Destination weddings can be dreamy and seem like an unattainable fairytale to many. But for many people, they can be more affordable than having a wedding at home. Not only do they have to invite and cater to as many people as possible, but they also pay less for the wedding venue if they choose a comparatively cheaper country like Aruba.
The best wedding packages in Aruba are offered by resorts like Hyatt Regency, The Ritz-Carlton, and Holiday Inn. Localized packages are offered by Amsterdam Manor and the Divi Group. But the most customizable wedding packages are offered by the Destination Weddings Travel Group.
In this article, you will learn more about each of the qualifying wedding packages, including their price points and venue details. You will also find out important things like the documents you might need for the perfect Aruba wedding. So let’s get started with a quick round-up of the top packages.
The top Aruba wedding packages 2023 are:
- Destination Weddings Travel Group ($5,364 – $10,000)
- The Ritz Carlton ($3750 – $6,850)
- Divi And Tamarijn Aruba Wedding Package ($6,995 – $7,550)
- Riu Hotels and Resorts Wedding ($1,499 – $5,499)
- Hyatt Regency Aruba Wedding Package ($2,900 – $9,900)
- Barcelo Aruba Wedding Package – ($1,500 – $4,000)
- Amsterdam Manor Wedding ($2,000 – $6,000)
- Holiday Inn Aruba Wedding Package ($2,490 – $6475)
- Aruba Destination Weddings: A Brief Overview
- Tropical Weather
- Well-Serviced Resort Stay
- Beautiful Wedding Venues
- Ideal Honeymoon Destination
- Friendly Locals And Honeymooning Tourists
- 8 Best Aruba Wedding Packages
- 1. Destination Weddings Travel Group ($5,364 – $10,000)
- 2. The Ritz Carlton ($3750 – $6,850)
- 3. Divi And Tamarijn Aruba Wedding Package ($6,995 – $7,550)
- 4. Riu Hotels and Resorts Wedding ($1,499 – $5,499)
- 5. Hyatt Regency Aruba Wedding Package ($2,900 – $9,900)
- 6. Barcelo Aruba Wedding Package – ($1,500 – $4,000)
- 7. Amsterdam Manor Wedding ($2,000 – $6,000)
- 8. Holiday Inn Aruba Wedding Package ($2,490 – $6475)
- Getting Married In Aruba: The FAQs
- What do I need to get married in Aruba?
- When is the wedding season in Aruba?
- Can I get married on a tourist Visa in Aruba?
- How much does it cost to get married in Aruba?
- Does the wedding couple pay for the guests in Aruba?
- What is the best place to get married in Aruba?
- Recapping the Best Aruba Wedding Venues in 2023
Aruba Destination Weddings: A Brief Overview
If you’re thinking of getting married in Aruba, your decision might be fiscally smarter than a wedding in your state of residence. Not only are wedding venues cheaper in Aruba, but you can also bundle your destination wedding with a honeymoon to justify the flying expenses as well.
An average wedding in the US can cost $15,000 on the low end and over $20,000 on the expensive side of the cost spectrum. In Aruba, a destination wedding can cost less than $5,500, including the ceremony and stay. And a wedding+honeymoon package can be under $10,000.
Not only is Aruba a cost-friendly location for a destination wedding, but it is also picturesque and luxe. Your wedding in Aruba will be memorable for the following reasons….
Tropical Weather
Aruba has temperate weather with year-round summer temperatures. No matter when you plan to get married, you can choose Aruba for its weather.
Just remember to check out what the island’s weather is like during that specific month!
While the island receives plenty of sunshine and heat throughout the year, Aruba has the best wedding weather in the March-to-April period.
Well-Serviced Resort Stay
Because Aruba is a popular honeymoon and beachside wedding destination, its hospitality sector has specialized in packaging and delivering beautiful romantic experiences.
Many resorts in Aruba have all-inclusive packages, that make costs predictable. This allows you to have a stress-free wedding in Aruba, knowing that all the expenses are already taken care of.
