Wedding FAQ
Does Bucuti plan destination weddings at the resort?
Yes!!! Bucuti's "Dream Beach of the World" has been the location of hundreds of intimate weddings, and was the first resort on Aruba to host a destination wedding.
What is the minimum and maximum size of a wedding?
We often do weddings with only the couple; however we can accommodate a maximum of 50 people for a wedding reception
Where do your weddings take place?
All our weddings to date have taken place on our award-winning beach. We have no indoor meeting rooms or facilities. However if desired, we do have a serene garden/courtyard as an option.
How many weddings do you do in one day?
One! Only yours, you have our full attention.
We have noticed that you do not encourage families with children at Bucuti. What if we will have guests with children?
Bucuti is an adult-only resort, which includes our restaurant and beach deck. Children under 18 years of age may attend the wedding ceremony and reception on the beach, but are not allowed to stay overnight. Adjacent to us on either side we have two resorts, our neighbors, only a one minute walk away, who are wonderful family resorts. Please consult with the wedding planner for information
Do you have a dedicated wedding planner on site? How can we reach her?
Yes, Nashette Wouters is our Certified Wedding Planner. Nashette handles all wedding planning and execution for couples and will guide you through the entire process. All couples will have unlimited consultation with Nashette prior to arrival and on site after their arrival. You may email her at weddings@bucuti.com with your questions and to begin planning your wedding at Bucuti. Or you may call directly at 297-583-1100, extension 145.
What services does your wedding planner provide? Is there a fee?
Arrangements for the officiator, flower orders, decorations, photographer, videographer, wedding cake, music, entertainment, civil & beach ceremony, and dinner reception on the beach will be handled entirely by the Wedding Coordinator. All fees for our services are incorporated into the package rates.
How do I begin to plan my wedding at Bucuti?
We suggest that you begin by looking at our wedding packages. Choose the package best for you and then contact Nashette Wouters, our wedding planner, with your questions and date. The minimum package for Bucuti to host/plan your wedding in Aruba is our Dream Beach of the World Ceremony package at US $1023.
May I marry at the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts utilizing another wedding planner?
No, to ensure the quality and timeliness of your experience at our resort, we limit the planning and execution of the planning to our wedding planner exclusively.
May I marry at the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts if I'm staying at another resort?
No, we perform weddings exclusively for guests of Bucuti.
Can I add or subtract items and services from your wedding packages?
You may not subtract items from a package, however you may add services not already included in a package, however all services must be contracted through our wedding planner. We have had negative experiences with brides contacting and using their own suppliers. By not having contracted with the supplier, Bucuti cannot be responsible for their timeliness or performance and we have had unfortunate situations out of our control in the past.
How much time would we need to reserve our wedding in advance?
Traditionally, couples book their wedding at Bucuti a year in advance. However, we can plan a weddding in a relatively short period of time depending on how elaborate you wish the ceremony to be. For Legal Civil Ceremonies on Aruba, please contact us at least 60 days prior to your desired wedding date. We can accept last minute bookings for non-official beach ceremonies, up to 4 weeks prior.
Do you require a down payment? How much? When is the balance due?
Yes, we do require a non-refundable deposit of US $250 to hold a date for your wedding as we will be turning down other requests. This deposit will be applied as a credit to the final invoice for your wedding. Final pre-payment for our services is due one month prior to your arrival date.
What is your cancellation policy?
Couples may cancel up to one month prior to the planned wedding date and will forfeit 50% of the total amount as payment for planning and arrangements already done by Bucuti Beach Resort.
How do I reserve my room at the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts?
You may reserve through our website at our secure real-time reservation system. To interact with our reservations department please fill in our online reservation form. Our reservations department will reply within one business day. You may also contact Jill Blase at our USA reservations office at info@bucuti.com or 1-888-4-Bucuti. Or call Bucuti directly at 297-583-1100, extension 104.
Is there a special room rate for wedding couples? And a group rate if a block of rooms is reserved for the wedding party?
To wedding couples and their attending guests we offer 10% discount on our regular room rates. In order to take advantage of this discount, we must receive the reservations directly via our website. Please add in the comments section that they are guests attending your wedding party and the date of your wedding with the request for the group discount rate so our reservations team knows how to process the booking and the rate. We can reserve a maximum of 10 rooms for group blocks.
Please be informed Bucuti is an adult-only resort. Children under 18 years of age can attend the wedding ceremony and reception but are not allowed to stay overnight.
We have noticed you have a standard minimum stay requirement for 5 nights and for 7 nights on certain periods during the year. Is this a hard and fast rule?
We will be flexible when possible, have us check your dates. We have recommendations for shorter stays if we cannot provide them. In general for groups we require the 5 night minimum.
If a guest is unable to confirm a short stay, is there a nearby resort that you would recommend for guests staying for less than 5 or 7 nights?
For your guests who may want to stay for a shorter time, there are many resorts to chose from. Nashette, our Wedding Coordinator, will be able to provide you with a list of nearby resorts.
