Legal information

PLAN YOUR WEDDING

Requirements for a destination wedding in México:

Civil/legal ceremony: This type of wedding will be recognized as legal in México, and you arrange this in advance with our weddings and events department. If you’d like your marriage recognized as legal at home the marriage certificate must be signed and notarized in your country of birth/residence. Please see the requirements for a destination wedding in México below for more information.

Valid Passport: Passports from the bride, groom and witnesses are required to enter México and are also mandatory for a legal wedding to be performed. Passports must be presented to the Wedding Planner at the time of the wedding consultation.

Tourist Card: These are provided on the plane prior to arrival at the international airport. Make sure your name is written as it appears on your passport.
Witnesses Information: You will need to provide your witnesses names, addresses, nationalities, ages, occupations, legal relationship statuses, copies of tourist cards, and a valid form of picture identification. The Wedding Planner will provide the legal form to fill out.

Advanced Hotel Stay: Bride, groom and witnesses must arrive at the hotel three full business days prior to the civil/legal ceremony.
Mandatory Blood Test Administered in México: The blood test is not valid if performed elsewhere and should not be performed more than 15 days prior to the ceremony. Blood tests in México test for HIV, RPR (sexually transmitted diseases) and blood type. The approximate cost is $230 USD per couple.

Divorced Parties: If either the bride or groom is divorced, original birth certificates are required with the originating country’s registry stamp. This document should be translated into Spanish.
Sunday Weddings: Please consider that judges and magistrates usually charge an additional fee for services performed on Sundays.

Marriage Certificate: A marriage certificate issued in México is only valid in México. In order to make it legal internationally, your Wedding Planner will need to submit the certificate through a validation process. The validation process can take up to one month, and the fee is $60 USD. Once the document is validated and notarized, the wedding department will mail all documentation to the couple’s home address.

Symbolic Ceremony: A symbolic ceremony is not legally binding in México and consists of any religious or non-denominational ceremony. This spiritual type of wedding can be performed by a minister or officiant of your choosing. Our wedding department can assist with helping you find a local officiant if necessary.

Advanced Hotel Stay: You’ll need to arrive at the hotel two full business days prior to a civil/legal ceremony.

Catholic / Religious ceremony: Catholic ceremonies are available in a church, located a few minutes from the Hotel and our wedding department can provide with the contact information of the local priest. The priest will inform you of their requirements to perform this type of ceremony.