Renewal of Vows VS Legal Ceremony

[AlexsBride]

It really just depends. I know here in Ontario the marriage license is around $100. Then you just have to find an officiant to marry you and pay for their fee. That's just the legal aspect of it. I'm guessing those are around $200.

[michellerics]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexsBride I think we are going to legally get married before we leave (or after we get home) because my FI has been divorced and we can save some money by not having to get his divorce decree translated etc.

That is EXACTLY our situation. I hope the ceremony looks just like a "real" ceremony though. THe costs were ALOT to get everything translated since he was been divorced.

[Melidell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by michellerics That is EXACTLY our situation. I hope the ceremony looks just like a "real" ceremony though. THe costs were ALOT to get everything translated since he was been divorced.

From what I've heard the ceremony will look legal. They'll even give you something to sign if you want. Just talk to your wedding coordinator at the resort about it beforehand. Plus this way you can make your ceremony even more personal if you like. I know a lot of people do symbolic ceremonies so I figure the resorts must be pretty used to it and will do a convincing job.

[RonNMel]

After much discussion, we have decided to get legally married here and do a symbolic ceremony there. We are both divorced, so the cost of getting everything certified and translated and certified again was just ridiculous.

 

FI was very much against the idea at first, feeling like we would be "cheating" our guests. After discussing it with some close friends, they all said go for it, who cares where you sign the papers. It's the exchanging of vows and rings that counts.

 

We wanted to keep it a secret to everyone, and only tell our parents a week or two before so they could be there for the legal part. But one of FI's friend told her mom (who is invited, being a family friend). That mom reacted very well, but since the cat is out of the bag, we decided to tell our parents before they learn from anyone else. As I thought, my mom reacted very well. His mom, though, does not seems to understand the concept AT ALL. At first she wanted to make the ceremony here a big deal. She even wanted us to get married in a church, but thank god we are both divorced so that is not even an option. Then she wanted us to just tell everyone that it will only be the reception in Cuba, but the wedding will be here. Poor FI had to repeat over and over again that there WILL BE a ceremony in Cuba, that we are ONLY legally signing papers here, and just not to tell anyone anything. Really hope she won't go and confuse everyone...

[Hopelesslyblissful]

My FI and have recently decided to do a symbolic ceremony as opposed to a legal ceremony. We are getting married on a sunday and apparently you have to pay extra in order to get married on the weekends. Well its not a huge deal to me when we LEGALLY get married, I agree with some of the other brides, that the vows are the important part and so is the celebration. Plus the cost of a vow renewal ceremony package is at least half the price of wedding package at our resort!

[AlexsBride]

Yes the renewal ceremony at the resort we are booking at is significantly less as well. Not that it's all about the money but at the end of the day, the only thing missing from the renewal package is the notary, so I don't really care about that!

[Mrs. LowUFO]

I've been considering this as well since my fiance is divorced. It seems like quite a bit for the translation and then having to translate the Cuban marriage certificate into English when you get back.

 

If you get the Ontario Marriage Licence for $130, then you just need to perform the ceremony and I assume that will cost whatever that particular person charges?

[luciel2820]

I am thinking of doing this as well. My only concern is that my resort's package says renewal of vows package not symbolic ceremony. I want it to feel and sound like a symbolic ceremony but Im afraid the wording of the renewal of vows will be too noticable.

[Hopelesslyblissful]

Quote:

Originally Posted by luciel2820 I am thinking of doing this as well. My only concern is that my resort's package says renewal of vows package not symbolic ceremony. I want it to feel and sound like a symbolic ceremony but Im afraid the wording of the renewal of vows will be too noticable.

I think the renewal of vows and the symbolic ceremony are pretty much the same thing. You can talk to your WC at the resort and discuss how the ceremony is performed. For us for example, only about a handful of people (my parents, MOH, bestman) know that we are LEGALLY getting married in Cuba, and we dont WANT our other guests to know. So we asked for them to perform the ceremony (as much as they could) like a regular wedding, main thing being the signing of the documents. So my WC said they could print something out and have us sign it in front of everyone still, whatever we wanted to make it our day

[luciel2820]

Thanks hopelesslyblissful, same thing with us. Only our parents and siblings will know about our legal wedding, so I would like it to look as if it were a reg wedding. I will email the WC to ask and attach the ceremony I would like, it doesnt really matter if they wont read mine, I just dont want any mention of renewal of vows LOL. And the signing of the papers is a good idea, didnt even think of that.