The Cayman Islands offer a choice of superb locations including white-sand beaches fringed by gently swaying palm trees – ideal for that long dreamt of beach wedding!
Getting married in the Cayman Islands is an easy process with a choice of professionals able to help you organise your big day.
There are two different processes for getting married in the Cayman Islands, depending on whether you are a resident or a visitor to the island.
Residents must be married by having their Banns of Marriage published by a Civil Registrar or Marriage Officer for seven clear days before the marriage can take place. This is to give anyone who might object to the marriage the opportunity to make their objection known, in writing, to your wedding celebrant.
Visitors must be married under the authority of the Governor’s Special Marriage Licence, which can be arranged as soon as you arrive in the Caymans.
If one party to the marriage is a resident, and the other party a visitor, then the couple must be married by Banns. The Resident party can apply for the Banns to be published before the visiting party arrives. Banns of Marriage are valid for three months from the date of publication.
Cayman Islands’s wedding laws allow marriages to take place in hotels, beaches and other public places.
Marriages performed in Cayman Islands are internationally recognised and legally binding.
None. Couples, including those arriving by cruise ship, can marry the same day they arrive in the Cayman Islands.
You will need to select a wedding celebrant, called a Civil Registrar or Marriage Officer, before you arrive, and they will help you arrange a certified copy of a non-residents marriage licence.
Applications for non-resident marriage licences and a list of licenced Marriage Officers can be obtained from the Passport and Corporate Services Office. On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, this is provided by the District Commissioner’s Office.
Ensure that all documents are in your legal name, and provide affidavits in cases where you are known by another name. Originals of all documentation are required.
If you’re unable to obtain an original Decree Absolute / Death Certificate you may provide a certified true copy.
All documents must be in English; if not, they must be translated and notarized.
Documents required for a legal wedding in the Caymans, include…*Applications for non-resident marriage licence and a list of licenced Marriage Officers can be obtained from the Passport and Corporate Services Office (Tel: 345-943-7678, email: passport&corporate@gov.ky); on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, contact the District Commissioner's Office (Tel: 345-948-2506, email: BracDC@gov.ky).
Couples can opt for a traditional wedding in a quaint chapel, stately church or on the beach in front of a luxury resort.
After the wedding ceremony (civil or religious) you and your spouse, along with two adult witnesses (aged 18 or older) and your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer, must sign three copies of the Marriage Register.
One certified copy, called the Bridal Certificate, is yours to keep for your records. Your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer is required by law to keep one copy in his/her Marriage Book.
Again, according to the Marriage Law which governs marriages in the Cayman Islands, the third (duplicate) copy must be filed by your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer with the Registrar of Marriages at the General Registry as soon as possible after the wedding.
It is your responsibility to obtain the Registered Marriage Certificate (RMC) of your marriage from the General Registry, (1st Floor, Citrus Grove Building, Goring Avenue, George Town) unless you have arranged with your Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer to obtain this and forward it to you.
Most of the 70 Marriage Officers in the Cayman Islands are Ministers of Religion and can be contacted through their churches.
The RMC has the words ‘secure copy’ on the reverse. On the front it will have the details of your marriage, a watermark of the Coat of Arms of the Cayman Islands and the raised seal of the Registrar General. This document is your legal Marriage Certificate and should be secured with your other important documents.
USD$250
European Union citizens (except the United Kingdom and Ireland) may need to have their Registered Marriage Certificate apostilled (or authenticated).
This does not apply to citizens of United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Citizens of Asian countries, South and Central America should check with their Civil Registrar/Marriage Officer as to whether an apostille is required for your country.
Many hotels offer comprehensive assistance to couples planning their destination wedding in the Cayman Islands.
For more information contact your hotel or check out the very useful website, Cayman Resident, where you can find a list of recommended wedding consultants and service providers including Civil Registrars and Marriage Officers, as well as top wedding venues.
Please note: while accurate at time of publication this information is for guidance purposes only and liable to change without notice. Please check with your wedding planner at your resort of choice or the relevant embassy of the country in which you intend to marry for up-to-date details before your wedding.
Latest update: How to get married in Cayman Islands: 7 May, 2022
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