Mexico attracts people from all over the world with its atmosphere of serenity and fun, it is an amazing country combining deserts and tropical jungles. Some are so inspired by it that they decide to organize their own wedding there. A wedding ceremony in Mexico is quite possible, and you can do everything yourself.
To do this, the bride and groom will need to choose a venue for the celebration, submit an application to the registry office, prepare a script, outfits and other details.
Peculiarities
In Mexico, the bride and groom can choose one of two wedding options - official or symbolic. In the first case, the wedding takes place at the local registry office, and then the newlyweds and their guests go to the banquet location. A symbolic wedding ceremony in Mexico involves preliminary painting in the home country and the organization of an outdoor ceremony.
The first option will cost more due to the need to pay state fees. In this country there are traditions that are observed during weddings in most cases.
Future spouses may adopt some of these customs:
- It is believed that a wedding is a celebration not so much of the newlyweds themselves, but of their parents. Even wedding invitations are written on behalf of the mothers and fathers of the bride and groom.
- The godparents of the newlyweds organize the wedding, and they also bear most of the expenses.
- The bride and groom can have their wedding in a church or arrange a unique ritual with the help of local shamans.
- After the wedding or official marriage, the newlyweds are showered with red beads as a sign of wishes for good luck and love in their family life.
- The wedding table contains not only national dishes, but also many flowers.
- For the first family dance, the newlyweds are surrounded by guests, forming a heart-shaped figure.
- A pinata is hung above the table - a large papier-mâché figure filled with candies. Before serving the cake, it is broken and sweets are poured out on the guests.
- The wedding cake filling is made from a generous amount of fruit soaked in rum.
If the bride and groom choose to officially register their marriage in Mexico, they will need to submit an application at least three months before the desired date. If it falls during the tourist season, then this must be done at least a year in advance.
By the time the application is submitted to the registry office, the couple must have the following documents in hand:
- originals and copies of internal and international passports;
- originals and copies of birth certificates;
- copies of migration cards issued at the airport in Mexico;
- completed marriage application form;
- divorce certificate if the bride or groom were previously in another marriage.
In general, the Mexican government is loyal to those wishing to legalize their relations. As for foreigners, they should not forget about the requirements of their country for marriage, otherwise it will be considered invalid. In Mexico, there is only one additional restriction - the absence of HIV infection. The analysis is done two days before the wedding, and the results are provided to the registry office.
In addition to this, for the marriage to take place, there must be four witnesses of any nationality and gender over 18 years old ; copies of their passports must be attached to the package of documents. Parents and people staying in the country illegally cannot be witnesses.
Live traveling
First of all, don't panic! Now I will tell you how this action happens. In general, everything is not so scary. A wedding is a wedding in Mexico.
Among the most important points are the following:
√ Nothing starts on time, so don’t worry if you’re half an hour late - most likely, you’ll arrive before the holiday starts.
√ The dress code for men can be from T-shirts or local traditional shirts to formal suits (depending on how rich and status the newlyweds’ parents are), but for women the dress code is always the same: a long, floor-length dress. The tastier the better. Bows and sequins are welcome. The concept of “high heels” starts at about 12 centimeters.
√ If you are a strict vegetarian, then take sandwiches and salads with you, otherwise you risk starving until the cake itself, and it is cut closer to dawn.
√ There will be churches! Everyone can enter: Buddhists, Orthodox Christians, and those professing other religions. You need to behave quietly, you don’t have to follow the movements of the locals during mass, you don’t have to kneel - the people are not aggressive, maybe they will judge you, but they won’t say it to your face.
Okay, now about how it was.
So, thanks 100500 times to CouchSurfing! After my host in Oaxaca approved my request to stay with him for a week, he asked if I would be interested in attending a Mexican wedding. Like, his friends are getting married, an invitation for two, and besides, if I don’t want to go there, then I have to sit at home on Friday evening in splendid isolation. But of course I wanted to! I've never been to a Mexican wedding before, so it was very interesting. To be fair, it should be said that the wedding was Mexican-French (the bride is from Oaxaca, and the groom is French), however, since the bride’s parents were in charge, there was more Mexican than French.
The host warned that the wedding would be very “fancy”, because these are the children of very rich people, so it is advisable to wear a dress. I was too lazy to drag heels, and my long summer dress looks best with sandals, so I took it - and was very, very happy!!! With bare knees among hundreds of girls and aunties in floor-length dresses, I would probably feel a little tense.
Having dressed up and got into the car with the expectation that we would only have to drive 10 minutes, the host broke the key, so it took another half hour to fix it, however, we were not late and even arrived before the start of the mass... Nothing!.. Nothing happens on time in this country !!! However, this worked to our advantage.
