Getting married in Aruba is easier than on most islands. However, one rule surprises almost every couple. It is better to learn it now than three months into planning.
💍 Wedding photos in wild Aruba
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The rule nobody tells you: you cannot legally marry on the beach
Every legally binding civil ceremony happens indoors at the Civil Town House in downtown Oranjestad. A Dutch civil officiant performs it. Not at your resort. Not barefoot at sunset. Not on the sand.
So how does everyone have those beach wedding photos? Simple. The legal ceremony happens at the Town House first. Then the beach ceremony follows as the celebration — same dress, same vows, same photographer. Couples do it every week, and it works beautifully. Therefore, plan for two moments rather than one.
What you need to marry in Aruba
- Valid passports for both partners.
- Long-form birth certificates, apostilled or state-certified.
- A Certificate of No Impediment from your home country, also apostilled.
- Final divorce decree or death certificate, if either applies.
- The Aruba Declaration of Marriage Intent and Single Status forms.
- Two witnesses who are not related to you, of legal age, with valid ID.
- Any document not in English must be translated and notarised.
The timeline that actually works
- 4–6 months out: start gathering and apostilling documents. This is the step that delays couples, every time.
- 1–2 months out: documents must be submitted to Aruban authorities.
- Ceremony slots: the Town House marries couples Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and afternoons, and Wednesday mornings only — so build your week around those windows.
Why couples choose Aruba
- Weather you can actually plan around — outside the hurricane belt, with the driest climate in the Caribbean. Nobody reschedules an Aruba wedding for a storm.
- Eagle Beach — ranked the #1 beach in the Caribbean, and the fofoti trees are the most photographed backdrop on the island.
- Everything is close. Guests fly in, and nothing is more than 45 minutes from anything.
- English everywhere, US dollars accepted, and a safe, walkable island for wedding guests.
Where to celebrate afterwards
For the reception and the honeymoon that follows, our Aruba honeymoon guide covers the most romantic resorts, and the Oranjestad restaurant guide has the rooms worth booking for a wedding dinner — Wilhelmina and Pinchos on the pier are the classic choices.
Compare wedding-worthy Aruba resorts → · Sunset sails and group experiences for your guests →
Experiences worth booking
🎉 Celebrating something? See 12 ways to celebrate a birthday in Aruba, or let us plan it for you.
