About our Wedding Services
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We currently provide: Legal marriages for tourists are dificult to arrange, unless you are on the island for at least 30 days! We provide the abuve three services as an alternative to legal marriages. Love and Devotion readings These are simple short readings usually performed on the beach. A 'Love and Devotion Reading' is where the couple have some short poems read to them in English, and/or choose to read poems to each other, it does not require a Pastor to be present. One couple had a reading on the beach under a sun shade in the presence of their children and a few guests from the hotel. The couple chose to stay on that beach and have a few drinks at a local beach bar after the ceremony and then later, make their own way back to their All Inclusive hotel. There is some information here on LOVE AND DEVOTION but there is further information within the secure zone for each island.
These are also becoming popular for those who just want a non-religious simple romantic gesture performed on the beach without needing to arrange and pay for documents to be translated and/or for other services. We will liaise with you over dates, times, costs that you wish to consider. Sal and Boavista - Religious Marriage Blessings/Renewing Vows We have a base on Sal. We will liaise with you over dates, times, costs that you wish to consider. Our start price for each island is based on prices if we were on Sal and have to travel from Sal to Boavista, the prices include flights, hotel and transportation etc. On occasions we may need to travel from the UK to either Sal to Boavista for a Blessing which will mean an additional cost.
The provision of wedding services
for tourists is still relevantly new on Sal and now Boavista (or Cape
Verde), with only a small number of British tourists booking a blessing
or renewing their vows on the islands. However there are more requests
being received for our three services.You will find further information and links to other associated pages about Blessings here: Blessings on Sal and Boavista The marriage blessing/ceremony can take place at a venue of your choice e.g. Evangelical Church, Restaurant, Hotel, Beach or other. If you choose a hotel venue or restaurant, they may charge for this service, if you use their hospitality it may be included in their price, it will depend on your requirements and number of guests. The Churches here can't be compared to those in the UK. Please note: So far the Riu Hotels in Cape Verde have not allowed wedding ceremony's, blessings, readings to be held in the hotel, the grounds or directly in front of their hotel on the beach. However a recent Blessing on the beach which was threatened by inclement weather could have been moved into one of these hotels following some discussions with the management. However it was not an ideal situation as it would have to be re-located to a corner of the Reception. You can still book your holiday with the Riu and have your ceremony elsewhere on the island. We also have some points to consider regarding requests for off road areas to be used, but an explanation as to why these may not be practical is explained within the secure zone documentation.Venue for after marriage function This can be arranged through us. We now have arrangements with some hotels, restaurants, beach bars, but you can choose another venue and we can help with this. We can advise and find something that meets your needs and budget. Or you can make your own separate arrangements. You may just decide to return to your hotel after the ceremony especially if you and your friends are staying in an All Inclusive Hotel. Please note: The Riu Hotels are not able to provide areas for after ceremony functions, but you can still return to The Riu with your guests to make your own celebrations and enjoy the All Inclusive facilities instead of booking another venue. Venue prices We do not have prices for the various costs and fees charged by the different venues, they would charge you for what you required, number of guests, if you had meals, number of courses etc. We do have a few menus from restaurants on the beach on Sal, but none as yet from any on Boavista. If you are having a beach ceremony near a beach bar or restaurant and not having a meal there, it is normally accepted that prior,during or after the ceremony the couple and/or guests would have a refreshing drink at this facility as you will probably be thirsty or need to use their bathroom to freshen up. In this case you just pay for what you order at the bar. It is up to you to decide, but there are many options. Marriage Certificate for Religious Marriage Blessings or Renewing Vows A Blessing and Renewal of Vows will be carried out by the Pastor of the Evangelical Church. A Marriage Certificate will be issued by the Evangelical Church and will need to be signed by the couple and their witnesses at the end of the ceremony. If you do not have witnesses, we can arrange to provide them. Please check with your country of origin or place of residence that they accept the Marriage Certificate issued by the Evangelical Church.The Blessing with the Evangelical Church is not recognised in Cape Verde as legal, so it unlikely that it will be recognised by European or other countries as legal. In most cases it is advisable for you to arrange your own legal ceremony in your own country at a Registry Office, then if you want you can then have a Blessing arranged by us with the Evangelical Church here. Translation service - You will need to supply us (in advance of arrival) with the relevant documents confirming single or marriage status for a Blessing or Renewal of Vows, these will then be translated by us to the Portuguese language. - Your documents will either be translated on Boavista or Sal. They can be translated on one island and forwarded to the Pastor on the other island if need be. Or, you can get them officially translated to Portuguese in your own country and send them to us. - A translator may be needed for the Pre-Meeting and for the main ceremony of a Blessing or Renewal of Vows if you don't speak Portuguese, as the ceremony is normally carried out using the official language of Portuguese. The translator will translate to you what the Pastor is saying during Pre-Meeting and then also during the main ceremony. You can direct any questions via the translator. - A translator is available to assist with these services on both islands. - The costs for the translation service of documents and also attendance at the ceremony by the translator can be found within the secure zone under Prices and 'Additional Costs'. - Most tourist translation weddings are translated into English, if you have other language requirements we can try and provide a translator for this, but it will not always be possible. Fresh flowers Fresh flowers (and other decorations) can be oredered and flown to either island the evening before or, the morning of the wedding. However, consideration has to be given