Belize | Planning Notes

Civil Ceremonies:

Civil ceremonies are required and only take place at the General Registry Office in Belize City in the evening Monday through Friday. See details below. You can take care of the legal marriage in the office and then plan on a blessing or another non-denominational wedding anywhere else in the country the following day if you please. This could be performed by anyone you wish.

Religious Ceremonies:

Catholicism is predominant in Belize. Don't forget that pre-marital counseling is required by The Roman Catholic Church and you will most likely have to provide copies of your baptismal certificates in order to married in the Catholic Church there. Anglican and Presbyterian churches do exist as do some other denominations. Buddhist, Moslem and Jewish couples will not have much luck finding officiates in Belize.

Making Your Marriage Legal

Note that although the laws in Belize are not too complicated, there are a few tricky areas, however, most destination wedding locations and officiates facilitate the process so that couples need only to arrive three days in advance. If you have any questions do not hesitate to call the General Registry Department in the city you plan to be married in. You will want to verify the fees, the days and times they are open for applying, and the times they perform the required civil marriage services.

Level of Difficulty:

A little challenging if you go at it on your own. Be sure to ask your officiate and hotel if they can take care of business for you. If not, be sure to get all the facts.

Documents

-Proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or ID card -One copy of your passport page that shows your date of entry into Belize

-Proof of marital status, if widowed or divorced, you can ignore this requirement if you have never been married

Translation or Authentification:

Neither

Blood Test:

No blood test or physical is needed.

Residency:

3 days

Waiting Period:

If you are getting the license yourself you will have to wait as many as 5 days to actually get your license once you have applied. If this is so, you will have to plan to arrive 8 days before the wedding.

License is Valid for:

3 Months

Witnesses:

2 and they can be anyone

Helpful Contacts/Resources Or should this be listed in planning resources?

Registry Department
Regent Street, Supreme Court Building, Belize City
(501.227.7377)
Vital Statistics Unit
25 Gabriel Lane, Belize City.
501.223.5625.

Design Ideas:

Welcome your guests with a gorgeous bouquet of orchids and a basket filled with beautiful wooden carvings or animals made out of coconuts or replicas of Mayan artifacts. Include some local goodies to eat and maybe a CD of traditional Mayan music.

You will definitely want to decorate your wedding with orchids since they are so abundant and there are so many colors you are sure to find ones to fit your scheme. There is a wonderful ceremony in Belize you should consider. It is called a Lazo ceremony in which a decorative garland is used to create a bond between two souls who are united to share a lifetime of everlasting love.

There are many interesting Mexican and Spanish influenced dishes that you could incorporate into your menu. Rice is a must as rice is such an important dish in Belize some have renamed the dinner hour to "rice hour." They are also big fans of beans, hot peppers, and anything with a kick. In every Belizean town you can find people selling meat pies from a basket on their bicycle or walking through the streets with a bucket of corn fritters, a seasonal treat, or corn and chicken tamales commonly called dukunu. You will also want to include fresh seafood which many visitors enjoy so much they want to bring some home when they leave: A permit will be needed.

You may have a difficult time deciding between Punta, Reggae, Soca, Salsa, Meringue, Cumbia and traditional Mayan music for your celebration but you can try to use a variety over the course of the events you plan during your stay.