Beautiful Wedding Venues
Aruba’s natural beauty, combined with its popularity as a wedding location and honeymoon heaven, has led to plenty of opportunities for would-be weds.
Almost every beachside resort has perfected its wedding-by-the-sea venue, and wedding planners in Aruba offer decor options that are straight out of fairy tales.
Ideal Honeymoon Destination
Aruba is listed as one of the top ten honeymoon destinations in the world, according to multiple travel aggregators. This is a unique opportunity for couples who want a destination wedding. In the case of Aruba, the destination can double as a honeymoon location.
Pro-Tip: Most resorts in Aruba have extended stay packages for would-be weds.
Friendly Locals And Honeymooning Tourists
A place is defined by its people. Aruba has friendly locals who are not hostile toward tourists. Popular tourist destinations can be hard to live in, leading to resentment and animosity. But Aruba is big enough and has over 40 beaches, many of which aren’t touched by tourists.
Locals have their spots and they’re happy to welcome exploring tourists. The island itself has an air of romance because of the percentage of tourists that are honeymooners in love. The social atmosphere of Aruba, especially in resorts, is very romantic.
8 Best Aruba Wedding Packages
The social atmosphere within resorts can vary from establishment to establishment. The resorts that offer honeymoon packages have the most couple-friendly vibe. They also offer the amenities and experiences that are ideal for newlyweds.
For would-be weds, the good news is that every resort that offers a honeymoon package has a wedding package. Without further ado, let’s look at what Aruba’s top wedding packages include.
1. Destination Weddings Travel Group ($5,364 – $10,000)
If you want a wedding package designed not by an individual resort but by an international wedding planner, then you should opt for Destination Weddings Travel Group.
Its Aruba package starts at around $5,364 for the wedding and the stay, though factors like the timing, resort choice, and the number of guests can change the overall package cost.
Destination Wedding Travel Group’s package includes:
- Consultation with a wedding specialist
- Beachside decor for the outdoor ceremony
- An all-inclusive stay for the couple
- The potential to opt into a honeymoon package featuring couples’ activities and an extended stay
Since the provider is a third-party planner who isn’t tied to a specific resort, your only limitation is the money that you’re willing to spend.
2. The Ritz Carlton ($3750 – $6,850)
The Ritz is a prestigious name that signifies luxury and peak hospitality. Its location in Aruba is by the beach, and it offers three wedding packages at different venues, which it couples with a stay at its iconic Noord location.
The cheapest wedding package at the Ritz is $3,750, and it includes a boutonniere and bouquet for the groom and the bride, respectively, aisle arrangement (arch/lawn), floral arrangements, guitarist/steel rummer live entertainment, one hour of photography, and a non-denominational minister. The venue fee is included in the price of the package.
There are iterations of these packages for $4,850 and $6,850, with the actual venue being the main point of difference. The upscale packages include more elaborate decoration and a shoe valet alongside better beverages. But the ultimate cost-changing factor is the actual venue.
The Ritz-Carlton venues for Aruba weddings include:
- The Eternity Bridge – This venue can accommodate up to 100 guests and is set up as a beach gazebo with a bridge-style aisle. It is one of the most intimate outdoor settings for a wedding venue.
- The Event Lawn – This is a great wedding reception venue that can accommodate over 1000 guests. It is around the eternity bridge, so large wedding ceremonies are possible, with the bride and groom being on the eternity bridge and the guests taking up space on the event lawn.
- The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom – A prestigious indoor setting for seasons when the weather is harsh, this venue can accommodate 350 guests comfortably.
- The Rembrandt or Van Gogh – The two halls at the Aruba Ritz have a terrace that overlooks the garden. The room’s capacity is 20 to 200 guests, enough for a comfortable indoor ceremony or reception.
- The Beach – This is the most expensive venue but is also the most iconic. With the beach as its backdrop, the Ritz Carlton beachside wedding location can accommodate up to 400 guests.
