So you are pondering the idea of a destination wedding in Mexico. That is fantastic! Mexico offers stunning vibrant scenery, beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine, perfect weather, unique culture, affordability, fun activities, and top-notch resorts and venues. No wonder it is such in demand and no wonder you are considering it for your beautiful wedding celebrations.

Now, let me tell you the not-so-exciting part. No matter where you want to get married every place in the world have some rules and requirements you absolutely need to know if you want a smooth flawless celebration with no surprises, headache, or drama.

So if you are considering a destination wedding in Mexico, here are all the requirements.

Down below we will go over:

Legal ceremony requirements

Symbolic ceremony requirements

Catholic ceremony requirements

Legal Ceremony in Mexico requirements

This type of ceremony also referred to as a Civil ceremony is only performed by a Judge and is available 7 days a week except on Mexican holidays. Although civil marriages performed in Mexico are legal in Mexico, you must legalize and transcribe your marriage at your local court if you want it to be recognized as legal in your country of birth/residence. You do this by registering your marriage certificate at your local City Hall. Legal ceremonies can also be combined with religious ones if you choose. This service is performed in Spanish and can be translated into English by a secondary person.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A LEGAL CEREMONY IN MEXICO

VALID PASSPORT: Passports are required to enter Mexico and are also mandatory for a legal wedding to be performed.

TOURIST CARD: These are provided on the airplane prior to arrival at the Cancun International Airport. Names on the tourist card and passport MUST be the same.
ADVANCED  STAY: Bride and Groom must arrive in Mexico at least three business days prior to the legal wedding ceremony date in order to complete the blood tests and process the necessary documents. Saturday and Sunday are not considered working days.
CIVIL CEREMONY FORM: A civil ceremony form must be completed indicating the witness’s name ( you need 4), age, nationality, home address, and occupation.
DIVORCED GROOM: If the groom is divorced no additional documentation is needed.
DIVORCED BRIDE: If the bride is divorced (must be at least one year in order to remarry) and her passport is in her maiden name no additional documentation is needed. If the bride is divorced and her passport is under her ex-husband’s last name, then she must present her Birth Certificate and Divorce Certificate translated into Spanish by an Official Translator and with an Apostille Seal. The Apostille Seal is necessary when issuing a document from one country to another for legal purposes. For information on how to obtain the Apostille Seal, please contact the Secretary of State Office or visit here

The United States Department of State requires that all Weddings Certificates from ceremonies performed in the Caribbean, including Mexico, have the Apostille Seal.  Please note that when you work with us we will assist you with all the different requirements and for a small fee our on-location professionals will provide an extra copy of your wedding certificate, the apostille seal, translation into English and FedEx delivery to your home address, usually within 60 days after the ceremony.

DECEASED FORMER SPOUSE: If a bride or groom’s former spouse is deceased then a copy of the Death Certificate is required.

HEALTH CERTIFICATE: Mexican laws require a Health Certificate for all legal wedding ceremonies. Blood tests are done to determine blood type, HIV, and STD status. Usually, we will have our clients take the tests at their resort and the results are ready within 24 hours. The approximate cost is around $279 USD per couple. ( make sure you check with your on-location planner)

WITNESSES: Legal wedding ceremonies require four witnesses. Each witness will have to provide the following

Valid passport or driver’s license

• Tourist Card
• Witnesses must arrive on location the same as the bride and groom, three business days prior to the legal wedding ceremony date in order to complete the legal document process and be present during all the procedures.
• Witnesses must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the ceremony

Sometimes couples can get a bit nervous at the idea to have to be on locations at least 3 days before, have the blood test, etc… so they opt to take care of all the paperwork back home with a quick trip to the courthouse and have a Symbolic ceremony abroad instead. Do not worry! There is no difference in the way the ceremony is performed so if you want to keep your legal wedding back home a secret, none of your guests will know that your Mexican wedding is not where you signed your papers.

Symbolic wedding requirements

This ceremony is typically performed by a non-denominational minister but can also be performed by a religious officiant for a fee. It is not recognized as legal in Mexico or your home country. Preferred by couples already married and wishing to have a wedding ceremony, those thinking of a legal ceremony at a later date, or those wishing to renew vows with their loved ones. Some ministers speak English and for those that do not, you can ask for a translator.

Please note that if you are considering a destination wedding in one of the fancy resorts and venues they might have requirements so make sure you ask before starting your plans and booking your flights.

For example, our partner resorts require the wedding couple to be at their hotel one full business day prior to the ceremony; for example, if your ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, your arrival date must be no later than Thursday as Saturday and Sunday are not considered business days.( feel free to contact us if you need more questions about this )

Marriage Requirements for Catholic Ceremony

1. The bride and Groom should visit their parish personally and present:

• Baptism Certificate updated & first communion certificate (First Communion optional)
• Confirmation certificate (optional)
• 4 witnesses that Bride and Groom have known for at least 3 years (the price for a witness is $20 per witness)
• Recent photographs of the bride and groom’s passport size.
• Authorization letter from your Bishop to celebrate your marriage in another diocese outside of your home area. (Carta de Traslado)

2. The bride and groom should participate in their parish premarital wedding course (PRE CANA LESSONS) and ask for a letter that certifies that they took the course.

When all requirements have been met your parish will provide you with a letter authorizing the celebration of the wedding outside of your parish jurisdiction and certified by your archdioceses. It is important that this letter indicates the full name of the parish and priest who is allowing the wedding celebration. A “donation” fee to the Catholic Church is always required. Please make sure you discuss this with the local priest, church, or resort you are considering for your catholic wedding ( in my experience the fee is around $600/$700 ),

In case you wish to bring your own Catholic Priest to your destination wedding in Mexico, they will need to receive the “Celebret” (Catholic Priest Credential) in order to verify if they are a Catholic Priest,  ( the donation fee still applies).

You have to send these documents SCANNED, via email to the Local Parish of the locations you choose for your wedding. It is a very good idea to rely on top-notch professional international wedding planners like Veronica Pranzos Events because they can save you tons of headaches and they can make everything much easier.

You have to include in the package:

• An original copy of your baptism certificate of both, bride and groom
• An original copy of your confirmation certificate of both, bride and groom
• And also, 4 recent photographs of the bride and groom’s passport size.

Any questions? What kind of ceremony will be a good fit for your destination wedding in Mexico?