Destination wedding are on the rise, and brides and grooms (and their familiies0 look for ways to combine a special destination with their special event, and often roll their honeymoon into that same destination as well.  Mexico, despite going through some troubling times, still remains popular for destination weddings, probably because of its beautiful weather and resort.

Regulations may vary between the Mexican states, so be certain to get current information from the place where you would like to have your ceremony.  And, as with any large and expensive travel plans, you should strongly consider travel insurance.

Here are some general things to know if you’d like to get married in Mexico.

First off, decide if you want an official, legal wedding or merely a ceremonial one.  A ceremonial one is every bit as lovely as a legal one, just requires that you make the union official at home (either before or after).  If you choose the ceremonial option, no one need know that what they’re attending isn’t the real deal.

Next you’ll need to decide if you wish a civil ceremony or a religious one.  The information here will apply to civil ceremonies as the various religious denominations can vary widely.  If you wish to get married in a religious ceremony, you should check with your priest, minister, or rabbi at home.

Many resorts offer full service destination weddings that can take care of many of the details.  You can find one through a reputable travel agent, doing web research, and getting referrals.  You can also opt for the do it yourself route.

The bride, groom, and four witnesses need to arrive in Mexico at least 1-3 business days prior to the ceremony.  The specific time varies based on the state in Mexico where you’ll be, so you’ll need to check before making your plans.  This is the time necessary to take care of all the administrative tasks that you’ll need to do.

One of the administrative tasks on your list will be filling out at application at the civil registry office.  You’ll need to specify if you wish separate or “joint” (community) property.  When you come to fill out the application, you’ll need to bring with you blood test results from a Mexico doctor.  You can arrange for the blood tests on your own or check with your hotel – many have a doctor on property or on call.

You’ll need your passport, of course, but bring along some copies as well.  You’ll also need your tourist permit (you probably will have filled that out on the plane coming into Mexico), and your birth certificates.  Your birth certificate must be authenticated, not merely a copy, and must be translated into Spanish.

If you’ve been married before, you will need bring along proof that the earlier marriage was terminated.  This can be a divorce decree or death certificate, and again must be authenticated and translated into Spanish.  If the marriage ended in divorce, Mexico requires a one year period of time between the divorce and remarriage.  There may be additional fees if this is your situation.

Marriages are performed at the Civil Registry Office.  You can make arrangements for another location, but again, an additional fee will likely apply.  Think of it as if instead of getting married at the local courthouse, you asked the judge to come to a different location.  After the ceremony you’ll receive a certificated copy of the marriage and have it authenticated by Mexican authorities.

Parties who are under 18 years of age will need parental consent.

Only civil marriages are recognized as legal in Mexico.  Many couples also opt for a religious ceremony, but it is ceremonial rather than legal.  A civil wedding is Mexico is recognized in the United States, although you may want to obtain an English translation.

Less than a third of the foreign weddings in Mexico are civil ones – the vast majority are symbolic ceremonies with a priest, rabbi, minister, etc.  The process is pretty much the same as the civil ceremony, with the addition of the inclusion of typical personal touches, but these are symbolic and not legal marriages.

Photo credit:  author’s personal collection

Share on Facebook

Current events can lead us into thinking that the world is not a safe place to travel, and whenever that happens, it makes me very sad.  For some time now, holidays in Mexico have been on the wane.  For awhile it was fear of the swine flu, then fear of rampant drug activity, and now fear of the potential for violence.  If you think about all of that superficially, instead of burrowing a little deeper into the information, you may be tempted to stay home.  And that would be a big mistake.

Let’s look a little deeper into the issue of visiting Mexico:

There are problems EVERYWHERE in the world.  Of course you’re going to hear about crime in Mexico.  You’re also going to hear about it in Manhattan, Los Angeles, Washington DC – some of the most frequently visited cities in the United States – and chances are there’s crime in your very own city.  People still travel to these destinations.  Unfortunately, crime can occur anywhere, so rather than hole up and never leave your home, do a little research about the places that you are best avoiding and enjoy the rest of the country.

Mexico is a very big country.  While it’s tempting to lump problem areas all together, the reality is that although there have been some problems in Guadalajara (in the state of Jalisco), on the opposite side of that same state, Puerto Vallarta is popular, sunny, and safe.  There are warnings about visiting Acapulco, but Cancun holidays – 900 miles away from Acapulco – would be just fine.  To give you a little additional perspective, 900 miles is just a little less than the distance between Seattle and Los Angeles.  Would you not visit Seattle because of a problem in LA?!

