How to Plan a Wedding in Jamaica
The Jamaican ecosystem includes white beaches, mountains, and forests. A wedding couple can use any of these natural backdrops for their wedding. Hotels and resorts offer wedding packages and ceremonies or a couple can do all of the arrangements themselves. There will be certain paperwork to do before a couple can marry in Jamaica.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Birth certificate (must include father's name)
- Parental consent document (if under 21)
- Death certificate (if necessary)
- Finalized divorce paper (if necessary)
- Marriage certificate
- Place for ceremony
- Marriage official
Instructions
-
-
1
Apply for a marriage license two to three months before leaving for your wedding. According to the website Visit Jamaica, you need to include notarized copies of all of the required documents, which include the birth certificates of the bride and groom (which must include the father's name), a signed parental consent form if either the bride or the groom is under 21 years of age, and divorce papers or death certificates to negate any previous marriages. You will need to send the documents to the Ministry of Justice in Jamaica.
Ministry of Justice
2 Oxford Road
NCB Towers, 10th floor/South Tower
Kingston 5
Jamaica -
2
Find a marriage official. A marriage official is a Catholic priest, a minister, or a rabbi with a license from the Jamaican government to perform a wedding ceremony. A list of marriage officials can be obtained by contacting the Registrar General's Department. Tell the official if you will need him to provide a witness. The official may also be able to recommend venues for the wedding.
Registrar General's Department
Twickenham Park
St. Catherine, Jamaica
Tel: (876) 984 3041 -- 5 -
-
3
Find a location. Jamaica is home to beaches, waterfalls, lush gardens, and rain forests, any of which can be used for weddings. A couple may also choose one of the many Catholic and Protestant churches found in Jamaica for their ceremony. Once you decide on a venue call the park service or the appropriate government agency to be sure weddings are able to be held in that location.
-
4
Find a deal for your guests. Call the hotel with the number of guests that will be attending your wedding. Ask about a discount for a large party. Be sure to tell your wedding guests how to receive the room discount if you are able to get one.
-
5
Pack original documents of the copies that you previously sent. If something was lost or if there are questions you may need to produce the original documents.
-
6
Arrive in Jamaica early. The bride and groom will need to arrive in Jamaica 24 hours prior to the wedding ceremony.
-
7
Wait for your marriage certificate. The official marriage certificate can take up to one month to arrive. Jamaican officials will mail the certificate to your home address.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The Jamaican government offers lists of Jamaican marriage officers that will handle all of the arrangements and paperwork for you.
Some hotels offer wedding packages that will include services like submitting all the paperwork and all of the wedding plans.
Add Jamaican wedding traditions into your wedding plans, such as a Jamaican wedding tradition that states a piece of cake must be mailed to each friend who could not attend the wedding.
No marriage ceremony can take place in Jamaica after 8 p.m., according to the Jamaican High Commission website.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Wedding image by Przemyslaw Malkowski from Fotolia.com
