Destination Wedding Mexico Tips
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Destination Weddings in Other Mexican Locations
If you'd rather not get married on one of the many resort beaches, there are still plenty of unique places to get married in Mexico. One of the most interesting spots for a traditional Mexican wedding is Merida. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Merida is the capital city of the state of Yucatan, and it is home to traditional Mayan culture. At resorts such as the Hacienda San Jose, couples can have a wedding in the Mayan tradition, complete with customary clothing, a Mayan symbolic ceremony, and even a Mayan children's chorus to serenade you! You can also have a Mayan shaman bless you and perform your wedding. Weddings in Merida are truly unique, and great for those who want something different in their wedding ceremony.
Legal Requirements for Mexico Weddings
The legal requirements for having a wedding in Mexico differ from those in the United States. If you choose a wedding in Mexico, be sure to set aside time for the legal formalities, but don't worry – Mexican marriages are honored in the US. The first thing you'll need to do is to get your necessary documents translated into Spanish (this will be your birth certificates, any divorce decrees or death certificates for those who are remarrying, and your tourist permits). You will also need your passport, and you'll need to fill out the marriage application forms. Couples will need to get blood tests and possibly chest x-rays (depending on the part of Mexico you're marrying in), and these must be performed in Mexico. For the wedding itself, you will need to have four witnesses, and the ceremony that is used is a civil one. Finally, if you've been married previously, you must have been divorced for at least a year before remarrying in Mexico. If you have any questions about the legal requirements for getting married in Mexico, the best thing to do is either ask your wedding planner, or contact the nearest Mexican Consulate.
Destination Weddings in Cancun
One of the most popular resort areas in Mexico is Cancun. Located on the coast of Mexico against the Caribbean, Cancun is known for its luxurious resorts and great beaches, and tons of tourists come here each year for their weddings and honeymoons. There are also nearby Mayan ruins, and other excursions that you and your wedding guests can take part in, making this a great destination for those who plan to include a larger group in their wedding. Many different resorts here offer wedding packages, specifically the all-inclusive locations such as those run by Occidental and Karisma Resorts, and other hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Cancun also offer wedding packages.
Destination Weddings in Puerto Rico
If you'd like the exotic locale of a Caribbean island without leaving United States soil, look no further than the island of Puerto Rico. Here, getting married on the beach or in a resort can be flavored with the unique culture of Puerto Rico and its tropical location. Legal marriage requirements in Puerto Rico are few; you must have blood tests taken either on the island or in the US within ten days of the wedding date, have photo ID and pay the certification fees (about $30). You will receive your marriage license within ten days after your wedding date. While on Puerto Rico, you can choose to get married in many different settings, such as beaches or in historic locations, or in a hotel or resort.
Destination Weddings in Cozumel
Cozumel, a resort area located in Mexico, has become known as a place for fun in the sun. It's also a great spot to hold your destination wedding. The island of Cozumel, situated in the Caribbean, is a perfect place to get married, with beaches and other beautiful settings to make your island wedding perfect. Many of the resorts here offer wedding packages, and the all-inclusive resorts such as the Melia Cozumel Golf and Beach Resort and the Reef Club (the island's largest resort) offer packages that can easily be added onto your honeymoon stay. Another point worth noting is that most of these resorts are extremely family friendly, so a Cozumel wedding is a great idea for those who have children among the wedding party.
Different Destination Wedding Locations in Mexico
Mexico has become a great destination for weddings, because of the variety of settings and different types of destinations available. Whether you'd prefer a beautiful beach wedding on the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean, or a more traditional Mexican wedding inland, there are tons of choices for your Mexico destination wedding. Beach resort towns like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, and Cozumel offer breathtaking views of the ocean, and the ability to get married right on the sand. Colonial cities like Merida offer traditional Mayan culture mixed with the beauty of the Yucatan peninsula. If you're more of a big city couple, Mexico City offers the culture of Mexico mixed with the conveniences of a larger city and larger hotel chains.
All Inclusive Destination Wedding Accommodations – Mexico
Mexico has many different types of resorts to fill your destination wedding accommodation needs. Some great all inclusive choices are the chain of Occidental Hotels in Mexico. Occidental Grand Xcaret in Riviera Maya, the Occidental Grand Cozumel, the Royal Hideaway Playacar all offer wedding packages that can be added onto any of their all inclusive stays, and the accommodations here offer everything you might need, from beautiful rooms to food and beverages. The Viva Wyndham resorts are also family friendly, so you can be sure all of your guests can attend. Choosing to stay at an all inclusive resort can really take the guesswork out of booking accommodations for your whole party.
Destination Weddings and Honeymoons in Mexico
If you choose to get married in one of Mexico's resort towns, you also have the advantage of getting married in one location while staying in another, all within a short distance, or you can choose the all-inclusive ease of a large resort like those in Cancun. There are many choices, so you'll be sure to find the right spot for you! The beaches of Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and the island of Cozumel all offer beautiful waterfront views and water related activities, as well as the prerequisite sun bathing. If you want a bit more in the way of pampering, try one of the many Mexico spa getaways that are available. Herbalists and healers have worked for centuries in Mexico, and spa vacations or honeymoons here are often less expensive than those in the US.
Destination Wedding in Mexico
Choosing a destination wedding in Mexico is a great way to have a beautiful beach wedding. The sandy shores of Cozumel and Cancun regularly welcome couples who wish to get married there, and other parts of Mexico offer some traditional Mexican wedding traditions. There are even historical sites, such as on the the Yucatan peninsula, where you can get married in the Mayan tradition. Legal requirements in Mexico are a bit stricter than some states in the US, but not too inconvenient as to make a wedding here difficult.
Destination Weddings in Cabo
Getting married in Cabo San Lucas is also a popular destination wedding trip. Cabo, as it is frequently known, is located at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, which is about 1,000 miles south of San Diego, California.
Cabo weddings range from a small ceremony on the beach to a large affair at one of the resorts in the area. Some resorts that cater to weddings are the Hotel Hacienda Beach Resort and the upscale Palmilla Resort, as well as many others.
If you'd prefer an all-inclusive wedding and honeymoon, resorts such as the Melia Cabo Real Beach and Golf Resort (free wedding with stay) and the Royal Solaris Los Cabos hotel offer wedding packages as well.
Finding a Mexico Wedding Planner
Deciding to have your wedding in Mexico is the easy part - planning the wedding itself might be a little trickier. Unless you know someone in Mexico who can be your local contact, or you can travel to Mexico several times before the wedding to make arrangements, your best bet may be to hire a wedding planner. Finding a wedding planner in Mexico is easy if you follow a few suggestions. First, ask anyone you know who had a destination wedding in Mexico for referrals. If you don't know anyone personally, you can research wedding planners in Mexico on-line, but be sure to look for unbiased information. Make sure to ask for references and see a portfolio of previously planned weddings.
Travel to Mexico – General Information
If you and your wedding party choose to have a destination wedding in Mexico, there are a few rules and regulations that will need to be followed regarding your trip there. You do not need a passport to enter Mexico from the United States, but it is recommended. At the very least, you will need photo ID and a certified copy of your US birth certificate. For stays in Mexico of over 72 hours, you'll also need to obtain a tourist visa, which is good for up to 90 days. To get a tourist visa, you'll need to present proof of citizenship (ie, a birth certificate) and photo ID. You'll surrender the tourist visa when you return to the US, and you will have to prove your identity upon return to the United States with a photo ID such as a driver's license. Be sure to also research any other pertinent laws in the area of Mexico you're traveling to, and leave all information about your wedding, where you're staying and other important information with someone who will be in the US, just in case.
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