If you want to have a destination wedding with a tropical feel but without the hassle and expense of you and your guests getting passports to your island getaway, if you’re a United States citizen, you’re in luck. There are numerous tropical islands that await your wedding.
Passport to Your Wedding
While having a passport is always a good investment because it’s an almost-universally accepted form of identification throughout the world that’s valid for ten years, there is an excellent chance that some of your guests might not have one.
By choosing one of these getaways, all you and your guests may need to travel is a copy of a valid birth certificate and/or a government-issued form of picture identification such as a driver’s license. Check with your destination’s tourism website or your travel agent to determine what identification is required to arrive and/or leave the locale.
Living Here, Marrying There
Most of these destinations won’t require that you arrive early to establish residency (from a few days to a week or more at some other island getaways), but most will necessitate that you acquire your wedding license before your arrival.
However, this easily can be done by completing the forms and filing payment online which will take away the hassle and expense of the extra days needed at many other islands to establish residency to qualify for a marriage license.
Aloha!
What could be more romantic than having your wedding on one of the beautiful islands of Hawaii? Island breezes, spectacular volcanoes and mountains, exquisite settings, luxury resorts and stunning beaches await you.
Yes, Hawaii can be quite expensive, but if you consider that you’ll likely have far fewer guests traveling to your wedding and you’re already at your honeymoon site, chances are you can have a lovely Hawaiian wedding for about what a traditional wedding would cost on the mainland.
Pretty Puerto Rico
The U.S.-owned island of Puerto Rico brings you the flavor of the Caribbean with a decidedly Latin beat. From its miles of lush tropical beaches, incredible Spanish-inspired cuisine, luxury resorts and the splendor and history of Old San Juan, what more could you want from your destination wedding and honeymoon site?
Tropical Retreats
Chances are that as you’ve been researching possible island destination wedding locales, you’ve looked at the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St.Croix and St. John).
All of these islands are not only popular destination wedding and honeymoon sites, they are also a possession of the United States. So if you’re an American citizen, you won’t need a passport to enjoy a Caribbean getaway at these islands.
Other U.S.-owned commonwealths and territories that are lesser-known and more private include American Samoa, Baker Island, Howland Island, Guam, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and Palmyra Atoll.
In Part II of this series, you’ll learn about other popular and even more affordable U.S. island destination wedding getaways that you can get to by car, boat or air. Check out this and other tips about destination wedding planning in the category in the top right column above.
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