Legal ceremony versus non-denominational ceremony

If you are unsure what the difference is, read on! 

It is well worth debating over as there are several things to consider. In Mexico you have two options: 

The legal wedding (Civil Wedding) which can only be performed by a Justice of Peace, or, 

a non-denominational wedding (also known as religious or spiritual wedding) which can be performed by a Minister.

Legal Wedding also called 'Civil Wedding':

• All paperwork for the legal wedding needs to be translated into Spanish and must have an apostile (official seal) Please note that many countries require you to hire an official translator to translate your marriage license back into your home language! 
• You require passports and/or birth certificates, divorce certificates (if applicable) and blood tests. Some Hotels agree for you to have the blood test in your home country, check in advance if this is possible. Note that the blood tests must be done within a certain period prior to the wedding date to be valid. Any certificates have to be translated into Spanish
• You must be in the country at least 3 working days prior to the wedding
• You require 4 witnesses, names and copies of their ID's need to be submitted to the Justice of peace a minimum of 5 working days prior to your wedding date (Please note that once you submitted the names of your witnesses they cannot be changed at the last minute!) Most Hotels will take care of all this for you, however, you will require meetings with your wedding planner taking up precious vacation time.
• Most legal judges perform a standard ceremony and do not allow you to choose your own wording (check with your wedding consultant) 
• Most legal judges will also perform the ceremony in Spanish aided by a translator. Consider that it is not very romantic if you feel as if you are watching a tennis match, looking between judge and translator all the time! To get a rough idea of a legal ceremony, compare it to that in a town hall; - short and straight to the point!
• Most legal judges are booked out months in advance and have a very tight time schedule. On average they can only wait approx. 15 mins. before they have to leave for their next wedding. In Mexico we have this wonderful thing called the 'Mexican Minute' which can mean anything from 1 minute to 'whenever'. Delays are always possible, whether it's your fault or somebody else's!
• Note that under Mexican law, the bride's last name is not changed to that of her new husband's! If your name is 'Susie Smith' and your husbands surname is Williams, your married name would be 'Susie Smith de Williams'! In order to change your name, (depending on your local authorities) you may be required to apply for a name change!
• Legal Weddings are usually not possible on Sundays or local bank holidays (It is advisable to check the local bank holidays when planning your wedding date!)
• Also worth mentioning is, that although your marriage is legal in Mexico and also recognized by most countries, you will still have to inform your local authorities back home of your change in legal status! Most Hotels will do this for you but it is worth checking yourself, just in case!
• Always remember that obtaining additional copies of your marriage license will not quite be as easy as it will be back home! 

Tip: If you are a US citizen, check with your local authorities back home! Some Town Halls allow you to take the marriage license with you and have it signed by the Minister who performs your ceremony. On your return, your marriage license needs to be filed. 

Disclaimer: It is not the responsibility of the Minister to check the validity or guarantee the legality of the marriage license!   

Non denominational wedding, also known as 'spiritual or religious' wedding:

• No paperwork is required as your legal status remains unchanged. Note that some Hotels or wedding planners may ask for an ID, entry visa into Mexico (you get this on the plane) and divorce certificate(s), if applicable.
• Most Hotels state that you need to be in the country 3 days prior to the wedding ceremony, however, this is usually for internal planning purposes. If you are only in the country for a short stay, check with your Hotel if they can be flexible
• Independent wedding planners do not have to abide by this rule but check with your wedding planner to be safe! Depending on who you choose, you can actually arrive in the morning and get married in the afternoon if you wish!
• For couples without guests who do not require the service of a wedding planner, check with your chosen Minister! Most are very flexible and accomodating 
• Because the ceremony does not change your legal status, witnesses are optional
• You can choose your own Minister and depending on their service, can discuss the ceremony you would like, make special requests, i.e incorporate children, family and friends, etc.
• Unless specifically requested by the wedding couple, pre-meetings are not required and you can start your vacation the moment you arrive!
• Most Ministers have a small surcharge for weddings held on Sundays and local Bank Holidays or peak days, i.e. Valentines Day, 4th July, Thanksgiving
• Having a non-denominational wedding is an excellent option for couples to celebrate a wedding who cannot legally get married due to financial or other reasons (elderly couples who don't want to change their pension, gay couples in countries or states where a legal wedding is not possible, 'trial marriages', elopee's, etc.
• Extremely popular with couples who 'buckle' under the pressure of having relatives or friends take over THEIR wedding arrangements and who just 'elope' to celebrate their private wedding before the 'real' wedding takes place back home.
• Also great for couples on cruise ships who are usually not long enough in the country to celebrate a legal wedding
• Perfect for renewal of vows

Image by Cancun Wedding Photography

Author: Petra Maurus

www.minister-petra-maurus.com

Text may be used by others only with Author's credits!