Say YES on Bonaire

For many, it is the most important day of their lives. Marry your partner and promise. For better or worse, that you will always be there for each other. You celebrate this event with your best friends and your closest family and besides a lot of preparation. It also requires a dream wedding location. So why not on Bonaire? After all, a tropical island in the Caribbean.

Bonaire lies off the coast of Venezuela and belongs to the so-called ABC islands of the Antilles with Aruba and Curaçao. With an average temperature of 30 degrees Celsius.

You won’t have to worry about the weather on the day you say yes to each other. The steadfast climate is in any case a certainty that you will not literally fall into the water on your wedding day. Speaking of water, the sea water is on average 28 degrees. Not infrequently, during the party, the couple dances on the beach with their bare feet on the tide line. Imagine a setting sun and your dream wedding location is complete.

Getting married on Bonaire: how it works.

Before you can officially say yes to each other, it requires good preparation. You will also have to take into account that it takes a little longer than in the Netherlands before all the paperwork is arranged, and sooner you will not be assigned a wedding date. So start with the proper documents you need. In addition to a copy of both passports, you will need to provide a birth certificate with the full names of the parents.

You also need to request an extract from your municipality each separately showing that your current marital state is unmarried. Also important is a declaration of marital competence. You can obtain this from the municipality where you are registered by showing your birth certificate and any other important documents such as divorce decrees or a death certificate of a deceased partner. Remember this, as this declaration of marriage license is important on Bonaire!

In addition to all this paperwork from yourself, you will also need the passports and birth certificates of any children already present and, if present, the acknowledgement forms. And please note: if you marry outside the wedding hall on Bonaire, you will need as many as six witnesses.

Copies of their passports are required. In addition to all this paperwork from yourself, you will also need the passports and birth certificates of any children already present and, if present, the acknowledgement forms. And please note: if you marry outside the wedding hall on Bonaire, you will need as many as six witnesses. Copies of their passports are required.

Local wedding planner

Use a local wedding planner who can take many of the officiating obligations off your hands locally. They know better than anyone how getting married on Bonaire works and have tips to make it an unforgettable day.

The most beautiful wedding location

The location of your wedding day is of course important. It is most obvious to get married in the cozy town hall of Kralendijk, but you can also get married elsewhere on the beautiful island. For example in the lounge of your hotel, somewhere on the beach or at a special place for you as a couple. Be careful though, because if you marry outside the town hall you will need six instead of two witnesses. It is advisable to visit the island before your wedding. You will get a good impression of the island with unlimited possibilities. In addition, you can already arrange a number of matters and have a taste of your honeymoon!

Accommodations

With a wedding on Bonaire you will also have to look for a suitable accommodation. And not only for yourself, but also for your guests. For them too, your wedding day is a special day on a tropical island and you want the best for them.

This of course requires good preparation and you will need to estimate in advance how many guests there will be, who will pay for the trip and where you will then accommodate the guests on site. The better hotels respond to this with special wedding packages and often have a special bridal suite for the newlyweds. You can also opt for luxury apartments or villas.

Tip: combine your wedding on Bonaire with a diving vacation or learn to kite surf!

So getting married on Bonaire is no easy task. It requires good planning that takes more time than marrying in the Netherlands. That also makes it special and once on Bonaire with your loved one and your closest family and friends you will soon forget all the fuss and you will enjoy the most beautiful day of your life…