to a number of factors: - delays of flight and condition of the flowers on arrival. - the flowers may need to be imported from Holland or Brazil. - they may be sent over from Santiago, but flights are sometimes cancelled or delayed. - natural flowers of the island for groom and best man will be too big for button holes. - we have not found a flower shop on Boavista. - fresh flowers would need to be imported to the flower shop on Sal, then flown over to Boavista. - high costs for importation, delivery and transportation. - we don't have anywhere to store fresh flowers Our advice is to use silk/artificial flowers. However you can contact the Flower Shop directly on Sal Island if you wish to make your own arrangements for fresh flowers. Contact details of the Flower Shop in Espargos (Sal ISland) for you to ask for details and obtain a quote is: Aventura Tropical – Espargos / Sal Island Phone and Fax +238 241 16 60 E-mail: aventropical@gmail.com Church decoration The Church can be decorated with fresh flowers, please refer to above points first, or it can be decorated with artficial flowers. Silk and Artificial Flowers available We have a small range of silk and artificial flowers for hire we can use to decorate a table, banister etc. We also have a choice of a cream or white bouquet to rent for the bride and one witness. You can add another colour to them to suit. Or bring an artificial bouquets and buttonhole with you. Some for your friends or family too. If you are going to have a celebratory meal at one of the restaurants after the service, certain restaurants will allow us to decorate a table/s or an area with artificial flowers. We would need to confirm this with the venue. A decorated arch is available for hire also with artificial flowers of either cream or white, with green foliage. Artificial Flowers from UK We have a some artificial flowers available for the bride, and some for decoration. More information is provided within the secure zone. You can also choose to bring some or all your own silk/artificial button holes, sprays, bouquets with you from your country. We have a supplier in the UK who is now working with us to provide you with advice and guidance concerning choice of colours against skin colouring, hair colour and other things you may want to consider. It may not cost you the earth and only require bouquets for yourself, bidesmaid family guests and button holes etc. There is a range to choose from or have designed. Contact via: Website: Jane Adele Flowers ......... we have an enquiry form within our website for enquiries with Jane Adele Flowers. Transportation A private vehicle (taxi or minibus) can be hired for the bride and groom. We can arrange additional taxi's for your guests and family. The private hire vehicle will have a designated driver for the ceremony for around 3hrs. The driver will be available for transporting bride and groom between venues and hotel/accommodation. Private vehicle for wedding couple: If over 3hrs: If you intend having an extended reception, another taxi can be arranged at an additional cost or, you can make your own arrangements at the end of celebrations. More details for consideration within the secure zone. The cost will depend on the number of cars and distance. Normally taxi’s carry 4 passengers, three in the back and one in the front. Everything is much closer in Santa Maria. If the taxi is used within Santa Maria during the day, it may cost around 4-5 euros per car, one way. However, everything is further away on Boavista, a taxi from the Riu Touareg into Sal Rei will cost around 30 euros each way, so you need to make allowances for that. If you are not staying at a hotel, we can arrange for a taxi to collect you, but you must inform us. Photographer We can arrange for a photographer for your service. Their charges include producing a CD of your photos which they will deliver to you before you leave the island, we need to know hotel and room number and/or have a contact telephone number for you after you arrive. You may also want to consider a videographer too. For the less formal Love and Devotion reading, some couples and guests bring their own cameras, extra memory cards (don’t forget the charger) and/or a couple of throw away cameras so that you can ask others to take photos too instead of hiring a photographer. Local Musicians A musician or group of musicians playing acoustic music can be hired to perform at the venue chosen for after ceremony meal/drinks. However, there may be a shortage of local musicians on the islands at the time you wish to hire them, this is due to the fact that most will have to rely on more regular work elsewhere during the day. However a venue may have suitable contacts. I am unable to suggest musicians to use on each island. Religious Blessing and Renewal of Vows Fees Our charges will be for: A. Administration fee of 250euros which should be paid in advance. For documentation and phone calls. B. Our fees for the arrangements for the service. Costs will depend on which island the ceremony is to be held, services and organisational requirements requested and quoted for initially. We have a base on Sal but we also spend time in the UK. C. Additional service costs that you may require, not identified in our arrangement fees. You may want to make further requests, changes to/for venues, furniture, decorations, photographer, other services to your initial requirements. In addition to this there will be further charges for our services for our time, travel, labour costs, transport, equipment hire etc Note : Meetings in the UK or additional travel will incur additional costs. We will also request an arrangement fee deposit in advance when you have confirmed the booking. Our arrangement fees include:- Providing advice and contacts - Communication with the Pastor and translator over dates and availability etc - Documentation requirements and translation arrangements - Contacting services & suppliers over their availability and other costs - Any negotiations - Making arrangements on your behalf - Communicating & translating your needs via translators and service providers - Providing you with updates - Making payments on your behalf to service providers if needed - Transportation of people and equipment to and from a venue - Travel or site/island visits - Providing rates for services or provisions.... If you want to use a service/venue for longer than quoted then this will incur further costs. Additional costs We will provide you with venue information and costs for additional services. We endeavour to provide quotes for services and additional costs, however if venues are changed, a further distance has to be travelled to reach a venue or additional services requested, then obviously prices will need reviewing. If you wish to discuss any of the above, the prices, additional services to what we have included in our prices or other alternatives then please get back in touch by email. We work closely with our service partners to help ensure your day is special. Which Island?
