Question about marriage in the Domincan culture

bandida10 · #1 10-09-2006, 05:53 PM

I am just wondering if anyone has heard this before, and can explain..

My fiance just returned from a trip to Puerto Plata. We have friends there as I have meentioned in previous posts. When we told our one friend we would be getting married in a church he was shocked. He told us that there, you marry first by the law, and then after you have been married by the law for about five years (or more, sometimes never) you can get married in the church. When we asked why, we were told it is a big responsability to be married in the church. I have never heard of this before, just wondering if anyone else has, and can provide some insight.

Thanks,
Bandida

suarezn · #2 10-09-2006, 06:06 PM

If you are married by the catholic church you can NEVER, EVER divorce unless the pope himself gives you an exclusion. Thus most Dominicans marry by the law (kind of test the waters if you know what I mean)...then after you are really, really sure you plan to be married for the rest of your life you make the big comittment...

zak023 · #3 10-09-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suarezn

If you are married by the catholic church you can NEVER, EVER divorce unless the pope himself gives you an exclusion. Thus most Dominicans marry by the law (kind of test the waters if you know what I mean)...then after you are really, really sure you plan to be married for the rest of your life you make the big comittment...

Mr Guzman once said that there is such a thing as a Pre-nup in the DR..If this is true about not being able to divorce then marrying in a church with a pre-nup will surely protect you if you want to walk away in the future..

rellosk · #4 10-09-2006, 07:18 PM

Most of the poorer Dominicans seem to have what the first world would call a common law marriage. They are not married in the eyes of the law, there is no marriage performed by the church or by a judge. They just move in together and say they are married.

DianaC · #5 10-09-2006, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandida10

I am just wondering if anyone has heard this before, and can explain..

My fiance just returned from a trip to Puerto Plata. We have friends there as I have meentioned in previous posts. When we told our one friend we would be getting married in a church he was shocked. He told us that there, you marry first by the law, and then after you have been married by the law for about five years (or more, sometimes never) you can get married in the church. When we asked why, we were told it is a big responsability to be married in the church. I have never heard of this before, just wondering if anyone else has, and can provide some insight.

Thanks,
Bandida

Getting married in a Catholic church in the DR is realitively easy and inexpensive. We got married in one. I know several Dominican couples who have been married in the Catholic church from the start (no legal marriage with a trial period before making it "forever"). Many do not marry in a church because a marriage con papel (civil marriage) is considered reversible. A Catholic church marriage is considered non-reversible. You can be sure that if a Dominican marries you in a Catholic church that they have taken their vows seriously and they consider the marriage "forever".