Symbolic Ceremony - Need Ideas!

[TandAGetHitched]

hi friends!

 

so we recently changed our minds and switched from a legal to a symbolic ceremony for our May wedding in Riviera Maya. Why? cost is the biggest factor - the whole legal package is about $1000 and the license in MN is $40. 

 

anyways, when it was a legal ceremony - there was no question about the script/speech - it's a pre-set speech. but now with the symbolic ceremony - we have more flexibility... 

 

so questions for you gals.... 

1. can you share your symbolic ceremony script/speech?
2. who performed your ceremony? 
3. was it in English or Spanish?

yes, we are going to be terrible people and not tell our guests we're taking care of the paperwork a week before we leave for Mexico. We'd like the ceremony in Spanish or as close to the legal ceremony as possible. We are not planning our write our own vows - FH says he'd never get through them without crying so we agreed to skip them at the ceremony. 

 

thanks!

[ausieochoa]

Hi we decided to do the same thing after looking at all the additional fees for a legal ceremony! We are planning to write our own vows though!

[CynthiaRamonet]

Hi!! 

 

Usually in resorts the cost for the legal ceremony is much more higer than hiring directly with the judge.  Have you tried asking if you can bring the judge and check all the paper work by yourself? (is not that complicated)  And for foreigns getting married in Mexico is aprox. $580 usd (blood test, paper work and judge fee included). 

 

On the other hand, have you checked if the hotel provides a non-denomitional minister? They usually do all the ceremony and you just have to tell your vows if you like) They can do a sand ceremony, wine ceremony etc... andyou can include a poem or any similar text. 

In case the hotel doesn't provide the minister, you can ask perhaps a family member or friend to perform as minister and this way, the ceremony would be much more meanful to you bouth!

 

If all your guests speak english, there are ministers that can do all the ceremony in this language so everybody can follow

 

Happy planning =) 

 

Cynthia Ramonet

Oh My Love Weddings - Destination Wedding Specialist in Riviera Maya

[TandAGetHitched]

we were quoted $1000 for a legal wedding at the resort. $500 for the judge & basic paper work + $250 for blood tests + $250 for the apostle seal (required in MN, not required in all states). For a legal wedding, we are not allowed to bring anyone else on the property to perform a legal wedding - the resort has to coordinate the hiring of the judge - which is why the fees is $500.  the legal ceremony is a pre-set speech, that after it's complete, we can add our own personalized vows, but there is a set a pre-set speech that is performed and it is in Spanish (with a translator included). 

 

For symbolic we can do whatever we want, we can have the resort hire someone or we can ask a friend/family. The symbolic ceremony is FREE with our package - so we're going to let the resort hire someone to perform the ceremony. Since we aren't telling our friends this is a symbolic ceremony we want it to seem as authentic as possible and asking a friend to perform the ceremony would mean we'd have to tell guests that it's a symbolic setting. The hired officiant will do the speech in English or Spanish for us - we just have to write the speech and send it at least 60 days before the wedding. 

[WillYouManningMe]

My fiance and I have also decided the symbolic ceremony was the way to go. One of his friends is a pastor so he will officiate our wedding but we will have our own vows. Best of luck!