Legal Wedding Procedure for Canadian Brides having a Destination Wedding

Welcome to June!

Can you believe that we are in the 6th month of the year already! that means Destination Wedding season is just around the corner for those fortunate bride, grooms and guests who are about to attend an upcoming Destination Wedding.

This months blog post we wanted to share with you the process for getting your legal marriage taken care of in Canada before you head off on your exciting adventure to somewhere tropical for your "Symbolic Destination Wedding" (Symbolic means that the wedding is not a legal ceremony, this is the most popular way of having a Destination Wedding when you are getting married overseas especially in the Caribbean).

Which brings us to the next question; "If my marriage in Mexico is a Symbolic Wedding then how do I get legally married?"
When we  book a Destination Wedding 99% of our couples choose not to have a legal wedding in the foreign country they are traveling to.
There are many reasons why people choose not have a legal wedding ceremony in a foreign country since there are many inconvenient procedures to do so, such as;

• Blood work needs to be done in certain countries for both the bride and groom  

• You need to arrive at the resort at least 5 business days prior to the wedding date along with your witnesses. 
• There needs to be a formal translation of the wedding certificate into English 
• It is more expensive to have a legal wedding ceremony VS a symbolic ceremony - judge/minister fees are higher and there is a cost for the documentation, blood work and translation.
• Ease and Convenience of having your marriage certificate filed from within Canada especially in the unforeseen case of misplacing your marriage certificate. 
• It can take up to 12 months to receive your marriage certificate back from the foreign country, in some cases even longer. 

With these factors in mind we like to encourage our Brides and Grooms to have their legal Wedding Ceremony at "home" (within Canada) prior or after returning from their Destination Wedding.
We can assure you, your guest's will not know the difference between a Symbolic vs Legal and no one needs to be advised prior that your Destination Wedding is a Symbolic Wedding and that you are legally married or you will be legally married after you return.

If you do choose to have your legal Ceremony in Canada prior to departure than we recommend treating your legal ceremony as a wedding rehearsal where you can practice your vows and try new poses together.
We also suggest what can be very special is having your witnesses being 2 x people that are unable to attend your Destination Wedding, whether it being your Grandparents who are unable to make the travel or a dear friend who is unable to commit due to personal reasons, it is a great way to make them feel special and still be part of your Wedding.

Now to the actual processes of having your legal Wedding Ceremony in Canada;

Depending on which Province you will be having your wedding in you will need to follow each link (which is provided below along with the marriage commissioners).

You will need to contact/visit the Vital Statistics office where you are getting married, once you do so you will need to provide Identification for both yourself and your fiance, (there are restrictions per Province such as legal ages, language restrictions, who you are not legally allowed to marry including specific family members - you will need to read these carefully depending on which Province you are legally getting married in).
You are then given a Marriage License application and a Registration of Marriage application which you will need to complete and take a long with you to your legal ceremony.

Once you receive these applications they are only valid for a certain amount of days e.g. BC they are only valid for 90 days therefore you must have your ceremony prior to the 90 days otherwise you have to pay for a new application. (there are also fees involved for obtaining a Marriage Certificate and for applying for your License, please check with the local Vital Statistics office for exact costs).

Your next step is to contact a local Marriage Commissioner (links below per Province) where you will need to organize with him/her when they are able to conduct your ceremony, they will also give you more in depth information on what you need to bring along for the legal ceremony day, how many witnesses, witness information and of course what their fee is to legally marry you. The commissioner will take care of sending away the application and then once it has been processed you will receive your marriage certificate in the mail, wait times will vary per Province.

