Have you ever wondered civil marriage or religious ceremony? Although it clearly depends on your tastes and beliefs, we will make that decision easier for you.
Choosing the type of ceremony you want for your wedding day is apparently an easy decision. But the truth is that it doesn’t always work that way. For this reason, at Wink we have created a guide where you will learn about the differences between civil and religious marriage, aspects that go beyond what we all already know.
Religious wedding:
It is a union that is celebrated within the framework of the faith professed by the couple. In this type of wedding, the marital union is blessed by God, which makes it indissoluble, that is, there is no divorce figure; the marriage only ends with the death of one of the spouses.
According to each religion, some procedures, concepts and rituals change. However, in Colombia, the most common religions and with the most followers are the Catholic and Christian religions.
In the case of the rite by the Catholic Church, the couple must be baptized, have received First Communion and made confirmation and religious confession. As well as attach some documents:
- Christening party.
- Confirmation game.
- Identification documents.
- Premarital course certificate.
- Single certificate.
- Document-type photographs of each one.
- Death certificate in case someone has been married and widowed.
- Certificate of marriage annulment, in the event that someone has been previously married, they must have an order from the ecclesiastical court that specifies that their previous marriage was null and that they can remarry.
- Civil divorce in case of having previously been married civilly and having divorced.
- There are parishes that request a not very common permit called ‘Nihil Obstat’ which translates as ‘Nothing opposes’, in case you get married in a different parish than the one you were baptized as a child.
- Marriage file, is a document that the parish priest carries out through an interview with the two bride and groom in the presence of two witnesses and then separately.
- If someone has children, they must attach the baptismal certificate or birth certificate of the minor.
Civil wedding:
Getting married civilly is perhaps one of the most common ceremonies since they are performed before notaries or civil authorities and it does not depend on the faith or religion practiced by the couple. To do so, the couple must be of legal age or if they are minors, they must have the permission of their parents or legal representatives.
Among the procedures for civil marriage you must have the following documents:
- Completed and authenticated civil marriage request, presented by you and your partner or by a proxy if necessary.
- The birth certificate of each one, valid for no more than 3 months.
- Photocopy of the citizenship certificates.
- A special power of attorney to a relative or a close person, in the event that you or your partner cannot personally present the civil marriage request or even cannot attend the ceremony.
To contract a civil marriage, they must not have been previously married, unless one of the two is legally divorced or widowed. In this case, they must present the divorce decree and/or the death certificate, respectively.
Keep in mind the expenses or notary fees that generally have a value of $44,200 pesos if it is done at the notary, and $119,200 for marriages outside the notary office or at home.
We know that the differences are notable in both ceremonies and that each type of marriage has its characteristics and advantages. However, it is worth remembering one similarity, the most important of all, and that is that these conjugal unions are made out of love.
Love is what moves us as human beings, regardless of religion, customs and ideology.
Whatever type of wedding you choose, rest assured that it will be the most special day of your life and if you let us, at Wink we will be more than willing to help you make it magical.
Long live weddings in all their expressions! Long live!
