Getting Married in the Bahamas - Legally
When that first white sand and sandal-inspired Bahamas wedding first came to mind, you probably envisioned something simple but beautiful. A sultry late afternoon Bahamas wedding in the company of a few of your closest friends and family, unrestricted in soft, tropic-inspired wedding wear. Maybe you pictured a semi-circle of torched candles enveloping the guests and casting a warm glow over that Bahamas wedding ceremony. It's beautiful, and you can have it all.
All of these things are doable, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to pull it off. However, unless you want to risk walking away with a newly inked marriage license that isn't worth as much as high quality tissue paper back home, you might want to consider the services of a good Destination Wedding Specialist.
A Bahamas wedding destination planner knows key information that can save you a lot of time and potential heartache like:
- Whether blood tests are required to get married
- How and when to apply for the marriage license
- What the cost of the marriage license will be
- What legal documents you'll need to provide (Death Certificate if widowed; Divorce Decree if divorced)
- Any other legal requirements you may not have thought of
When you have a Bahamas wedding specialist on your side, you won't be plagued with nagging doubts and worries over what you may have forgotten. Instead, you can focus on the fun stuff like what you'll wear on the best day of your life!
Making Your Perfect Grand Bahama Island Wedding Happen
As you're dreaming about that Grand Bahama Island wedding, be honest with yourself about what it is you really want and what's realistic. For some people, the perfect Grand Bahama wedding would take place in a deluxe resort hotel, complete with chandeliered cathedral ceilings, row upon row of elegantly upholstered chairs, and a gorgeous, hedonistic banquet. Just imagine all two hundred guests (you're going to invite your fourth cousin twice removed�right?) mingling and enjoying the day with you. Sure the logistics of getting two hundred people to your Grand Bahama Island wedding was a nightmare, but it was worth it right?
Okay, back to reality. As nice as all of that sounds, the reality is that you're probably not going to be able to invite that many people to your wedding, nor do you really want to. The whole idea of a romantic Grand Bahama Island wedding is the intimacy of the ceremony. You may be wondering why your wedding planner couldn't work out the details of such a large Bahamas wedding and the answer is�they can. In fact, a destination wedding planner will do more for you and your wedding guests than you could even imagine including:
- Scouting out the perfect wedding location based on your preferences, number of guests, etc.
- Making sure all legal documents and paperwork are taken care of
- Keeping in contact with the guests to ensure travel arrangements are made
- Ensuring that all of your guests have a hotel room to go back to at the end of the day
- Helping you create your own customized wedding website
If you're being honest with yourself, how many of those long-lost relatives are really going to be able to make it to your Grand Bahama Island wedding? Aging relatives may have health issues that prevent them from traveling, others may have small children they can't leave behind, tightly-scheduled careers, or educational commitments that can't be broken. The best idea for a perfect Grand Bahama Island wedding is to take your extended wedding list and chip away at it until you're down to those people who absolutely have to be at your wedding. Your destination wedding planner and your budget will thank you!
The Intimate Nassau Wedding
You're planning a Nassau wedding and you want the whole world to know it! Wherever you decide to recite your vows, you're sure to get a lot of positive attention from friends, families, and other vacationers! Beautiful brides definitely turn heads. However, if you want to limit the number of heads you turn to your own immediate friends and family, consider these Nassau wedding options:
- Book your wedding ceremony in the Nassau resort's garden, if that option is available. Whether it's a gated garden wedding, surrounded by thick, lush, tropical flowers, or a candle-lit garden wedding in the evening, you'll feel as if you're in your own tropical wedding paradise.
- Ask your destination wedding specialist about the best time to get married on the beach. Often sunset times are not only great for photos, but also for privacy.
So you see, it's not impossible to have a private Nassau wedding at a beautiful resort. But don't be too private! It's your wedding day and people are going to want to catch a glimpse of the bride, so why not let them? Share the vows with your partner, witnessed by your closest family and friends, and then step out and about. Show off a little!
Bahamas Wedding Resort Excursions
Your Bahamas wedding is just around the corner, everything is in place, and you've got way too much time on your hands. It might sound impossible, but it's true. When you trust your destination wedding specialist to handle all of the important wedding details, you'll find yourself with some time to spare before that beautiful Bahamas wedding.
