The Dominican Republic is a nation located on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
The Dominican Republic shares the island with Haiti.
It’s a very popular location for a destination beach wedding, as it’s the 2nd largest Caribbean nation!
Why Get Married In The Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic is a tropical paradise that you and your wedding guests will enjoy. The beaches are beautiful and the average temperature is a perfect 77 degrees! There are also offshore islands that are part of the territory that you can explore and go snorkeling near.
The Dominican Republic also has many mountains to hike where you can experience breathtaking views. There are countless things to do and places to see, which makes this destination popular. It’s also said to be a fairly affordable location.
What to Know:
- Some of the cities and towns are as far as 7 hours away from each other. This means you may not be able to explore all of the Dominican Republic in one trip. Make sure you choose to have your wedding in the town that you would like to spend most of your time in!
- If you or your wedding guests do choose to travel between cities, there are multiple transportation options in the Dominican Republic. Choose from a car rental, taxi, subway, bus, speed bike, helicopter or plane.
- The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. If you don’t speak the language, it’s important to find someone who does if you’re planning your wedding there. You will want to make sure you’re on the same page with your plans. Consider hiring a local wedding planner or choosing a venue that speaks your language as well!
- The warmest months are June – September. If you’re having a Dominican Republic beach wedding, you may want to avoid this humid weather. It also coincides with hurricane season.
What is it Known For?
Along with its beautiful beaches and weather, the Dominican Republic is known for its culture and history. They also have a great nightlife, as wedding guests can always find a local place with music and dancing. Most famously, they are known for their love of baseball. Lastly, the people are known to be very friendly and welcoming.
The most popular cities and towns to visit in the Dominican Republic are Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Cabarete. Whichever location you choose for your beach wedding you will have a romantic and memorable time!
What is the Best Time to Get Married in the Dominican Republic?
It’s important to know that the Dominican Republic lies within the Caribbean hurricane belt. Hurricane season is from June – November. If you’re planning a Dominican Republic beach wedding, you may want to avoid these months to be safe.
Tropical storms may ruin your ceremony and reception plans or even the flights of you and your guests. Your destination wedding is more important than a normal vacation, so it may not be worth it to risk planning it during one of these hurricane months.
To avoid the expensive holiday peak season, the best time to get married in the Dominican Republic is March – May. Since the country experiences warm weather all year round, you’ll still get the nice temperatures without all the crowds and without the risk of major storms.
During these months you should be able to find a more affordable deal on hotels and airfare. This will also be helpful for your guests, who will have to save up money for the trip as well. The only thing you may want to avoid during this time are popular spring break weeks for colleges.
What are the Marriage Requirements in the Dominican Republic?
The marriage requirements in the Dominican Republic are pretty basic. Conveniently, there is no waiting period or blood tests required. The documents that you will need are both of your birth certificates, passports, single status affidavit for each party in Spanish that are notarized and divorce decree or death certificate if applicable.
The couple will also need to write to the American Consulate in Santo Domingo to request permission to marry. Additionally, you have to pay certain fees and have two witnesses at the ceremony. After the ceremony, you will be given a document that proves the wedding happened. You then need to request a marriage certificate from the local Justice of the Peace.
This marriage license will be valid all over the world. The fairly easy process is another reason why the Dominican Republic is a popular location for a destination wedding! For the complete list of marriage requirements in the Dominican Republic click here.
What to do next? Read more about planning a destination wedding here.