Weddings Traditions and Requirements in Antigua

Antigua is one of the easiest islands in the Caribbean to get married on

Antigua is a great wedding location for visionaries who want the freedom to design their own wedding, and be able to do it on a moments notice. The lack of residency requirement and wedding customs allows couples to get married on a whim, and let their imaginations run wild.

Local Wedding Customs

There are no local wedding customs of note in Antigua, though that doesn't mean you can't find ways to honor the islands during your wedding.
One such way to incorporate Antigua into your big day is by having you or those in your wedding party wear Antigua's national dress. Antigua's national dress is inspired by clothing that market vendors wore around the 1830s. They are lightweight dresses in a very distinct pattern of red and yellow plaid or checks. Men can use this same material for a shirt or vest.

You can also involve local agriculture into your ceremony. Say your vows underneath a white wood, which is the national tree, or incorporate dagger's log, the national flower, into your bouquet or boutonnière.

One of the easiest ways to bring Antigua into your wedding is by serving regional food at your reception. The national fruit is the Antiguan Black Pineapple, and the national dish is pepperpot stew. Both are excellent options, as is ducana, freshly caught fish, and fruit juices. For your wedding cake, serve a spiced fruit cake soaked in rum, as is common in many Caribbean weddings.

Modern Requirements

Weddings in Antigua can take place any day of the week, including the day you arrive on the island, as long as you have made it in time to apply for your marriage license. To apply for a marriage license, take the following documents along with $200(USD) to the Ministry of Legal Affairs (open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.):

•Certified copies of the bride and      grooms birth certificates.

•Certified copies of Divorce  Certificate if  one or more parties  has been divorced.
•Certified copies of Death  Certificate if  one of the parties is a  widow or  widower.

•Certified copies of adoption  certificates  that reflect any name  changes.
•Photocopy of photo identification  for  each party.
•Notarized copies of English  translations for any documents  that are  not originally worded in  English.

Take the time to make sure you've got all your required documents in order before you head to islands, and your Antigua wedding can be whatever you want it to be.

*culled from www.caribya.com