Villas in Jamaica Weddings and Marriage:
Jamaica weddings offer the opportunity to have spectacular locations, world-class services, and the gorgeous Caribbean surroundings. Jamaica weddings can accommodate large party affairs or Jamaica weddings can be set up as an intimate celebration between families. Weddings in Jamaica promise to be both a beautiful and an unforgettable wedding experience. Getting married on Jamaica is relatively easy and couples may even get married just 24 hours after arriving in Jamaica, providing they have applied for a marriage license at least 6 weeks in advance.

A Jamaica wedding provides the perfect and most memorable of settings for such an occasion. Our villas make the most ideal settings for the special day thanks to the loving and attentive staff and the high level of care that is an integral quality of every vacation and wedding we arrange.
Most brides find that holding a wedding at a villa helps to keep reception costs down -whether they want a small intimate affair, a formal seated dinner or a casual poolside buffet. WE are happy to provide the names of our experienced wedding coordinators who are available to suggest various options from finger food to elaborate candlelit seated dinners. For very large groups (more than the maximum occupancy of the main villa hosting the wedding), we do require that an outside caterer be employed for food and beverage service.

We have been assisting with Jamaican weddings for our clients for over 20 years and have a great deal of experiences organizing the accommodations for wedding parties whether it be a secluded and intimate villa for just the couple or a combination of neighboring villas for a large group of family and friends (50-100+ guests).

Minimum Rental:
A 7 night minimum rental at the full house rate is required for the villa where the wedding and any other related events are to be held. Generally, it is more economical to house additional wedding guests in one or more of our villas rather than a nearby hotel. For any "sister" villas where additional guests are accommodated, a 7 night minimum stay is required during the High Season and a 5 night stay in the Low Season.
Special Event Surcharges:
Most villas will have a $15 per person surcharge for hosting special events at the villa such as a rehearsal dinner and/or wedding. Some villas, also, have specific site fees which you will be advised upon inquiry. Additionally, the majority of the villas will require a refundable damage deposit of $500-$2000 depending upon the particular villa.

Scheduling the Ceremony:
We recommend holding the ceremony close to sundown with the reception starting under a beautiful Jamaican sunset and progressing into a romantic candlelight evening. During the winter months, sunset is around 5:30 PM so a ceremony at 5:00 would be ideal. During the summer months, sunset is around 6:30 PM but Jamaican law requires that all marriages take place before 6:00 PM so be sure to schedule your ceremony for no later than 5:30 PM.

Wedding Planning/Coordinators:
If you are planning a simple ceremony, a wedding coordinator may not be necessary. If you are planning a larger wedding, however, to include music from either a DJ or a live band, outside catering, a photographer or videographer or a formal rehearsal dinner and full reception than a wedding coordinator is indispensable and a requirement.
Please ask our agents for the phone numbers of the experienced wedding coordinators we use on the island and that reside on Jamaica. Each coordinator will be happy to quote you a fee and costs for all of your special requests based on the details of your individual wedding.

Villas Caribe's agents and professional concierge team is able to provide guidance and contact numbers which you will find on this page so that you can choose to make your own arrangements if only a simple event but for a typical wedding we recommend that you employ one of our locally based wedding planners who are experienced in arranging Jamaica weddings.
We offer guidance and contact numbers which you will find on this page so that you can make your own arrangements for a simple event. For anything larger we recommend you employ one of our locally-based wedding planners who are experienced in arranging Jamaica weddings.
Please find following a sampling of villas that we recommend for weddings. If extra guests require additional accommodations, we recommend rental of neighboring "sister" villas.

Other favorite villas to host weddings include, but are not limited to, the following:
Belle Abri
Calypso Shores
Drambuie Estate
Eight Rivers

Emerald Seas
Endless Summer
Fairway Manor
Fortlands Point
Four Winds
Frankfort
Golden Clouds
Good Hope Plantation
Great River House
Greatview
Highland House
LimeTree
Kai Kala
Moondance Villas
Pavillion
Roaring Pavliion
Sea Haven
Sea Grapes
Silent Waters
Spyglass Estate
Summerhill
Sweet Spot
Villa Lido
Villas Sur Mer
The villa where the wedding takes place requires a minimum one-week rental at full house rate. For "sister" villas where additional guests are accommodated, there is a seven night minimum in High Season and a five night minimum in Low Season.

In most villas, a $15 per person surcharge applies to outside guests (in excess of double occupancy per bedroom) who attend a rehearsal dinner, the wedding reception, brunch or any other hospitality event at the wedding villa.

Jamaica wedding requirements for U.S. citizens are the following:
Proof of citizenship-certified copy of birth certificate, which includes father’s name
Parent’s written consent if under 21 years of age
Proof of divorce if applicable (original certificate of divorce)
Certified copy of death certificate for widow or widower
Fees of approximately $250-$500 which vary from a blessing to a full ceremony with all documents and licensenting.
Name of villa will ceremony will be held and proposed length of stay in Jamaica. Applicants must be on island at least 24 hours prior to the wedding and apply for license at least 6 weeks prior to wedding date. Marriage licenses must be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs Please note that the Amanoka, Sundown and Rio Chico properties DO NOT permit weddings on their premises.

MINISTER/MARRIAGE OFFICER
Pastors of most churches and all priests are licensed officers.

Recommended ministers are:
Rev. Gordon, Church of God, 952-4616 (church) or 953-3376 (home + fax)
Rev. Alexander, Methodist, 952-1613 (church) or 952-2527 (home)
Rev. Evans, United Church of Jamaica, 952-2160 (church) or 952-6466 (home)
For a civil ceremony, contact nondenominational marriage officer:
Rev. Garnett Neathly 952-6253 (phone) 605-9368 (fax) cell 876 990 9498 e-mail garnett@cwjamaica.com
Area Code for all Jamaica numbers is 876.
If you need information for a Catholic ceremony, please call us.

The wedding cake
The traditional Jamaican Wedding Cake is dark and rich like a pudding and usually made with dried fruits such as prunes, raisins, dates, currants, cherries, etc. The fruits are finely chopped and marinated in wine and rum for weeks. The exquisite blend of rum and fruits forms the base of the cake and a crisp white frosting and fresh flowers complete the picture. Cakes may have one, two or even three tiers.
Alternatively, traditional American tiered wedding cakes may be ordered from a bakery or you can be submitted to an experienced pastry chef to create.

Another option is to have the cook at the villa prepare and decorate a sponge cake.The costs for the cake will vary depending upon how elaborate the cake is as well as how many guests you wish to serve.

Flowers
For a simple ceremony, brilliant local flowers may be gathered by the villa's gardener and serve as lovely bouquets. For specific flowers for corsages, bouquets, decorations and centerpieces we recommend that you ask your wedding coordinator to order these for you through a local florist.