Sal has a greater choice of venues and has a range of hotels or restaurants partly equipped for events. There are some rustic style beach venues, relaxing and comfortable beach venues or hotel run beach and indoor venues or facilities. Hotels and restaurant venues are mostly in Santa Maria, travel time between them is shorter. Boavista is a much larger island than Sal, though facility and services on Boavista are fewer. Boavista has a long way to go before it can up with Sal. Both islands are identified for some major developments and hotels. We currently have identified two rustic type beach venues and a hotel (not a Riu hotel) overlooking the beach for ceremonies on the island of Boavista. Travel between hotels and venues may cost more if they are some distance apart e.g. the Airport to Riu Touareg is approximately 25mins in a taxi, or 30mins from Sal Rei. A new road has been constructed for part of the way from the Riu Toureg heading towards the airport, but the rest is currently a bumpy dirt road (Oct 2011). The Riu Karamboa is 10mins from the airport.Other circumstances We endeavour to provide you with costs that relate to the circumstances we are aware of and in control of at the time of sending you the price list e.g. occasionally the photographer that has been booked may be unavailable and another has to be brought in, or if the Pastor/Translator or a second Pastor/Translator is not available on the island for whatever reason (illness, deceased or other) then one may need to be flown in from another island and put up in accommodation. In these circumstances an additional cost may be incurred by yourselves, but we could discuss the options available at the time. I have been made aware that there may be occasions where the Pastors on an island may all be attending a seminar on another island. This happened this year during the month of August. Fortunately for us we didn't have any Blessings or Renewal of Vows booked. We hope to make arrangements with the Church to identify, possible 'avoid' dates.
On one occasion we were asked by the couple to change from a venue that had been previously booked and we had quoted for a beach Blessing to another beach venue 30 kilometres away. The original venue had somewhere to shelter in case of adverse weather conditions, the new venue for the beach Blessing had no place to shelter from the wind or rain, although there was a hotel nearby which up until this point we were told we could not use for our services. The three days before the ceremony the island had seen some strong winds and rain. The day of the Blessing it rained heavily for 3 hours in the morning. As we drove up to this particular venue on Santa Monica beach with furniture and equipment, we could see the rain falling from the dark clouds in the distance on the other end of the island, fortunately the sky above the venue remained clear for the rest of the day, the couple and ourselves were very fortunate on that occasion. However during the earlier hours of the morning the couple had approached the hotel management and they had offered them the chance to hold the ceremony in the reception area, this would have been a last resort for the couple as the bride wanted their ceremony to take place on the beach, they offred an area to use within the reception if the conditions worsened.Moving the furniture etc again would be another issue. This hotel chain does not generally have facilities in which they would allow blessings to be performed. Obviously a change of venue such as the one requested here incurred additional costs. Things that needed to be considered were whether those hired for their services were able to spare the extra time travelling to another venue as a few of them were employed and had other work commitments during the day. Also there were further transportation, hire, labour costs and time. Changing the ceremony to another day could have been an option, but would it have rained, would the people and equipment be available, what would the extra costs have been again? The saying 'No Stress Cabo Verde' maybe because it's said by Cape Verdeans! There doesn't seem to be any urgency with many Cape Verdeans to get things done on time or to communicate with others, it can be very frustrating. It is important for us to work with partners who will ensure that everything runs as smoothly a possible with our services. Access to our wedding informationThere are a number of page links within the main Weddings Cape Verde page which are not held within a secure zone, which you should open and read. Once you decide on which island you are visiting, please use the relevant form for Boavista or Sal and provide us with information on the service you require, dates of visit, and chosen a 'Username' and 'Password' etc. Once you have submitted the form you will be able to access the secure zone for that island and you will be able to read further information about the venues, services and prices. Request for information We are not able to respond to some requests instantly. Some requests require more detailed replies, research and contacting partners who also may not be able to respond instantly. We will get in touch with you as soon as possible. It is important that you read through the various pages in the Unsecure and Secure pages first. We have endeavoured to provide most of the information on the website. However, there are some queries recieved that we haven't provided answers to before, which we may then add to FAQ's and/or on other pages of the website. I hope you have found this information helpful. Best wishes, Cheryl Thomas |