3. Divi And Tamarijn Aruba Wedding Package ($6,995 – $7,550)
Divi and Tamarijn Aruba Wedding Package has most of its value in the actual cost of the stay. Where the Ritz charges you over $3,000 for the ceremony, Divi charges you over twice that but covers a 5-night stay.
The actual price of the package can vary depending on which Divi resort you choose to stay in and at what time of the year.
The Divi group has multiple resorts in Aruba, most of which are all-inclusive resorts that cover F&B alongside accommodation. They also share facilities, which can be convenient for your guests.
It is a more guest-friendly wedding location than a couple-friendly one. Divi Beach (which used to be Druif beach) is all but owned by Divi, so your wedding setup is most likely to be on Divi if you stay at Tamarijn or any Divi resort. Additional decoration and venue fees apply, and the ceremony itself can cost under $2,000.
You can divide guests of different tiers across different Divi resorts.
By talking to the Divi Aruba wedding specialists, you can arrange to have your closest guests in more expensive resorts and the secondary guests, including distant relatives, in the more affordable rooms.
4. Riu Hotels and Resorts Wedding ($1,499 – $5,499)
Riu Palace Hotel is a beautifully designed high-rise hotel that can be ideal for wedding ceremonies with 75 to 150 guests. The hotel has a garden location, a gazebo venue, and a beach backdrop location for its wedding ceremonies. Usually, the ceremony itself costs $1,499 to $3,000, depending on the venue. The rest of the package fees apply towards the cost of the stay.
Riu doesn’t pre-bundle the ceremony costs with the cost of the stay, so you need to talk to its package/sales specialist to get a custom quote for your stay. If you want to include the guests’ room booking as well, the cost will be much higher than that of the couple’s stay and ceremony.
The wedding package includes a minister (for symbolic purposes), basic seating and aisle setup, music (live or recorded), romantic decor, chocolate-covered fruit and wine for the couple, and a 10% discount on spa treatments, among other things. Again, the package amenities can affect the overall price of your wedding in Riu Aruba.
5. Hyatt Regency Aruba Wedding Package ($2,900 – $9,900)
Hyatt has a very wide range of wedding offers, including a wedding+honeymoon bundle and a ceremony-only service. Because of the breadth of package customization options, couples getting married at the Hyatt can pay as little as $2,900 or as much as $9,900.
The variety of options offered by the Hyatt Regency Aruba is not limited to the set of services that one can avail of but also the venues, decor, and catering choices. Ultimately, customization breadth is a major positive as it allows people to stay within their budgets and get as many upgrades as they would like.
Hyatt’s most iconic wedding location is the beach with a sunset backdrop. Its decorative classics include a moon door backdrop and a square arch. Services you can avail of include bespoke wedding planning by a specialist, a la carte dining, spa and salon services, and a dance floor with live or recorded entertainment.
6. Barcelo Aruba Wedding Package – ($1,500 – $4,000)
Barcelo Aruba is a honeymoon hotel that takes weddings seriously. It doesn’t offer too many indoor spaces but does provide a beachside wedding setup that is much cheaper than the ones offered by legacy hotel chains.
Barcelo Aruba has an offshoot establishment called Barcelo weddings which deals with inquiries regarding wedding packages and stays.
It offers a relatively cheap ceremony-only package and provides escalating discounts for bookings. It is financially smart to get an Aruba Wedding Package (ballroom or beachside) if you plan to have more than 20 to 30 guests. Its venues can easily handle up to 150 guests, and the stay cost can be discounted by up to 35% with a large booking order.
7. Amsterdam Manor Wedding ($2,000 – $6,000)
If you wish to have a destination wedding in Europe but also want the weather to be nice and warm, then Amsterdam Manor can be the perfect spot for you to get married.
It is a resort with European architecture and a gated community vibe. Aside from its aesthetic exterior, the resort also offers reasonable stay rates and a honeymoon bundle.
