Curacao is home to the world’s best scuba diving spots, stunning beaches, historic towns, and a diverse culture. The Island has a rich history with British and Spanish Influences before it became part of the Netherlands. That makes it a fantastic destination wedding spot. However, when planning a Curacao wedding as a foreigner, you may need help finding venues or learning what requirements you should meet.
Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.
Our detailed guide takes you through some of the best Curacao wedding packages and venues to consider. We also list some legal requirements and give you timely budgeting tips to make your search and planning process seamless and straightforward.
Table of Contents
Best Venues for Your Curacao Destination Wedding
About Destination Weddings in Curacao
Legal Requirements for Weddings in Curacao
Curacao Destination Wedding Planning Tips
Average Room Price: $400 to $1000
Drive Time to Airport: 40 minutes
Number of Rooms: 350
Weddings Per Day: 2
All Inclusive: Yes
Adult Only: Yes
LGBTQ Friendly: No
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Sandals Curacao is a luxurious resort that offers an unparalleled experience for couples looking to celebrate their wedding day. With its stunning location on the island of Curacao, the resort provides the perfect backdrop for a destination wedding.
The resort’s expert wedding planners are dedicated to providing exceptional service. Creating a personalized experience that perfectly reflects your vision for your special day. They’ll assist in selecting the perfect venue for your ceremony and arranging decorations, catering, and entertainment. The team at Sandals Curacao will take care of every detail to ensure that your wedding is perfect in every way.
Sandals Curacao’s talented chefs can create a mouthwatering menu that will delight your guests, featuring a range of local and international specialties. Whether you’re looking for a formal sit-down dinner or a more casual buffet, the culinary team at Sandals Curacao can cater to your needs and preferences.
Guests at Sandals Curacao can enjoy the resort’s many luxurious amenities, including multiple swimming pools, a spa, and access to the island’s beautiful beaches. The resort’s rooms and suites are spacious and comfortable, offering stunning ocean views and all the amenities you need to make your stay unforgettable.
Average Room Price: $400 to $1000
Drive Time to Airport: 20 minutes
Number of Rooms: 197
Weddings Per Day: 1
All Inclusive: Yes
Adult Only: No
LGBTQ Friendly: Yes
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Dreams Curacao is one location that promises a European feel in the Caribbean. It is an exquisite and enchanting destination for couples seeking an unforgettable wedding experience. Located on Piscadera Bay’s two sandy beaches, the resort provides couples with an all-inclusive wedding, honeymoon, and holiday package.
The resort has three pools, seven restaurants, and four bars. There is a microbrewery on site and a big casino with two bars. Couples may select from four outdoor ceremony locations, including a historical Dutch Colonial fort.
The dedicated wedding planners at Dreams Curacao work closely with couples to bring their visions to life. Following the ceremony, you can choose from the many trips and excursions offered on the island. You may visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, have a city walk in Otrobands, or go helmet diving with Sea Trek.
The resort features elegant and spacious accommodations for the wedding couple and their guests, ensuring a comfortable and memorable stay. You also have access to world-class snorkeling and scuba diving. You can also enjoy non-motorized watersports and a variety of recreational activities. There is also 24-hour room service at the property.
Dreams Curacao is approximately 20 minutes from the airport, making it handy and accessible. Their wedding packages include complimentary items and may be adjusted for larger gatherings.
Average Room Price: $100 to $400
Drive Time to Airport: 25 minutes
Number of Rooms: 341
Weddings Per Day: 1
All Inclusive: Yes
Adult Only: No
LGBTQ Friendly: Yes
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Sunscape Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino is an exceptional destination for couples seeking a dreamy wedding experience. Nestled on the stunning island of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean, this resort offers an array of breathtaking settings, luxurious amenities, and attentive service.
Sunscape Curacao offers the island’s largest beach, with breathtaking vistas and lush green tropical vegetation. The family-friendly resort offers four venues: the Flamboyant Center, the Peninsula Area, the Beach Gazebo, and the Wedding Gazebo.
Additionally, Sunscape Curaçao provides various wedding packages tailored to suit different preferences and budgets. Couples can choose between an intimate ceremony and a large convention center wedding.
The all-inclusive package provides unlimited access to gourmet dining options, premium beverages, and exciting activities. Swim in one of the three pool areas, unwind in the hot tub, or learn about Curacao’s rich Dutch tradition. Moreover, you may dive into the National Underwater Park or shop at the floating market.
Curaçao is a vibrant and culturally rich island, offering a unique blend of European and Caribbean influences. Also, the island boasts colorful colonial architecture, a rich history, and a diverse culinary scene, making it an appealing destination for couples and guests. The island’s warm climate and pleasant weather throughout the year make it an ideal choice for a destination wedding.
About Destination Weddings in Curacao
Why should you have a Curacao wedding, or what are the costs? Here’s everything you need to know.
Why Get Married in Curacao
Some of the reasons you should get married in Curacao are:
Lots to Explore
Curacao is a Caribbean paradise with over 30 spectacular beaches, lush green gardens, and rich culture. Curacao remains a perfect wedding destination with plenty of fantastic attraction sites and places to explore with loved ones. You can arrive with your family/friends a day earlier and visit these sites before your big day. That means you have extended celebrations instead of your wedding day being a single day.
Perfect Island For Both Wedding and Honeymoon
Curacao has a vast selection of resorts and hotels. Whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge, you’ll find a venue that fits your budget. Most resorts have all-inclusive packages to make having a Curacao wedding smoother, giving you ample time to relax.
