Our Cuban Legal and Personalized Wedding Ceremony

[Amarillis]

This was posted with my planning thread, but as I am SUPER thrilled to see more upcoming Cuban Brides, I thought this needed a post unto itself:

 

This was our beautiful ceremony

 

note: during the legal ceremony they will use your full legal name as appearing on your passport and the legal ceremony is done in Spanish and English below you will find the english translation.

 

OPENING (READ BY: SANDRA LINARES DÃVALOS)

On behalf of Amy and Chad, I welcome you and thank you all for gathering here on this beautiful day to witness their marriage ceremony. The fact that you all have travelled such a great distance to be here today is a testament to the amazing amount of love and support they have.

 

All of you have given them much happiness, love, warmth, and guidance through the various stages of their lives. They would like to sincerely thank you all for being here to celebrate their big day. A special and respectful acknowledgement must also be made to those friends and family members who were unable to attend, or have passed on, but whose spirit remains alive and strong in all our hearts.

 

I have also been asked by Amy and Chad to thank their parents for the wonderful lives they have given them, for the hard work and guidance they have provided, for their everlasting love, support, and encouragement. It is from them that they have learned the true meaning of love, friendship and family.

 

LEGAL CEREMONY

In Varadero, Municipality of its name, Province of Matanzas, Republic of Cuba, on January 28, 2009 BEFORE ME Licenciada Iris de la Cruz Padrón Báez, a Notary Public of the International Law Office, with national competence and seat in this city, and the witnesses who will be mentioned and who will sign at the end of this document, constituted in Barceló Marina Palace.

 

APPEAR CHAD Canadian citizen with birth data as prescribed in this instrument, AND AMY Canadian citizen, with birth data as prescribed in this instrument.

 

They concur by themselves in their use of their own rights.

 

They manifest in English they neither understand nor speak the Spanish language and me the Notary, make use of an interpreter, Sandra Linares, Cuban Citizen and Guest Relation Manager at the Hotel Barceló Marina Palace.

 

They declare they are in the full use and enjoyment of their civil rights, they have the necessary legal capacity for this act according to their personal law, because nothing in contrary is evident to me and they declare advised by me, the Notary, that if they fail to the truth they will fall in the corresponding penal responsibility, that the previous personal data taken from the declaration made before me is true, ratifying in this act the above- mentioned declaration to all its effects.

 

Me, the Notary, attest of the previous manifestation of the contracting parties and to the effects of the wedding that both have presented , I proceed to read the articles 24 to 28 , both included in the Cuban Family code.

 

MARITAL CODE

SECTION ONE: ABOUT MARITAL RIGTHTS AND DUTIES.Article 24

Marriage is constituted based on equal marital rights and dutiesArticle 25

Husband and wife should live together, and maintain the proper loyalty, consideration and respect for each other.Article 26

Husband and wife are bound to take care of the family which they have created and to cooperate with each other with the education, formation and guidance of the childrenArticle 27

Husband and wife are bound to contribute to the satisfaction of the needs of the family they have created within the marriage, each of them according to their economic possibilities.Article 28

Husband and wife are entitled to carry their professions or skills, and their duty is to reciprocally offer cooperation and help.

 

CHAD do you accept AMY as your wife?

AMY, do you accept CHAD as your husband?

 

(answer Yes)

 

Asking Chad and Amy if they persist in the resolution of formalizing this act, and having answered both affirmatively, they will sign this document, in order to make evident that the diligence foreseen in the Civil Register Act, has been accomplished, being witnesses of this act, Chad and Amy Canadian Citizens, Both appointed by the contracted parties, none of them presenting any impediments taken into account by law.

 

Read this document by me, the Notary, the couple is ratified on its content, as well as on the declaration made before me. They sign, and I, the Notary, ratify the veracity of this act, and I attest.

 

On behalf of the Cuban state I represent I have the pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife.

 

 

* SIGN THE REGISTRY – Musical Trio BAND PLAYS A SLOW SONG

 

 

READING: (SANDRA TO INTRODUCE MY AUNT) “And now, a poem read by – Marie Smith, Amy’s Godmotherâ€

 

From This Day Forward (author unknown)

From this day forward, let us laugh together, and plan together, let us find our favourite places, and go together... Let us enjoy the sunshine, and the rain, being alone together, and in crowds together... From this day forward, together, Let us love! Let Us Walk Together Let us walk together yet not as one, but such that our shadows are separate and distinct, such that our souls are unbound and free. Let us share our time, yet do not give all your time, nor take all of mine for in order to develop to the fullest, to be free, we must have solitude and individuality.

