Weddings in Dominican Republic

Weddings

The relative ease of getting married in the D.R. has made it a major destination for Caribbean weddings. There are no residency requirements, nor are blood tests mandatory. Original birth certificates and passports are required. Divorce certicates must be stamped by the Dominican Consulate. If a woman has been divorced, it must have been at least10 months ago. Single certificates that indicate the bride and groom are indeed single, must be stamped by that same consulate. If either party is widowed, a death certificate must be produced along with the previous marriage certificate. These documents must be translated into Spanish and legalized. You must usually submit documents at least two weeks in advance of your wedding, and the cost for processing is usually about $75 per person.

As elsewhere in the Caribbean, civil ceremonies, performed by a judge, are easier and require less documentation than those performed in churches. They will be in Spanish unless you arrange for an English translator. Similarly, the legalized wedding certificate will be in Spanish and may not be delivered for a week or more. Most couples arrange their wedding ceremonies through the wedding coordinator at their resort.

A number of resorts cater to the wedding market and provide a gorgeous backdrop for the occasion. At Excellence in Punta Cana, weddings are free if you book a seven-day stay in an ocean-view junior suite or better, and they throw in an extra room for the groom on the night before the wedding. At Natura Cabanas, in Cabarete, you can be married in the palacial yoga pavilion or on the beach.