Weddings in Exuma

You can’t make a better choice for a destination wedding than one of The Islands Of The Bahamas. Our clear sky, powdery white sand and crystal-blue water make the perfect setting for your big day. It’s the reason A-list celebrities like Mariah Carey, Cindy Crawford, Deion Sanders and even Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder, chose our islands as the place to start their new lives.

To get you ready, even from afar, our professional wedding planners make planning stress-free. They can even tell you about special offers to help you stay within budget. And The Islands Of The Bahamas are perfect for your last hurrah with the guys or girls. Just a short plane ride from Florida, our island locations make it easy for the most important people in your lives to celebrate your wedding day with you.

And the memories don’t have to end once you have the last dance. You can also spend your honeymoon on our tropical paradise. With 700 islands, you can go island-hopping and really experience it all. Relax on secluded beaches. Explore underwater caves. Go shopping for handmade crafts. Try some Bahamian rum punch. Swim with dolphins. An island honeymoon in The Bahamas. It’s the perfect way to start your new life together.

Our Weddings and Honeymoon Unit of the Ministry of Tourism can help you plan any type of wedding as well as help organize your ceremony and act as a facilitator between you and on-island wedding consultants.
To learn more, call 1-888-NUPTIAL (1-888-687-8425) or the Weddings and Honeymoon Unit directly at 1-242-356-0435/7/8. You can also e-mail an officer at romance@bahamas.com. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For a consultation, contact the Bahamas Bridal Association at (888) 777-6794 or info@bahamas-bridal-association.com.

License Requirements

Application for License

The couple must be in The Islands Of The Bahamas at the time of application for the marriage license.

If you arrive via cruise ship you will be required to obtain a letter from the ship’s purser, confirming that you have met the residency period by being in Bahamian waters for twenty-four hours.

You need not apply for a license if you wish to renew your vows.

Apostille

Many countries now require that official documents, such as international marriage certificates, be certified by the issuing country. In The Bahamas, this means that an Apostille (a special seal) is applied by the relevant authority to certify that a document is a true copy of an original. The Apostille can be made available to you within thirty days of the request. Your Wedding Planner or Marriage Officer will assist you in this regard.

Residency Period

Couples may apply a day after their arrival and can be married once they receive their approved license the day after application.

Divorced

If either party has been divorced, the original final decree or a certified copy must be produced. Where applicable, a translated, certified and notarized copy of the final decree must be produced.

Widowed

If either party is widowed, the original death certificate or certified copy must be produced. Where applicable, a translated, certified and notarized copy of the death certificate must be produced.

Single Persons

If either party is single and never been married before, a declaration certifying this fact must be sworn before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths in the country of residence. This document must accompany the application for the marriage license. This declaration can also be obtained in The Bahamas from an attorney-at-law or notary public.

Minors

Minors (under 18 years) may be married with both parents’ consent. Consent forms for minors are available at the Registrar General’s office.

Marrying in The Out Islands

Couples wishing to be married on The Out Islands (any island outside of New Providence and Grand Bahama) can obtain a Marriage License at the Administrator’s Office on that island.

Proof of Identification and Residency

Both parties must produce a valid passport, birth certificate and photo ID. The parties must also produce evidence of the date of their arrival in The Bahamas. The Bahamas Immigration Card or entry stamp in your passport will suffice.

Blood Test

No blood test is necessary.

Fees

The fee for a marriage license is $120 inclusive of one certified copy of a marriage certificate. Extra marriage certificates are available at $20 each.
Note: Marriage licenses are issued at the office of the Registrar General in Nassau. This office is open to the public Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Address: P.O. Box N-532
Nassau, The Bahamas
Phone: (242) 323-0594
(242) 323-0595, (242) 323-0597
Fax: (242) 322-5553, (242) 393-7908

Weddings in The Bahamas

You can’t make a better choice for a destination wedding than one of The Islands Of The Bahamas. Our clear sky, powdery white sand and crystal-blue water make the perfect setting for your big day. It’s the reason A-list celebrities like Mariah Carey, Cindy Crawford, Deion Sanders and even Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder, chose our islands as the place to start their new lives.

To get you ready, even from afar, our professional wedding planners make planning stress-free. They can even tell you about special offers to help you stay within budget. And The Islands Of The Bahamas are perfect for your last hurrah with the guys or girls. Just a short plane ride from Florida, our island locations make it easy for the most important people in your lives to celebrate your wedding day with you.

And the memories don’t have to end once you have the last dance. You can also spend your honeymoon on our tropical paradise. With 700 islands, you can go island-hopping and really experience it all. Relax on secluded beaches. Explore underwater caves. Go shopping for handmade crafts. Try some Bahamian rum punch. Swim with dolphins. An island honeymoon in The Bahamas. It’s the perfect way to start your new life together.

