Getting married in Mexico during a pandemic

Travel Journal #20

The two of us have had many incredible adventures as we have traveled along the road of life. Three and a half years ago, our two roads merged into a superhighway and we’ve been in the fast lane ever since. Our adventures have always been a little bit off the beaten path, so we decided that when it came time to get married, why not do it a little bit different? Nothing about our relationship has been “normal”, so why start now.

Getting married during a pandemic will ensure that we never forget our wedding day. We invited 4 witnesses to our wedding which was held in a small office on Cozumel. It was fast and efficient, only taking about 10 minutes. We signed our names and left a fingerprint on official documents and have taken the next steps on our shared journey. It was unforgettable. We were smiling so hard that our cheeks hurt, and despite the fact that we were wearing masks, our happiness was obvious.

It has been a strange experience, not being able to share this in person with our friends and family. We have essentially had a digital wedding. We look forward to trying this again when its save to do so. We’re super excited to share this news with our travel friends here on Travel Around the Galaxy. Maybe 2020 wasn’t going to be so bad after all?

Hey there #traveltribe! We’ve got exciting news! Our adventures have always been a little bit off the beaten path, so we decided that when it came time to get married, why not keep it a little different? #travel #cozumel #offthebeatenpath #letsgoadventuring pic.twitter.com/kBWRFqeFou

— Norma & Rob | Travel Around the Galaxy from A-Z (@travels_galaxy) July 15, 2020

What is an emergency wedding?

In order to stay in Mexico during the pandemic, Rob had to fly to Houston, as told in Travel in the time of Coronavirus post from a few months ago. This was back in March. We then spent the next 4 months in lockdown here on Cozumel. It turned out to be a good call. The two of us have stayed safe here on the island.

Way back in March, we had already decided to get married. Things changed when Covid showed up and we altered our plans. Canada had just closed it’s borders and it looked like Mexico might do the same. Norma couldn’t come to Canada but at least we were still be together in Mexico.

About a month ago, Canada decided that they would now allow spouses into the country. Rob was going to have to fly back to Canada soon, which because of closed borders, meant going alone. We didn’t know when we would be back together again.

Two weeks ago we called the offices on Cozumel to see if it was possible to get married, which the answer is currently no… unless it’s an emergency. We explained our situation and they agreed this unique scenario probably fit their requirements. They gave us a form to fill out and less than 2 weeks later we were married.

We never expected our story to turn out this way, but neither of us are surprised. It’s been a whirlwind adventure that has taken us this far, and we’re both excited to see where it takes us next.

Happily Ever After

As the saying goes, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey that matters. This is just another chapter in our already exciting story. So what comes next?

We have a few things to decide right now, but at least we both have more legal options of being in both Canada or Mexico. The next choice is where should we spend the next four months. There are a few very likely scenarios we’re investigating right now, including a) an epic road trip across Mexico to visit Norma’s family and b) a fairly complicated process in which we will try to fly with a dog from Mexico City to Canada.

At least it turns out that bringing a dog is a lot less complicated than bringing a wife. Whatever happens to us next certainly will not be boring. We promise to keep you updated!

Right now, we’re just enjoying the moment.