Wedding Checklist Mexico: the ultimate guide
Whether you will venture into the insidious do-it-yourself or will ask for help to a wedding planner, our
Wedding Checklist Mexico
is here to guide you down the aisle and make sure you don’t forget anything.
Take the stress out of planning and allow yourself to enjoy your big day to the max. Here are our top recommended wedding planning steps for tying the knot stress-free:
Have a clear idea of what you want
That seems easy, but with all the offers, it can be tricky. AlI Inclusive or beach? Full reception or meet and greet? a cake or a churro cart?
Decisions, decisions.
Discuss with your beau and have a clear idea of what is important to you …. is Nr 1.
Select the venue
Once you choose the venue, your wedding starts to take shape. Selecting the venue is one of the biggest decisions you will make about your wedding as its location affects almost every other aspect, from the number of guests to the flowers you will be putting on the tables. There are many options when it comes to wedding venues, but generally fall in two categories: local venues and AI Hotels. Each option has its own pros and cons, with destination wedding bringing benefits such as enjoying a unique experience, having the best scenery for photo sessions, spending your honeymoon in the same spot, and benefiting from the services of an in-house wedding planner.
Determine your budget
We admit, numbers are not always fun, but you need to do the math before you start planning. Knowing the bottom line of your wedding will allow you to make the right decisions regarding service providers and allocate funds accordingly. A smart way of keeping track of your spending and adjusting numbers when necessary is creating a detailed spreadsheet from the beginning. A Wedding in Mexico is not as cheap as many years ago: the quality of venues and vendors has paired up to the costs in your country. Nowadays you need to think your budget and work with an expert to make it work.
Book vendors
Vendors that book up quickly such as photographer, band, DJ, and videographer should be chosen in time and after careful consideration. These people will either make your night fun or a disappointment, so do your research before hiring, ask every question you can imagine, and meet them in person to make sure you click together. Ask your friends who have done it before and ask the vendor for references.
Take engagement photos
Your wedding day photos will not be a surprise when you take engagement photos in advance. This is a great opportunity to practice being in front of the camera and will also help you create visual content for your wedding website.
Send invitations
Once you have decided your wedding style and your venue you can have your invitations ordered. The degree of formality of your wedding will define the style and wording of your wedding invitation. You can go creative with your wedding invitations by choosing unusual shapes and sizes, but regardless of how your invitations look, make sure they are legible and you choose your words wisely.
Words
One of the last tasks that you need to complete is writing your vows. But you is You… dare to be bold (if that is your style) or sweet (if that is your style). At the same time, meet with your officiant and organize together a rehearsal ceremony so you make sure he or she gets right the tone you want for your ceremony.
Either a wedding for 10 or 300, the right formula is being happy with every choice of your event. To do do, only you can understand what Is IMPORTANT: add or eliminate items from it depending on your expectations from the big day. And, most of all remember to have fun and don’t take anything too seriously!
Getting legally married in Mexico
The How and Why
Getting legally married in Mexico is easy. I know that for many of you, young couples reading articles and different reports on the different websites can look confusing, but we assure you that with our experience of 20 years you will have your wedding certificate in no time. We will inform you in this short article of the steps that you need to take to get married to your foreigner fiancee, like many of you are requesting in this long and difficult year.
You need very few requirements to get legally married in Quintana Roo, our State. First of all, if you have never been married, you will need the copy of your passport and copy of your visa entry to Mexico, front and back. If you are divorced, you need to send us a copy of your divorce decree. We will proceed to translate it from English into Spanish with a certified translator.
Once in Playa del Carmen, we will accompany you to the Laboratory to have your blood tests taken and the doctor’s certificates of good health, necessary to the City Hall to start the process. In Mexico, every person who wants to marry has to present these documents.
The process will take about 2 weeks to book the date and, if the Justice of Peace is available, the wedding can be held on a beach or the location that you dream and prefer. A fee is due to the JP for the gas and time out of office.
Getting legally married in Mexico does not mean that you are legally married in your country, the documents have to be apostilled by the Governor of our State and we will organize that for you and send you everything via Fedex. Once you will receive the documents at your residence, you will start the process to validate the wedding certificate in your country. That can take up to 45 days, depending from the various offices, but it is generally done in 3 days.
Once you are married and your wedding has been registered in your country, you are set and can start the different processes due for immigration, if your spouse is from another country. Remember that a lawyer or an immigration expert may be needed, although we have many clients who have done the process themselves.
Getting legally married in Mexico has become very popular in this time of Covid, where many couples of different nationalities have understood the challenges of being in love and engaged to a foreigner. Like all things, it takes some practical challenges, but it is incredibly romantic and with the help our our Senior Planners, you will be able to live, work and experience life in the same place as your companion.
That outcome is what makes us proud to offer such an important service, nowadays.
Many thanks to Alessandro Banchelli from AB Photostudio, Del Sol Photography, Quetzal Photo. Many thanks to Marce Delgado for the legal assistance.
Bay wedding in Paamul
We often cry at weddings, but this time it was lighthearted, relaxed and vibrant. People often ask me why I chose to become a wedding planner. The answer is pretty simple! When my husband and I were searching for our perfect planner, we had real difficulty finding someone who ticked all of our boxes, we wanted someone we could relate to who was trustworthy, vibrant, personable, full of passion and who was able to plan and deliver a wedding that truly reflected us.
Eventually, we found her and she made the whole process such a simple and enjoyable one.
Now, I am the lucky one who is able to create for my couples what our planner did for us and I truly love the whole process! From our first coffee catch up, to hearing all of the funny little stories that you’ve made throughout your own journey together, to the new journey you’re about to embark on in becoming a married couple.
What i really love at weddings, is the beautiful stories that surround the air. How you met, how you came together, what emerges from your family and friends: the atmosphere you create and feed for the family and friends that join you. It is magic!
Jamie, the bride, wrote to us: Maria, thank you so much. Yes, the wedding was wonderful. Due in large part to Paula – she gave a beautiful ceremony that a lot of the guests commented on later that night – it was heartfelt and touching, and it just felt like it was being said by someone who truly cared.
The restaurant could not have been more perfect. We were so worried that the seaweed would ruin our day that we actually drove out there that morning to check on it, but it could not have been in better shape. They really do a great job of caring for the beach there. Really impressive. And I say the same for the staff at Paamul. The staff went above and beyond. The food was incredible. I already wrote a review for them on Google.
So she wrote and we are extremely happy that another couple has lived a great day! What makes our job real is the people behind the ceremony. Real, vibrant, fun people who want to celebrate life, love and family. We love it!
Grazie to Alessandro Banchelli from PhotostudioAB, Kalu from Paamul and Paula Riquelme, super minister!!
Maria