Bad stories travel faster than good ones.  It’s a sad truth, but one isolated situation can go viral, casting a pall over an entire tourism destination.  Visitors to a country look through a narrow lens when viewing the activities in a country, and that means it is not always an accurate reflection of what’s going on in a country.  I’m not suggesting that you ignore what you read.  I’m merely suggesting that you don’t accept everything as the truth without a little further investigation.

Things change.  Problems are real, but not a constant, so make sure you’re decisions are made with real-time information.  This map of Mexico trouble spots can help you learn about how many cities and areas are really very safe.  Check often.

Feel the personal connection.  I was traveling in Cancun during the swine flu hysteria, and had the chance to talk with some of the workers at the resort where I was staying.  They feared for their jobs, being able to feed their families, and all the associated problems that we all worry about.  Everyone I talked to was eager to get the word out about how they were just as concerned about the things that we were, and urged us to pass the word along that they cared about visitors having a good time in their country.  The same holds true today.

With Mexico visitor and occupancy numbers at very low levels, there are some great bargains on everything from flights to accommodations.  Use accurate information, and some common sense, and you can scoop up some great rates for a sunny holiday south of the border.

Photo credit:  personal collection of Mary Jo Manzanares

NOTE:  This post is sponsored by Low Cost Holidays; the love of Mexico and the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author.

Share on Facebook

Tonalá is a city of around 350,000 located near Guadalajara, in central Mexico.  The city is well known for its ceramics, glass, and other native arts and crafts, and you can see them all and the city’s open air markets held on Thursday and Sunday.

Market days will find the neighborhoods full of goods displayed on the sidewalks, and often spilling out into the streets.  Ceramics, pottery, glassware, and papier mâché items are all good buys.  Bring cash for your shopping in the market.  Bring pesos, as most stalls will not take US currency.

If you know a little Spanish it will come in handy.  Although many locals do speak a little English, there is some bargaining involved at the market, and it may very well take a combination of  Spanish, English, and some gestures, to make yourself understood.  If you know none, don’t let that put you off market days, just give it a try and you’ll find you won’t have many problems.

On market days, start your exploration from the main plaza at Juarez and Hidalgo.  Pick a direction and start wandering.  You’ll find plenty to catch your eye, although after awhile a lot of the products will look the same, and you’ll discover there’s not a lot of variation in price. Many of the shops also serve as the family home, with the entire family involved in the business, so find someone who’s a pleasure to do business with and enjoy the transaction.

The plaza area also has lots of shops that feature more elaborate and decorative pieces, including wall hangings, furniture, and large ceramic and glass pieces.  These would be the fine art shops, and although there is still some price negotiation involved, it is not quite the haggling experience that you’ll find at the market stalls.   Some of these shops take credit cards and will assist in arranging for shipping your goods back to the U.S.

Even if you’re not there on market day, a visit to Tonalá is enjoyable and can still yield great shopping.  Visit the ceramic and glass factories to get better prices than you’ll see most anywhere else.  These factories supply the shops in nearby Tlaquepaque, and a trip to the source will mean better prices and substantial savings.

Many of the factories are located on the main thoroughfare of Avenida de Los Tonaltecas on the edge of the downtown area.  The shops will be dusty and cluttered, the shelves rickety and crudely put together, and the products poorly displayed.  But here you’ll find good bargains.  Just remember, prettier displays and dusting equals higher prices!  The selections will vary slightly from place to place, although pricing is reasonably consistent.  Generally, items are priced so low at the factories that there is no bargaining.  Some of the factories accept credit cards and will arrange for shipping a large order, but plan to have cash on hand just in case.

One of the more popular purchases in Tonalá is the recognizable clear glasses with the blue rims.  While this color is the traditional one, and seen at many restaurants, bars, and upscale stores here in the United States, other colors are also becoming quite popular.  You’ll also find frosted glasses, as well as colorfully painted and decorated ones.

This video provides a nice sample display of some of the items you’ll find in Tonalá:

Here are some prices, listed in dollars, from a recent visit.  Variations will occur based on color, size, quantity purchased, your bargaining skills, and, of course, the exchange rate.  These are hand blown items, and each piece is one-of-a-kind.  Variations are to be expected — and enjoyed!

• Glass margarita pitcher and set of six margarita glasses – around $10-12, depending on size
• Iced tea pitcher with six glasses – around $8 for clear glass, around $10 for frosted
• Small pitchers (for cream, syrup, etc.) – around $1, depending on size
• Large pitchers (for lemonade, sangria, etc.) – $3-6, depending on size
• Glass hanging wall masks with candle holder – around $6
• Wine glasses – $1-3, depending on size and style
• Bowls (for fruit, decorations, serving) – starting at around $3 and up, depending on size and style

Tonalá is about 20 minutes from Guadalajara by taxi (about $13), and about 45 minutes by local bus (about $1).  Taking the bus is easy and a lot of fun.  If you’re planning on making a lot of purchases, take the bus there and plan on a taxi for the return when you’re juggling packages.

