Weddings

E

Ellen

Guest
Documentation required to get married in Domincan Republic. We are planning a March 2000 wedding at the Melia Bavaro - do we need to go to Santo Domingo to get docs notorized, or can we have this done in advance, or at the resort? Hotel gets $850.00 USD for wedding - any other ideas?

Thank you!
 
M

Merengue

Guest
You can have it done here in a Dominican consulate. It is more expensive, but at least this way you have everything done ahead of time. To find out where is the closest Dominican consulate, call one of the tourist offices:

DR tourist hotline 800-752-1151 Anna

New York City 888-374-6361

Chicago 888-303-1336
 
W

Wade

Guest
Be sure and pack your marriage documents in your carry-on. A couple that was at our resort lost their luggage and were unable to get married.
 
D

DR1

Guest
We prepared the following content for the Hotel Association brochure. It should have many helpful tips for planning your wedding. Note that your hotel carries out numerous weddings every year.

A wedding by the sea

Weddings and honeymoons are landmark times in our lives. Without doubt, your love is worth framing by the muted oranges and fiery red hues of a Caribbean sunset or the palette of different shades of seaside blues. With these picture-perfect visions in mind, more couples are choosing the Dominican Republic for their wedding or honeymoon.

Major resorts in Sos?a, Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada, Playa Grande, Punta Cana-B?varo, Bayahibe, La Romana, Juan Dolio, Boca Chica, Saman? and La Romana have expert staffs that will coordinate a carefree wedding for you and your party. Most wedding packages will include the judge, license, flowers, music, cake, champagne and special pillows or touches in your room.

A sunwashed beach will provide a wildly romantic setting for a wedding reception. Tropical flower bouquettes and centerpieces in cool seaside colors or passionate bright colors will add to the atmosphere. The look will be light and airy, defined by an easygoing elegance that mixes colors and patterns. Guests will sit back and relax, and thank you for sharing these memorable moments with them.

Likewise, if you want to go all the way, the wedding business is big in the DR. Santo Domingo wedding specialists can be called in to create your dream wedding ? D?Flora, Tel. (809) 562-5363 and Vargas, Tel. (809) 563-6602, to just mention two, are reliable and creative services.

You should start planning your wedding six months in advance. The hotels prefer at least a three months leeway to book judge and prepare for your day, but if necessary they can do so with four working days notice. While weddings in the DR are beautiful, what they have best going for them is that they are practical. Weddings and honeymoons in the DR are the best value for your money. A good way to begin a marriage.

Start your wedding day with a pre-wedding day breakfast. The hotel can arrange for a casual, morning meal at the hotel, that will provide a gathering for your party. Then pamper yourself with a massage, or spend some time at the hotel spa, and then at the beauty salon for manicure and hairstyling. If the hotel does not have these facilities, they can arrange for a beauty specialist to come to your hotel room.

The hotel may arrange for the wedding ceremony at a beachside gazebo or under the stars. The hotel wedding coordinator will translate the ceremony for you. The hotel photographer will know the best backgrounds for memorable poses. Your biggest worry is saying "Yes, I do."

Honeymooning Even if you will not be staying in the capital city, take time to visit Santo Domingo, the first city in the New World. Have pictures of the two of you strolling through the 15th century edifices of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, an area impregnated with romance. Visit the Alcazar from where the conquistadors planned the discovery of the New World. There, too, Diego Columbus courted his newly arrived bride, Maria de Toledo. The cobble-stone streets, and yellow-hued lamps will inspire equally strong, old-fashioned romantic emotions.

The Hotel Santo Domingo, Meli? Santo Domingo, the V Centenario InterContinental, the Jaragua Renaissance and Occidental El Embajador feature gorgeous newlywed suites facing the Caribbean Sea. Or choose one of the smaller hotels, such as the Hotel Sofitel Franc?s in the Colonial City. Enjoy the nightlife around Plaza de Espa?a in the Colonial City, or the many discos in city hotels or residential areas, as well as the city?s many gourmet restaurants, caf?s and bars.

Like Santo Domingo, Boca Chica, Sos?a, Puerto Plata, and Playa Dorada are for those who want action, shopping and night life.

For serenity-seeking honeymooners, choose a beach resort in Punta Cana, Juan Dolio, La Romana, Bayahibe, Playa Grande or Saman?.

If the idea of planning a complex honeymoon has you getting nervous, consider an all-inclusive resort. A prepaid vacation puts money issues behind you. You can just relax in the sheltered atmosphere of an all-inclusive. If you like being in control, get the hotel schedule and choose from the myriad of daytime and night time activities. It will be all there for you to choose from, bringing less stress, giving you more time and energy to concentrate on each other.

If you are traveling with a wedding party, large all-inclusives have the advantage of keeping friends and family busy with the many activities. The least your party will want to do is catch up with you and your own vacation.

Still stumped about which direction to take? Then make it a split decision ? spend half the trip in the South or the East and half in the North. After all, it?s your honeymoon. Who says you can?t have it all.

------ Marriage paperwork:

I. Marriage license requirements: Passport Original birth certificate Single status affidavit in Spanish Divorce Act in Spanish (Legal transcripts of the single status affidavit and divorce act can be prepared at the Dominican consulate nearest your residence.) You will also need two witnesses. If these are foreigners, they will need to identify themselves with their passports. If they are Dominicans, "c?dulas" are sufficient.

II. After the marriage: The justice of peace may deliver the actual wedding certificate the next day, depending on work load. This document is a valid legal document.

--------------- Wedding Tips 1. Take advantage of extraordinary features such as a ride on a horse carriage, a music trio or quartet that will play your songs if you let them know in advance. 2. Splurge in flowers, taking advantage of the variety of tropical and exotic flowers and their lower cost. 3. Purchase the photo album and the video, for life-long memories. 4. Design a cake topped and decorated with seashells or fresh orchids. Or send in advance a picture of your dream cake for a custom-made cake. 5. Remember to choose attire proper for the hotter Caribbean weather. Sleeveless gowns are best. Yes, you may wear a long train but don?t expect it to stay immaculately white. The dress can be steam-pressed by the hotel?s dry cleaning department upon your arrival. You may discuss what the hotel wedding assistant (she will be translating the ceremony) will wear, too. She will appear in the wedding photos, too. 6. You will need to come at least three working days in advance. Use those days to get a beautiful suntan for that wedding day. 7. Take advantage of hotel massage or spa facilities to de-stress before the wedding. 8. Request a Plan A ? under the stars ? and a Plan B, in case of a tropical shower. 9. Civil weddings are easy to arrange. Church weddings need more formalities. Check with the hotel of your choice to see if they have had any recent experience with church weddings. An experienced Dominican wedding specialist will help guide you through these formalities. Casa de Campo resort in La Romana will assist you with a church wedding at the lovely San Estanislao church in Altos de Chav?n. 10. Persons who have been divorced in the DR need to wait 24 hours prior to remarrying.-

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