Do you have a wedding or honeymoon suite?
While we do not have designated wedding/honeymoon suites, we offer a variety of rooms and suites popular for honeymoons. Our Tara Beach Suites and Penthouses are located in our upscale Tara Wing. These accommodations offer an adults-only atmosphere, romantic luxury decor and its own spa facilities.
Are beach weddings legal?
No, according to Dutch Law, all legal marriages must take place at the Civil House, also known as Town Hall. Most guests marry legally in the afternoon and have a beach ceremony at sunset.
Can I have a priest perform a legal marriage?
No, priests do not have legal jurisdiction.
What are the conditions and requirements for civil ceremonies?
- To marry in Aruba you must submit your information 60 days prior to marriage date
- Copies of all documents must be received by Bucuti 60 days prior to your arrival date for pre-approval (fax or email)
- After copies have been approved by the Justice of the Peace, all original documents (except passports) need to be sent (deadline is 30 days prior to arrival date). We recommend FedEx or UPS as postal airmail takes at least 14 days.
- All civil ceremonies must take place at the Bureau Burgerlijke Stand (Civil Town House) in Oranjestad
- Ceremonies are performed Monday through Friday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 12: noon and from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Ceremonies may be performed on Saturdays depending on availability and for an extra fee
- Proper attire is required for all civil ceremonies i.e. slacks and sports shirt for men, sundress for ladies. More formal attire is also acceptable should you wish to do so
- All documents must be submitted by FedEx to the Bucuti Beach Resort at least one month prior to wedding date
What type of legal documentation is required for Civil Ceremonies?
What does the Ceremony fee include?
- Certificate by Ministry of Justice
- Translation of Dutch marriage certificate into English
- Special Government Stamp
- Marriage Book
- Authorization of translated copy of marriage
- Courier for translated marriage certificate back to client
When will we receive the marriage certificate?
Usually within 2 weeks after the Civil Ceremony. The Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts will send the certificate by courier to the wedding couple.
What are the requirements for witnesses?
Witnesses are required for all Civil Ceremonies. You need at least two witnesses and may have as many as four. A witness must be at least 18 years old. If you cannot arrange witnesses, they can be provided for a charge of US$80
What time of day do most weddings occur? Why?
We schedule our Beach Sunset Ceremonies to start at 5:00pm, 5:30pm or 6:00 pm. This time is optimum for a combination of favorable sunlight and temperature and the sunset which occurs just over the ocean behind your ceremony. The time changes slightly during the year due to shorter days in the winter than the summer. Check with us about your dates.
Is live music available?
Yes, we can arrange a live steel pan player, DJ entertainment or put together a play list of your choice.
May I ship a box with favors and decoration for my wedding in advance to your hotel?
Yes you may and our wedding planner will gladly store the box for you until your arrival. Please send the box to the attention of your name and please add a note you are 'an arriving guest’. Address is Bucuti Beach Resort, LG smith Boulevard 55B, Eagle Beach, Aruba
May I bring my own bags with maps, goodies and other items for gift bags for my guests?
Yes, you may and we will gladly place them upon arrival in the rooms of your guests who are staying at Bucuti. We have maps at our concierge desk available you may use for your gift bags. We do ask couples who may bring gifts, bags, towels, t-shirts etc. for their guests, to please make sure all items are in the same color tones as the hotels; sand colors, beige and off-white are acceptable. Bright colors are not permitted. Beach towels especially are used to identify our in-house guests on the beach. Having a group of people on the beach with a completely different color towels will give the impression you are not staying with Bucuti.
What can you arrange for a wedding cake?
We can order single tier, two tier , three or four tier wedding cakes. Wedding cakes can be prepared in many flavors, including Chocolate, vanilla, Red Velvet, Butter Crème, Vanilla, Strawberry, Mocha and Chocolate Swirl. We use fondant as icing.
How many of my guests will the wedding cake serve?
Single tier serves 15, Two tier serves 25, Three tier serves 35 and Four tier serves 50 people.
What types of flowers are available locally? Is there a florist onsite?
All flowers are seasonal and imported weekly. The price depends on the type and the country of origin. While we do our utmost to get the flowers that meet your wishes, we ask for you to provide us with a second choice of dependable flower types. All our wedding packages include a Elegant bridal bouquet of choice and matching groom's boutonnière. The bouquets may include a combination of flowers such as Roses, Cymbidium Orchids, Hydrangeas and Lilies.
What do brides and grooms typically wear at Bucuti for destination weddings?
You may wear any combination of a casual short dress, shorts and shirts, formal long dresses and suits. We do suggest a light fabric considering Aruba's tropical temperatures. Check our Wedding Photo Album to see dozens of previous weddings at Bucuti.
What do you do if I schedule an outside ceremony and reception and it rains?
In case of rain, we will move the wedding indoors to our elegant Tara Lounge.
Do you have a Bridal Registry ? You can register for gifts with Bucuti