Dominica is located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It’s south of Guadeloupe and north of Martinique.
Along with the other Caribbean islands, Dominica is a popular place for a destination beach wedding!
Since it’s one of the youngest islands, it’s still developing, which means it’s unspoiled and full of natural beauty.
Why Here?
Beach weddings in Dominica are popular because of what the island has to offer. You’ll find sandy beaches, rainforests, rare plant and animal species, the world’s second largest hot spring, waterfalls, springs, rivers and more.
The island is gorgeous and you will definitely feel like you’re in paradise. It’s a peaceful and romantic destination, making it perfect for a beach wedding. It doesn’t feel touristy like many of the popular islands nearby.
What to Know:
- Dominica is located within the Caribbean hurricane belt. Keep this in mind when choosing your wedding date! The most popular time for a hurricane or storm is June – November.
- English is their official language. It makes wedding planning a lot easier if you speak the same language as the people of the island!
- Dominica is a tropical island and temperatures don’t vary much throughout the year. The average temperature is around 85 degrees. They do, however, experience rainy season and dry season.
What is it Known for?
The nickname for Dominica is “Nature Isle of the Caribbean” due to its untouched, natural beauty. It’s a very special and unique place that you and your guests are sure to enjoy and remember forever!
Dominica is one of the best Caribbean locations for whale watching. You will be able to spot many whales and different types of dolphins off the shore! Scuba diving is also very popular here because of the island’s volcanic nature.
Unlike most islands, Dominica isn’t flat. There are many mountains which provides some great hiking and amazing views. There are plenty of things for you and your guests to explore while you’re visiting the island.
What is the Best Time to get Married in Dominica?
Beach weddings in Dominica are most popular during the winter and spring months. This is because it’s the island’s dry season and the weather is warm. However, since this is peak tourist season, hotel rates are more expensive this time of year.
Dominica doesn’t receive as many tourists as some of the more popular Caribbean islands. This is nice because you don’t have to worry about crowds no matter when you plan your wedding for. It’s a very quiet and secluded island!
If you have a small budget then you may decide to plan your wedding for when the hotels and flights are the cheapest, which is during hurricane and rainy season. Although this is risky, you may luck out and get good weather. However, it’s not recommended for when you’re planning a wedding because it’s an important day.
You are most likely having a destination wedding because you want to travel to paradise, enjoy the sun and have a romantic beach ceremony. Therefore, you should plan it during Dominica’s dry season to be safe. This will also cause less stress leading up to the wedding.
What are the Marriage Requirements in Dominica?
If you’re planning a beach wedding in Dominica you’ll want to be aware of all the marriage requirements and the steps you have to take in order to get a marriage license. A Dominica marriage license can be obtained from the Ministry of Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs in Roseau.
The first thing you need to do is fill out an application and a declaration form. Documents you will need are both of your birth certificates, passports and proof of marital status. If either party has been divorced or widowed, a Decree of Divorce or Death Certificate is needed.
It’s important to know that either the bride or groom needs to be in Dominica at least 2 days before the ceremony. You will also need to pay necessary fees. For the complete list of marriage requirements in Dominica click here.
When planning a wedding in a destination you aren’t familiar with, you have to make sure to do all your research so you are prepared for everything. It’s recommended to hire a wedding planner in Dominica because they are knowledgeable of the laws and experienced. They will take care of a lot of things for you resulting in less stress!
What to do next? Read more about planning a destination wedding here.