Wedding (original) (raw)

You have a fantastic and extremly informative website. . . but I couldn't find the answer to my question ---- Weddings???? My fiance and I are planning to elope to vanuatu the last week in feb/first week in march. I have seen that all the hotels and resorts offer complete, not to mention expensive wedding packages -- is there another way to > go? I am looking for something simple, just the two of us on the beach in port vila. . .. can you reccommend anyone to me? Thanks for your help, look forward to visiting your beautiful island

Thank you. This comes from http://travel.state.gov/vanuatu_marriage.html

Marriage in Vanuatu
In order to marry in Vanuatu, the parties must do the following no less
than 21 days before the ceremony: fill out and submit a form to the
Municipality of Port Vila (P.O. Box 99, Port Vila, Vanuatu; phone: (678)
22113; fax: (678) 25002; submit copies of their passports (if
expatriates), proof of dissolution of previous marriages (if
applicable); give their places of birth, current addresses, names of
parents, and the particulars of two persons who will witness the
ceremony.

This information will be posted at the Town Hall for 21 days. The Mayor
of Port Vila will then conduct the ceremony on the Friday following the
expiration of the waiting period (marriages are performed only on
Fridays) at the Town Hall or at a location of the parties' choosing
within Port Vila. If performed at Town Hall, the fee for the ceremony is
Vatu 1,500 (USD 13.65). If performed elsewhere, the fee is Vatu 5,500
(USD 50.00).

Parties desiring a religious ceremony, must make arrangements with a
minister who is authorized to perform marriages. The minister is
required to announce in Church the couple's intention to marry 21 days
prior to the ceremony, or to post the banns at the Church 21 days prior
to the ceremony. After the ceremony the Minister will lodge the
necessary documents with the Town Hall.

Persons wishing further details on marriage in Vanuatu should contact
Madeline at the Municipality of Port Vila at the above fax number.

I got the above information from a Google search for port vila town hall
- the reason I chose to search for that is that I know that this is
where births, marriages and deaths are registered, as my son's birth was
registered there in 1991. Check the advice by calling the municipality.
If you do decide to go for it, MAKE SURE THEY SPELL EVERYTHING CORRECTLY
ON THE CERTIFICATES.
Finally, remember that he wedding is only one day - it is the start of a
lifetime together, and the wedding itself is just one day.
Please let me know what happens. Oh, and I'm not in Vanuatu any longer myself - our family moved to New Zealand in 1993.