Help! - arranging legal marriage

Melissa!! There is an officiant in Calgary that will marry you right at the airport right before you leave! Let me see if I can do some digging and find his info.

You will probably be able to find an officiant who will come right to your house and do all the legal stuff there.

I'm not sure what the legalities in Alberta state, but a city hall/courthouse wedding just before you go is probably your best bet. You can get an officiant to do it elsewhere, but there is the paperwork involved that has to be sent in. If the city/courts do it, they will completely handle everything which will relieve some stress on you. Really, it's your choice which you'd prefer at the end of the day.

Can't help you on the marriage part. I've heard of a lot of people will just doing a quick courthouse thing. then have their wedding with everyone around. each province/even municipality is different.

but Cozumel. if you haven't been is AMAZING!!!!! I love it there! so many great beaches/shopping/restaurants/water sports.

You should be able to go to City Hall and be married by a Justice of the Peace. I would inform yourself with your local laws and go from there.

I am also having a destination wedding in July 2019 in Mexico. My FH and I are planning a small immediate family only official marriage a month or so before we go. I haven't heard it's difficult to go to the courthouse, you just have to book a room there for a fee and also officiant is no provided so you would need to pay for their service also.
If you live in Ontario you can look at this website for how to book the courthouse

https://www.ontario.ca/page/getting-married#section-1

My brother's sister in law got married in India and had a second reception in Jamaica also to celebrate my brothers engagment the same time.

Its common where most guests won't know about ypu getting married at the time. Have a bbq reception with friends and guests that couldn't fly out after getting back.

My cousin did this. She got married mid-November in Mexico (Riviera Maya), they signed a "faux" marriage license down there during their ceremony, then came back, decorated for Christmas, and got married at her parents house in front of the Christmas tree with an officiant and immediate family.

If Alberta has a similar option to BC, look up government officiants. Ours are only allowed to charge $75, plus a max amount per kilometer for travel. You can have a little home BBQ/party with closest family, make it official, and then have a big ceremony in Cozumel.

Personally, I would suggest getting legally married just after your destination ceremony, and try not to tell your guests you're not doing it legally down there. It really takes away from the special-ness for them if they know they aren't really witnessing your marriage.

To me signing the piece of paper isn't the "magical" part, so I'd want to do that after, so when you're walking down the aisle in Cozumel, you don't have it in your head that you've already done this, and you're already married.