Here are the links that you will find helpful for obtaining all of the correct information for your legal wedding;

Marriage Information

Alberta: http://www.servicealberta.ca/1822.cfm

British Columbia: http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/marriage/howto.html 

Manitoba:  http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/GettingMarried.html

New Brunswick: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/services/services_renderer.200799.Marriage_Licence.html

Newfoundland and Labrador: http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/birth/getting_married/

Nova Scotia: http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/life-events/getting-married.asp

Ontario: http://www.ontario.ca/government/get-married-ontario

Prince Edward Island: http://www.gov.pe.ca/health/index.php3?number=1020364

Quebec: http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/generale/maria-a.htm

Saskatchewan: http://www.gov.sk.ca/life-events/getting-married/



Marriage Commissioners: 

Alberta: http://www.servicealberta.ca/1156.cfm

British Columbia: http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/cgi-bin/search/marriage_commissioners.cgi

Manitoba: http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/pdf/marriage_commissioners_wpg.pdf

New Brunswick: http://www.snb.ca/e/1000/1000-01/pdf/SNB-GettingMarried_E.pdf

Newfoundland and Labrador: http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/birth/getting_married/marriagecommissioners.html

Nova Scotia: http://novascotia.ca/just/Court_Services/jplist.asp

Ontario: http://www.ontario.ca/government/religious-marriage-officiants-listed-municipality

Prince Edward Island: http://www.gov.pe.ca/health/index.php3?number=1020362

Quebec: http://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/generale/celebrant-a.htm

Saskatchewan: http://www.justice.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=1b5f781f-bc4c-424d-a44f-cc8e75fb32bb

WestJet Groups Vs Other Tour Operators

WestJet Vs Other Tour Operators / Airlines / Charter Companies

Welcome to Spring, well kind of....At least in the Okanagan we've been lucky to have some nice weather and hey the rain is great for the gardens!

Firstly, today's post is not a paid article by WestJet. It’s an honest account of why we book the majority of our Destination Wedding Groups with Westjet Vacations and what the other alternatives are.

There are several major tour operators promoting Destination Wedding Travel, Sunwing, Transat, Air Canada and WestJet.

Here the main reasons why we suggest using WestJet Groups:

1. No gimmicks, some tour operators offer a “bride and groom” package where you get champagne on board and whole lot of other “fluff” the reality is that your guests are ultimately paying for this with a generally higher per seat price.
2. Departure Cities - If you're like most couples you have friends and family traveling from all over Canada, WestJet has one of the largest number of departure Cities within Canada for your guests to travel from.
3. Regular flights, because WJ Groups are booked on a regular flight scheduled the risk of the flight being cancelled is very low. As opposed to other air charters who are more likely to cancel the flight due to low occupancy as they are only selling package flights on their flight.  This is tolerable for a vacation but for a wedding is unacceptable to us. (Speaking from experience from a tour operator who cancelled a flight one month prior to departure from one of our guests weddings!)
4. No last minute deals, the group prices are the cheapest available, meaning that the prices don’t get lower as travel dates approach they get higher, therefore rewarding you for booking earlier in advance.
5. Amazing, Fun Service! If you’ve ever flown WJ you know what I’m talking about.

It's not to say that we don't or can't book with other Tour Operators, in some cases it does make sense. There are certainly some advantages. For example the minimum number of rooms to make a group booking with WJ is 10 whereas other tour operators may only require 5 rooms.

If you're looking for more reasons or would like to do get started with your Group Travel Booking, take a look around our Blog, Facebook, Website or contact us here to find out more about how we help Destination Wedding Bride and Grooms get their Group Travel booked.

Destination Wedding Process

What is the process and what does Pose Destination Weddings do exactly?


We are a full service Travel Agency and can offer any type of hotel, airline, car rental booking etc.
The difference is we choose to specialize 99.9% of our time on booking group travel packages for Destination Weddings.

We are located in BC but we work with brides and grooms across Canada, that's the bonus about technology!

The full process can take some explaining however here is some bullet points on what makes us different and how we help bride and grooms achieve their goals and make their DW a realty!


- Choosing a Resort:

There are hundreds of Resorts available in the Caribbean and it doesn’t make sense sending away for quotes just because they look nice. Budget is an essential component for most groups so we figure out the target cost that each guest should pay for their travel and recommend resorts which should come in within their groups price range.

