Dominican Brides:
Some tips for a perfect Caribbean wedding
Planning on becoming one of those happy Dominican brides?
Here are our top tips to help ensure your wonderful Caribbean wedding is the
start of a marvelous marriage
and a few thoughts and words of advice to help ensure things run smoothly.
First of all - Settle in, Relax and
Enjoy the Difference
So, you are planning to make that all-important
transition into married bliss by becoming one of the select number of perfect
Dominican brides. We can hardly think of anywhere better for your dream. But
remember that possibly for the first time, you will be in quite different
cultural surroundings from those you are accustomed to. No matter how much you
plan ahead, being miles away from home and in a new and different environment
can add to what is evidently bound to be a stressful time.
You should always allow yourself enough time in resort
prior to your Caribbean wedding ceremony to ensure that your special day
progresses as smoothly as possible. The hotels ‘wedding’ arranger will likely be
highly trained and experienced in ensuring all Dominican brides have the perfect
day, but even so, you need to have time to allow yourself and your party to get
to know your way around your chosen venue; get accustomed to the surroundings
and begin to soak up some of the local atmosphere.
Things to consider in making
wedding arrangements
As long as you remember to relax and not get too worked
up about small things, but accept that whatever happens... “It’s all good”...you
will be ready to enjoy your Caribbean wedding on what is sure to be an
unforgettably romantic day for all Dominican brides and their grooms! However,
to smooth the path to happy matrimony, we list below a few things you may want
to consider, and prepare for, in order to help to ensure your wedding in the
Dominican Republic
involves only the one ‘hitch’ it is supposed to be
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS: Don’t forget to enquire about any
special arrangements your ‘host’ hotel offers to Dominican brides For
instance some can arrange live music of various kinds; it may be possible to
ensure particular favorite songs are included in the bands 'set'; some offer
ornate wedding carriages drawn by horses; go ahead and 'pick the brains' of your
Caribbean wedding organizer...and make your day as special as possible!
FLOWERS: Remember the DR is an ‘exotic’ location, so
you should look into what flowers are available as there should be a range of
‘warm climate’ blooms that would be ideal for your Caribbean wedding at any time
of year. This is just one of the many bonuses that the beautiful setting of the
DR can provide for 'blooming beautiful' Dominican brides.
PHOTOGRAPHS: Don’t forget that you need not only to
consider who will take the photographs, and maybe the video of your un forgetful
moments as one of the select few who become Dominican brides each year. You
should also be clearly instructive about just what photos you would like to have
taken by the photographer at your wedding in the Dominican Republic. There will
be limited time, no doubt, after your arrival at resort with so much to
‘practice’ and prepare for, that it will help to ensure a list of particular
photo groupings is provided to prompt the photographer.
THE CAKE: Due to the fact that you will be ‘remote’
from your host hotel until shortly before you become one of those ‘blushing’
Dominican brides, you should ensure that if you want a particular type, or
design of cake that full details and even a photo of the type of cake you
require is provided well in advance.
DRESSING FOR THE WEDDING: When you plan your Dominican brides and grooms
attire, take account of the weather conditions and ensure that you choose
accordingly. It can be VERY warm and you want to feel as cool, calm and
collected as possible on what can be a stressful day...you also don’t want to
look too sweaty, red, and uncomfortable on your photographs...or to keel over,
due to overheating, during your vows!
LOOKING YOUR BEST: Most ‘wedding venues’ in the DR will
have a range of additional pampering services that they offer. Besides the
obvious things to prospective Dominican brides, like hairdressing, you may also
want a makeover and to have the full manicure and nail-paint-job! So make sure
you allow enough time, in advance of your Caribbean wedding ceremony, to arrive,
settle in, take advantage of a day or two’s sun perhaps, so that you are
healthily glowing and brown for your photos.
BUT BEWARE...don’t be tempted to overdo the
sunbathing!! The ‘memories’ of your special day will not be enhanced by the
appearance of beetroot-red faces throughout the ‘wedding album’! Nor do you want
to be ailing from the effects of heatstroke throughout your ‘happy occasion’!
Come to that you should also remind the groom not to overdo the ‘Presidentes’
(beer) or Dominican rum and cigars the night before! A Pale green grooms are
equally as unbecoming on wedding photos as beetroot-red Dominican brides!
PAMPER YOURSELF: It may be that the hotel also provides
massage and other stress-reduction therapies you can take advantage of, which
will all contribute to that perfect serene look on the special day. But
remember, if you are visiting the Dominican Republic at a peak time, you should
‘book your requirements in advance’ to save any disappointment should they be
too busy near the time.
THINK INSIDE OUT!!?: Remember that, whilst the
Dominican Republic weather is some of sunniest in the world, at certain times of
year (as with all Caribbean wedding islands) the odd ‘tropical downpour’ can
occur! And we mean DOWNPOUR. Even though it may last only a few minutes it can
be enough to undo hours of beautification and ruin many a ‘best pair of shoes’
and finely pressed suit! SO... when confirming your preferred wedding setting in
the grounds of the hotel, be sure to have an alternative indoor option agreed
with the ‘banqueting manager’...just in case the need arises at the last minute!
A little pre-planning can save many a Dominican brides’ day.
AND DO CHECK: This is particularly important in so far
as many popular wedding venue hotels will have several weddings occurring on one
day...so you will not have much option with respect to delaying the ceremony.
This factor can cause some aggravation, if the happy couple feel pressurized and
‘hurried’ through what should be a special, solemn occasion - the perfect
Caribbean wedding. Do check with the hotel management to see what other
ceremonies are occurring and how flexible they will be able to be on the
day...forewarned is forearmed!
CAN I GET A WITNESS?": Also...make sure that you have
considered the need to have two ‘witnesses’ for your Caribbean wedding. If you
intend to bring your witnesses with you, perhaps as part of a wedding party,
then they will need to supply a proof of identity in the form of their
passports, on the day. If however you ‘recruit’ some Dominican witnesses, then
they can use their official I.D., known locally as a ‘cedula’.
And to round this page off for now...a few more points
about the important ‘official’ paperwork, related to your Caribbean wedding,
that you will want to know about:
Obtaining Your Marriage
Certificate
When you marry in the DR at a hotel, you will receive a
written confirmation that the marriage has taken place. It is then necessary to
contact the local Justice of the Peace in order to obtain a legal and valid
marriage certificate. This is the certificate that will be recognized wherever
you live as a confirmation that a legal marriage has taken place.
You should, however, consider approaching the appropriate consulate in
the Dominican Republic to have the certificate validated. This will make
obtaining visas in a new name, if relevant, much easier for the affected partner
(usually, even these days, the wife, of course). Sometimes this whole process
can be arranged by, and/or may be included in the ‘Caribbean Wedding Package’
that you purchase. However, you are advised to check out what is included, and
whether or not these arrangements can be made at an extra cost when making your
booking.
It can easily take at least a month for all the
paperwork to be completed and for you to receive your validated certificate.
Well...it only remains to say - "Congratulations"...have
a truly wonderful wedding in the Dominican Republic and most of all "enjoy your
happy day!" as one of those very special Dominican brides,