Application for License

The couple must be in The Islands Of The Bahamas at the time of application for the marriage license.

 

If you arrive via cruise ship you will be required to obtain a letter from the ship’s purser, confirming that you have met the residency period by being in Bahamian waters for twenty-four hours.

 

You need not apply for a license if you wish to renew your vows.

 

Apostille

Many countries now require that official documents, such as international marriage certificates, be certified by the issuing country. In The Bahamas, this means that an Apostille (a special seal) is applied by the relevant authority to certify that a document is a true copy of an original. The Apostille can be made available to you within thirty days of the request. Your Wedding Planner or Marriage Officer will assist you in this regard.

 

Residency Period

Couples may apply a day after their arrival and can be married once they receive their approved license the day after application.

 

Divorced

If either party has been divorced, the original final decree or a certified copy must be produced. Where applicable, a translated, certified and notarized copy of the final decree must be produced.

 

Widowed

If either party is widowed, the original death certificate or certified copy must be produced. Where applicable, a translated, certified and notarized copy of the death certificate must be produced.

 

Single Persons

If either party is single and never been married before, a declaration certifying this fact must be sworn before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths in the country of residence. This document must accompany the application for the marriage license. This declaration can also be obtained in The Bahamas from an attorney-at-law or notary public.

 

Minors

Minors (under 18 years) may be married with both parents’ consent. Consent forms for minors are available at the Registrar General’s office.

 

Marrying in The Out Islands

Couples wishing to be married on The Out Islands (any island outside of New Providence and Grand Bahama) can obtain a Marriage License at the Administrator’s Office on that island.

 

Proof of Identification and Residency

Both parties must produce a valid passport, birth certificate and photo ID. The parties must also produce evidence of the date of their arrival in The Bahamas. The Bahamas Immigration Card or entry stamp in your passport will suffice.

 

Blood Test

No blood test is necessary.

 

Fees

The fee for a marriage license is $120 inclusive of one certified copy of a marriage certificate. Extra marriage certificates are available at $20 each.
Note: Marriage licenses are issued at the office of the Registrar General in Nassau. This office is open to the public Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

Address: P.O. Box N-532
Nassau, The Bahamas
Phone:       (242) 323-0594     
              (242) 323-0595, (242) 323-0597       
Fax: (242) 322-5553, (242) 393-7908

About the Exumas

Everything about The Exumas is precious. Even the aquamarine and sapphire-colored water.

The Exumas are a 120-mile-long island chain-within-the-chain of the Out Islands, with the Exuma Cays scattered in a long line extending north-east toward New Providence from Great Exuma. The Cays are the most exotic of the Out Islands, a collection of tiny jewels set in the aquamarine and sapphire of the most beautiful water you’ve ever imagined.

The view from above is just as breathtaking.

Flying down the Exuma Cays, looking down on the tiny jewel-like islands and every shade of blue possible where the crystal-clear tropical Atlantic pours over the deep cuts between the cays and the constantly shifting sandbars that look like meditative sand paintings. It’s no wonder this has been named one of the top 10 things you absolutely must do in the Caribbean.

The area is so precious — it’s reefs and island environments so pristine — that Bahamian government set aside a 176-square-mile section as the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, one of the world’s most successful marine parks.

The playground for the rich and famous.

Many of the Exuma Cays are private, some operating as luxuriously exclusive private-island resorts and others the ultra-exclusive homes of such stars as Johnny Depp and country singers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The hub of the Exuma Cays is Staniel Cay, where boaters gather at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club’s bar and restaurant, and where a landing strip serves as the gateway to the northern stretch of Cays.

Within sight of the Club is the famous Thunderball Cave – seen in the James Bond film of the same name as well as the movie, Splash – where you can put on a mask and snorkel and duck inside a small hollow cay that’s filled with friendly fish accustomed to being hand-fed.

Great Exuma

The anchor of the Exumas archipelago is Great Exuma, Bahamas. Here, you’ll find the laid back capital George Town and a great selection of casual Bahamian restaurants like Iva Bowes’, Big D’s Conch Shack, Eddie’s Edgewater and Club Peace & Plenty. Hotels here range from condo-resorts to locally owned fishing lodges.

A short boat ride from Great Exuma is a barrier cay that protects the main island from the Atlantic. Stocking Island features spectacular views from atop its high bluff and a series of idyllic beaches separated by limestone promontories. On the lee side, the Chat N Chill is a classic beach bar with great food that seems to attract every boater in the area.

A dream destination.

With beautiful blue water, water everywhere, the Exumas are a dream destination for boaters, fishermen (flats, reef and offshore), divers, snorkelers and kayakers. The private islands are custom-designed for those seeking the ultimate escape, and the new levels of luxury available in both the Cays and Great Exuma are a definite draw for lucky couples looking for the perfect spot for an island wedding or honeymoon.