The number of Resorts in the Caribbean is staggering! Here are some of the Riviera Mayan , Mexico Resorts

- Dates, discuss if there are any particular dates that are preferred or not preferred and based on the time of the year this can also relate to budget.
Included in this date choosing is confirming a wedding date and making an introduction to the Resorts onsite wedding coordinator, where you will then plan your wedding with her for the rest of the duration.

- Once we have a confirmed price per person, information documents are sent out to all prospective guests and we handle all questions relating to travel and RSVP. The price we provide is per person and includes everything: Flights, accommodation, transfers and all taxes and fees.

- From here the bride and groom can work with the on-site wedding coordinator to confirm which wedding package - different from the group travel package they are going to chose for their wedding.

This includes multiple options;
What time the reception will be, what kind of cake, options on photography etc. An example of this is the exclusive wedding package we have created with the Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda - Strike a Blue Pose Wedding Package

Click to enlarge

For our services we don’t charge an additional “fee” to the bride and grooms who book their wedding through Pose DW. Other Travel Agencies sometimes offer a “Premium” Service Package where they will “Plan” your wedding and charge a few thousand for doing so.

This is fine, however we don’t see the need to double up. The Resorts we book groups to always have an onsite wedding co-ordination which is included in your wedding package, they will arrange and assist all of the details of their special day, flowers, linen colors, wedding location etc. We don’t feel a need to get the information from the bride and groom and relay this to the Resort.

Throughout the entire process from our first interaction to day of travel we are always here to help when needed and our first hand experience with Destination Weddings is always included complimentary.

If you’re looking for help getting started with the planning process or are recently engaged and needing some ideas feel free to contact Kristy Melse 1855 4 POSE TRAVEL she would be more than happy to chat about your big day.

Feb 2013 - Resort Tour

Resort Tour February  2013

We at Pose Destination Weddings were lucky enough to escape to the Mayan Riviera, Mexico this month.

Here’s some of the highlights we wanted to share with you also and some important aspects that we also learned from this trip.

Our first check in was at Dreams Riviera, which was truly an AMAZING experience, superb service at every interaction from the concierge to the maid service to the babysitters.  Every staff member that we interacted with was not only extremely helpful, polite, friendly and an all round asset to the Resort.

Although Dreams is typically a more expensive resort for guests to travel to for a DW (approx. $1800 taxes in from Calgary in January, as an example) vs other popular resorts in the Mayan Riviera which can range more around the $1500pp price range.

Dreams is a very family friendly resort and have tonnes of daily activities for guests of all ages, there is a kids club, babysitting service (at an extra charge) and there is also a options for adults only such as dining in the French restaurant. 

Dreams offer fantastic wedding packages and cover pretty much everything you need for your wedding day in one package, so the need for add on's to the package of your choice is not always necessary which can be a great cost reduction vs other resorts.

Dreams Riviera

The Moon Palace was another Resort we visited - it’s huge! we had a great tour guide, visited several wedding locations and also learned that The MP is one of the the three Resorts in the Mayan with a registered Catholic Chapel.

This resort is great for families, there is a kids club and a teens club including a video arcade hang out zone, the amazing thing about this resort is they have a Flowrider which is the wave pool where you can surf on! plus they have a dolpinarium for hotel guests to experience swimming with the dolphins (cost is additional)

The MP offers great wedding packages also; including wedding set ups created by the amazing desinger Colin Cowie. This resort even offers a horse and carriage for the bride to arrive to the ceremony at.  

Wedding Chapel - Moon Palace

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda. We send a lot of Groups to this Resort, for a few reasons: Price / value - frequently we are able to get great rates, some of the best around for a 5 Star Resort, they have an amazing Wedding Planner, Ana who we adore and she also has a team that do an impeccable job at creating amazing weddings and excel in customer service.  We have an  Exclusive “Strike a Blue Pose” Wedding Package (please ask us for details) and finally who could forget the 24 hour  sports bar ‘disco tech’ this is Huge attraction for some!