I had never been to a wedding in church, so it was interesting, although I listened with half an ear, because a sermon in Spanish is still beyond me. Fortunately, the church is very beautiful, so you could stare at the ceilings and walls. An hour and a half flew by quickly, no special lyrics were noticed, no cinematic tears for you. But the priest had a sense of humor and constantly joked in French. It’s a pity that I don’t speak French... Because he was apparently joking well, because everyone was laughing except me.
After the church part, tribute was paid to local traditions: while the newlyweds and close friends were actively photographing against the backdrop of the church, a local ensemble in national costumes danced behind them. Beautiful, colorful, monotonous.
We walked up and down the street in the city center, delighting the tourists. Several bottles of tequila were already spotted in the crowd of guests, so the party officially began.
Then we returned to the church and at sunset they set fire to some wonderful pinwheel thing. A lot of smoke. A lot of smoke. Ten years ago this thing must have really impressed guests. Now they do it, it seems, simply because it is so accepted. Then there were fireworks, from the duration of which I realized that the bride’s parents were really not poor. Well, good fireworks - I'm always for it.
With the onset of darkness, everyone set off in their cars to the location of the party itself. The most pathetic zone of the city of Oaxaca de Juarez. Hmm, the parents are definitely not poor...
The place is very beautiful and, unfortunately, I don’t have good photos. But take my word for it. Everything is like in a romantic movie. Numerous candles on the trees, good lighting, a huge number of different white flowers... In general, it wasn’t too shabby.
The “party” itself is generally quite boring. Nobody entertains anyone here, everyone is their own boss.
First there was dinner, and here once again I thought about the non-poverty of the bride’s parents... Lobster soup, ala salmon sashimi with some kind of sauce from fifty ingredients, fish fillet in some other no less tricky sauce... In short, the cooks were , apparently taken from the best Parisian restaurants. In addition to the above, there were also meat dishes, which I, naturally, did not try. In general, the food serving scheme is very different from the usual for weddings in the post-Soviet space. Here on the tables there were only light snacks in very small quantities. There was no alcohol on the tables either - it was served and poured by the waiters. There was a menu on the tables - two options for each “round”: meat and fish. Further, when they started serving food, the plates were placed in order: one meat, one fish - who gets what, so I had to say that I don’t eat meat, after which they began to put fish in front of me.
After a very tasty dinner, the main part of the party began: the disco. Actually, nothing more happened. You could dance on the dance floor, you could sit at the table and drink and talk, and you could also smoke near the toilets. Something like this. True, almost everyone danced. I thought that those who remained sitting were the French who had come to the wedding. The Mexican guests had a blast. To my disappointment, the disco was the most ordinary - dance hits that can be heard in any city in the world. I thought that they would start dancing all sorts of salsa and bachata... But no... However, it’s a sin to complain.
By the way, yes, I’m smart, I came in sandals without heels, but all the other mamzels, without exception, were wearing very high heels. After church, it was clear that the girls began to suffer in their shoes, and it was extremely unclear to me how they would even dance... However, everything was thought out! – It turns out that at Mexican weddings they traditionally give out some kind of Czech slippers, which the mamzels change their shoes into when it becomes completely unbearable (and doesn’t care after drinking). Exactly at the beginning of the disco, a waitress walked by with a tray of Czechs. Convenient, of course.
Okay, after dancing until three in the morning, my host was completely stuck due to the alcohol he had drunk, so we decided to go home without waiting for the cake.
On an interesting note, I would like to add that even though the wedding took place in Oaxaca, the mezcal capital of Mexico, they mostly drank whiskey and cola and wine. Wine can be justified by a fiancé from France, whiskey and cola cannot be justified by anything... But here it is.
I still don’t understand where to give gifts. Plus, it looks like they only give money. Just before leaving, the host suddenly remembered that he forgot to give a gift and ran away somewhere. Apparently there is a “donation box” somewhere there or something...
Along the way, I told the host and his friends a little about how weddings take place in Russia. What surprised everyone most was the presence of a second wedding day. This was an even bigger shock than not having a wedding.
Overall I liked it. Beautiful place, delicious food, good company, new experience. I didn’t communicate with the bride and groom at all. I don’t even know the names... I’m lying, I’ll look at the invitation now... Ah, Karime and Gi! Well, love to them and thanks for my first Mexican wedding!
Choose a celebration for two or not
Wedding tourism is not the cheapest offer, so future newlyweds should think about who they want to invite to their celebration. You can fly to this country for painting alone, if you wish, taking only witnesses with you, but they can also be found from among the local residents.
