Marriage in the Philippines.

Documentation of legal capacity to marry is required by Philippine law. This certificate is issued by the U.S. Consulate in Cebu or at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Documents required include; One certified copy of your birth certificate with the raised seal (no photo copies). One certified copy of each and any final divorce decree, or the death certificate of your former wife if you are a widower. Cost of this service is approximately $12.00.

Wedding rings: Bring your own or buy them in the Philippines, approximate cost for his and hers plain gold bands is $140.00.

Wedding apparel: A wedding dress for your bride to be can cost anywhere from $70.00 on up. Many of our couples get married in regular street clothing. You may also purchase a native dress shirt, called a Barong Tagalog, for about $10.00. This is also appropriate.

Reception and wedding cake: Your wedding reception (optional) will cost about $6.25 per person. This is fully catered and includes all food and drinks in a nice setting in one of the function rooms at the hotel. Wedding cake (optional) will cost from $37.50 to $67.50 depending on what you like. 2)

Other Expenses

Meals: Food in the Philippines is very good and relatively inexpensive. Figure on spending around $12.00 per day. Dining in upscale tourist oriented restaurants will of course cost you more.

Local transportation: An air-conditioned taxi with English speaking driver costs $50.00 per day. You will need this taxi for at least 7 days, as this is usually the time required to set up your wedding and make all of the arrangements. Shorter term arrangements can be made on an 'as needed' basis and are available at lesser cost. These drivers work with us on all our tours and are extremely helpful as local guides and translators, in addition to providing transportation.

Additional paperwork required to bring your wife to the United States: After the wedding you will be required to obtain visa photos for you and your wife, cost is around $20.00. Passport photos for her will cost $10.00. Her Philippine passport will cost $35.00. N.B.I. clearance, required by law, costs $35.00.

We suggest that you bring a Mastercard or Visa as these are widely accepted throughout the Philippines. You can also use them to obtain cash advances as needed, so you won't be carrying large amounts of currency around. Filipinos are honest and friendly people, but caution is always advisable when traveling away from home.

Finally, for those of you that do get married in the Philippines, we offer complete immigration paperwork preparation for you and your new bride. Attorneys in the U.S. charge anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 for this service. We will do it for you quickly and accurately for the low price of $580. This service is optional but highly recommended.

For More information please visit Heart of Asia