Jewish weddings at riviera maya resorts??

[jrb]

I was just wondering if anyone has had or been to a Jewish wedding at a resort in the riviera maya. My fiancé and I are planning on having a legal ceremony then a symbolic Jewish ceremony right after.

 

His aunt is a rabbi and uncle is a cantor, so it's not like we are hiring an outside source to come in since she will be there anyways.

 

So my questions are. How can we make the transition between the leagal and the Jewish ceremony seamless? And do you think any hotels will have an issue with us adding on our own service and bringing in our own clergy to officiate?

 

I know religious ceremonies arnt reconized which is why we want the legal service followed by the religious service. But it gets complicated since we are bringing our own clergy. Do you all think we can make it work?

 

Ps. We have not picked a place yet but I have a few in my top choices.

Thanks, jenna

[~Keira~]

The only advice that I could offer is for you to contact your top choices. Ask them what their policies are. Some hotels are more accomidating then others so I think it'll be best to go right to the source. That way if a resort does agree to it, you'll have it in writing.

 

Best of luck and congratulations!

[cantorballard]

A good wedding coordinator in your destination resort should have no problem working this out for you - but you should decide, then, if you want to make the legal ceremony public, or perhaps, as many of my clients do - have the legal ceremony privately, and then your relgious/spiritual ceremony as the one your guests participate in.

 

If you want to make both public, then ask your coordinator to allow your Aunt/Uncle to contact the local officiant beforehand, to see if they can plan out the ceremony. Then, the local officiant can make the pronouncement, and your Aunt and Uncle can "present" the couple for the first time. I've done that a few times...

 

Debbi

[cantorballard]

A good wedding coordinator in your destination resort should have no problem working this out for you - but you should decide, then, if you want to make the legal ceremony public, or perhaps, as many of my clients do - have the legal ceremony privately, and then your relgious/spiritual ceremony as the one your guests participate in.

 

If you want to make both public, then ask your coordinator to allow your Aunt/Uncle to contact the local officiant beforehand, to see if they can plan out the ceremony. Then, the local officiant can make the pronouncement, and your Aunt and Uncle can "present" the couple for the first time. I've done that a few times...

 

Debbi

[jrb]

Thanks for the suggestion. We have yet to pick a resort, but once we do I will think about all of this. I think we are going to make the civil ceremony public and do the jewish part as more of an "add on" since it should be short. Lots to think about!

[lisanicole]

I have contacted both Iberostar and Paradisus asking about Jewish weddings. My fiance is Jewish and his family would really like to incorporate that into our ceremony. I have not heard back from either resort yet.

[cantorballard]

I've done weddings at both resorts - all you have to do is let them know you are providing your own religious officiant, but you still need to arrange for the civil as well. Your planner wherever you book will accommodate - the resorts are top notch and very sophisticated wedding professionals. Good luck!

[WeddingsEtc]

I had the opportunity to visit with many of the venues in the Cancun/Rivera area and all seemed very open to having Jewish weddings. Also, you shouldn't have any problem having your Aunt and Uncle preside over the ceremony. You do, however, have to have one of their judges, justice of the peace (which each hotel has access to) do the legal part. You can do two separate ceremonies or tie them together.

 

I found the hotels eager to help and make it a special day for you. This is a good reason to have a coordinator to help get everything organized for you the way you want it. You need to plan three days (sometimes it's less) for blood tests. This is done at each venue as well so sometimes they can do it in less than the three days.

 

The other option you have, is to get married legally before going to Mexico, then have your Aunt and Uncle perform the marriage ceremony. This way you can do it without having to wait.

 

Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. It's a beautiful area. Check out the Barcelo Maya Palace.

[jrb]

Thanks for all the advice. We are waiting to hear back from the hotel to let us know if a judge is working on the date we want...then we are going to try and work in a way for our rabbi to do a little bit after the civil ceremony.

[jaccat15]

My fiance' and I are Jewish and his parents are more Conservative and would prefer we get married by a Rabbi but we do not want to legally wed in Mexico. We are thinking of getting our marriage license here (NY), have a religious/symbolic ceremony and getting married by a Rabbi in Mexico and then making it official when we get back. It would be amazing if we got married by a Rabbi who is registered in NY while in Mexico but I think that would be difficult unless we brought someone with us.