Interesting! We wrote more about the celebration for two in this article. We recommend you check it out!
This option seems tempting not only because of the financial side of the issue, but also from the point of view of comfort. The bride and groom don't have to worry about the script, don't try to please anyone, and don't care about everyone but themselves to make sure the guests are comfortable. A couple can arrange a wedding ceremony in Mexico exclusively for two to leave the most cherished memories.
Wedding traditions
One of the very beautiful Mexican wedding traditions is the wedding lasso (chain, rope, garland), which is thrown first on the groom and then on the bride so that from above it looks like a symbol of infinity, i.e. a symbol of the eternity of the marital union and inviolability marriage ties This is usually done at a Mexican wedding. We don’t practice this in our church, but this tradition can be applied, for example, at a banquet, when parents give a wedding toast.
Another literally rich tradition is the groom giving his bride 13 gold coins, or arroz, as a gift. These thirteen coins symbolize Christ and His apostles and are presented on a silver or gold tray as a sign of the groom's endless trust in the bride.
Another interesting tradition is as follows. The bride always carries a purse with her during the banquet, and when one of the guests wants to dance with the newlywed, he is obliged to put a bill in the purse - a kind of payment for the dance. Sometimes the bride does not wear a purse, but her bridesmaid wears an apron with a large pocket where guests put money. Young people are required to spend the donated money on their honeymoon or on furnishing their new home.
And the last tradition that www.svadbagolik.ru will tell you about is breaking a piñata. A piñata is a box made of fragile material that contains sweets. This box or pot is suspended from the ceiling by a thread, and one of the guests, blindfolded, must break it with a wooden bat. Sweets pour out of it to the delight of guests and children.
A Mexican wedding is a very cheerful holiday; there is hardly a place for sadness and tears, even tears of tenderness. You can invite professional dancers and a small group of musicians to your wedding to play Latin melodies, and colorful dances will undoubtedly please your guests.
Outfits
The average annual temperature in Mexico is 24 degrees, with the hottest days occurring in April and May. For these reasons, it is better for the bride to choose not a fluffy or tight-fitting wedding dress, but an outfit with a straight or loose cut. This will also be combined with the general atmosphere in the country, which is characterized by naturalness and not pomp.
The color of the dress is most often chosen to be white; sometimes turquoise and pastel shades look harmonious. For footwear, you can choose open sandals with straps and medium heels, and for a ceremony on the beach you can go completely barefoot. The hairstyle should be simple and feminine. Hair can be curled and left loose or styled. A veil will not suit this look; it is better to replace it with a veil or weaves of fresh flowers.
The groom may want to move away from the traditional suit. Instead, you can wear straight trousers and a light-colored shirt. Don't like strict classic style? Nonsense! After all, your wedding is in Mexico! The photo above shows one of the options when even a casual style is possible, with a different shade of jacket and trousers, and a bow tie complements the look.
There are also no strict requirements for shoes - the groom can wear light beach sandals.
If there are guests at the wedding, their outfits should also match the chosen country. Both short and long summer dresses and sundresses made of light fabrics are suitable for girls. Men can wear loose-fitting beach pants and thin shirts.
Attention! It is interesting to complement the images with the help of beautiful national hats - sombreros.
Color palette
A Mexican wedding is a riot of bright colors, energetic dancing and endless fun. Accordingly, the wedding itself should be done in colorful and compatible colors.
All colors of the rainbow will do. For example, some possible combinations could be:
- olive, yellow and beige
- yellow, crimson and blue or red
- orange, blue and green
When decorating a hall for a Mexican wedding, it is also very important to use garlands of fresh flowers and satin ribbons that match the color palette of the holiday itself.
The bride's dress at a Mexican wedding can be either simple, that is, traditional colors (cream or white) and a simple cut, but always using some Mexican ornaments, or bright, matching the style and color scheme of the celebration. This should be decided by the bride herself, following her preferences.
KNOWLEDGE BASE: DIY wedding bouquet as an indispensable attribute of the celebration
The bride's hairstyle should be smooth, and large, fresh, contrasting flowers, such as scarlet roses, are usually braided into her hair. It is not advisable to wear a veil, but it is possible if it is light, transparent and made of very thin material.
And the bride should choose shoes that allow her to dance freely.
Also a very important point in the image of the bride is her wedding bouquet. In Mexican style, it should be colorful like everything else, and may include shades of pink, orange, yellow, red or purple, for example. But it should not contain more than five shades! The bride's bouquet can consist of roses, orchids, irises or peonies.
