David Gardiner

My eldest daughter would like to get married in Goa around Christmas time 2012. Both are british citizens. Can anybody help with advice experiences etc?

noni

Have a registery wedding in the Uk. and have it blessed out there. Whatever they tell you, you have to be in residence for about 4 - 6 weeks and even have permission from the Panchayat (if he is in a good mood and take plenty of money with you), Friends had to go the court with 8 witnesses who are supposed to have known you all your life. Return 2 weeks later with four witnesses, the weeks later with two, and twelve days later my friends were married in the Mapsa Registry Office - everybody has to be married there before a church wedding.

dreadsoc

The process is a nightmare.
My friend lives there and married an Indian.
It took weeks and weeks and weeks - they had to go to court several times with witnesses swearing that they knew them etc and they were legally able to wed.
Every time they went to court they found that another document had to be changed or produced etc etc.
Even now she is not sure if she is legally married - every time she goes for a PIO visa she gets told she is not yet legally married...despite having a wedding certificate from Mapusa court - work that one out.....
Another couple from Austria got married out there and had to get married again in austria - turned out they weren't legally married after all - even after going to court and being told they were.

Best to do what Noni says and get married in a UK registry office then get blessed out there. Marriage is meant to be one of the happiest days of your daughter's life- not the most stressful !!

Dread - x

oktata

google 'goa weddings' there are plenty of wedding planners in goa who specialize in making this a smoother process and avoid the hassles as others here have pointed out.

iain492001

Funnily enough, I had the "procedure" described to me only last week, exactly as Noni said, and that was by a Goan couple!! And they won't be able to "consummate" the marriage until after the church ceremony.

seoindia

Do you know any local in Goa. It would be easier if you know someone who is local and native of Goa.

urban karma

Would she like to try Tiracol Village in North Goa?

Google Tiracol Village and see how beautiful it is.

Let me know!
Cheers

noni

Welcome to BE. Hope you enjoy your time with us.

leavinggoa

Friend of mine sorted a Hindu ceremony on the beach. They got "proper" married in England, of course. If you want a church, you'll need to bung the local priest but the locals might not like it. Funny lot here. The Cathoilic owner of the place that my friends, and more of their friends, were staying, didn't like the guy helping to arrange it and refused to let the silver horse drawn carriage and the Hindu priest into the property to begin the procession through the village to the beach. TOSSERS! Won't be recommending her guesthouse any more. Another bitch who runs a bar near to the beach (Alex Place, KEEP OUT!) called the Tourist Police to grass that we didn't have an NOC to hold a ceremony on the beach. Lovely people. Everything went off really well. We had a great party in Greenland and up yours all you miserable b@stards.

hemingway

Is she not called "Livia" or is it "Livina" - eitherway she also used to own Lavina beach shack as well as Alex Place, which I was told was an "illegal construction" because it was too close to the high tide line.

We've had some nice meals there in the past but it was just too "dead" & when it wasn't dead, the only other customers were Russians who were staying at the nearby Alila Diwa - we went in there for a look round & could see why they weren't eating in the hotel: Rs1,750 for lamb chops & Rs7,500 for a bottle of Chateau neuf du pape.

H.

leavinggoa

Yes, it's Lavina. She's Frank's (who owns Greenland) sister. Story is that Alila built the place. Come next door to Greenland. The taxi drivers will tell you they don't know where it is or you'll get food poisoning. The Russians come and order "the biggest fish you can get". My English friend runs it. Starting beginning Nov.

hemingway

Was a Scottish guy involved in Greenland? The same guy who I think was involved with the Goa Animal Welfare Trust?

H.

leavinggoa

The only Scottish I know with GAWT is Fat Colin, AKA Colin C, C for COLVA. Don't think he's been there. Before Roger took over, Frank's Janine was running it.

hemingway

Ah, yes, Colin that's right - I think he was pissed off with us one time when we seem to have nicked his table on a Betty's trip.

Do you stay in Betalbatim or Majorda?

H.

leavinggoa

I'm Betalbatim. Colin organises Betty's trips for a commission.