A husband and wife on the island
Elope Barbados is run by Bianca and Douglas Hadeed, who are based in Barbados. Bianca plans and coordinates the weddings and is WPIC certified in wedding planning and coordination. Douglas drives couples to the Ministry of Home Affairs for the marriage licence application.
The business works on a small scale. Its packages cover an elopement for the couple alone, a destination or micro wedding for the couple and up to 10 guests, vow renewals, symbolic ceremonies and proposals. Larger celebrations of up to 50 guests can be planned, and couples bringing more people can book a consultation for guidance. Sessions start at two hours.
Choosing the beach
Most ceremonies are held on one of the island’s beaches. The south and west coasts offer calm white sand, and the east coast faces the Atlantic with a rougher shoreline. Couples say which kind of beach they have in mind and choose a colour scheme, and the planner proposes the arch, flowers and styling to match. Other settings, such as plantation houses, cliff tops, caves and gardens, can be arranged for an additional fee.
What is arranged for the ceremony
The team arranges the officiant and two witnesses, the arch and a signing table, a bridal bouquet and a boutonnière for the groom, and a single-tier wedding cake. A sand ceremony and a keepsake gift are part of it, and photography or videography for up to 30 minutes is included in the packages.
The Sand and Sail package adds a private sunset catamaran cruise. Upgrades include hair, make-up and nails at the hotel or venue, longer photography and videography, and content creation. Live music can be steel pan, guitar or violin, and translators are available for Spanish, French and German. A private beach dinner or a picnic can follow the ceremony.
The marriage licence
Barbados has no waiting period and no minimum stay. Both partners apply in person at the Ministry of Home Affairs, on a weekday between 8.30am and 3.30pm, with valid passports, original birth certificates and return tickets, and divorce or death documents where these apply. The planner arranges the officiant’s letter and the transfers, and marriage licence and certificate fees are included in the wedding packages. Visitors on a cruise stop or a short stay can marry on the same day.
From enquiry to ceremony
Couples start with the contact form and a preferred date, and the team replies with the options and the upgrades available. Package prices are sent on request. A non-refundable deposit confirms the booking, and from that point the team engages the vendors and takes no other wedding on the date. The balance is due two weeks before the wedding. A couple who cancel more than two weeks before forfeit the deposit, and within two weeks all payments are forfeited.
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