Beach at The Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda

A Popular Wedding Reception Location - Blue Bay

Azul Fives - We were very excited about staying at this Resort and checking it out as a perspective DW location.
Reviews of the best food and beverage around, modern design, spacious suites and with a family friendly atmosphere.
Unfortunately the AF did not hit the mark, inattentive service / staff, sloppy housekeeping and an overall bad vibe made this for an expensive let down.
On the bright side the restaurant where amazing, the Fisher Price Kids Club was impressive and the Juice bar did offer healthy freshly made juices. And last but not least there was wild monkeys in the jungle next to our room!

This resort is definitely higher priced vs other popular resorts in the Mayan Riviera (can be anywhere from $2000pp from Calgary in January) 
The great thing about this resort is the accommodations as it is not your "typical" all inclusive resort style, you have your own apartment style accommodation, plus they have 3 bedroom suites available which is great when you have a larger family.
The beach was beautiful however very small so not always ideal when you want to relax on the beach in private or with your significant other.

Monkey Business at Azul Fives

We were also lucky enough to see live weddings in progress at the Marina El Cid and The Now Sapphire  which was amazing!
These two resorts are very popular resorts for our wedding guests they are both located in Puerto Morelos and have beautiful beaches and gorgeous luxurious resorts. 

Looking forward to our next ‘investigative trip later in 2013’. Let us know if you have any Resorts you would like to know more about it. If they’re in the Mayan Riviera, chances are we’ve been to them in person and can give you first hand information.

Top 5 Reasons To Have A Destination Wedding

Top 5 Reasons to have a Destination Wedding

Happy New Year!  2013 Has started off as the busiest year ever for Pose Destination Weddings, so busy in fact that’s why we’re publishing our January blog in April.

This month we have traveled through Western Canada exhibiting in several Wedding Shows / Expos. It’s been an amazing experience meeting hundreds of excited brides and grooms who are planning their Destination Weddings for either late 2013 or early 2014, what’s also been exciting is getting to meet other industry professionals at the expos, including amazing photographers, videographers and other service providers which are a necessity at both Destination Weddings [DW] and local Canadian Weddings.

One major aspect that we have noticed is that there are three types of brides & grooms;  1. Couples who are 100% having a DW, 2. Couples who are 100% on a local Canadian wedding and then 3. Couples who are in the uncomfortable position of “sitting on the fence” and still deciding whether a destination wedding is suitable for them as a couple.
For those couples who are still undecided whether to have a Destination Wedding or not we  have dedicated this months blog to you!.........The Top 5 Reasons to consider a Destination Wedding

The Top 5 Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding vs a local wedding in your hometown.

5. Price! You’ve probably heard it before but this cannot be left out, values range anywhere from $20-30k* for the average  local Canadian wedding, whereas the average Destination Wedding is typically under $10k, or even $6k in most circumstances (Including at least a 1 week vacation!)

4. Guest selection: A semi controversial topic however the truth is everyone has conflicting thoughts on who to invite to your wedding, who to include on the list and who to leave out. With a DW it’s simple, because you’re not footing the bill for additional guests (partially you are at some resorts but it’s minor expense) there’s no need to hold out inviting anyone. You’re almost guaranteed attendance from the guests who truly care about you as a couple and really want to be there for you. (not freeloading 3rd uncles with nothing better to do than come and drink your free Heineken's)

3. Convenience: The term “Bridezilla” did not develop out of nowhere. The stress involved with a local wedding seems endless at times, especially for busy professionals trying to carve out enough time to arrange all the details.
A DW on the other hand follows a relatively simply procedure; Firstly you make contact with your DW Group travel specialist (a company like Pose), we arrange all the elements of the travel booking, advise on the process of booking your wedding date and introduce you to the Resorts onsite complimentary wedding coordinator, (this is part of our service we offer for free, and of course we throw in a smile) Easy.