The overall package cost depends on the dates when you book your stay and have your ceremony, as well as on the duration of your stay.
Amsterdam Manor’s social atmosphere can be romantic and youthful as most people who stay at this resort are relatively young. The old and the “over affluent” choose legacy hotel chains, leaving the bespoke vibe to resorts like the Amsterdam Manor.
8. Holiday Inn Aruba Wedding Package ($2,490 – $6475)
Holiday Inn Aruba combines the reliability of a legacy hotel chain and the affordability of a common hotel.
Its Aruba location is by the beach, and the outdoor venue is just as luxe and aesthetic as any beachside wedding venue. This makes Holiday Inn Aruba the perfect wedding package provider for anyone who is on a tight budget but doesn’t want to compromise on the wedding aesthetics and experience.
The Holiday Inn wedding package has three iterations: the “My Sunshine” wedding package, the “Promises” package, and the “Love Unlimited” package. The packages can be bundled with a honeymoon stay, but an extended stay isn’t included in the default package.
The main point of difference between the packages is the extent of decoration and the level of service provided. The highest tier offers a 25% discount on the hotel stay, which is lucrative for couples that plan on a same-spot honeymoon.
Getting Married In Aruba: The FAQs
What do I need to get married in Aruba?
You just need to be with your fiance/fiancee in Aruba for a symbolic wedding that you plan to legalize in your home country.
But if you choose to have a wedding that is legally valid in Aruba, you must have passport copies of the individuals getting married, two adult witnesses, a long-form birth certificate (with a raised seal) of the husband and the wife, a certificate of no impediment, and declaration of marriage intent.
All documents must be sent to the wedding planner one month before the wedding date.
When is the wedding season in Aruba?
April is the month of marriage in Aruba because couples flying for a destination wedding want to honeymoon through may. Aruba’s weather is best between March and August, and getting married in April gives the newlyweds plenty of time to enjoy the best weather in Aruba.
August is better for budget weddings as the tourist season comes to a close and wedding planners begin offering discounts. It is great for indoor weddings, though, as the weather outside can be unpredictable.
While March has the best weather, it is too congested with tourist traffic to be good for a honeymoon. Still, you can hire a private planner and book a ceremony at one of the more secluded beaches in Aruba.
Can I get married on a tourist Visa in Aruba?
You can get married on a tourist visa in Aruba, though you need to have a few documents if the marriage is meant to be legalized in Aruba. For a symbolic ceremony that is to be legalized in the couple’s home country, a tourist visa is sufficient.
As long as the would-be weds are in Aruba legally, their presence is sufficient grounds for a ceremony-only wedding. Some resorts even offer a keepsake “wedding certificate,” though there is no legal validity to this document.
How much does it cost to get married in Aruba?
A privately-planned wedding ceremony can cost $1,500 in Aruba and may include the venue fee and the decor prices. Generally, resort-backed weddings cost $2,900 for the ceremony and $600 to $1,200 per night, depending on the specific hotel accommodation.
Does the wedding couple pay for the guests in Aruba?
Destination weddings are rarely paid for in full by the couple. You can pass the group booking discount to your guests and let them settle their individual payments directly with the resort. Many wedding packages include transferrable discounts that can be used by guests for their direct bookings. The couple, then, doesn’t have to be responsible for the guests’ expenses and service charges.
What is the best place to get married in Aruba?
Palm Beach is the best place to get married in Aruba. It is lively and home to two major wedding-providing resorts, The Ritz and Hyatt Regency. Both have wedding packages that allow private beachside ceremonies.
Recapping the Best Aruba Wedding Venues in 2023
Aruba is a romantic destination with year-round tropical weather and sunshine. Its pristine beaches and turquoise waters are the perfect backdrop for a destination wedding.
By selecting the right package and customizing it according to your needs, you can have a dream wedding that is simultaneously luxe and financially smart.
So make sure you read the package details covered above carefully and choose the right wedding package.