Be sure you understand Aruba’s legal marriage requirements before you plan your Aruba wedding.
In 2002, the law was changed to allow non-Aruban citizens the opportunity to marry on the island. Since that time, romantic Aruba beach weddings at sunset have become very popular; however, couples must be legally wed beforehand.
To be legally married in Aruba, a civil ceremony must take place in the Oranjestad Town Hall, and all the documents must be translated into the native Dutch language.
Documents and Marriage requirements for a civil marriage in Aruba:
- Copies of birth certificate for bride and groom with apostille (state certification).
- Passport picture page or valid state issued picture I.D. for Bride & Groom.
- Minimum of 2 Witness (18 years or older) with passport picture pages or valid state issued picture I.D. Witnesses can be provided locally for a fee, if bride and groom are traveling alone.
- Certificate of no impediment for bride and groom (also referred to as a “single status report” and in some states called a “negative statement of marriage”). This certificate of no impediment is obtained at the bureau of vital statistics which is located in the department of health.
- If either party has been divorced, a copy of the 1st and last page of the divorce decree(s) is needed.
- If either party is a widow(er) the former spouse’s death certificate is needed.
All documents must be faxed for review and then submitted by courier (i.e. FedEx) at least one (1) month prior to your desired wedding date. This is usually handled by your wedding planner, or the wedding coordinator of your chosen resort.
The civil ceremony takes place on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays in the late morning or early afternoon. Saturdays are also available in the late mornings at an additional surcharge.
Having a civil ceremony could add $1000 or more to the cost of your Aruba destination wedding so if you are concerned about blowing your budget, there is an alternative.
A Blessing Ceremony or a Renewal of Vows
Scott and I had an exquisite beach wedding in Aruba. (Technically, since it did not take place in Aruba’s Town Hall, it was considered a blessing ceremony.)
We opted for a private legal city hall wedding here in the States a few months before our trip to Aruba. The cost, including marriage license, marriage certificate, and judge was about $100. (Of course, fees for each state and county vary.)
Having the civil paperwork signed before hand in our home town, saved us time and money. The only documentation we needed to show our wedding coordinator in Aruba was our legal U.S. marriage certificate and of course our passports. And the $900+ we saved helped to add the little extras to make the Beach Ceremony even more special.
Our beach blessing ceremony on Palm Beach was everything we could wish for in a wedding. My father walked me down a palm branch lined isle to the soft rhythm of the steel pan drums. Our friends and family witnessed as the minister blessed our union, and then celebrated with us late into the night with superb food, and music
If you wish to have a religious ceremony in Aruba there are other marriage requirements. Marriage requirements for Catholic, Jewish Protestant, Episcopalian, and Methodist weddings in Aruba can be found here.
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