Photo credit:  Shutterstock

Share on Facebook

Fast food can be good food, and Karne Garibaldi (website is in Spanish) in Guadalajara, Mexico proves the point over and over again.  Whenever I’m in Guadalajara, you can bank on my having at least one meal at this casual restaurant whose claim to fame is the Guinness Book of Records (1996) entry for the fastest service.  They set the record at 13 1/2 seconds for a table of six.

The service is so fast that before you’re even seated a group of waiters will arrive at your table bringing you appetizers to get started.  It’s a plate for of fresh, warm tortillas, served along with delicious grilled onions, refried beans with bits of corn in it (this Karne Garibaldi specialty is available for purchase by the can), and other condiments (chopped green onions, radishes) and salsa.  This is what constitutes starters in an authentic Mexican restaurant.  Chips and guacamole are available, but must be ordered separately, and fair warning, guacamole is not always available.  Don’t worry, though, you’ll be just fine without it.

Once seated, waiters are there to take your order immediately.  By default they are prepared to get you in and out in a hurry, but they are more than accommodating if you ask them to slow down the pace.  If you want time to have an ice cold beer and chat, speak up and ask for a little more time.  I’d recommend starting with a cold Negro Modelo (ask for a frosted mug) first thing, and then placing your food order when the beer arrives.

What should you order?  Well first off, if you have an Americanized version of what Mexican food is like, Karne Garibaldi will force you to forget those preconceptions.  Ordering is basically all about size, as one item dominates the menu – the regional specialty, carne en jugo (beef in juice).  Basically, this is like a tasty beef stew, cooked in its own broth and flavored with bacon, beans, tomatoes, and spices.  Despite what you may read elsewhere, there are a few other items on the menu.  But I’ve never ordered them.  The reason I go here is for the carne en jugo.  Just place an order for the size your prefer, ranging from extra small to extra large, and then get ready to dig in — it’ll be at your table practically before the words have left your mouth.

When your meal arrives there are a couple of ways to eat it.  Tourists (and there are usually not a lot in the restaurant) tend to scoop the meat out of the juice, drop it into a tortilla, add a few condiments and eat it like a taco.  I ate it that way the first few times because I didn’t really know what else to do.  After going to dinner there with some local friends, I’d like to think that I’ve learned better, and now eat it like a local.  Locals eat is as a soup or stew, adding a variety of condiments to the meat and broth, including the radishes, chopped onions and salsa.  Then tightly roll up a tortilla in one hand, and eat it as you would a piece of bread, using a spoon to enjoy every bite of the carne en jugo.  You can also add the grilled bulb onions, although they are sweet and yummy eaten plain.

Just as fast food can be good food, so can fast service be good service.  The waitstaff is not just fast, but also attentive.  An empty mug will get a generate a request if you’d like another.  When the tortillas, refried beans, or any of the condiments  run low, they’ll be replenished without your needing to ask.  The service is seamless and unobtrusive, but I like chatting with the servers and asking them about favorite things to do in their city.  Since there are times when I’m there on a weekly basis, they start to get to know me after awhile.  Between my sketchy Spanish language skills and their desire to practice English we seem to figure everything out.

My recommended order would be a medium size carne en jugo, with a couple beers.  The price for that will vary based on the exchange rate, but typically will come in around $6-7  which includes a generous tip. I always have leftovers, and they are extremely gracious about packing them up and including all the extras, usually replenished.  The tortillas can be a little tough the next day, but everything else is just as delicious.

I frequent the location across the street from Plaza del Sol (Mariano Otero 3019, Zona Plaza del Sol),although there are other locations around the area.  Hours are 11 am – 11 pm every day but Sunday, when it closes at 6 pm.  Credit cards are accepted.  Casual dress is okay, but be aware that casual by Guadalajara standards is more dressed up than by US standards.

Karne Garibaldi is one of my favorite Guadalajara restaurants.  And it’s not a tourist restaurant, despite the whole Guinness record thing.  The majority of patrons are locals, and although the staff does not speak much English, they do a great job of communicating.  The language difference is not a problem, but remember that you are in Mexico and it’s expected that people will speak Spanish! The delicious flavors of your meal will make conversation easy.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been back to Guadalajara, and I’m craving some carne en jugo.  I’ve yet to find anywhere here at home where they serve it, but it sure would be nice to get my fix a little closer to home.

