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The Cayman Islands is a popular wedding destination, both with cruise and stay-over visitors. Tying the knot in the Cayman Islands is a simple and easy procedure because there are many experienced wedding event planners ready to assist couples. This is one of the few northern Caribbean cruise destinations without a residency requirement for couples wishing to be married – which means you can be married while your ship is still in port.
Obtaining Wedding Requirements in the Cayman Islands
Cruise or stay-over visitors who want their wedding in the Cayman Islands must be married by special marriage license using a local civil registrar of marriages or a marriage officer. The special marriage license costs US$200 and is available at the Cayman Islands Government Corporate Services Office. Once you have made arrangements for your wedding, your civil registrar or marriage officer will take care of obtaining the special marriage license.
The following documents are needed to process the marriage license. Some marriage officers require them ahead of time to shorten the processing period:
• Passport or original birth certificate and a photo ID, such as a driver’s license
• Cayman Islands Immigration Department white entry slip, or the disembarkation/embarkation card issued by your cruise ship
• For individuals who have been married before, certified or original copies of divorce decree or death certificate
Cayman Islands Wedding Ceremony
Your wedding ceremony will be performed by the civil registrar or a marriage officer, who is licensed by the government to perform weddings. Most marriage officers are ministers of religion who will do a religious ceremony. Civil registrars will conduct civil ceremonies, which are more contemporary in style.
Under the Cayman Islands Marriage Law, you can be married between the hours of 6:00 am and 8:00 pm. Two witnesses over the age of 18 are required to be present, and the wedding cannot take place behind locked doors.
Once your wedding has been performed, you will be given a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Your civil registrar/marriage officer will file your marriage with the public records office called the General Registry, and within 48 hours you will be able to obtain your Registered Marriage Certificate. This is the legal document you need when you return home, so make sure you arrange with your civil registrar/marriage officer to have it sent it to you. Should you wish to get more copies of your registered marriage certificate you should contact your civil registrar/marriage officer or the Office of the Registrar General with your request.
A Cayman Island-registered marriage certificate is recognized worldwide. Except for the United Kingdom, couples from the European Union, some parts of Asia and some South American countries might need an apostille certifying that your marriage document is valid for legal use back home. Your civil registrar/marriage officer can arrange to get this for you from the appropriate government office.
Cayman Islands Wedding Planner
If you want to make the most of your Cayman Islands wedding, avail the services of an expert wedding planner who can find the best dealers for your wedding needs. In addition to handling all the legal requirements for your wedding, the wedding planner can arrange for flowers, photography, videography, wedding receptions, champagnes and wedding cakes. You can even have your wedding broadcast to your family and friends via streaming video.
The Cayman Islands Government supports destination weddings through their Department of Tourism. The Department sponsors many workshops and seminars in order to ensure the quality and professionalism of all tourism-related providers, including wedding services professionals.
Years after your marriage, you will remember your wedding as one of the most memorable and pivotal events in your life. There’s nowhere else in the world where you can live that memorable dream wedding but in the Cayman Islands.
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