When planning a destination wedding it is important to be familiar with local marriage rules and regulations to make your nuptials legal once you get home.  Here is a list of legal requirements for getting married in Mexico:

• The bride, groom and four witnesses must arrive in Cancun three business days (minimum) prior to the wedding day (weekends and holidays do not count) with valid passports.
• The bride, groom and witnesses must also present a Tourist Card, which is received upon arrival in Mexico.
• The bride and groom must complete a blood test that needs to be taken in Mexico. To be considered valid, the test should not be taken more than 14 days prior to the ceremony. The blood will be tested for HIV, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and blood type. The results will be ready in 24 hours along with a certificate of the blood test.
• The four witnesses must provide names, addresses, nationalities, ages, occupation, relationship, copy of a tourist card and a valid identification. The witnesses can be relatives, friends or anyone who has a valid passport.
• The marriage certificate will be provided by the judge in Spanish. Your wedding coordinator will be able to send it for translation. The process will take approximately one month, and the fee will be $80 USD +10% tax.
• The marriage certificate is only valid in Mexico. In order to make it legal internationally, the wedding coordinator will send a copy of your license to the Validation Process. The fee will be $70 USD +10% tax, and the process will take up to 2-3 months. Once the document is apostilled, the resort will send all documentation to the couples’ home address.