The Country

Formally named as the United Mexican States, this Central American nation is located south of the United States and is flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Gulf Of Mexico on its West and East respectively.

With a population base of 111 million, Mexico has become a cultural powerhouse. Its tradition, customs and people have become proportionately the most influential in the Spanish-speaking world, if not the world itself.

The Mestizos (of European and Amerindian ancestry) constitutes over 80% of the population while the Amerindians (natives of the region) make up the rest. Christianity is the dominant religion here, with Catholicism comprising over 90% of them. Despite Spanish being spoken by almost everyone in the land, indigenous languages of the native minorities are also granted national language status.

The country is governed by a president assisted by two elected legislative bodies, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Relationship With A Mexican Woman

In Mexican society, the men are expected to take the lead in matters of the heart. So be bold and make the first move by asking her out. Chances are, she will ask you to speak to the father first (or in his absence, the eldest male in the household). Dress formally, bring flowers for the mother and be polite. Drink liquor if it is offered, but do not ask for it. Be attentive to any advice given by the father.

Arrange your date in the daytime and always send your girlfriend home at the scheduled hour. Pick up the tab for everything and remember to bring a gift for the family each time you pick her up.

Seek her permission to raise the matter with her parents. If she agrees, put on your best suit and ask your future parents in law for their daughter’s hand in marriage. Be prepared for questions relating to your finance, family and future plans. In the presence of the elders of her family and at times, the local padre, present her with a promise ring. Now you can plan your wedding, with your wedding padrinos – your bride’s godparents. The godparents of your betrothed will be your mentor for the wedding and all wedding arrangement has to be approved by them. Traditionally, they are expected to foot the bill for the wedding, although nowadays, the practice has been largely abandoned. They are however, still bound by the tradition of offering you and your bride a bible as a wedding gift.

On your wedding day, the bride will be wearing a white gown with a mantilla veil while you will look dashing in your bolero jacket and drawstring pants. As you take your vows, the priest will bind your necks together with a white ribbon in a symbolic gesture meant to represent your commitment to each other. The wedding reception would’ve been arranged by your padrinos well in advance and all you need to do is attend and enjoy the event. However, before doing so, the guests will expect a dance from you and your beloved. The guests will circle around the both of you and form a heart shaped fence. Amidst the pushing and shoving to keep the heart shape, you will dance with your bride accompanied by a mariachi band and laughter.

As everyone starts to eat, a piñata is hung in the centre of the room and children will attempt to hit it with pieces of sticks. Eventually, it will split open and a cascade of candies and sweets will rain on the children.

And what kind of reception will it be without the wedding cake? The traditional wedding cake is a rum soaked fruitcake that will make many of your guests a little tipsy in no time as the concentrated rum rears its head after a few mouthful of cake.

Regulation

Marriage in Mexico can be a little intimidating for foreigners as each region has their own sets of rules and regulations. However, there are a few constants among them, which make things a little easier. To begin with, copies of your identification and travelling papers are a must. Next, you will need to provide a medical report issued by a local physician, inclusive of chest x-rays and blood test results. Following that, apply for approval from the Secretaria de Gobernación Office of Migración (Secretary Of Government Office of Immigration). The documents provided must be in Spanish and any translation requires an apostil. Finally, the registration itself will require four witnesses with valid identifications. The processing is will take anywhere between two weeks and a month.