Resorts typically offer a variety of excursions that include everything from scuba diving to parasailing. Bahamas wedding resorts book excursions daily for groups of people looking for some adventure. Off-site excursions are a great way to get a glimpse of the "true" culture and locale. Even if you only have a day to spare before the big wedding day, you can still enjoy a few hours on a glass boat tour, a catamaran rum party, or an inner tube ride down a lazy river.
Bahamas wedding resorts are beautiful, but there's something to be said for venturing off course a little. You could even do a little local shopping before your big day! Buy some locally crafted jewelry to wear, purchase a few hand-crafted candles to light on your honeymoon, or look for the perfect wedding gift for your partner.
Whatever you do, take advantage of your lush tropical surroundings and enjoy yourself!
Bahamas Wedding Guests With Special Needs
As you plan your Bahamas wedding with your destination wedding specialist, carefully consider your guests and any special requirements they might have. For example, if Aunt Agnes has diabetes back home, she's still going to have it in the Bahamas. That might mean talking to her about out-of-country, travel/health insurance. The kind of wedding your specialist organizes can only be as good as the information you give him or her, so make sure to discuss special dietary restrictions and any physical limitations that a guest might have.
If someone in your wedding party is in a wheelchair, it's going to be rough pushing it through the sand. That doesn't mean you can't have your Bahamas beach wedding, it just means your destination wedding specialist will need to make special arrangements. Keep in mind that while the services of your specialist might be free, the expenses of the wedding are still yours, to have and to hold, until debt you pay off.
Destination wedding specialists are used to dealing with all of the contingencies involved in a Bahamas wedding, but they don't know your family and friends. That means it's up to you to foresee any special requirements your guests might require. Your specialist can help with the logistics, just make sure to talk to them about any guest that might have a physical or health concern.
Useful Wedding Website
If you've incorporated the help of a destination wedding specialist, one of the perks is a free website that can serve as a place to post your Paradise Island wedding invitations, important information for the guests, photographs, etc. Let's assume that you've contacted the guests and they can all make it to your wedding destination. They've got lots of time to prepare for the trip, but in the meantime they've also got lots of questions. Take advantage of the free website and create your own blog of �important things� related to the wedding travel. For example:
- Make sure you list your personal wedding specialists's contact information and ask your guests to call and confirm ASAP to avoid over-booking. After all, you want your guests to be close to you, not stuck in a hotel somewhere on the other side of Paradise Island.
- Specify a date and time after the beach wedding when you can reconnect with your guests to share memories, receive gifts, etc. With all of the flight restrictions on luggage and carry-on bags, the guests may as well travel lighter and leave the gifts back home.
- Invite your guests to ask questions!
- Break through the virtual world of computers with your own personal thoughts, emotions, and observations as your big day approaches.
While your destination wedding specialist takes care of all the fine details, you can remain close to family and friends through your own personal wedding website.
Budgeting Your Bahamas Wedding Package
The average cost of a Grand Bahama Island wedding starts at approximately $750 for each guest. However, the cost of the actual wedding is a bit harder to pin down. There's no such thing as a typical Bahamas wedding package, but there are a few things you can count on, including:
- The cost of a passport if required.
- Charges for the priest, rabbi, minister, etc.
- Hotel costs
- Travel costs (plane, car rentals, train, etc.)
- Cost of a photographer
- Spa services for pre-wedding prep
These are just a few of the possible expenses you'll encounter when planning a Bahamas wedding, but it really does depend on how elaborate you want your wedding to be. Wedding requirements vary from place to place, and there will most likely be charges associated with the different paperwork you'll need to complete.
For example, you may be required to bring copies of divorce decrees or church baptismal papers, and their respective offices may charge an administrative fee for that. It all adds up! There's no getting away from paying your Bahamas wedding expenses, but it is possible to find the best deal for your needs when booking through a destination wedding specialist.
A destination wedding specialist knows just where to go to get the best deals, and works with people they know and can assure that you receive the service you deserve.
Please Remember:
Destination weddings take considerable planning and research, and the best properties & accommodations often book far in advance of the wedding date. The earlier you begin planning your wedding, the greater the likelihood you will be able to book the perfect property for you and your guests.
Start Planning your Destination Wedding Today.