2. Vacation / Honeymoon included. A frequent request we have from our Brides & Grooms is to extend their return flights back to Canada by a week or more so they can enjoy a Honeymoon at a different Resort or travel to another location completely and enjoy their honeymoon. This can all be done under your group travel booking.

1. Destination Wedding’s are FUN! Seriously, it’s the middle of a Canadian Winter with snow outside and -25 degrees with wind chill. What a great way to break up the winter than with a group of your closest friends and family at an all inclusive resort with as much food, drinks and fun as you can handle! + you won’t have any regrets the day after your wedding having spent thousands (see point #1) It’s a no brain er if you ask us!

To clarify we don’t think local weddings are wrong or bad they’re absolutely perfect for some couples :)


For more information on getting started with the planning process feel free to take a look at our Website Here or our Facebook page for inspiration free giveaways or drop us a line or email us at our office we would love to chat about your plans and get the ball rolling.

- David


* http://www.canadianliving.com reference

Seasons Greetings

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings!

Pose Destination Weddings would like to thank our past and present clients, especially our Destination Wedding Brides and Grooms for all of your support in 2012. 

We are excited to announce that we had a really fantastic year this year, not only through our business growth but also because of the relationships we developed  throughout the year with some incredible individuals.
Our job is so rewarding to us as we love the feeling of making a Bride and Grooms wedding dream come true.
We work on a Destination Wedding group as if it were our own wedding which is why we have such incredible feedback from our past Destination Wedding Groups, comments such as " -->Our experience was amazing!  We could not have done it without Pose Destination Weddings help" makes us feel like we have accomplished our goal, which is delivering the best experience for everyone. 

If you are going to be attending some Wedding shows in 2013 make sure to look out for our booth and I am sure if you come and say hello we will give you a little goodie. 
Also as a reminder for new Destination Wedding couples we have a competition happening at the Wedding shows where if you book your wedding group with us you will go in the draw to win 7  nights accommodation at the 5 star All Inclusive Resort Now Jade Riviera + return flights from your chosen city. 

We are also excited to announce that we teamed up with another popular 5 star All Inclusive Resort in the Mayan Riviera recently; The Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda and we created a wedding package exclusive to our Destination Wedding couples who book with us and stay at the Blue Bay for their Destination Wedding. 

Don't forget about our referral promotion where if you refer a new Destination Wedding group (10 or more rooms booked with Pose Destination Weddings) then we will give you $250, it's that simple. 

For all of our Destination Wedding couples who are getting married over the Holiday Season, we wish you all the best with your incredible journey you are about to endeavor. 

Thank you for what has been a wonderful year and we look forward to what 2013 brings. 

  

Friends Referring Friends

Welcome to the end of November!

Wow can you believe that next month is the end of 2012, it surely feels like this year has gone by far too quickly, especially for those of you who have been fortunate enough to countdown to your big day!

Our busy season has definitely begun at Pose Destination Weddings.
We have been Bon Voyaging many Destination Wedding groups that have booked through Pose over the last year, as they head off on their exciting adventures of attending a Destination Wedding.

We want to Congratulate all of our Destination Wedding Bride and Grooms who were married recently, we love receiving your feedback and seeing your beautiful photos from your big day so keep them coming!

This month we have decided to implement a new referral system at Pose Destination Weddings as our way of rewarding and saying thank you for referring a new Destination Wedding group booking to one of our representatives at Pose Destination Weddings. We like to call it "Friends Referring Friends" here is how it works;

"Friends Referring Friends"

Our business thrives on referrals from customers thrilled with our work. To show our appreciation, we’re offering $250 to anyone with a new referral that leads to the successful booking of a *Destination Wedding.
There’s never been an easier way to make your friends – and your wallet – happy.

*Destination Wedding = A minimum of 10 rooms booked under the group rate at the same resort.

If you have a Destination Wedding that you would like to refer please feel free to email us at info@posetravel.com or you can phone us on 1855 4 POSE TRAVEL (1855 4 767387)