Photo credits:  personal collection

Share on Facebook

Guadalajara is my favorite city in Mexico.  It is the capital city of Jalisco, and is the second largest city in the country behind Mexico City.  Guadalajara is a wonderful combination of cosmopolitan city and a historic center, blending the old with the new, the modern with the traditional, and the hip with the historic.  It is considered the Mexican equivalent of our Silicon Valley, with strong electronics and high tech industries.

Guadalajara Cathedral

Contrast Guadalajara’s very modern business core with one of the oldest and most beautiful structures in the city – the Guadalajara Cathedral, a minor basilica that is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guadalajara.  Located in the downtown Centro Histórico (Avenue 16 de Septiembre, Hidalgo y Morelos, map), the neo-Gothic towers of the Cathedral dominate the skyline.

The Cathedral was originally built during the 16-17th century, and over the years parts of it have been destroyed by fire, earthquake, and the ravages of time.  Painstaking work at repairs and rebuilding have kept the structure as close to original as possible.

Altar of Guadalajara Cathedral

Walking into the cathedral is like taking a big step back in time.  The main altar is made of marble and silver, but you’ll also find ten other altars around the side of the cathedral.  Behind the main altar are sufficient chairs to seat the council of Cardinals, should they ever all show up for Mass.  The cathedral has beautiful stained glass (imported from France, and reminiscent of the stained glass windows of Notre Dame), many religious artifacts and pieces of art, a mural by Mexican artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and relics of St. Innocent (among others).  This is also home to the largest organ in the country.

Please remember to wear respectful clothing when visiting the Cathedral as it is an active place of worship.

Surrounding the cathedral are spacious plazas perfect for strolling, getting a bite to eat, people watching, or enjoying the many artisans that set up shop here.  Don’t hurry through!  Slow down your pace, and enjoy the culture and history of Guadalajara.

Photo credit:  personal collection

Share on Facebook

I’m not a big fan of Halloween.  It’s not for any particular religious or cultural reason, I just don’t like dressing up in costumes and begging for candy.  OK, as adults that’s not exactly how we celebrate Halloween, but I don’t particularly care for the adult version of the holiday either.

Dia de Muertos altar

But, this is a great time to be in Mexico, as they prepare for the Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead celebration, an extended holiday time that covers Young Souls Day (October 31st), All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd).

The celebration of the holiday varies within the country, but the observation of the Day of the Dead goes back to pre-Hispanic Mexico – back to the time of the Aztecs, Mayans, and other indigenous peoples of Mexico.

The belief behind the celebration centers on the concept that the souls of the deceased return annual to visit living relatives, and to eat and drink with them.  It would be appropriate, then, to make sure their return was celebrated with feasts and festivals that honored the departed loves ones.  It’s a way of maintaining the tradition and belief that our loved ones don’t every truly die, but are with us, even if only in spirit, forever.

In keeping with the tradition that our loved ones come back once a year, families celebrate Dia de Muertos by creating altars that honor and welcome their departed loved ones.  They are usually decorated with marigolds, candles,  and photographs of the deceased, and have offering of their favorite foods, beverages, and small trinkets representing the interests of the deceased.  Calabaza en Tacha, candied pumpkin bade with cinnamon and brown sugar, is often placed on the altars as well.  Other symbols you’ll see during the celebration include skulls, often laid on altars, and dancing skeletons.

Sugar Skulls for Dia de Muertos

Children exchange decorated sugar skulls that are created to represent the deceased, and these can often be quite elaborate works of art, not merely candy.  The sugar skulls are gifts for the young souls of deceased children, who return in the late afternoon of October 31st, Young Souls Day.

Pan de Muertos, or Bread of the Dead, is another tradition.   Families make the special bread, then gather to remember their loved ones, sharing the bread with one another as a sign of love and the strong ties of family.

If you’re traveling in Mexico during this time of year, you’ll likely see altars all over the place.  At hotels, in a corner of a restaurant, in many other public placs, as well as in private homes.    You’ll also find many cities across the United States that have Dia de Muertos celebrations.  These are often found in cities with a large Hispanic community.

Rich in history and tradition, Day of the Dead observances are festive, happy times.  If you are fortunate enough to be invited to a celebration, consider it a very high honor.  Go, enjoy, and have a good time, but don’t forget that in midst of the merriment, reverence in still important.

Photo credit: San Jose Library @flickr (altar); Willow&Monk @flickr (sugar skulls)

Share on Facebook