Traditions and customs
A wedding in Mexico can be held in the classic version, or you can choose a specific style. Agencies offering wedding tourism services usually offer three theme options - Mayan Indians, Caribbean fairy tale and celebration on the Riviera. Prospective newlyweds can take advantage of these options or dream up their own ideal wedding in Mexico. Traditions and customs can become its basis.
- In Mayan style. Since your wedding is in Mexico, Indian traditions allow you to choose a place for the celebration in the jungle or a cave. The newlyweds themselves do not have to dress up as representatives of the Mayan civilization; it is enough to have the appropriate surroundings and actors around.
- A Caribbean fairytale involves a ceremony at the hotel, and the celebration takes place in the banquet hall or by the pool.
- A celebration on the Riviera is a ceremony on the beach accompanied by romantic Latin American music, with a rich table of national cuisine and a corresponding bar.
You can have a wedding on a wild beach to the accompaniment of mariachi.
Places for a photo shoot are selected by the newlyweds in advance. It could be a beach, a tropical jungle, a local village or an ancient architectural monument. If desired, the bride and groom can take photos in all of these places to highlight the diversity of the country. Photos in national costumes or in the style of the Mayan Indians would be useful.
What is the price
The total cost of a wedding in Mexico starts from $3,500, provided that it is a symbolic celebration for two without official registration at the local registry office. Otherwise, the amount will be increased by the amount of the state duty.
The base price includes tickets, hotel rooms, banquet facilities and a multi-course menu. Newlyweds should include in the total amount tickets and accommodation for all guests, booking of artists and musicians, services of a photographer and video operator, as well as stylists, decorators and presenters.
Attention! The costs of this can be reduced if you arrange the wedding and create your own image. However, it is better to order the services of musicians, photographers and videographers in Mexico, rather than taking specialists from your home country with you - it will be more economical.
As such, you do not need a visa to enter this country; you only need an electronic entry permit and a foreign passport. Despite this, you may need a Schengen visa costing 35 euros, since there are no direct flights from Russia to Mexico, and you will have to make a transfer in Europe or the USA. This step is skipped if the stay at the airport of the intermediate country will last no more than 24 hours and no one will leave the designated transit zone.
Additional Tips
When organizing a wedding in Mexico, newlyweds must think through all the details. It will be much more difficult than preparing a celebration in your home country, but everything is possible if you approach the matter responsibly. If you wish, you can always order the organization and holding of the celebration from a professional agency, although this will be more expensive.
Symbolic painting can be organized under an arch made of fresh and artificial flowers, ribbons and fabrics. Another option is to find two palm trees leaning towards each other and take vows of eternal love and fidelity under them. For this, you can also find a small bungalow on the pier; the Atlantic Ocean is ideal as a backdrop.
Best time to get married in Mexico
It is best to plan a wedding in Mexico from late autumn to early spring , when the high season dominates the country. From November to April the Caribbean coast is quite dry and not very hot. From May to early September , the so-called middle season begins, it rains more often, there are fewer and fewer sunny days, but the water temperature is much higher than in the high season. Two months of the year, from September to October , are considered the low season; during these months there is a high risk of hurricanes, but if you want to take a risk and save money, then there is no better time for a wedding in Mexico - low prices for accommodation and air tickets, and organizing agencies weddings offer significant discounts on their services.
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Choose your wedding date using the calendar of low prices for air tickets to Mexico
Summary
Mexico is the ideal choice for a wedding for freedom-loving people who prefer naturalness, fun and passion to standard wedding ceremonies. The bride and groom can fly to this country together or invite family and friends to their holiday - it all depends on desire and financial capabilities.
Irina Vasilyeva
Wedding fairy
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Cloth
The white dress of the bride has been in fashion and tradition for a very long time, and it seemed that this symbol of purity and innocence has always been just that. Not at all. This format was “introduced” by Queen Victoria. And the traditional bride’s dress in Mexico was characterized by a “flamenco” cut, with a lot of frills, folds, and certainly a long length. The bride was also given a mantilla, and its color was most often not white, but completely black or red. The groom, as a rule, wore a suit that is now usually associated with a matador's costume.
For a Mexican-style wedding, it is better for the bride and groom to choose outfits that more or less correspond to this description. Of course, you shouldn’t strictly follow Mexican wedding traditions if you live in central Russia. But you also need to add the necessary flavor characteristic of the country you have chosen. Therefore, the flamenco style of wedding dress, albeit white, the groom’s suit, including a traditionally trimmed jacket, and the bride’s bouquet of bright exotic flowers will completely cope with their task.
Guests at such a wedding can be advised to pay attention to simple white clothes with traditional patterns, or, conversely, bright dresses containing traditional combinations of blue, red, green and black. Sombreros and bright ponchos are best left as attributes for photo shoots.
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