Ceremonies

Vallarta Dream Weddings provides the following choices with respect to wedding ceremonies that are available to couples seeking to get married in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas. We will make all the necessary arrangements and will always provide pertinent information with respect to documentation required, along with church procedures so that you can have a stress-free and enjoyable event on that special day.

The Civil Ceremony

The civil ceremony is the only legally recognized ceremony in Mexico, so if you want your marriage to be legal in Mexico and most other countries, you will need to have a civil ceremony. In addition, if you are planning to have a church ceremony, you need to first have a civil ceremony. The civil ceremony, performed by a judge, can be held anywhere you choose. Just remember if you choose to have your civil ceremony performed outside of Mexico, and your church wedding in Mexico, you will need to provide authenticated proof of your civil ceremony before you will be allowed to wed in the church in Mexico. ( Mexican Civil Requirements )

The Catholic Ceremony

If both individuals are Catholic and would like to have a Catholic church ceremony, there are several choices available in and around Puerto Vallarta. Even though it is not the only option, Our Lady of Guadalupe church, located just off the central square is the setting for many weddings and is considered to be one of the most beautiful and popular locations in the area. Catholic ceremonies can not be performed in locations other than the church. Contact us for other church options.

The Catholic Church wedding requires very specific additional paperwork and without those specific documents, it is impossible to get married in the Catholic Church. Vallarta Dream Weddings cannot stress enough, the importance to plan as far in advance as possible if this is where you wish your wedding ceremony to take place. The ceremony itself takes roughly about 20 minutes and the Father can perform the vows in English, if desired. Permission from your local Catholic parish must be granted and is required for a Catholic ceremony in Puerto Vallarta and a letter granting that permission must be secured in writing. If one of the individuals is not Catholic, but have agreed to be married under the Catholic rites, the non-Catholic must present himself/herself to the local parish and secure permission from the local priest, again receiving a letter granting that permission in writing.

U.S. Legal Ceremony

How about a legal marriage using a marriage license from the U.S.? Technically most marriage licenses do not allow you to get married outside of the state where they have been issued in. Still others don´t even allow you get married outside of the county or even the city. Then, there are even others that don´t specify any restrictions at all. Let´s assume that the couple is outside the jurisdiction of where their marriage license was issued from. If they are both willing to sign an affidavit agreeing to the legal jurisdiction of their place of residence where the license was issued, then our minister will sign and validate it along with your witnesses. When you get home, you mail it to the marriage license bureau and you are now legally married in the United States! By obtaining an apostille certificate from your secretary of states office, along with a notarized copy of your registered marriage license (usually available after about a month after you mail it in) you are now considered legally married in most countries of the world including Mexico. That´s all there is to it! ( U.S. Legal Requirements )

Spiritual/Commitment Ceremonies

Couples looking for unconventional weddings, unions between two men or two women, or a man and a woman who just want to share their commitment to each other without a legal ceremony, are celebrating a "commitment or spiritual ceremony" . While same-sex marriages are not legal in Mexico, the commitment or spiritual ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate your commitment to each other with friends and family. Many couples choose to have their ceremony performed by a friend or family member, but there are also ministers or spiritual practitioners in Puerto Vallarta who can perform the ceremony for you.

Renewal of Vows

One of the more popular ways couples are celebrating that special anniversary is a vow renewal ceremony - to be remind them of their original wedding day, or as a way to have the dream wedding that wasn´t possible when they first said their vows. Either an intimate, private celebration or a larger event, what better way to show your ongoing commitment to each other than to renew your vows in Puerto Vallarta!