Barbados is one of the easiest Caribbean islands to have a destination wedding because there are only a few marriage requirements.
It’s not difficult at all to get a Barbados marriage license!
If you want to be safe or relieve some stress, just hire a wedding planner who can take care of all these things for you.
There are no residency requirements in Barbados in order to get married on the island. There is also no waiting time to receive your license, which is very convenient! Both the bride and groom have to apply for the license in person at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Bridgetown. The office is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am – 3:30pm.
To be issued a Barbados marriage license, you’ll both need a birth certificate or passport and your return plane ticket. If either party has been divorced you’ll need an original Decree Absolute or a certified copy of the Final Judgement. If widowed, you’ll need a copy of the marriage certificate and death certificate.
You should make your arrangements with your ceremony officiant before applying for the license, because you’ll also need a letter from the officiant performing the service. If you’re having a Catholic ceremony, you’ll need a letter from your bishop.
After paying necessary fees, which will be about $115, you’ll receive your Barbados marriage license. A nice feature about getting married on this island is that you can have your ceremony held in the court or outside of the court. Both are an additional fee. This allows you the option to have your romantic beach wedding or to even get married on a boat!
The convenience and flexibility of these marriage requirements makes Barbados a great destination for a tropical wedding. Since legal requirements in Barbados do change over time, you’re advised to check the official government website for exact details. You can find this up to date information here.