My Big Fat Mexican Wedding — Preparations
Part 3 of “Between Tequila and Tacos : Chronicles of an Adventurous Belgian in Mexico”
Love’s Price Tag
Armed with my valid tourist visa, I naively believed that smooth sailing lay ahead. With confidence and optimism, I started the application process for a residence and working permit, anticipating a prompt and positive outcome. Quickly, reality shattered that illusion!
In a twist that felt like a comedy punchline, I learned that I also needed a permit to marry my sweetheart. It was a moment of disbelief, as if the bureaucratic gods were playing a cruel joke on me. So, I discovered that love is not only about romance — it demanded a price both in paperwork and in pesos.
Suddenly the path to starting a new life became a tangled web of form-filling and permits. In the midst of this turmoil, I could not help but wonder if our love story would be lost amidst the sea of red tape.
As I juggled applications for both the special working and residence visa and the marriage permit, suspicions began to swirl through the corridors of Interior Affairs and the Migration Department. My request was deemed “fishy” and “unusual,” prompting a summons from a high-level bureaucrat.
Getting help
This time, I refused to face the bureaucratic beast alone. No, I enlisted the aid of the consul, a suave diplomat with a knack for defusing tense situations. With him by my side, we braved the intimidating arena, armed with a hefty dose of charm and a huge pile of paperwork.
Fortunately, the consul’s calm demeanour and powerful communication skills worked wonders. We managed to clear the air and to reassure the bureaucrat. Though I didn’t secure my working permit, I did gain her blessing to marry a Mexican — for a fee, of course. As I was already aware of.
Ah, the age-old adage that ‘nothing in life is free’ took on a whole new level of significance.
Instead of congratulations on my marriage I was met with a bill and a reminder that even matters of the heart come with a price tag in this world. So, with a swipe of my credit card, I embraced the absurdity of it all and I was getting prepared to say ‘I do’ and ‘charge it’ in equal measure.
The Waiting Game
Still, bureaucracy, it seemed, was not to be rushed.
We were informed that we needed to wait until all the paperwork was completed, with every stamp and signature meticulously applied to the permit. This tedious process could take a few days, and with our wedding date looming ever closer, time suddenly felt like our most precious commodity.
I found myself anxiously praying for the permit to arrive on time, knowing all too well that any delay could throw a wrench into our meticulously laid plans.
Family Expectations
But this wasn’t just about our aspirations; it was about appeasing the grandiose visions of Oscar’s family. While we had dreamed of a modest celebration, their desires veered towards the extravagant — a lavish wedding with all the bells and whistles imaginable. Settling for anything less was simply out of the question for them, adding an extra layer of pressure to our already chaotic circumstances.
Oscar and I had reluctantly agreed to a grand affair, though we vowed to remain mere spectators. In Mexico, it’s customary for godparents to foot the bill for various wedding expenses, from music to the offering of pigs to feed the invitees. And so, the stage was set for a spectacle unlike any other.
A Welcome Distraction
Fortunately, the arrival of my parents in Mexico City brought some much-needed distraction. We opted to all stay at the apartment that soon would be Oscar’s and my home. My mom’s cousin had created my wedding dress, a simple model that would easily fit anyone and that would withstand the heat of Atoyac. Beautiful, elegant and most of all practical.
Together, we set out on a mission to find the perfect pair of white shoes. Picking the groom and the shoes stood as my sole contributions to this major event, a humorous reminder of my limited part in the spectacle about to unfold.
Last-Minute Relief
The marriage permit arrived just two days before the big day, bringing a collective sigh of relief to everyone involved. With this crucial document finally in hand, we could all breathe a little easier and focus on the final preparations for the journey ahead.
With the wedding dress and shoes carefully stowed away, along with hopes and dreams for our future together, we set off on the adventure of a lifetime.
Little did we know, Atoyac held countless surprises and challenges in store for us, from familial dramas to cultural clashes and everything in between. But armed with love, laughter, and a healthy dose of resilience, we were ready to face whatever came our way.
Join me in the next installment and dive headfirst into the whirlwind of wedding festivities, where laughter mingles with chaos and love conquers all.