Save Money
Traveling to Curacao for your special day allows you to save money through the all-inclusive packages. Most of these packages have a symbolic ceremony and reception, which cuts down the costs of the wedding venue and reception. Thanks to the beautiful palm trees and breathtaking ocean views, you don’t spend much on decor.
Average Cost of a Destination Wedding in Curacao
The average cost of a destination wedding in Curacao is $2500. That includes the cost of flights, accommodation, and the ceremony. In some resorts, you can opt for an all-inclusive package between $4,000-$20,000, depending on your budget. These packages include a wedding ceremony, cake, photography, music, and decor.
Legal Requirements for Weddings in Curacao
Curacao has a set of marriage requirements and specific procedures you’ll need to follow before you can officially celebrate your big day. Here’s everything you need to know.
Legal Weddings Vs. Symbolic Weddings
Curacao offers couples an option to celebrate both symbolic and legal weddings. Couples who’d rather not deal with all the legal requirements and rules of the civil registry can choose to get married in their home country and have a symbolic ceremony in Curacao.
Most hotels and resorts also offer a symbolic wedding ceremony as part of their packages. You get to choose what you like, depending on your preferences.
If you plan on having a legal wedding in Curacao, you’ll need to follow the rules of the civil registry and meet all the requirements beforehand to obtain a marriage license. Read on to learn more about the required legal documents and their costs.
Required Legal Documents & Cost
You need to fulfill specific legal requirements before your Curacao wedding. Some of the license requirements include the following:
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- Birth certificates with the parent’s names
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- Passport photocopies
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- Two dates to get married and a time
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- International declaration of not being married issued by the civil registry of your country and an apostille
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- Send a request to the municipality informing them that you want to get married. Couples need to sign the letter.
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- Copy of the divorce certificate or death certificate if widowed. The documents need to be certified by the embassy of the Netherlands in your resident country.
These documents must have been issued within six months regarding the wedding day. A witness must be 21 years old and registered with their full name, date of birth, and address. They also need a passport copy.
All documents should be recent, original, and legally certified.
Once you send the required information, you should hear back from them within two weeks. You must be on the island three days before the wedding date to get a Curacao marriage license.
Legal Marriage Timeline
You need to be in Curacao three days before your wedding date to obtain a Curacao marriage license. That allows you also to familiarize yourself with the office of the Registrar. After receiving your marriage license,
Your marriage will be announced officially on the first Saturday after the marriage application and approval of related documents.
Curacao Destination Wedding Planning Tips
Planning a destination wedding in a foreign land can be overwhelming.
Here are some timely tips on how to get to Curacao, the weather, and how to budget for your trip.
How to Get There
You can get to Curacao by air, yacht, or cruise from N. America, S. America, and Europe. The island has one airport, the Curacao International Airport or Hato International Airport.
All public flights to Curacao fly into the international airport, with direct flights from Newark, Miami, and Charlotte. JetBlue, American Airlines, and United fly directly to Curacao from Miami, New York, Charlotte, and Newark.
Flights from NY take 4 hours and 30 minutes, from Miami take 2 hours and 53 minutes, Charlotte takes 4 hours, and Newark at EWR takes 5 hours.
You can also fly from Toronto and Montreal to Curacao.
When arriving on a cruise ship, you have options like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival, and other celebrity cruise lines.
Note that you must fill out the Embarkation-Disembarkation Card before going through immigration. That can be done online to speed things up.
Curacao Weather
Curacao has excellent weather throughout the year, but August is the sunniest, receiving up to nine hours of sunshine daily.
The sunny season is from December to April. Curacao’s weather during this time is fantastic, allowing you to enjoy outdoor activities and visit different places.
March and February are windy, with June being the windiest month. Temperatures are warm, and you’ll get to enjoy the breeze. You don’t have to worry about the island being too windy as the atmosphere is relaxing for a destination wedding.
There’s rain in October and November. Although this is a wet season, the showers are not prolonged.
Budgeting Tips
Curacao is a stunning island to explore and have your destination wedding. However, costs can only add up if you plan accordingly. Although the island isn’t as expensive as other islands, you can still save some money with tips and tricks.
Here are a few budgeting tips to have in mind.
Plan Your Wedding During the Shoulder Season or Cold Season
If you’re not too focused on having a summer wedding, you can schedule your big day in the shoulder or cold season. Apart from fewer crowds in resorts and attraction sites, you also enjoy special discounts on accommodation and various activities.
Since the hotel staff won’t have a lot of people to cater to, you also get to enjoy extra attention from them.
Consider Car Rental if You Plan to Stay Longer
Taxis in Curacao can be costly. For example, a trip from the West End to Mambo Beach is 50 ANG. You’re better off renting a car for 75 ANG a day. It’s convenient and more economical.
You can find car rental services at the airport and around the island.
Best Time of Year to Get Married in Curacao
The best time of year to get married in Curacao is between December and April. It’s the dry season and also the peak season that attracts a large crowd. Most events, like the grand street parade and Curacao Carnival, also happen during this period. There’s also great weather during this season, which allows you to visit most historical sites and engage in different watersports.
Nonetheless, due to demand, you may find the Caribbean island overcrowded and need to book your hotel stay in advance.
You can also choose to visit Curacao from May to August, which is the shoulder season. It’s the best time to travel if you’re still looking for great weather but fewer crowds. The beaches are less busy, and it’s easier to find accommodation in high-end resorts at a reasonable rate.
Additionally, if you’d like to enjoy great discounts on accommodation and airfare and don’t mind the less-than-ideal weather, you can visit Curacao between September and November.
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