A beautiful white beach, the sun and the sea and you are already in a gorgeous destination for a super-romantic honeymoon. No surprise Curacao was recently -again- voted Top 3 Most Romantic Island in the Caribbean by readers of USA Today. Read here why getting married on Curacao can be the dream wedding for you too.
Why get married in Curacao?
If you want to get married on a tropical island, why would you choose to get married in Curacao? There are so many beautiful tropical islands in the Caribbean, but Curacao in particular is the ideal island for your wedding:
- Language. In Curacao, you can just get married in the Dutch language. Well nice if everyone can understand the ceremony. Thereby, it is also helpful that with the preparation you can convey all your wishes 100% clearly in your own language.
- The Kingdom. Because Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (although it is a separate country within the Kingdom) it is sometimes just a little easier and/or faster to get the formalities taken care of.
- Wedding venues. With Curacao’s many beaches and hotels, there are many wonderful wedding venues to choose from. Looking for a beautiful bay where you can arrange everything yourself? No problem. Prefer a top beachfront hotel that builds the location for you? Plenty of choice!
- Cheap airfare. Whether it’s just the two of you or you’re bringing all your family and friends, airfare can add up quite a bit to the cost of your wedding. Because KLM and TUI fly to Curacao daily, tickets to Curacao are relatively cheap. The price is often around €700, but there are also offers for €600 or less.
- The cost. Getting married in Curacao is in many cases more advantageous than getting married in the Netherlands. Of course you will have your travel expenses as an additional cost, but the cost for the day itself will almost always be (considerably) lower on Curacao than in the Netherlands. Depending on how you want to get married, you could even earn back your travel expenses and getting married in Curacao is cheaper than getting married in the Netherlands!
- The size of Curacao. Many tropical islands offer little more than the beaches and a small inhabited world just behind them. Curacao is one of the larger islands in the Caribbean, giving you just a little more “room to move”. If you as a bride and groom also want to spend a day without your wedding guests, there are plenty of romantic spots to be found where you won’t run into any acquaintances.
The formalities to get married in Curacao
Of course there are some formalities to be arranged to get married in Curacao, but all in all it is relatively quick and easy to arrange. Theoretically, it can be arranged in two months, but in most cases, you will have started your own preparations longer in advance.
Submit in writing
You must notify the Curacao Civil Registry in writing at least two months before the scheduled wedding date that you wish to get married in Curacao. In that letter you specify when and what time you want to get married and as an attachment you send along from both bride and groom:
- Copy of valid passport
- Birth certificate
- Proof that you are not currently married (through the Civil Registry of your hometown)
- If you are divorced or widowed, you must also send the relevant deeds of these.
Please note that all but the passport must be the original documents, maximum 6 months old!
Then send the letter and attachments to:
Civil Status Curacao (Kranshi)
Department of Population Registration and Elections (BSB&V).
Roodeweg 42
Willemstad
Curaçao
(Fax: 005999 4618166 – Tel: 005999 4341600 – info.bsbv@gobiernu.cw)
Within two weeks after the documents are received by the Kranshi, you will be told if it is in order or if additional information is needed. On the next Saturday after the application to marry in Curacao is approved, it will be promulgated in Curacao.
And beyond that…
Other than that, you don’t need to arrange much more to get married in Curacao. However, you must visit the Kranshi with your passport no later than three days before the wedding day in Curacao. You will probably also be able to meet the registrar who will perform your wedding.
Exempt from legalization
For your marriage to be valid in the Netherlands as well, when marrying abroad, you still need to have the marriage certificate legalized by the Dutch representation in the country where you are getting married. But as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curacao is exempt from this. That saves some more arranging.
Wedding planner or arrange it yourself
You can of course arrange everything yourself to get married in Curacao, but arranging a wedding is often a lot of hassle, and especially 9,000 miles away. Especially if you are not very familiar with Curacao then it is helpful to hire a Curacao Wedding Planner. A Wedding Planner can be of great help in making “the most beautiful day of your life” truly a wonderful day. A Wedding planner knows the most beautiful locations, the right people, the possibilities for something special, etc.: everything that takes a long time to arrange yourself (if you manage to do it at all) a Wedding planner can quickly do for you. For example, do you know a good photographer in Curacao? On which beach do you have the perfect atmosphere for the ceremony? What are some local customs you would never think of yourself? A wedding planner really helps you make it an unforgettable worry-free day.
BanKasa Weddingplanner Curacao
Based on experiences of visitors to NaarCuracao.com, I can recommend BanKasa Dream Weddings Curacao. BanKasa Dream Weddings Curacao has been handling weddings on Curacao since 2001, making it the oldest professional Wedding Planner on Curacao and that experience is evident in their service. Partly because the Wedding Planners are Dutch ladies who have lived on Curacao for a long time, they can perfectly translate your wishes into the right local possibilities. If you don’t want a Wedding Planner but do want an agency that can take care of a few things for you, BanKasa Dream Weddings Curacao can do that too.
Curacao wedding photographer
Of course, you will want beautiful photos of your Curacao wedding as a reminder of the beautiful day. But yes … just find a good and reliable photographer, who thinks along with your wishes and ideas 9,000 km away. Our advice: then contact Curacao-Memories, Diana’s company. Her style is spontaneous, casual, natural, romantic, and with an eye for detail. The great thing about Diana is that she clearly doesn’t see it as work, but can really enjoy capturing the whole day in photographs for you herself. The nervous but beautiful moments while getting dressed. The face of the husband-to-be when he first sees his bride.
Honeymoon in Curacao
If you do get married in Curacao, you can make it a wonderful honeymoon. Not only can you get married romantically on Curacao, there are plenty of romantic places on Curacao to enjoy the beautiful day together after the wedding. You can find beautiful/romantic accommodation in Curacao for any budget, right down to villas with your private butler. There are plenty of restaurants in Curacao where you can ask for a table for two on the beach at sunset. Or better: do a romantic Sunset Sail, a nice private trip by luxury yacht or go together to enjoy undisturbed on a private beach. Everything is possible for the ultimate romantic honeymoon in Curacao.
