Weddings in St. Martin and St. Maarten

Weddings

Marriages on St. Maarten follow the same rules as on the other Netherlands Antilles islands; getting married on the French side really isn't feasible because of stringent residency requirements, identical to those in France. Couples must be at least 18 years old and submit their documents at least 14 days prior to the wedding date. The application requires notarized original documents to be submitted to the registrar, including birth certificates, passports (for non-Dutch persons), divorce decrees from previous marriages, death certificates of deceased spouses, and passports for six witnesses if the ceremony is to take place outside of the Marriage Hall. The documents must be submitted in Dutch or English -- or else they must be translated into Dutch. The cost for this process is $285.90. Some of the larger resorts have wedding coordinators who can help to prepare the paperwork for a wedding. Wedding planners' fees average between $900 and $1,200. Any questions should be directed to the chief registrar.

Information

Chief Registrar (Census Office, Soualiga Rd., Philipsburg. 599/542-5647. 599/542-4267).