An Aruba Arrangement

Some people begin dreaming about their wedding day at a very young age.  Unfortunately, their imagined wedding is usually so elaborate, they will never see it come to fruition.  When you plan a destination wedding in Aruba, not only can you make your fantasy wedding a reality, but it may even turn out to be better than you dreamed.

Pros and Cons

Organizing a wedding can be demanding, especially one in which you have you make most of your arrangements blindly.  Still, for so many the positives outnumber the negatives when it comes to an Aruba wedding.  This doesn't mean that a destination wedding is for everyone. The included list of pros and cons will help you to conclude if getting married in Aruba is really for you.

Pros

• Cost. Although many people do not realize this, a destination wedding could actually save you money - including the expenses of airfare. This is because destination weddings have a tendency to be smaller events at which less people attend, therefore costing you less money in table settings and cuisine. Numerous resorts also give wedding and honeymoon package discounts, thus increasing your savings even more.
• Weather. While considering a destination wedding, many men and women are enticed by Aruba because of its tropical climate, where the average temperature is about 82 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Rain showers do occur, but they are typically over before they begin.
• Planning. To provide professional help with organizing a destination wedding, couples often select an event planner (or one is assigned to you by your resort when you buy a wedding package from them). This guarantees that an expert thoughtfully contemplates every element of your nuptials.
• Friends and Family. One of the advantages of choosing a destination wedding is that you can trim down your guest list - you don't need to feel compelled to invite an uncle you aren't very close to, or your fiancé's supervisor.

Cons

• Cost. Given the traveling involved with a destination wedding, many couples feel that they are responsible to cover all expenses for their entire wedding party. If you decide to include all these expenses within your budget, a Caribbean wedding will undoubtedly cost more in the end.
• Weather. Due to Aruba's position within the hurricane belt, it is important to take into account that organizing a wedding during hurricane season (which lasts from the beginning of June through the end of November) presents a slight risk.
• Planning. Because you are not on location to actually check out and decide on wedding items for the majority of the time leading up to your wedding day, you may become anxious over your inability to exercise control over every aspect of your big event.
• Legal issues. Laws involving marriage licenses could be different than those you would come across at home. Receiving a marriage license in Aruba takes time, so a rushed wedding is probably not conceivable.
• Family and friends. For reasons ranging from financial limitations to work obligations, some of the people you hope to share your wedding memories with may not be able to attend a destination wedding.

Why Choose Aruba?

Aruba is a great place to plan a destination wedding due to its accessibility and the bounty of options available to couples.  The island has had a tourism driven economy for many years, and people in the service industry are readily available to go out of their way to make your event one that will wow you and your guests.  Packaged deals are common for nearly everything on the island, so if you are someone who is looking to purchase a resort wedding and honeymoon package, Aruba will provide you with more choices in that arena than most other Caribbean islands. 

It is also important to plan a destination wedding in a place where you would actually enjoy spending your vacation days; and Aruba offers a little something for everyone.  Aruba's beaches are diverse, allowing those who prefer calm surf and soft sand to stake their claim along the South side of the island, while those who want to participate in water sports can dive right into the northern waters.  Due to the island's relatively peaceful history, Aruba is known for its preservation of many ancient artifacts.  If history and archeology are of interest to you, you will find numerous sites to explore, such as the Archeological Museum and the Museo Historico Arubiano.  Combine a love for history and nature by visiting the Guadrikiri Caves or the Fontein Caves, where awe-inspiring natural sites are decorated with ancient petroglyph.  Casino gambling, shopping trips, days spent hiking, and nights spent clubbing are all possibilities as well.

Local Wedding Customs

As you engage in research about various wedding practices, you will find that every individual culture around the globe has its own traditions surrounding everything that a wedding ceremony should encompass. More and more contemporary brides are taking the reigns to craft events pleasing to their tastes rather than what is typically considered to be customary. Numerous brides will discover that mixing customs works best for their personal style. If you are looking into having your wedding in Aruba, you may be intrigued by adding a few of the nation's customary practices to your special day.

The easiest customs for you to incorporate into your wedding would be serving traditional Aruban cuisine at your reception. This includes stoba and sopi di pisca.

Types of Ceremonies

As you are looking into the details surroudning your Aruba wedding, you can cultivate a memorable event that is right for your needs by choosing a venue in which you will feel most comfortable. Those with strong religious values should think about organizing a traditional wedding service at a local church, or perhaps a historic landmark might work best for you. If you're a dreamer and a romantic at heart, plan an outdoor wedding on the beach, in a botanical garden, or at the edge of a waterfall. The adventurous couple, however, may opt for a wedding underwater or at the top of a mountain. No matter where you envision your ideal wedding, Aruba has a venue to please your tastes.

Budgeting

An Aruba wedding is likely to be less expensive than an extravagant wedding thrown in your home town, but you still need to take the time to create an appropriate budget for your big day. To achieve this, take time to plan with your future spouse and crank out a summary of all the things you imagine you will end up spending money on, in order of importance to you. Some ideas include the catering, venue, photography, and dress, among many others. After a little bit of quick research, assign a price limitation to each item, then total everything up. This will give you a rough idea of how much money you can plan on spending. Understand that this number will probably change as you prepare for your big day, and the ordered list of key items will help you to know immediately what things you can cut back on and which items you would rather spend a little more money on.

Requirements

You might discover that the requirements for obtaining a marriage license in Aruba vary from the procedures back home. It is vital that you are informed about what is required of you prior to embarking on your travels to the island.  Necessary documents include certified prints of birth certificates, death certificates, divorce certificates, adoption papers, and photo identification.

Exchanging vows with your partner is one of the most significant events of your life, and creating a Caribbean wedding in Aruba may be an opportunity for you to make your wedding all the more special.  If the notion of getting married in an exotic destination sounds like a dream come true, planning a wedding in Aruba just might be for you.