Caribbean Island Destinations
May 10, 2010 By: Staff Travel AgentThe Caribbean beach has different islands for every client
While many couples dream of a Caribbean wedding or honeymoon, as a travel agent it is up to you to help them decide which island would be right for them. Each island has its unique culture and attractions and, perhaps most importantly for couples looking to tie the knot, its set of regulations for getting married.
Here is a rundown of what some of the top Caribbean destinations offer—and what your clients need to know to get married there.
Anguilla
Anguilla, surrounded by luminous turquoise seas, is the place for the perfect beach wedding. A tiny flat island just 16 miles long and three miles wide, with some of the whitest shimmering sand in the Caribbean, Anguilla is also a watersports lover’s paradise. (Its pristine reefs and wrecks provide fantastic diving and snorkeling opportunities.)
Despite its small size, the standard of hotels and restaurants is exceptionally high, with most larger resorts offering wedding packages. The best time to visit and get married is December through March, when temperatures average 79?F.
Wedding requirements: Visitors from America, Europe and any country that are allowed entry without special permission only need be in the country for two working days before the ceremony. Documents required for a “special” marriage license are: proof of citizenship such as a valid passport or birth certificate and driver’s license. Proof of divorce or death certificate is required if it’s not a first marriage.
If one partner resides in Anguilla for at least 15 days before the date of marriage, the cost of the license is $40. If the stay is shorter, the cost of the license is $284 due to stamp duty. Two witnesses are required.
Aruba
Whether your clients choose to tie the knot on the beach, during a private sunset cruise, or at a lush tropical garden, getting married in Aruba is a wonderful way to add exotic romance to their wedding day. There are many properties on the island with complete banquet facilities for the reception, and many of Aruba’s fine restaurants offer elegant private rooms for special occasions. Afterwards, couples can enjoy their honeymoon here, taking advantage of the island’s breathtaking vistas and secluded hideaways to celebrate. Many of Aruba’s best resorts and hotels offer all-inclusive honeymoon packages, and the island itself is perfect for newlyweds.
Wedding requirements: For a civil service, the couple must provide from their country of citizenship an “apostille” report proof that they are both single and eligible to marry. Each person must submit their birth certificate with a raised seal. In addition, couples must hold valid passports and submit with their application, copies of the pages showing all relevant details. Copies of the passport pages of their witnesses must also be submitted (if a couple does not have any witnesses, the resort will provide them at an additional fee). All documents are to be faxed for review to the office of Civil Registry and then submitted by courier (i.e., FedEx) at least a month prior to the wedding date.
All civil ceremonies must take place before the church wedding, either in the U.S. or in Aruba. Civil ceremonies are conducted inside the City Hall (Bureau Burgerlijke Stand) in Oranjestad and are performed Wednesdays through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
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