Say "Sí" in Belize

Looking for an unforgettable wedding experience?  Consider Belize, where you can go straight from your reception to your honeymoon - the country is known its romantic vacation packages. 

If you are weary of planning a destination wedding because you fear the cost and the planning involved, read on.  Likely you'll find that a wedding in Belize will come together much more easily than you imagined.

Pros and Cons

Some couples find that wedding planning can be quite stressful, especially when you must place all your confidence in an event manager in a foreign nation.  However, for so many, the ups outnumber the downs. Still, a destination wedding may not be for everyone. The included collection of pros and cons will help you to conclude if having a wedding in Belize is the ideal way to spend your wedding day.

Pros

• Cost. Though many people don't realize this, a destination wedding might actually save you money - including the expenses of air travel. This is because destination weddings are inclined to be smaller affairs that fewer guests attend, thus costing you less money in table settings and cuisine. Numerous resorts also feature wedding and honeymoon package discounts, thus maximizing your savings even more.
• Weather. While thinking about a destination wedding, many couples are enticed by Belize because of its tropical weather conditions, where the average temperature ranges between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Rain showers do occur, but they are generally over before they begin.
• Planning. Couples preparing for a destination wedding usually choose an event planner (or one is allocated to you by your resort when you procure a wedding package through them). This makes certain that a specialist thoughtfully takes every single element of your nuptials into consideration.
• Friends and Family. Planning a destination wedding means that you can reduce the size of your guest list - you don't need to feel obligated to send an invite to acquaintances that you aren't significantly close to.

Cons

• Cost. While scheduling a destination wedding, many feel burdened with the obligation to pay for airfare and hotel stay for their entire wedding party and guests. If you choose to take on that responsibility, a Caribbean wedding will ultimately be more pricey.
• Weather. It is important to keep in mind that because of Belize's location within the hurricane belt, scheduling a wedding celebration during hurricane season (from the beginning of June until the end of November) presents a slight risk.
• Planning. Since you will not have the option to personally check out and choose wedding supplies for the majority of the time leading up to your wedding, you may find yourself becoming stressed because you feel you have lost control of the preparations.
• Legal issues. Procedures pertaining to marriage licenses might be different than those you would encounter at home. Acquiring a marriage license in Belize requires time, so a quickly scheduled wedding may not be attainable.
• Family and friends. Due to reasons like work obligations and financial limitations, everyone you hope to share your wedding memories with may not be able to attend a destination wedding.

Why Choose Belize?

Belize is a great wedding location for couples who crave romance and intimacy.  There are a wide number of small, cozy hotels ready to host an intimate affair, and plenty of outdoor locations that just exude romance - couples can even rent their own waterfall for a day.  On the flip side, Belize is great for the adventurous couple.  Protected environments make up 40 percent of Belize, and the island is rich with rainforests, wildlife, and barrier reef, all ready to be explored.  City life is not the way here.  You should choose Belize because it is a chance for you and your loved ones to truly get away from it all.

Local Wedding Customs

In Belize it is considered customary for the bride to make one last walk as a single woman through the town and to the wedding site on her wedding day.  When she makes this walk, she will be dressed and ready to go for her big event, and the people of the town will shout words of encouragement and throw gifts out for her.  When she arrives at the ceremony, she  will take the arm of her father and not walk, but strut or dance, down the aisle to her soon-to-be husband.  

These customs might be difficult to reproduce when you are planning a destination wedding, but there are other ways to pay homage to Belize on your special day.  The most simple way to do so is to serve traditional Spanish cuisine at your reception.

Types of Ceremonies

Most couples head to the Caribbean in order to have their wedding beach side - and with 300 miles of coastline this is certainly a possibility. The diverse landscape of Belize offers couples multitudes of other options, however, including tropical gardens, the rainforest, near a waterfall, atop a mountain, or at a Mayan ruin.  Just because you are in a location known for its pleasing climate doesn't mean you have to get married outdoors.  Churches, banquet halls, and restaurants all make for great locations as well.

Budgeting

Though a destination wedding often carries a smaller price tag than an extravagant wedding thrown in your hometown, it is still imperative that you take the time to carefully create a budget. To accomplish this, crank out a summary of all the things you imagine investing funds on, based upon importance to you. Common items include the catering, venue, professional photographer, and wedding dress, among many others. After doing some quick investigation, allocate an amount to each item on your list, then total it up. This will give you an estimated figure of how much money you can anticipate spending. Take into account that this total will vary as you prepare for your big day, and the organized list of vital items will help you to know instantly what items you can trim back on and which items you simply can't be without.

Requirements

Both parties wishing to be married in Belize must bring the following documents to the General Registry: certified prints of birth certificates, death certificates, divorce certificates, adoption papers, and photo identification.  The office will then take anywhere from two to ten days to approve your marriage license.  Though the process is usually a quick one, make sure you arrive with enough time to obtain your license.  

After considering aspects like budgeting, travel, regulations and venues, you're ready to decide if a Belize wedding is the right choice for your big event.  If everything lines up and the answer is yes, you can embark on the next big step, which is planning the most significant day of your life: your wedding day.