Simple legal weddings in Nassau
Courthouse Wedding in Nassau, Bahamas: How Simple Legal Weddings Actually Work
If you are searching for a courthouse wedding in Nassau, you probably want one thing: a legally recognized marriage, a short ceremony, and no expensive resort package. I can arrange exactly that.
My name is Glenn Ferguson, licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer, and WPIC-certified wedding planner. The first thing I explain to couples is that a Nassau "courthouse wedding" does not work the way one works in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom. You do not walk into a Nassau courthouse and ask a judge or clerk to marry you.
Instead, you obtain your marriage licence through the Registrar General's Department. Your legal ceremony is then performed by a licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer and filed for registration.
That ceremony can still be short, private and affordable, and it does not have to happen inside a government building.
Direct answer: To arrange a courthouse-style wedding in Nassau, both partners must satisfy the legal requirements, be in The Bahamas for at least 24 hours, obtain a marriage licence from the Registrar General's Department, and be married by a licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer between sunrise and sunset in the presence of two adult witnesses.
Can you get married at the courthouse in Nassau?
Couples use the phrase "courthouse wedding" constantly, but the accurate description here is a simple legal wedding or civil-style wedding.
The Registrar General's Department issues marriage licences and registers marriages. It does not function like an American county clerk's office where a judge or clerk performs ceremonies on site.
Once your licence is approved, I can perform a short legal ceremony at an arranged location:
- A private office
- Your hotel or vacation rental
- A quiet Nassau garden
- A simple indoor venue
- A beach in Nassau or on Paradise Island
- Another approved private setting
This gives you more flexibility than most couples expect. You can keep it entirely practical, or add flowers, photography and a scenic setting without turning it into a large wedding.
Nassau compared to a courthouse wedding back home
| US / Canada / UK courthouse | Nassau, Bahamas | |
|---|---|---|
| Who performs the ceremony | Judge, clerk, registrar or JP | Licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer |
| Where it happens | Inside the courthouse or registry | Office, hotel, garden or beach |
| Waiting period | Varies by state or district | 24 hours in The Bahamas before you may apply |
| Time of day | Office hours | Between sunrise and sunset only |
| Witnesses | Often one, sometimes none | Two, aged 18 or older |
| Licence validity | Typically 30–90 days | 90 days |
| Weekend ceremonies | Rarely available | Yes, if you apply by Thursday or Friday |
The practical difference is that Nassau gives you more choice of setting, not less. But the paperwork has to be done in person, on a business day, in the right order.
How a Nassau courthouse-style wedding works
Contact me before you travel
Reach me before you book your ceremony date, especially if either person has been married before, has changed their name, or will be in Nassau only a few days.
I will confirm which documents you need and whether your travel dates allow enough time. This review is the most valuable part of my service: the ceremony is simple, but the paperwork is where couples get caught out. You can also run your situation through my free document checker first.
Arrive in The Bahamas
Both parties must have been in The Bahamas for at least 24 hours before applying. Your arrival is verified using your immigration card or passport entry stamp. See the official marriage-licence requirements.
The 24 hours runs before the application, not before the ceremony.
Apply for your marriage licence
Both partners appear in person at the Registrar General's Department, Marriages Section, at the corner of Shirley and Charlotte Street. The office runs Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and closes on public holidays. An advance appointment is required. Do not plan to walk in. The Bahamas Government marriage-licence service sets out the official procedure.
I book the appointment, drive you there, and stay with you through the application. Full detail is on my Bahamas marriage licence guide.
Once issued, the licence is valid 90 days, so applying early in your stay costs you nothing.
Complete the interview and any declarations
Most visiting couples do not expect this step. Non-Bahamian applicants are interviewed by a Registrar or by one of the five designated Marriage Officers. Where a Bahamian is marrying a non-Bahamian, the Registrar General conducts the interview.
If you have never been married, you will also need a declaration confirming you are free to marry. Divorced and widowed applicants need additional documents, and any name difference between your passport, birth record and divorce papers has to be explained.
Hold the legal ceremony
After the licence is issued, I perform the ceremony before two adult witnesses. If it is just the two of you, I provide the witnesses.
Ceremonies must take place between sunrise and sunset. If you have been picturing an evening beachfront ceremony, we need to talk about timing before you book anything.
The ceremony itself can be very short: the legal declarations, a brief welcome, vows, rings if you want them, signing, and the pronouncement. No bridal party, décor, formal clothing or reception required. Rings are optional.
Register the marriage
I complete and file your marriage record with the Marriages Section. A licence alone does not create a registered marriage. The ceremony must be performed by an authorized Marriage Officer and the record must be filed. See the official marriage-registration information.
Not sure your dates work?
Send me your arrival date, departure date and marital status. I will tell you the same day whether a legal ceremony is realistic.
WhatsApp Glenn Call +1-242-395-8495Timing: can we marry the day we arrive?