 

Let me wander in solitude, when I need to be alone, yet be near, when I need you. Let us share our love. Give freely of your love, but do not smother me, my soul must breathe a free air. Take my love, but do not demand it, for love given of obligation, is stale and without life. Let us share our lives.

 

Share my life, but do not try to shape it. Let me share your life, but do not let it revolve around me. Let us share ourselves. Accept me as I am, do not attempt to change me to fit your dreams. Respect me for what I am, not for what I was or one day may be. Share yourself with me, but do not allow me to limit your freedom or bind your soul. Let us share our minds, thoughts, goals, values and dreams. Let us develop these within ourselves without restriction or loss of freedom.

 

Thus our two free souls, may wander together as they develop in freedom. As we share our lives, as we walk through life together, know my love is yours, but not my soul for it must be free.

 

HAND CEREMONY (READ BY: SANDRA LINARES DÃVALOS)

 

As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold up your hands and hold one another, so you may feel the gift that you are to each other.

 

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.

 

These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future.

 

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.

 

These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.

 

These are the hands that will wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

 

These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.

 

These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.

 

These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.

 

And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

 

 

VOWS & RINGS

Sandra to request the rings from Matthew (Best Man)

 

I Chad choose you Amy to be my friend, my lover and the mother of my children.

I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you

I promise to love you through whatever life my bring,

Amy, With this ring,

I give you my promise that from this day forward, you shall not walk alone.

May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home.

 

I, Amy choose you, Chadwick

to be no other than yourself,

loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know.

I will respect you as an individual, a partner, and an equal.

I will always adore, honour, and encourage you.

You are my darling, and I will love you always.

 

Chad, With this ring,

I give you my promise that from this day forward, you shall not walk alone.

May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home.

 

CLOSING (READ BY: SANDRA LINARES DÃVALOS)

 

With confidence and deep affection, we send you forth on life's journey together. May love and peace be with you always; a peace which the world can neither give nor take away, a love which the world cannot destroy. May you have courage and wisdom in your future years together, and may the happiness you share today be with you always.

With friends and family, along with the sun, the moon, and the sea, I have the pleasure of announcing you as husband and wife.

 

Chadwick, you may kiss your bride.

[~Melissa~]

Wow that was beautiful. Loved the closing. Thank you for sharing AND Congrats!!!

[sarafish81]

That was awesome! Brought tears to my eyes...what a beautiful ceremony. Thanks for sharing!

[Virg]

You did a great job of making an impersonal legal ceremony (i.e. the reading of the marital code) into a beautifully romantic and complete one!

 

I hope you don't mind if I steal some of your ideas... :big hug:

[K'osh]

I never realized how "legal" the ceremony actually was. Thank you for sharing I will definitely add some personal touches to make it more warm and meaningful.

[BlissfulMsMiranda]

The vows that you read for the exchange of rings - you guys wrote that on your own? And you were able to give the notary specific things to read (like the poem?).

 

And was the closing remark something you also gave to be read or was it already part of the legal ceremony?

 

Thanks SO much for posting this!!

[JTAlberta]

WOW, You did an amazing job!

That was beautiful!

Congrats!

[Amarillis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlissfulMsMiranda The vows that you read for the exchange of rings - you guys wrote that on your own? And you were able to give the notary specific things to read (like the poem?). And was the closing remark something you also gave to be read or was it already part of the legal ceremony? Thanks SO much for posting this!!

No problem... I thought this would help a lot of you girls... I was really struggling with it before we left!

All of the legal stuff is read by the notary... the rest of it was read by the WC (Sandra) at our resort - with the exception of the reading done by my aunt.

It all went really smoothly, but I was sure to send the ceremony to the WC about two weeks before departure... just to ensure that she was cool with it.

[ashey063009]

Amy, as always, you are a god send. Thank you so much for sharing-- it was beautiful.

[itsfinallyhere]

I love it, from beginning to end. It is beautiful.