FAQs

Travel Related FAQs

What are your plans in light of COVID-19?

We are actively monitoring the omicron variant and the COVID-19 pandemic generally. We put the health and well-being of our guests above all else during these unprecedented times. All of our events will be held outside, and we are requiring that all of our guests be vaccinated ahead of our wedding. If you think this will be an issue for you for any reason, please let us know! Thank you for understanding.

Where can I get a COVID test in San Miguel de Allende in order to return home after the wedding?

If you plan to return to the US after the wedding, you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the US. For example, if your flight to the US is at any time on a Sunday, you will need to have a negative test taken at any time on Saturday. For more information, check out the CDC’s website.

There is a truck inside the Rosewood hotel that offers antigen tests for 550 pesos ($27) and PCR tests for 3,200 pesos ($160). Our wedding planner told us no appointment is required, but to be sure, we’d suggest reaching out to sanmiguel.concierge@rosewoodhotels.com beforehand.

If you prefer to have someone come to you, our wedding planner can help arrange a test at your lodging. This would be 1,300 pesos ($63) for an antigen test.

You can also take a virtually administered at home test. We’d suggest ordering an at home self-test ahead of time, bringing it with you to Mexico and doing a virtual visit to administer the test the day before or of your flight. The CDC site has more information. Here is one example of the virtually administered at home test.

Where is San Miguel de Allende?

San Miguel is located in Guanajuato, a state in central Mexico, a little over an hour from both the León (BJX) and Querétaro (QRO) airports and approximately 3 hours from Mexico City's airport (MEX).

When should I plan to arrive and depart San Miguel de Allende?

We encourage all of our guests to arrive by Wednesday, May 4th, 2022. This will allow you enough time to rest, relax and acclimate yourself to the new surroundings (and elevation!). And if you're up for it, maybe you can get a head start on enjoying some sites and activities available in San Miguel de Allende. We will organize some activities on Thursday, May 5th, but the first official event starts at 5:30pm on Friday, May 6th. You won't want to miss that one.

The last event is the night of Saturday, May 7th so feel free to depart on Sunday afternoon/evening (May 8th) or sometime on Monday (May 9th). However, we would highly encourage guests to either stay longer or come earlier to really appreciate the magic of San Miguel!

Can you help me figure out my travel plans?

ABSOLUTELY!! We are very eager to help you make the best possible flight and lodging arrangements – just call us or shoot us an email or text if we can help at all. We'll work it out with you!

Although you can land in Mexico City and drive from there (3+ hour drive), we recommend you arrive at León (BJX) or Querétaro (QRO) airports, which are closer to San Miguel. For these airports you will likely need a connecting flight. We recommend connecting through a US city (e.g., Dallas, Miami) rather than Mexico City because the passport control at Mexico City can be quite slow and result in a missed connection.

We recommend booking a shuttle through BajioGo (about $25/person from León (BJX) or Querétaro (QRO) airports and $75/person from Mexico City), and we are happy to help you coordinate with other wedding guests to share a shuttle. If you'd like to be on one of these coordinated shuttles, please let us know and we'll make sure we keep you updated once our group flights are selected.

Where do you recommend I stay?

Please refer to the “Travel” page. And, as always, if you have more specific questions please don’t hesitate to email us or call or text us.

What will the weather be like?

During the month of May in San Miguel, daily high temperatures are around 84°F, rarely falling below 77°F or exceeding 91°F. Daily low temperatures range from 54°F to 57°F, rarely falling below 50°F or exceeding 61°F. May in San Miguel is ahead of the rainy season so the likelihood of rain is low. It is a mountainous high desert so the climate can be quite dry with hot days and cool nights.

What should I pack?

As mentioned above, during the day the temperature will likely be in the 80s while at night it can dip into the 50s. Given the cooler nights, we would recommend packing some pants and long sleeves for the evenings. While you can use taxis and Ubers, most places are in walking distance. However, the city primarily has cobblestone streets, so we would suggest packing a pair of shoes you are comfortable walking in.

Is the elevation a concern?

San Miguel is at ~6,400 feet of elevation. This means a few things:

1. You get drunk faster. Plan accordingly.

2. Hangovers can be worse. Plan accordingly.

3. You may find yourself being short of breath going up a hill, but besides that we wouldn’t expect much more of an issue.

All that being said, if you have concerns around health issues as they relate to the elevation, please let us know. We truly understand and are happy to work through a solution!

How does tipping work in Mexico?

Tipping in restaurants should be ~10-15%. Tipping in taxis is not expected, but appreciated.

Can I contract the Zika virus in San Miguel de Allende?

The World Health Organization doesn't think so. Although the Zika virus is present in coastal and tropical areas of Mexico, San Miguel de Allende is located in a mountainous high desert where the genus of mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus is not found. This NY Times article provides excellent maps and information about the virus and its prevalence. You are (unfortunately) more likely to contract Zika in the southern US than in central Mexico. Additionally, the World Health Organization has indicated it's safe for all people to travel to areas of higher elevation since the mosquitoes who carry the virus can't live in those climates. See the official advisory here.

Wedding Related FAQs

Are there dress codes for the wedding events?

Yes, the suggested attire for each event can be found on our home page with the list of events. In short, we encourage guests to dress in Indian wedding attire for the Mehndi & Welcome Dinner, and in cocktail attire for the Wedding Ceremony & Reception. Obviously, do not wear white on the day of the Wedding Ceremony & Reception.

Note regarding high heels: San Miguel is famous for its colonial cobblestone streets and our events will primarily be held on grass in a garden or on a cobblestone courtyard/pergola. Walking in heels will be difficult and potentially even dangerous in these areas and around town.

What is appropriate Indian wedding attire?

Firstly, if you have any concerns or questions on what to wear for the Mehndi & Welcome Dinner, please absolutely reach out to us. We are more than happy to provide guidance and links for places to find outfits!

That being said, here are a couple Google image links for men & women (and another).

Additionally, we also found the following links had some helpful tips: ideas for the men; ideas for the women; ideas for both; more info; and more info (sorry for all the links!).

And finally, here are some online stores that you might find useful if you want to order a relatively affordable outfit online: Utsav, Sareeka, Lukh (rentals), Kalki, Andaaz.

Are the events inside or outside?

All the events will be held outdoors. There will be some covering for the events, but it will be open air.

Are children allowed?

We love your kids and would love to see them in San Miguel. We are happy to have your children attend the Mehndi & Welcome Dinner on Friday. However, the Wedding Ceremony & Reception will be "adults only." Let us know if you plan to bring children, and we can help to coordinate for child care.

Will there be options for people with allergies and/or dietary restrictions?

Yes! For the Mehndi & Welcome Dinner, we will have a variety of buffet options that will be clearly labeled with common dietary restrictions. For the reception dinner, there will options for chicken, meat and vegetarian. You will make your selection with your RSVP. Our caterer can make individualized meals on special request. If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions that are not covered by the aforementioned options, please let us know with your RSVP. We will likely work directly with you and the caterer to ensure you are well fed and happy with the food you are eating.

I have additional questions.

Don’t hesitate to contact us at fontana.raina@gmail.com or by phone any time. We are happy to help!

All we ask is that you refrain from trying to contact us on our wedding day, as we will likely not have our phones and will not respond. We would suggest looking for a member of our immediate family and/or the wedding party, who should be able to answer your question.