No. You must complete 24 hours in The Bahamas before you may even apply.
Once you apply, the licence is often issued the same day or the next business day, but that is not guaranteed. Processing slows during the December-to-April peak, and the office is closed weekends and public holidays.
So apply as early in your stay as you reasonably can, and avoid scheduling the ceremony for the first two days of a short trip. Because the licence stays valid 90 days, there is no advantage in waiting.
Weekend ceremonies: a Saturday or Sunday wedding is possible, provided you apply on the preceding Thursday or Friday.
A symbolic ceremony or vow renewal can be held without a licence, but it does not create a legal marriage.
If your window is tight: priority licence processing
Standard processing means collecting your licence the next business day. When a couple's schedule genuinely cannot absorb that (a short trip, a cruise call, a Friday arrival before a public holiday), I offer priority processing.
I notarise your application on-site at the Registrar General's Office, which brings approval down to roughly one hour instead of next day. The service is $375 and includes my notarisation. Couples using it are typically legally married just over 24 hours after landing.
Priority processing solves a tight schedule. It does not solve a document problem. If your divorce decree is the wrong version or your names do not match across papers, no amount of speed at the counter will fix that on the day, which is why I review documents before you fly.
Full details of the priority licence service →
What a simple legal wedding actually costs
| Item | Cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage licence (Registrar General's Department) | $100 | Always |
| Certified copy of marriage certificate | $20 each | Almost always |
| Affidavit of single status (Bahamian Notary Public) | $95 | If never married |
| Priority 1-hour licence processing | $375 | Optional |
| Ceremony package (officiant, witnesses, coordination) | from $1,495 | Always |
| Apostille of marriage certificate | from $120 | If your country requires it |
A note on the licence fee. The Registrar General's Department charges $100, and a certified certificate copy is $20, so you will see the figure quoted both ways, as $100 plus $20, and as $120 inclusive. Bring at least $120 in cash to your appointment. Government fees change, and I confirm the current amount before we go.
Beyond this, your only costs are what you choose to add: transportation, venue or beach access, photography and flowers. Every quote I send separates government charges from professional and optional services. See elopement packages from $1,495.
Documents you may need
The list depends on your nationality, marital history, age and whether your legal name has changed. In outline: valid passports, proof of your arrival in The Bahamas, and a declaration of single status. Where applicable, add certified final divorce decrees, death certificates, name-change documents, parental consent, or certified English translations. Birth certificates with a raised seal may also be requested.
Two things cause most of the problems I see:
- Divorced applicants must bring the final or absolute decree with a raised or coloured seal, not a filing, separation agreement or interim order. If the name on it differs from your passport, bring the documents connecting them.
- Foreign-language documents may need both the certified original and a certified English translation. Send me a copy before you travel rather than discovering the requirement at the counter.
Check your exact documents by nationality and marital status →
Do you need two witnesses?
Yes. Two witnesses aged 18 or older must sign the marriage documents. Friends or relatives may serve. If you are eloping alone, I provide them as part of your ceremony.
Cruise passengers: read this first
Cruise itineraries are where most legal weddings fall apart.
A same-day port call rarely leaves enough time to satisfy the residency requirement, obtain the licence and hold the ceremony. There is an accommodation: a letter from the Ship's Purser or Guest Services confirming you have been in Bahamian waters for 24 hours. But that letter still has to be obtained, and your port hours still have to line up with the Registrar's office hours and your appointment.
Before you book anything, send me your cruise line and ship name, embarkation port and departure date, Nassau arrival and departure times, the consecutive hours you will already have spent in Bahamian waters, and any overnight stay in Nassau.
If a legal ceremony is not practical, the safest options are to fly in early, stay overnight before the cruise, or marry legally at home and hold a symbolic Nassau ceremony.
Cruising into Nassau?
Send me your itinerary before you pay a deposit. I will tell you whether the timing works, and if it does not, what will.
WhatsApp your itineraryCan we have a beach wedding instead?
Yes, and many couples switch once they learn the legal ceremony does not have to happen in an office. A Nassau beach ceremony can still be just the two of you, two witnesses and me.
Depending on location we may need to consider access or permission, resort policies, tide and sunset times, public activity on the beach, transportation, a rain alternative, photography permissions and accessibility for older guests. Remember the ceremony must conclude before sunset.
I help couples choose a location that works on the day, rather than the prettiest photograph online.
Is a Bahamas marriage recognized internationally?
Yes. A Bahamas marriage is recognized internationally when the couple legally qualified to marry, a valid licence was issued, a licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer performed the ceremony, and the marriage was properly registered.
Recognition and document acceptance are separate questions, though. Your marriage may be perfectly valid while an immigration office, passport agency or foreign registry still asks for a certified copy, an apostille or a translation. You need an apostille only if the receiving institution requires one, so check with them before ordering.
