Getting married on a tropical island, on the beach, with the sun setting behind you … How romantic!

Or how about getting married in a garden surrounded by tropical flowers … or in the rain forest … or just about anywhere your heart desires! If that is what you are looking to do while visiting Puerto Rico, you have many options.

We recently had a couple stay with us and did just that. Let me tell you about their experience.

A Casual Beach Wedding

Kathy and Jim are an older couple, with grown children, thus they have large extended families. The original wedding plans, to have a small wedding in Canada, were getting out of hand – too big for their taste. So Kathy and Jim decided they should run off to paradise to get married on the beach. And that is how we met them.

Kathy went on line and somehow found Reverend Aran Santana. She also found out all of the requirements for getting married legally here in Puerto Rico.

You can obviously do all the legwork yourself, or hire someone to do it for you. Kathy told us that the Reverend was able to get through the lines and paperwork quickly, and he knew exactly what had to get done and where to go to do it. He went with them to all offices and took care of it all. He took a lot of worry out of the business-end of the wedding.

Kathy and Jim decided to get married on the beach, so they checked-out a few local beaches, and decided to have their wedding at Seven Seas Balneario in Fajardo. As it turns out, that was a good choice because it was mid-week during to winter, so the beach was almost empty.

So there they were, getting married in paradise, on the beach with a few friends there to witness the joyous occasion. Kathy picked flowers from our yard for a bouquet and Jim looked very tropical in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Reverend Santana did an really nice job with the ceremony too. It was so peaceful and beautiful. And once they were married, Jim picked his new bride up and carried her into the ocean for a swim!

Kathy thought ahead, and after the ceremony they had a mini reception while we were all at the beach, complete with champagne and cake. Everyone was happy and chilling out on the beach!

This was their relaxed wedding, but you can get as formal, or even more casual, as you want. There are all types of locations for the ceremony and plenty of locations for receptions of all sizes.

A Vow Renewal in Old San Juan

I also "met" Carrie on-line and she also used Reverand Santana for her vow renewal (no paperwork required). She and her family were in port for the day on a cruise, and she and her husband had their ceremony along the Paseo de la Princesa in Old San Juan. She had her "reception" at El Picoteo in Old San Juan and thought the whole thing was "so beautiful!!!".

In Puerto Rico, you can officially be married by a judge, or any clergyman authorized to perform marriage ceremonies. The only one I personally know is Reverend Santana, but there are loads of them. Or you can a contact wedding planner who can take care of almost all of the details for you. Do a search on-line, or here’s a recommendation that I got from a friend for a local company called Tropical Weddings Puerto Rico.

Marriage License Information

Documentation you will need

• Original birth certificate, with raised seal
• Government-issued photo id – US citizens can use a driver’s license, passport, or state-issued id card; Non-US citizens need their passport.
• If either party was previously married, they will need a certified copy of the finalized divorce decree or death certificate with a raised seal.
• If either party is a citizen or resident of a country other than the US, a declaration certifying that he or she is not married must be sworn before a Notary Public or other person authorized to administer oaths in that country.
• If either party is under 21 years of age, they will need a sworn affidavit from their parents or legal guardian giving them permission to get married. The minimum age for marriage in Puerto Rico is 16 years of age.

Once you’re here in Puerto Rico

• Both parties need to appear in person at the Marriage License Bureau of Demographic Registry Office with all of the above documentation/certifications, the license fee (about $25) and a completed marriage license application. There physical address is 171 Calle Quisqueya in Hato Rey PR. They are open 8:30am-12 noon, then again from 1pm-3pm.
  You can complete the application once you are here in Puerto Rico, or if you prefer to complete the application beforehand, you can request one in writing from the Department of Health, Demographic Registry Office, Box 11854, Fernandez Juncos Station, Santurce, PR 00910 (allow 2 months) or call (787) 767-9120 ext 2108, 2110 or 2111. The application is available in Spanish only.

And on to your big day

After you have jumped through all of the above hoops, you’re ready for your big day in paradise. Enjoy yourself!

Once the judge or minister performs the ceremony and submits your paperwork, it will take about 10 more days for your official marriage certificate to be issued and sent to you.

You can contact Reverend Santana via email (santana_ministries AT yahoo DOT com) or you can call him at 787-435-3145.

As of 6/2010, non residents no longer need lab tests for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea and a “health certificate” from a local physician two weeks before their wedding. Residents still are required to obtain these things.