So you are headed to the Dominican Republic for your destination wedding; congratulations! The Dominican is a premiere wedding destination in the Caribbean for future brides and grooms-to-be that offers beautiful locations for your wedding photos, perfect white sand beaches and plenty of resorts for the bridal party to stay at. Everything is booked: from the photographer to the caterers and everything in between, but did you remember to check what the wedding requirements were in order to get married in the Dominican? In case you haven’t already done your research, here’s what you need to know.
Some civil ceremonies may be performed in Spanish, so make sure you have an English translator on hand, or hire someone who is bilingual.
Required Documents
- Valid passport and birth certificate
- If widowed, a death certificate
- If divorced, a divorce decree
- Address and occupations for both bride and groom
- Address and names of bride and grooms parents
- Names of grandparents
- Address and names of the Best Man and Maid of Honor as well as their parents names
- Valid passport or identification for both the Best Man and Maid of Honor
Certificates indicating that both the bride and groom to be are single individuals that are signed and stamped by Dominican law is important; this document is prepared by the Justice of the Peace. Everyone must submit their documents at least 14 days before the wedding and must be approved by the Justice of the Peace in order to proceed. All documents should be translated in Spanish when applicable (example: declaration of single status).
If the celebration of marriage takes place outside the Civil Registry Office in the Dominican Republic, fees apply (if you are getting married on a resort, these are included in the price that the wedding coordinator will quote you).
- RD $20,000 if both the bride and groom are foreigners (IE. Not from the Dominican Republic)
- RD $15,000 if one is a foreigner and one is a resident of the Dominican Republic
Types of Marriages
- “Canonical” – performed by a Roman Catholic priest. Following the ceremony, it becomes the churches responsibility to register the marriage with the appropriate Dominican government offices.
- “Civil” – the bride and groom themselves register the marriage with the Dominican government. The person who officiates the wedding is a government official (usually a Notary Public).
Do you have any questions about this? New information to share? Help the fellow brides in the comments below
