A Complete Legal Guide to Planning Your Aruba Wedding

Getting legally married in Aruba works differently from most Caribbean destinations. All official legal civil ceremonies must take place indoors at the Civil Town House in downtown Oranjestad, not at your resort or on the beach. Documents must be submitted 1 to 2 months in advance. Ceremonies run Wednesday through Friday, with Saturday available for a $150 surcharge. Two adult witnesses must be present.

Because of the indoor-only ceremony requirement, most Aruba couples complete the legal portion either at the Civil Town House or at home, then host a customized symbolic beach or resort ceremony afterward. Your Certified Destination Wedding Specialist can help you decide which route fits your vision.

Below, everything you need to know about legally getting married in Aruba, from the required documents to the Civil Town House process to the symbolic-ceremony alternative, destination wedding style.

Legal Marriage in Aruba: Overview

Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, so its marriage laws differ from those of other Caribbean destinations. Every legally binding civil ceremony must take place indoors at the Civil Town House (Burgerlijke Stand) in downtown Oranjestad, performed by a Dutch civil officiant. You cannot legally marry on the beach, at your resort, or at any outdoor location in Aruba.

Documents must be submitted to Aruba authorities 1 to 2 months in advance, with apostille certification on all foreign documents.

Required Legal Documents

Every document below must be gathered, apostilled, and submitted to the Aruba authorities 1 to 2 months before the wedding date. Start this process 4 to 6 months before your ceremony.

• Valid passports: Photo ID pages for both partners.
• Birth certificates: Official long-form copies with an apostille or state certification.
• Certificate of No Impediment: Also called a Single Status Report or Negative Statement of Marriage from your home country, also apostilled.
• Divorce or death decrees: Required if either partner was previously married. Apostilled.
• Witness identification: Passports or valid IDs for two witnesses aged 18 or older. Local witnesses can be arranged if you’re traveling alone.
• Aruba Declaration of Marriage Intent and Single Status forms: Completed and submitted through the Aruba Civil Registry, typically coordinated by a local planner.

Timeline and Arrival Requirements

Aruba legal weddings require significant advance coordination:

• 4 to 6 months before: Begin gathering birth certificates, Certificate of No Impediment, divorce or death decrees, and apostille certifications for all foreign documents.
• 1 to 2 months before the ceremony: Submit completed and apostilled paperwork to Aruba authorities through your local planner or resort wedding coordinator.
• Arrival: No mandatory pre-ceremony residency wait beyond confirming your Civil Town House appointment. Most couples arrive 2 to 4 days before to settle in.
• Ceremony day: Attend your scheduled Civil Town House appointment for the legal ceremony (Wednesday through Friday standard; Saturday available for a $150 surcharge).

Ceremony Rules and Officiant Requirements

All legally binding civil ceremonies must take place indoors at the Civil Town House in downtown Oranjestad, performed by a Dutch civil officiant. Ceremonies typically run on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during standard daytime hours. Saturday ceremonies are available but require a $150 surcharge fee.

Two witnesses aged 18 or older must be present with valid identification. Personalized elements and touches can be added within the Civil Town House ceremony, but the setting itself is fixed.

The Beach and Resort Ceremony Add-On

Because the legally binding portion must happen indoors at the Civil Town House, virtually every Aruba wedding also includes a customized symbolic ceremony at the beach or resort. This is where you get your traditional destination wedding look: sand, ocean views, resort styling, and a full ceremony that guests remember. The Civil Town House visit becomes a shorter legal-only step, and the resort ceremony becomes the main event.

Legal Wedding Fees and Costs

Beyond your resort’s wedding package price, legal marriage in Aruba involves the following government and administrative fees. Typical ranges (paid in USD or Aruban florins):

Fee	Typical Cost
Apostille certification (at home)	$20 to $50 per document
Civil Town House ceremony fee (Wednesday to Friday)	$300 to $500
Saturday ceremony surcharge	Additional $150
Additional certified copies of marriage certificate	$10 to $20 each

Many resort wedding packages include Civil Town House coordination as part of their legal-ceremony add-on. Ask your resort or Certified Destination Wedding Specialist for an itemized breakdown before you commit.

The Alternative: Legal at Home Plus Symbolic Ceremony in Aruba

Because the legally binding portion must happen indoors at the Civil Town House (and can’t take place at your resort), many Aruba couples opt to complete the legal portion at home entirely and host only a symbolic ceremony at their Aruba resort or on the beach.

A symbolic ceremony has no paperwork, no Civil Town House appointment, no apostille requirements, and no advance-submission window. It takes place wherever you want (beach, resort garden, ballroom), performed by any officiant you choose, and looks and feels identical to a legal ceremony. Guests can’t tell the difference.

Given Aruba’s indoor-only legal requirement, symbolic-only ceremonies are genuinely popular. Choose the legal ceremony in Aruba if you specifically want a fully binding ceremony at the destination. Choose symbolic-only if you want the flexibility of a beach or resort ceremony without the Civil Town House step.

How Our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists Help

Aruba legal wedding logistics work best when handled by someone who’s coordinated them before. Our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists support couples through every step:

• Matching you to a resort with an established Civil Town House coordination process and strong local planner relationships
• Building a document-gathering timeline so apostille steps and the 1 to 2 month advance submission happen in the right order
• Coordinating the Civil Town House appointment and Dutch civil officiant scheduling
• Designing the symbolic beach or resort ceremony that follows or replaces the Civil Town House step
• Advising on symbolic-only vs legal-plus-symbolic based on your specific priorities

Aruba Legal Wedding FAQs

Can we legally marry on the beach in Aruba?

No. All legally binding civil ceremonies must take place indoors at the Civil Town House in downtown Oranjestad. Beach and resort ceremonies in Aruba are symbolic ceremonies performed alongside or in place of the legal Civil Town House step.

How far in advance do we submit paperwork?

1 to 2 months before your wedding date. Documents must be gathered, apostilled, and submitted to Aruba authorities in advance. Local coordinators typically handle the submission on your behalf.

Do we need blood tests to marry in Aruba?

No. Aruba does not require blood tests or medical exams for legal marriage.

Can we get legally married in Aruba on a weekend?

Saturday ceremonies at the Civil Town House are available but require an additional $150 surcharge. Sunday ceremonies are not available. Most couples schedule Wednesday through Friday to keep costs lower.

Start Planning Your Aruba Destination Wedding

Whether you’re planning a fully legal ceremony at the Civil Town House followed by a symbolic beach ceremony, or a symbolic-only ceremony with legal paperwork at home, our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists can guide you through every step. From resort matchmaking to Civil Town House coordination to symbolic beach ceremony design, we’ve helped many couples navigate Aruba wedding legalities without stress.

Fill out our online wedding planning form, and one of our DW Specialists will help you build an Aruba destination wedding that’s both legally sound and unforgettable.