I obtain certified marriage certificates and coordinate apostille services after registration.
Courthouse-style, beach elopement or symbolic ceremony?
| Option | Legal marriage? | Licence required? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courthouse-style legal ceremony | Yes | Yes | A brief, private wedding |
| Simple Nassau beach wedding | Yes | Yes | Legal simplicity with a scenic setting |
| Resort wedding | Yes, when correctly arranged | Yes | Couples wanting a venue and extra services |
| Symbolic ceremony | No | No | Already married, or cannot meet the timeline |
| Vow renewal | No new legal marriage | No | Married couples celebrating |
Common mistakes I help couples avoid
- Assuming a judge or clerk at the courthouse will perform the wedding
- Not knowing about the interview requirement for non-Bahamian applicants
- Planning an evening ceremony without knowing about the sunrise-to-sunset rule
- Turning up at the Registrar's office without an advance appointment
- Scheduling the ceremony too soon after arrival
- Forgetting that government offices close on weekends and public holidays
- Bringing an interim rather than final divorce decree
- Arriving with uncertified photocopies
- Failing to explain a legal name difference
- Assuming a foreign or online-ordained officiant can perform the legal ceremony
- Confusing the marriage licence with the certified marriage certificate
- Planning a cruise-port wedding without checking the residency rule
- Assuming an apostille is automatically included
- Booking travel before confirming an appointment and legal timeline
My job is not simply to stand in front of you and recite a ceremony. I make sure you understand the process before you travel, arrive prepared for your appointment, and avoid delays that are entirely preventable.
What couples say
He helped us navigate the licence process and even drove us to the office himself.
David Misita · Google review
I think it's safe to say that we would not have gotten married in Nassau if it were not for Glenn. He facilitated our entire marriage process from beginning to end and was the most responsive person I have had the pleasure of dealing with throughout our wedding month and day! He was able to provide our photographer and witnesses as well pretty last minute. Glenn is a true professional and it shows through his work. I cannot wait to come back one day to renew our vows with you, Glenn! Thank you for absolutely everything.
Jackie Judkins · Google review
Read more couples' experiences →
Frequently asked questions
Can a Justice of the Peace marry us in Nassau?
Do not assume a Justice of the Peace, notary or foreign officiant is authorized to solemnize a Bahamas marriage. Your ceremony must be performed by someone holding the necessary Bahamian authority. I am a licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer and file the documentation for a legally compliant ceremony.
Can a friend perform our ceremony?
A friend may give a reading, offer a blessing or lead a symbolic portion. Unless legally authorized in The Bahamas, they cannot perform the legal portion. Online ordination or authority granted in another country does not carry over.
What time of day can we get married?
Between sunrise and sunset. Evening ceremonies are not permitted, so late-afternoon ceremonies need to be timed against the sunset for your date.
How fast can we get the marriage licence?
Standard processing is the same day or the next business day. With my priority licence service I notarise your application on-site and approval takes roughly one hour. That service is $375. See how priority processing works →
How long is the marriage licence valid?
90 days from issue, so there is no risk in applying early in your trip.
Can we marry on a Saturday or Sunday?
Yes, provided you submit your application on the preceding Thursday or Friday, since the licensing office operates on business days only.
Do we need wedding rings?
No. Rings are traditional but not legally required.
Do I need to wear a wedding dress?
No. Formal attire, resort clothing or something simple. Your clothing has no bearing on the legality of the marriage.
Do we need a blood test?
No blood test is required.
Can two visitors get legally married in Nassau?
Yes, provided both meet the legal requirements, satisfy the 24-hour residency period, present the required documents and obtain the licence.
Is the marriage licence the same as the marriage certificate?
No. The licence authorizes the marriage to take place. The certificate records that the ceremony occurred and was registered.
How far in advance should we contact you?
As early as possible. If either partner is divorced, widowed, under 18, using foreign-language records or has changed their legal name, allow extra preparation time. Message me on WhatsApp with your dates and I will confirm whether they work.
Let me arrange your simple legal wedding in Nassau
You do not need an elaborate destination wedding to be legally married in The Bahamas. Whether you want a private office ceremony, an intimate beach wedding or a simple ceremony at your hotel, I will walk you through it.
When you contact me, please send:
- Both partners' full legal names and nationalities
- Arrival date and time, and preferred wedding date
- Marital status of each partner
- Whether either person has changed their legal name
- Number of guests and preferred ceremony type
- Whether you need witnesses, photography or certificate assistance
Send me these details on WhatsApp. The message is pre-filled, just fill in the blanks →
Glenn Ferguson
Licensed Bahamas Marriage Officer · WPIC-Certified Wedding Planner
Marrying couples in The Bahamas since 2001
Government charges, processing times, appointments and document requirements may change. Confirm your individual circumstances before purchasing non-refundable travel or wedding services.
