Jamaica is the most popular site in the Caribbean for weddings – and no wonder! It makes the perfect setting for your wedding day – a day that will be remembered for the rest of your life. The island of Jamaica offers a wide variety of venues to accommodate any wedding desire, from a small and quiet ceremony to a large elaborate event – and everything in between. Let your imagination run wild in a place where fantasy and reality meet!
Jamaica’s beaches, waterfalls, mountains, and gardens provide dramatic backdrops for your dream wedding, and the island’s many resorts offer an assortment of wedding packages – some with complete wedding coordination services – and discounts for the bridal party. Hotel staff and professional planners can help you plan your special day to perfection.
Choose a sunset ceremony on a sailboat bobbing on the blue, tropical waters off the coast of Negril. Exchange vows in Ocho Rios or Montego Bay while the sun slowly drops below the ocean’s horizon. Or make arrangements with a Jamaican resort for a wedding ceremony on a catamaran – some of these are large enough to accommodate up to 100 guests and a band, so dancing and dining on the water are definite options!
If a mountain setting is your dream – perhaps an exchange of vows accompanied by the melody of a cascading waterfall – the cool and misty Blue Mountains offer spectacular views and the potential for some very dramatic wedding photos. Explore the possibilities presented by Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, Reach Falls in Port Antonio, or YS Falls on the South Coast of the island for exotic choices.
If you are looking to rent a villa on the island, the Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments (JAVA) will provide the cost and availability of several private villas for rent in Jamaica. Some of the larger villas provide rooms in which the wedding guests can stay after the ceremony in order to continue the celebration! Wedding coordinators are also available to handle the details and provide you with everything you need. Call JAVA at 1-800-845-5276 for information.
Begin your “happily every after” in Jamaica – a place where dreams really do come true!
What to know before saying “I Do” in Jamaica
Arrangements: Nearly all hotels will make wedding arrangements for you. You can find special “package” prices that include the performance of the ceremony, government tax, transportation costs, and any expenses incurred through special requests. Check with your hotel to determine its particular offerings.
If applying on your own, please be aware of the following considerations.
There is a 24-hour waiting period, which means that, providing you have made prior application for a marriage license, you can be married 24 hours after arriving in Jamaica. To apply for a marriage license, simply call the Ministry of Justice (876- 906-4923) or visit the Ministry in person at 2 Oxford Road in the Mutual Life Building, Kingston. The cost of a marriage license is $4,000 Jamaican, or about $60-$70 in U.S. dollars.
You can have your wedding ceremony performed by non-denominational marriage officers as well. These ceremonies can take place at the office or at a location you choose. The fee for their services ranges from US$25.00 to US$250.00, depending on their involvement and travel time.
Documentation you need to get married in Jamaica
1. Proof of citizenship. This is a certified copy of birth certificate, which includes your father’s name.
2. Written consent from parents if you are under the age of 18.
3. Original certificate of divorce or original certificate of annulment, if applicable.
4. Certified copy of death certificate for widow or widower.
5. Italian nationals celebrating their marriage in Jamaica must notify their embassy and forward a certified copy of their marriage certificate to be legalized and translated.
6. French Canadians celebrating their marriage in Jamaica need a notarized and translated copy of all documents and a photocopy of original documents in French.
No blood test is required.
For Further Information
Contact Roy Jones, Civil Registrar of Marriages for St. Andrew Parish at 876-927-2522. Email: [email protected]. Or contact any Jamaica Tourist Board office worldwide. You can also on to www.visitjamaica.com for more information.
Photo Credits
The wedding photos are provided by Dwayne Watkins who is available for wedding in Jamaica. - www.dwaynewatkins.com. Dwayne’s love for photography started as a child. He was always amazed by a photographer’s ability to see something so simple, and capture it in a way that evoked incredible emotion. Weddings are suppose to be fun, and beautiful. His shooting style is a combination of photo journalistic and carefully posed photography. It not only captures your day, but it tells a story. A story of love, and the passion that is shared between you and your soul mate. Dwayne makes sure to capture every moment you expect, and some that you never noticed. Producing fun, modern, fresh, and timeless images is what he does.
