Meet Marcelo
The Setting
Gathered where ocean, sky and sand meet, you celebrate your love for each other. The one you love is standing by your side. The memorable location you have carefully chosen embraces you in a romantic, once-in-a-lifetime moment. Emotion and senses travel through your mind. The experience you have waited for is about to unfold and become a cherished memory. For you. For the one you love. Forever. You do not want a second-rate officiant.
Your Costa Rica Wedding Ceremony
Officiators abound in Costa Rica today, as ten times more wedding celebrants are offering their services than just five years ago. Destination wedding planners may include in their package "the lawyer", without much reference to him/her other than that "the paperwork will be taken care of..." But what about the celebration of your ceremony? For a complete Q&A see our interview on awayding.com you can also see reviews here.
The Person in Charge
What traits should you seek in an officiant to make your ceremony unforgettable, for you and your guests? As exotic as it may seem, some officiants barely speak English, or they lack the personal skills conducive to dealing with a wedding ceremony. You want a person with sensitivity and experience, the ability to speak and act according to the special moment, that unique talent for approaching and handling the Day of your Dreams skillfully, adept in a ceremony setting. Savoir-faire? Perhaps. Finesse and subtlety? That helps. Sense of humor? A must. Nonetheless, inexperienced lawyers are used as officiants more times than you would like to think, and thus included in luxury packages with the promise of a top-rate ceremony.
When You Select Your Celebrant
Here are some tips on how to make sure you have the right officiant. This will make the difference between a meaningful ceremony and something you may not want to remember:
- Search the Internet for potential officiators, or ask your hotel for leads for experienced ceremony officiants in Costa Rica. Remember, you can tell your planner who you would like to use as your ceremony officiant.
- Interview potential officiants, and be straightforward about what you're looking for. It should be give-and-take. Come with questions, share ideas and try to find someone who will work with you on the ceremony. His/her ability to communicate is key.
- Start planning early. As soon as you set a wedding date, choose an officiant and start the creative process. It's the most natural way of getting to know one another. Don't let your planner talk for the officiant, or force you into using their choice.
- Converse via phone as much as possible. Email is an excellent administrative tool, but it rarely conveys the emotional value you want when planning your big day. You'll want to know if your potential officiant is at ease or nervous when talking about your wedding ceremony. Does he/she have good ideas? Think Ceremony Savvy.
- Once you arrive to your locale, make time to talk face to face. Sit down with your officiant and finalize all the details. Remember, officiants will say they have performed thousands of beach and waterfall wedding ceremonies, or that they are simply "the best officiator in Costa Rica". Check it out. Talk to them and make your own decision. It's your day and you require Experience, Reputation and Reliability from your Officiant.
Please Read On...
Experience - Reputation - Reliability
Raised in the US, Chilean-born Marcelo Galli has lived in Costa Rica for 40 years. Since 1998, he has established himself as Costa Rica's number one matrimony officiator for English-speaking couples. With vast experience and over one thousand weddings performed, he's developed the sensitivity necessary for making your Ceremony Day a truly memorable event.
Marcelo Galli has performed ceremonies for all the major luxury hotels, and smaller quaint luxury venues as well. Jungle lodges, volcano settings and lush waterfall surroundings are all the stomping grounds of his experience.
He lives by his Reputation. That's why celebrity pop star P!nk selected him after interviewing more than a dozen lawyers and coordinating firms in Costa Rica. That landed him a place in the most sold-out edition in magazine history, according to CNN: the January 23rd, 2006 edition of People. He's also been featured in Hello! and Hola! magazines. All part of his Experience, Reputation and Reliability.
Expert Guidance
Marcelo Galli furnishes you with expert guidance in regard to Costa Rica's marriage requirements, which he keeps simple in order for you to enjoy the experience without being bogged down with paperwork. In his own words: "Simplicity is essential for enjoying the moment, and you don't want to be burdened with unnecessary documentation requirements, or needless visits to the Costa Rican Consulate and notarization fees. All you need is a passport. As soon as someone asks for anything else, exercise caution: it's most probably a novice."
A Notary Public as well as an Attorney with powers of a Justice of the Peace, Marcelo Galli takes care of every legal aspect concerning the marriages he performs, and he provides you with a Certificate of Marriage that is ready to be used as Proof of Marriage in your hometown. Upon request, he can also provide an additional Notary Certification on Ceremony Day, to use as temporary Proof of Marriage while you wait for your definitive Certificate of Marriage to arrive via certified mail.
The Ceremony
When it comes to the ceremony, Marcelo Galli is dedicated to fulfilling your needs regarding every detail imaginable. Providing fresh ideas, he makes the ceremony event an unforgettable one.
He custom-designed Pink's Unity Sand Ceremony, for instance, to involve the participation of friends and family. And her bridesmaid confessed, "It was really special for her." Kara Keaney, one of California's top event planners, was delighted with Marcelo's creative input and performance of the ceremony. Marcelo is comfortable in high-pressure settings. In his philosophy, sensitivity and communication are the key factors in producing a unique and personal wedding day.
A Man of Many Hats
Married for 17 years to a wonderful California Girl, Marcelo Galli had a 25 yea carreer in music prior to becoming an attorney. He was literally a rock n' roll drummer. Known in the 80s in Costa Rican music circles simply as "The Legend", he traveled on numerous occasions to several countries to perform in concerts in front of thousands. Marcelo finally "let go" of the drums in the mid 90s. With his last band, Blues Revue, he organized and played a tribute to blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan drawing a huge crowd in one of San Jose's prime live music venues. He also is an adept blues harmonica player, a lover of vintage harmonica memorabilia, a Stones fan, jazz collector and audiophile!
Marcelo is also the President of the only vegetarian association in Costa Rica. The Association for the Promotion of Ethical Vegetarianism, or APEV (www.vegetarianos.co.cr), promotes a healthy lifestyle, sustainable eating and a compassionate worldview. A fan of fitness and health, he loves to run with his dogs Rusty, Norita and his blind giant schnauzer Caibil (or Kill Bill) every day at the crack of dawn. "Watching every sunrise soothes a mans soul," he says. He's also a world traveler. Having been to China, New Zealand, India, Nepal, most of Europe and the Chilean southern-most glaciers, he has absorbed many cultures and traditions, which makes him an excellent choice for your Costa Rica Wedding Ceremony Officiant.