Wedding Legalities
1. Wedding Insurance Abroad and Our Cover
We want to ensure you have a smooth experience when booking with us - that’s why we are ABTA Bonded, meaning that you and your guests are financially protected when booking services through us including accommodation and transfers. Wedding Insurance is required when going abroad for cover for your cake, dress and all the bits in between. So for further protection, we recommend contacting our team of experts to help find you additional travel insurance and wedding insurance abroad.
2. Are Weddings Abroad Legal?
Getting married abroad is indeed legally recognised, with thousands of people doing it each year. However, the requirements can vary from country to country so be sure to check that your dream destination fits your needs when planning your wedding adventure.
3. General Country Legalities
For most countries that we offer weddings in, there is no legal requirement to be in that particular country for a specific amount of time prior to your wedding date (this applies to Cyprus, Rhodes, Italy, Malta, Spain and Las Vegas weddings). If your destination isn’t listed here or for further details on your chosen destination, please contact us. However, we recommend being in the country 3 days before your wedding day (not including bank holidays or public holidays) to ensure there are no issues and everything runs as smoothly as possible. This time is the perfect chance for you to get your bearings of the local area and to start to feel home away from home.
4. Same Sex and Civil Weddings
If your wedding is either a same sex or a civil partnership, it’s best to double check what your chosen country offers to ensure it’s the perfect fit for your ideal wedding day.
For same sex marriages that are legally binding, Malta and Las Vegas are the places to go from our top destinations. Other countries offer symbolic services such as the Greek Islands (same sex blessings are also offered at select venues subject to terms and conditions), Spain (depending on the venue) and Italy (depending on the venue). Paphos in Cyprus offers a ‘civil union-ship’ for same sex marriages (depending on hotel regulations). However, same sex marriages aren’t permitted in the Larnaca region included Ayia Napa, Protaras and Limassol.
For civil weddings, Malta and Las Vegas are perfect destinations. If you are looking for a civil marriage that is legally binding in Spain, then Gibraltar will be your next best option (according to terms and conditions) with Spain not providing legally binding civil marriages.
If your chosen destination isn’t listed, or if you have any further questions, please contact our team for destination-by-destination advice.
5. Other Information on Popular Destinations
- For the Greek Islands, some venues require you to be married in a Town Hall
- For Rhodes, all ceremonies held in the Lindos Area have a £150 charge for registrar fees which is payable locally. Some venues may require you to go to the town hall 1-2 days after your ceremony to sign the paperwork - please contact us for further information on this.
- For Spain, Catholic Weddings can only take place in Catholic churches.
- For the Caribbean, each island has their own polices so please contact a wedding planner to advise you further.