Catholic wedding

[clw108]

Hello! We want a destination wedding but it seems from what I've been reading that it's very difficult in Mexico to do a legal and symbolic wedding. Can anyone shed any light on this? And thoughts on where it could be simpler? We are trying to make some decisions. Thank you for your help!

[Carlota1981]

Hello!

You can make a vow renewal. I do not know if all the resorts offer this option but in which I am getting married is possible: Grand Palladium. You could choose between this option, a legal marriage and a catholic one as they have a beautiful small church on the resort.

[AllieH]

hi there - welcome to BDW. 

 

In Mexico, the legal (civil) ceremony has several requirements: 

--health certificate & blood test for both of you done by the 

--birth certificates (translated)

--scripted, required wording for the ceremony (limited or no changes)

--4 witnesses; if these are part of your wedding party, they will have paperwork to fill out as well

--valid passports

--tourist card (received at immigration)

 

The symbolic ceremony is exactly that - any language, any wording, and is not legal. 

 

Each resort may require you/your witnesses to arrive 2-3 business days prior to the civil ceremony. 

 

If you're asking about a Catholic/religious ceremony, my understanding is that this is separate and in addition to the civil/legal ceremony. Most commonly, both bride & groom will need to present birth certificates, baptism & confirmation certificates, and a letter issued by the local priest, addressed to the priest in Cancun to allow you to marry. Many times the resorts/wedding coordinators want these well in advance of your wedding. and of course the ceremony must take place in a church/chapel/cathedral. 

 

Requirements may vary slightly depending on the resort and/or wedding coordinators. 

 

Many brides choose to do the legal ceremony in their home country, and focus on the Catholic/religious ceremony for their destination wedding. 

 

Other countries besides Mexico do make the legal process a bit easier (e.g. most don't require the blood tests). I'm not sure if they commonly combine the legal & religious ceremony. I'm not familiar with the requirements of DR or Jamaica, but those are other popular destinations for weddings. 

 

Originally Posted by clw108 

Hello! We want a destination wedding but it seems from what I've been reading that it's very difficult in Mexico to do a legal and symbolic wedding. Can anyone shed any light on this? And thoughts on where it could be simpler? We are trying to make some decisions. Thank you for your help!

 

 

[Carlota1981]

Originally Posted by AllieH 

 

hi there - welcome to BDW. 

 

In Mexico, the legal (civil) ceremony has several requirements: 

--health certificate & blood test for both of you done by the 

--birth certificates (translated)

--scripted, required wording for the ceremony (limited or no changes)

--4 witnesses; if these are part of your wedding party, they will have paperwork to fill out as well

--valid passports

--tourist card (received at immigration)

 

Requirements may vary slightly depending on the resort and/or wedding coordinators. 

 

 

 

It is true, maybe would depend on the resort because I am making a legal wedding and the requirements are:

 

*  Blood test for both done at the resort. Mexican government requires that a Mexican doctor makes the tests. This is because there is a law that says it is not possible to marry at Mexico if bride and/or groom have HIV.

My resort does not require a health certificate

 

* Birth certificates. It is a must to bring a photocopy of the original but not the original. 

This photocopies will remain at the Mexican civil registration.  If you bring the original there are most papers to bring. For this reason, what they recommend is to go only with the photocopy and no translated. Does not mind the language of them as they only need to check this, the passports for the birth day.  I am Spanish but my FI is Italian, so we assured with our wedding planner about the translation. 

 

 * No need of scripted wording for the ceremony

 

* Passports and tourists cards (in our case they give them at the airplane when we are about to arrive to the Cancun airport).

 

 

*4 witness. Their passports as well as their tourists cards. It is a must they write the name as it is written in the passports or they could not be witness. They will need to arrive (as bride and groom) with 3 working days before the wedding. The working days are only from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3pm. So for example, if you arrive on Monday at 8pm, then you would marry on Friday (3 entire days in the middle). 

 

 

The witness would have to sing documents with the day of the meeting with the planner showing their passports and tourist cards. Then they will have to sign as well at the ceremony.

[Mufin1785]

Originally Posted by clw108 

 

Hello! We want a destination wedding but it seems from what I've been reading that it's very difficult in Mexico to do a legal and symbolic wedding. Can anyone shed any light on this? And thoughts on where it could be simpler? We are trying to make some decisions. Thank you for your help!

We had a catholic wedding in Punta Cana and it was legal no translation of documents required no blood work.  We had our certificate in two months after the wedding, it was the same cost as a civil ceremony and the church toook care of filing everything.