Planning Tips & Ideas

St. Maarten weddings are what fairytales are made of. Making life vows on our beautiful sandy shores or our amazing lush peaks, will make your special day all the more memorable. With our planning guide you’ll have one less thing to worry about when planning a destination wedding, making sure the only thing you have to focus on is starting this special journey you will take with your partner. Build your dream wedding on the island of St. Maarten.

Submitting Marriage Documentation

• Requests for a marriage must be submitted at least 14 days before the date of marriage
• The following original documents must be submitted:
  • A full detailed birth certificate to prove the legality of the name, not older  than 3 years;
  • Unmarried person(s) must present a declaration of marital status not older than 3 months;
  • If widow(er), a death certificate;
  • If divorced, a divorce certificate/decree of a final judgment, not older than 3 years.
• Besides the above mentioned, the following information is also needed:
  • Address, profession and nationality of the bride and groom;
  • Passport copies of booth parties; 
  • Names of the parents and maiden names of the mothers;
  • Passport copies of the witnesses;

Original documents not in Dutch or English need to be translated into the Dutch or English languages. Marriages will be performed after all documents are found correct by the Civil Registrar.

Please contact the office for additional information before planning your marriage.

The Civil Registry Department
Soualiga Road # 1, Philipsburg Sint Maarten 
Phone: 1-721-5420652 -5422829-5422709-5424292 
Email: burgerzakensxm@sintmaartengov.org

Choosing your Location 

A marriage in St. Maarten can be performed at the Marriage Hall or at a location away from the Marriage Hall. The price for contracting marriage depends on your choice of location and day of the ceremony and will range from  NAF 315.00 - 735,00 or US$ 178.00 - US$ 415,25. Weddings can also be held at a religious church of your choice, a part of a religious ceremony. It is highly recommended to get a wedding planner to arrange this, as it usually involves certain documents to be submitted to said church. 

Getting your Witnesses & Officiant 

As another requirement to get married and officially recognize your marriage. You will need minimum two and maximum four witnesses if the marriage is performed in the Marriage Hall. Six witnesses if the marriage is away from the Marriage Hall.

Getting a Wedding Planner

Specialized ceremonies, hard-to-find entertainment, and the most custom venue and decor? Our experienced wedding planners are ready to assist with every request and produce your vision in the form of a ceremony of your dreams. Our planners help take the worry and stress out of planning your destination wedding, with years of experience, and a long list of local vendors. Find a wedding planner(link to planner page) to be one step closer to the wedding of your dreams.