Paperwork #1 Priority

Getting married in PR is no big deal as long as you are fluent in Spanish, know how to get around the Puerto Rico fairly easy and have a doctor here who is your "friend" LOL.

But I have to say,  if you don't have your end of the paperwork ready then even the most brilliant wedding planner cannot perform miracles.  

Here is a checklist of everything you need in order to marry in PR... there are NO EXCEPTIONS! (No more than 14 days prior to your wedding date)

• VDRL (Syphilis) Blood
  
• Gonorrhea (urine or the dreaded swab)
• Chlamydia (urine or the dreaded swab)
• Two forms of photo ID; driver's license, passport or military ID (make sure they are up to date)
• If divorced, the Divorce Decree
• If widowed, the Death Certificate
• If either partner is under 20; one parent must be present with current ID

OK, if you have all of the that applies to you... I can work my magic and make it happen! :)

Gracias!

New Marriage License Guidelines

I've just received a copy of the new marriage license guidelines which were released in March, 2008. Puerto Rican law has changed and now you have to get a Gonorrhea and Chlamydia test in addition to the Syphilis test that was already required. Isn’t this such a romantic way to start out a destination wedding blog entry? The new tests take 5 days to complete and you have to add a day on each end just in case. So now you have four tests results required in order to get a Puerto Rico marriage license, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and the VDRL test.

So what does this mean to you as a destination wedding couple inquiring about getting married in Puerto Rico? You should call your doctor’s office NOW and tell them what tests you need and your wedding date and that you need the tests done within 14 calendar days of your wedding date and schedule the appointments for you and your fiance accordingly. Remember - no medical paperwork — no marriage license? COMPRENDES!

Final thought, make sure you schedule all tests within the 10-14 day timeframe prior to the wedding date so that no unwanted delays occur! I want your destination wedding day to go as smooth as possible! :)