Officiants for Weddings??

[tifger37]

I am getting married on the Marriott Renaissance Private Island on October 9, 2010. I am currently searching for someone to perform a ceremony. My fiance and I are from Boston and are going to be legally married at the Justiec of the Peace in Boston, so we do not need a legal civil ceremony. We're really trying to find someone who we can work with to create something that is truly our own.

I tried to work with Reverend Gibson but he's unavailable on our date. We are currently contracted with the Renaissance for their officiant, but want to explore our own options beside him, I think his name is Geoffrey Banfield? If anyone has any suggestions I am currently on the island for a few more days and would like to meet anyone else if possible.

THanks in advance!

[Andrea J.]

if it were i, i would chose a man named charles croes.
he is brilliant, articulate and a true romantic.
contact him at aruba fastphones (airport kiosk)
andrea

[Karen Lutzker]

Andria,

Charles Croes is now an Officiant? I met him a few years ago and is a very nice man. I did not know he became an Officiant.

[tifger37]

Do you know of any way to contact this Charles Croes?

Thanks!

[Andrea J.]

ANYBODY can be an officiant for a beach ceremony
heck i could even do it..........albeit it poorly i am sure

the beach ceremony is just a ceremony
the legalities are done at the TOWN office in O'stad

the beach ceremony/the restaurant ceremony/the sunrise ceremony is not "official"

it is the TOWN HALL ceremony where the documents are signed

[Andrea J.]

charles' croes fastphones website contact form

andrea
http://www.arubafastphones.com/contact/contact.php

[tifger37]

Thanks for the information Andrea!

[slw196]

Andrea - is it really true that anyone can be an officiant? I told my wedding coordinator at the Marriott that we are planning to get legally married in the U.S. before we come to Aruba and that we wanted one of our friends to officiate our symbolic beach ceremony. She told me that this was not possible. True?

Thanks!

[christene]

If you look through the boards I think you'll find posts from couples who have done just that - had a friend, family member or pastor from home officiate. Like Andrea said - its just symbolic. I can't imagine why the Marriott wouldn't allow you to have your own officiant. I was allowed to hire ours direct, not through the Marriott (Reverend Gibson). I would push the issue with them -- that doesn't sound right to me. We never even had to give the Marriott or officiant paperwork like birth certificate or marriage license because again, its just symbolic. My husband's kids even signed our 'keepsake marriage certificate' as witnesses. From us, a credit card was all the Marriott needed. =)

Originally Posted by slw196

Andrea - is it really true that anyone can be an officiant? I told my wedding coordinator at the Marriott that we are planning to get legally married in the U.S. before we come to Aruba and that we wanted one of our friends to officiate our symbolic beach ceremony. She told me that this was not possible. True?

Thanks!

[Andrea J.]

wow i have no idea what marriott's policies are, but for a symbolic ceremony ...IMO they are way out of line by telling you that having your friends officiate is just plain nonsense. do they get a "piece of the officiants fee"?
do they have a contract with "officiants"?

the town hall paperwork and official ceremony is very businesslike and is the OFFICIAL wedding.

EXCEPT in your case where you will be getting married AT home and the aruba ceremony is strictly symbolic.

so your question is TRUE? i have no idea. You will have to check with Marriott. If you have a marriott package plan maybe you are locked in.

Originally Posted by slw196

Andrea - is it really true that anyone can be an officiant? I told my wedding coordinator at the Marriott that we are planning to get legally married in the U.S. before we come to Aruba and that we wanted one of our friends to officiate our symbolic beach ceremony. She told me that this was not possible. True?

Thanks!