Some have been together nearly half a century. Others just turned 18. A few came from as far away as Latvia.
Yucatán’s free collective wedding at the Feria Yucatán Xmatkuil is drawing far more interest than organizers expected. With about two weeks left before registration closes, 373 couples have signed up, nearly double the goal of 206 marriages, said Jorge Carlos Ramírez Granados, director of the state Civil Registry.
That goal was already ambitious. Only 41 couples took part last year, and this year’s target is five times that number. Officials haven’t said how many of the 373 couples have completed their paperwork.
Registration opened Sept. 22 and stays open until Saturday, Nov. 21. The group ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at the fairgrounds on Mérida’s southern edge.
Who’s saying “I do”
Applicants range from 18-year-olds to couples who have lived together for more than 49 years. Foreign nationals from Latvia, Colombia, Cuba, and the United States are also on the list.
For longtime partners, the draw is legal recognition. A civil marriage sets out the rights and obligations of each spouse and provides legal protection in family and property matters. In Mexico, only a civil ceremony performed by the Registro Civil makes a marriage legally binding; a church wedding on its own does not.
Ramírez Granados said the program is free to remove cost as an obstacle, especially for families who have put off making their union official for one reason or another.
The program, called Bodas del Renacimiento Maya, is run by the state’s legal affairs office, the Consejería Jurídica, and the Civil Registry. It covers the marriage registration and the marriage certificate at no charge.
Organizers are promising more than paperwork. Plans call for live music, a mariachi band, a saxophonist, and gifts for the newlyweds. Participating couples get free admission to the fair, and 25 pairs of tickets to an Ozuna concert will be handed out.
How to sign up
The Civil Registry has at least one office in each of Yucatán’s 106 municipalities, so residents of smaller towns no longer have to travel far for many procedures. In all, the agency runs 144 offices, mostly in municipal seats and hospitals, and couples can apply at any of them. Staff have also been visiting markets and communities to hand out information on requirements.
In Mérida, applications are accepted at the registry’s offices on Calle 65, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Couples can also call 999-930-3150, ext. 44501, 44517, or 44536, for guidance.
Organizers have not published separate requirements for foreign applicants, so foreign residents should confirm which documents they need well before the deadline.
Collective weddings are a long-running tradition at the state fair, which this year runs from Nov. 6 to 29 and also features concerts, livestock shows, and regional food. The fair drew about 3.5 million visitors last year, and organizers hope to top that number. The full schedule, including the World Brahman Congress, was laid out in the state’s fair announcement.
With more than 370 couples already interested, the Nov. 28 ceremony could be one of the largest the fair has seen in years.
Fast Facts
- Program: Bodas del Renacimiento Maya, a free collective civil wedding
- Ceremony: 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, Xmatkuil fairgrounds
- Registration deadline: Saturday, Nov. 21
- Cost: Free registration and marriage certificate
- Where to apply: Any of the Civil Registry’s 144 offices in Yucatán
- Mérida office: Calle 65, open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays
- Information: 999-930-3150, ext. 44501, 44517, or 44536
- Perks: Free fair admission; 25 pairs of Ozuna concert tickets to be given away