Firstly, you need a companion for this journey. It’s a little harder to get almost married alone. Here’s my co conspirator:

Step 2, rent a car. A little internet research will tell you that you can’t easily get almost married in San Ignacio, so you need to travel to Belmopan. I recommend car rental as the most expedient method of transport in Belize. That is, of course, assuming you’re in a hurry to get almost married!

Now that you have transport, you need to find the Ministry of the Attorney General in Belmopan. This is not as easy as it sounds. I recommend parking in the central market and walking. You’ll eventually find a library with a sign on the door that says “Marriage Licence”. The vaguely unfriendly lady should give you the application form and explain the process.

You need to find a justice of the peace and complete the form in front of them.

Here’s the victory pose, we’ve completed and signed the application for a licence to almost marry.

Finally, the most important step in getting almost married is to destroy the paperwork. If you don’t follow this step then you might actually end up married!

So there you have it, how to get almost married in Belize in 5 easy steps!

Who’s the girl?

Sam. We met on Isla Mujeres on Christmas day. Yes, that was only 13 days ago. She’s Vietnamese Chinese by parentage, Canadian by citizenship, and she lives in Brooklyn.

Why get married?

Sam suggested it. I think we’re fairly compatible, we have similar beliefs. I think she’d make a good mother. It may not be romantic, but I think it’s practical. I’d prefer to get married because I think we’re compatible than because I’m infatuated and caught up in romance.

Why now?

Sam lives in Brooklyn, I live in Guadalajara. Her flight back is the 17th of Jan. I’m willing to get married impulsively because I think it might work. I don’t think a long distance relationship would work. So I figure it’s all or nothing.

I believe marriage is a commitment to work hard to maintain a healthy relationship. I’m happy to make that commitment to Sam and see where it goes.

I think getting married is a self fulfilling prophecy. The marriage is the commitment. Making the commitment is what makes the relationship work. So I’m willing to make that commitment and see what happens. None of us can predict the future, but I’m getting into this with my eyes open.

Progress report

We rented a car in San Ignacio and drove to Belmopan, the capital of Belize. We got the marriage licence form from the Ministry of the Attorney General. We completed and signed the form in front of a Justice of the Peace. Sam had some pre-marital nerves.

Now we have the paperwork, we could submit it in the morning and be married in the afternoon. I’m not sure how it’ll play out.