schedule either a virtual appointment or an in-person visit. To ensure guest privacy, all visits are by prior appointment only.
​​​
​
Policies
Final contracts are always completed directly with the person responsible for payment. As we have limited dates available for signature celebrations, we require a 25% non-refundable deposit to secure the date, a further non refundable payment of 25% six months prior to the event date, and the balance paid in full two months prior. We reserve the right to unilaterally cancel any event in which the payment schedule has not been adhered to, and to liberate the date for another group.
​
Upon check-in, a credit card hold will be made as a deposit for incidental costs or damages. A release of liability will also be required from the event organizer on behalf of all their guests. ​​​​​​​