Wedding in Tahiti?

Hello everyone!

My fiance and I have just booked our first cruise - Paul Gauguin 7 night Tahiti & Society Islands from Dec 13 - Dec 20, 2014. We had planned to have a simple ceremony here at the local courthouse (we're pouring all of our money into the honeymoon), however I have been doing some reading about getting married on one of the Islands there. Has anyone done this?

You might want to check if the marriage will be recognized in the USA. It used to be NOT recognized!

Thanks - I checked - it is now legally recognized in the US and Canada.

My fiance and I are in our early 50's - so we don't need all the flash, but if it fits in our budget, getting married on Moorea or Bora Bora seems a bit more romantic than the courthouse.

The IC hotels have very nice ceremonies that I have seen. Not sure about cost I would imagine it to be fairly expensive but what the hell, you'll be in Tahiti!!!!!

If you haven't seen it already, the following is a quote from the website "Tahiti Tourisme North America":

(Requirements):

The “Marriage of Foreign Citizens in French Polynesia” application must be completed.

A letter signed and dated by both future spouses, addressed to the mayor of the commune chosen for the marriage ceremony.

A copy of both spouses' passports is required for proof of identity.

A certified copy of both spouses’ birth certificates authenticated with an “Apostille” (note: the birth certificates must have been issued less than 6 months prior to the date of the marriage). Both of the birth certificates and the “Apostille” must be translated into French by an approved translator and legalized by the French Consulate. Translators can be found on the consulate’s website.

A “Certificate of Non-Marital Status” (“Certificat de Celibat”) signed by a lawyer, translated into French and legalized by the French Consulate. Lawyers can be found on the consulate’s website.

Proof of residency for both of the future spouses (a utility bill or any bill noting names and physical address will suffice). A photocopy of bills for both spouses is acceptable.

Optional, if a prenuptial agreement has been created, it must be translated into French and authenticated by the French Consulate.

Send All Materials to French Polynesia!

Expedite all materials to the mayor’s office of the commune in which the couple is getting married at least 45 days prior to the ceremony.

The mayor’s office will then contact the bride and groom to advise them of the approved date and time of the wedding.

The above process is correct and can take five months. Then your legal wedding will still take place at city hall. Easier to get legally married at home and have a symbolic ceremony in Tahiti.

All this info is on PG web page.

The above process is correct and can take five months. Then your legal wedding will still take place at city hall. Easier to get legally married at home and have a symbolic ceremony in Tahiti.

 

All this info is on PG web page.

I'll second that--sounds like a big hassle.

The PG will do you a special, symbolic, ceremony for a price. Then there is the general one they do on each cruise for newly-weds and anniversary celebrators.

The chapel pictures at the resorts look so nice! This does sound like hassle, though. The courthouse ceremony is back on the table.

I will look into the PG ceremony.

The IC Tahiti does a nice ceremony. I took this picture a year ago and the setting was the little motu overlooking moorea is the background. Probably not a legal one but neverless a beautiful setting with dancers, officiate, live music, photographer and videographer .........