Hi

We got married in Goa in 2003 and unless the laws/rules have changed we would highly recommend that you do not get married in Goa, certainly arrange a blessing there but arranging the civil wedding was a nightmare and there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to marry.

Here is a quick run down of what we had to go through (we had a local business arranging the below so it wasnt just a group of westerners trying it on).

The cost for the civil wedding was £340 this was 95% used in paying bribes and getting documents forged.

First day in Goa head to local panchayat to bribe officials for 6 months residents certificates (you cannot get married unless you have resided in goa for 6 months +), this was done very quickly.

Second day fill in numerous forms and statements to ask the local courts for permission to marry, witnesses etc also have to fill in these inc full details of your parents and there parents.

Third day head to the high court in mapusa and wait around for 3-5 hours to be sent home again.

repeat this on days 4 and 5

day 6 meet the judge and swear various oaths and hand over the documents, judge notices passport visa entrys do not match the resident certificate dates, rest of day 6 is spent getting passports forged to match the residents certificates.

day 7 back before the same judge and happy now that the paperwork matches up hang around for another 4-5 hours and then the judge allows you to be married. you then run as fast as you can (before they change there mind) to the registery office and give them the paperwork, wait an hour or two get called into a office and all parties are asked to sign a book and then they announce you are married and you then walk out the registery wondering what the heck has happened and feeling as un romantic as it possibly can be.

day 8 have a wonderful blessing and beach party and forget all the hassle of the wasted week.

Moral of the story get married in the UK, fly out to goa and arrange with your local shack guy to put something special on.

Bobby at bobbys shack arranged our blessing, was food for 50 ppl, free bar for 50 ppl, elephants to take us to the beach etc, fireworks, fire jugglers, cake, flowers, live band, photographer inc all negatives and abot 100 photos x 3, carved melons etc for around £1200

Pictures etc can be seen in various locations here http://www.peterferguson.nildram.co.uk/

In answer to your questions yes its legal in the UK (you get your marriage certificate about a week after the event so make sure you have plenty of time left or trust worthy ppl that will forward it onto you), please be aware that most Indian women instead of divorce pour gas over themselves and set themselves alight i have insisted that we observe this ritual if needed

I dont believe you can arrange the actual civil part of the wedding anywhere apart from the registery office but you can arrange a blessing anywhere just need a holy man and a willing host.

But again i do stress dont do the civil part in india, its far cheaper in the UK a lot less hassle etc etc

Hi,
my friends got married in Goa in 2000.
we all went to see a woman vicar in March, she arranged everything and she was the only one money was paid to.
I can't remember how much but can ask my friends, I know it wasn't much.
They were married in a lovely little church up on the tops, the other side of Panjim, apparently the only protestant church in Goa, so we were told.
She had a gorgeous wedding dress made, he had a suit made, and they both had wedding rings made, £ 400 the lot.
They got married on the next trip in November 2000, and had a reception do at Kingstork on Holiday street, followed by a do at Aggis shack on the beach.

Obviously that was a long time ago, and no doubt things have changed since then, if the visa and everything else are anything to go by.

It was all legal in the UK, and they had a blessing here in a church for all friends and family who couldn't get to Goa.

Barry

Mrstella

Funny report!

Nice photos and I especially like the TomTom Instructions!
Also, a nice taste in music!!!!!!!!

Brilliant report mrstella! I've been on that elephant too!

Mrstella is absolutely right, get married in Goa is a night mare, I was only one of the four witnesses for the groom and we spent three weeks going to court only to be told twice to come back next week and then three days of come back tomorrow, we did not understand what was going on in the court and even when it was approved there seemed to be a problem and we was all sent out side to wait in the hot sun for three quarters of an hour not sure what had happend until the lawyer came out and said congratulations to the sweat soaked couple

Do the legal bit in the UK and have the reception in your favourite shack