St. Maarten Offers Assistance with Wedding Plans, Packages

Couples wishing to get married in St. Maarten can engage the services of on-island wedding planners who can assist with making arrangements for a ceremony, and caterers who can plan the reception for the couple. Several hotels on St. Maarten offer complete wedding packages.

To get married in St. Maarten, couples must submit requests at least 14 days prior to the scheduled ceremony to be conducted by the registrar as well as arrive on island one week prior to the wedding date. Marriages are performed Monday through Saturday. There is a fee of $410 which includes the civil ceremony, marriage book, stamps and certificate.

In addition to the fee, the following notarized original documents must be submitted to the registrar: a full abridged birth certificate for the bride and groom. Documents should have an “Apostille” stamp, which can be obtained at the Secretary of State’s Office in the various U.S. states.

In the event persons are not of Dutch nationality, a valid passport is required, as well as a declaration of marital status, no older than three months. Persons must be 18 years of age or older. Minors must have parents’ written permission. Addresses and professions of the bride and groom must be provided, as well as names of parents, their dates of birth, places of birth, mothers’ maiden names, and the parents’ professions.

If a widow, a death certificate is necessary, and if divorced, a divorce certificate or a final judgment decree with “Apostille” stamp is needed. The bride and groom must have six witnesses if the marriage is performed outside of the Marriage Hall and two witnesses if the ceremony takes place in the Marriage Hall. Foreign witnesses must present a valid passport or a birth certificate with valid photo identification.

Original documents in languages other than English or Dutch must be translated into Dutch. Documents can be officially translated on-island by Cheryl LaBega, certified official translator, Government Administration Building, Clem LaBega’s Square in Philipsburg. Translations could take up to two weeks.

St. Maarten offers couples traditional honeymoon vacation options highlighted by romance packages from resorts across the island or non-conventional getaways that couples create themselves based on their interests. Starting with hotel accommodations, travelers can choose to stay at an expansive resort, hotel complex, intimate guesthouse or inn, as well as everything in between.