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 Vallarta Living | May 2005 
A Marriage Made in Mexico
 Suzan Haskins - International Living
| | As a symbol of eternal love, the newly married couple offer a garland of flowers to the ocean. |
The waves lapped gently at the shore and the sun set over Banderas Bay as Patrick and Sarah promised to love, honor, and cherish each other for the rest of their lives. Music played softly in the background. When the ceremony was over, the couple, both barefoot, waded to the edge of the water and tossed a garland of flowers into the ocean - a symbol of their eternal love.
And then the party continued...
Patrick and Sarah's wedding was a five-day celebration, most of which took place at the luxurious all-inclusive Riu Jalisco resort on the Costa Nayarít, just north of Puerto Vallarta. We partied night and day before and after the wedding, which took place on the final night of our stay.
It was the perfect way to celebrate a marriage. Patrick and Sarah, formerly from a small town in Nebraska, didn't want to go through the trials and tribulations of planning a traditional wedding. A big church ceremony with lots of attendants in tuxedos and flowing gowns, ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends, extended family members and guests they barely knew looking on . . . this wasn't for them. Instead, they opted to invite close friends and family to join them in Puerto Vallarta.
"Please don't get us any gifts," they said. "Your presence is our gift." It worked: nearly 70 of us showed up to share Patrick and Sarah's happiness.
Their wedding is an example of a growing trend. According to Conde Nast's Bridal Group Infobank and Modern Bride magazine, 10% of the two million American couples who marry each year are now planning 'destination weddings' - a trend that has increased 200% in the past decade.
One of the most popular locales for a destination wedding? Mexico, of course! It's easy to get here, and the most popular destinations (Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Los Cabos, Acapulco, etc.) are serviced by direct flights from the U.S. and Canada. Visitors from these countries don't need a passport to enter Mexico. And, importantly, it's an inexpensive destination.
Pick an all-inclusive resort, like Patrick and Sarah did, and all the meals and drinks are included. (On the night of their wedding, the Riu Jalisco offered its most elegant restaurant for our private party.) Smaller, more intimate hotels that don't offer all-inclusive packages are generally more than happy to put together spectacular wedding packages for a fraction of what you might pay at home.
Just this past weekend, here in San Miguel de Allende where we live, 40+ Nebraskans were in town to attend a wedding. (Hmmm . . . see another pattern here? Maybe Nebraskans are the destination wedding trendsetters!) There are some lovely haciendas and other beautiful colonial settings here that make for gorgeous wedding venues.
A word of advice: when planning a destination wedding, don't forget to check the local marriage laws. In Mexico, for example, you aren't legally married until you have a civil ceremony in addition to, or in place of, a religious one. Most hotels can arrange for a local judge to fulfil this requirement, and most foreigners can have a Mexican marriage certificate authenticated for use in their home country. Because my husband and I were married in Costa Rica, I know from experience that it is sometimes difficult to have only a foreign marriage certificate. It might be easiest to get married again at home by a local judge. But this technicality shouldn't affect your wedding celebrations in paradise.
Suzan Haskins
For International Living in Mexico
Email: Mexico@InternationalLiving.com
P.S. When planning your foreign wedding, remember that you'll get the best hotel rates during the low tourist season. In Mexico, that's May to November, with the rainy season being June through October. And don't forget to ask for discounts, or for a free room for the bride and groom.
P.P.S: Patrick and Sarah will celebrate their Marriage Made in Mexico, and their first wedding anniversary, this coming Memorial Day weekend. Congratulations, and thanks again for giving us a great excuse to visit Puerto Vallarta!
Click HERE to check the Vallarta Weddings section of BanderasNews for more information, advice, wedding ideas and a list of professional Puerto Vallarta Wedding Coordinators. |
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