ROYAL PLAYA DEL CARMEN BRIDES: were kids allowed for the day? ...and other questions

Yay! Raffaele got back to me regarding the lounge furniture! Thanks Antonia! He quoted me around $1800-$2000, which is a lot more reasonable (and $250 for transportation and set up as opposed to $1000 with the other company).

So funny b/c I've been attaching a picture from Kristi and Mark's wedding at the Royal (photographed by Elizabeth - I think I mentioned it earlier in this thread) to Zulma and any company I've written to regarding the lounge furniture as I loved the look of what she had... nobody has seemed to quite 'get' the look I'm meaning in correspondence... with Raffaele I just sent him a quick email and no pictures and he sent me a bunch of pictures back to look at... including the picture of Kristi and Mark's wedding that I've been sending to everybody! lol... too funny!

Hey Ladies! Just thought you'd like to know that The Royal got back to me, and sent me FAQs and the wedding application form for us to fill out. We were contacted by Micaela, do any of you know who she is? Is she the new wedding coordinator? I hope some of you will know how she works, and if she's a good coordinator. I'll make sure that I keep all my emails from her, so we don't butt heads on pricing.

Let me know if you know of Micaela!

Hi Steph. Micaela and Zulma are both wedding coordinators - Micaela is more like Zulma's assistant is what it seemed like to me. Zulma handled most of everything for us, but we would also get correspondence from Micaela. I just started sending all of my emails to Zulma and carbon copying Micaela. Micaela is extremely fluent in English - especially speaking it. When you get there, you will love them:) Let me know if I can help in any way.

Thanks Becky! Its good to know that you have met and interacted with her. I was a bit worried because I never heard of her in this forum.

I'll let you know when I book my date, we're thinking May 14 or 15 2009

 

Becky, did you have to be in Mexico for 3 or 4 business days before the wedding?

Yes, in order to marry legally in Mexico you have to be ther four business days in advance. When we arrived, it didn't matter what time we arrived on that fourth day in advance because we didn't meet with Zulma and Micaela until the next morning. So, we were married on Saturday and we had to be there on Tuesday (didn't matter when) and we met with them on Wednesday morning at 10am at the wedding center. Then, you both will have to have your blood drawn and they send it out to test for blood type, STD's, etc so that you can get married there. I am not sure why the full 4 days, but to make it legal that is what you have to do. A lot of people tend to marry @ home legally and then head down to Mexico (or wherever) for the ceremony and just make it a celebration. But, we wanted that moment when we said "I do" to be the "real", legal moment we were married. So, we opted to follow the guidelines of four days in advance, etc. You also have to have your birth certificates translated into Spanish and with you when you meet for the blood work and everything. We had to have someone locally translate our birth certificates. Then, you have to send them to the state you live in to have them apostille the birth certificates. This is some sort of seal from the US government that Mexico acknowledges and recognizes as legal. So, when we met with Zulma, we had our birth certificates in English with a translated Spanish copy and an apostille from the State of OH and we gave all of this to her. You also have to have four witnesses when you marry, but those witnesses have to be down in Mexico the four days in advance also. If you don't have your guests arriving that early (we did not), the hotel will provide the witnesses for you at no charge. They just sign the marriage certificate. Let me know if you have any other questions...glad to help in any way I can.

Hi Becky - your detail to the process once brides arrive is much appreciated. I have obtained my certified birth certificate copy and am waiting on the fiance to get his so we can have them translated (I was quoted $40 each here in Chicago). In addition I already know the location in Chicago to get the apostille done.

 

Will you please elaborate on how many copies of your marriage certificate you received after the ceremony and how you've dealt with it once back in the states? For example, I think I read somewhere we have to get the marriage certificate translated back to English once you return. Have you tried any name changes with these documents? That's where I'm a little nervous.....

Jen - we received two copies of our marriage license in Spanish with the Mexican raised seal. We paid an extra $30 to The Royal to have it translated into English (just to be sure there were not issues when we got home). So, we received the two Spanish copies and then the translated copy. They were given to us on Monday or Tuesday (wedding was on Saturday). I went first thing Monday morning after the weekend we got home to the social security office. I needed my old SS card with my maiden name, photo ID (driver's license) with my maiden name and the marriage certificate. I gave them one of the Spanish versions and the translated copy. No questions/issues/problems at all. Two minutes later, I walked out with a letter that said a new SS card would be issued in my new name and mailed to me. I just got it yesterday - one week later. I then went to the BMV and I thought I would need that SS letter print out, but they didn't need it. They just wanted my old driver's license and my marriage certificate (Spanish plus English translation) and again no issues/problems at all. Couple of minutes later, I had a new driver's license with my new name:) I was also worried that I would have problems, but it was unbelievably easy! Maybe I got lucky, but it was just like I was married in the US.

Thanks for the quick reply Becky. I think it's great that brides come back after their big day and give back to help the upcoming brides! Thank you!

Yes, thank you Becky, thats very helpful to me. The process is pretty much the same for us Canadian brides, with the apostille and translations and everything.

Thanks again!

No problem at all! Glad to help!!