Europe is full of beautiful landscapes, both inland and in coastal areas, with fabulous spaces to celebrate any type of event, especially weddings.
But first you need to know what are the wedding formalities in Europe necessary to make your big day a success!
We know that sometimes it is a bit complicated to know all the wedding formalities in Europe, but don’t worry! In this post we will solve all your doubts naming all those requirements and formalities that you will need for your celebration.
Take paper and pen and write down all the information that we dictate below according to the country in Europe where you want to say “I do”.
Let’s get started!
Wedding arrangements in Europe: Spain
If you dream of getting married in Spain and you are a foreigner, your dream is a destination wedding in this beautiful country, with beautiful spaces where you can get married among vineyards or spectacular turquoise waters.
Make a note of the documents that are necessary to get married:
-Instance before the Civil Registry of the place where the future spouses reside.
-Birth certificate of both spouses issued by the Civil Registry of the place of birth.
-Affidavit of civil status.
-Photocopy of the Passport or NIE of the foreign spouse.
-Photocopy of the DNI of the Spanish spouse.
-Certificate of census registration for the last two years.
-Judicial sentence of divorce if any of them has had a previous marriage.
-Death certificate of the deceased spouse, if one of them is widowed.
It is necessary to emphasize that the presented documents have expiration date, as the census certificate or the birth certificate that has a maximum validity of three months.
Once all the documentation has been presented, an interview will be carried out to verify the veracity of the marriage.
It is also necessary to take into account whether you wish to have a civil or church wedding, as this also entails a series of requirements.
For a civil wedding it is necessary:
-Birth certificate.
-Certificate of marital capacity or marital status.
-Certificate of census registration.
-If someone is divorced, he/she must present the marriage certificate with the inscription of the divorce.
-Certificate of death of the deceased spouse, if one of them is widowed.
If your idea is to get married in church, these are the necessary wedding formalities:
-Christening certificates.
-Photocopy of the DNI.
-Certificate of birth.
-Certificate of census.
-Family book of your parents.
-To carry out a pre-marriage course.
-To request the matrimonial file, that you will have to go accompanied of two witnesses.
Wedding formalities in Europe: France
Getting married in France is possible, although much more complicated than in other countries… don’t panic! Here are the steps to follow to get married in France as a destination wedding and walk down the aisle in the country of love.
List of documents to present:
– Passport.
-Data form.
-Certificate of honor of the domicile.
-Witnesses’ data sheets.
-Photocopy of the passports of the witnesses.
-Certificate of domicile.
-Birth certificate less than 6 months old, apostilled, translated and legalized.
-Certificate of bachelorhood of less than 6 months of its issuance, translated.
-Certificate of custom.
The documents that are admitted as proof of domicile must be of the last 6 months and are the following:
-Title deed.
-Copy of the contract of purchase of a property.
-Certificate of payment of the rent, only if it is issued by a company.
-Rental contract.
Summary of the distribution of charges of the co-ownership.
Tax declaration, housing, audio-visual, income.
-Social security certificate.
-CAF certificate.
-ASSEDIC certificate.
-Certificate of the mutual insurance company with address.
-Employer’s certificate.
-Certificate of social responsibility insurance.
-Bank statement.
-Salary receipt.
-Water bill, electricity bill, gas bill, landline phone bill, internet bill.
-Certificate of domicile issued by an organization that deals with people with no fixed address (Croix Rouge, CCAS, etc.).
If someone lives abroad:
-Certificate of domicile or residence issued by the commune where he/she resides plus its translation.
In addition, one of the couple must be domiciled in the city where they intend to get married for more than one month.
Wedding in Europe: Italy
If you want to get married in Italy, it is very simple, here we show you the wedding formalities in Italy to celebrate your dream wedding as it has the most magical places to say “I do”.
Necessary formalities:
-Birth certificate.
-Certificate of marital status, if you are single you need an affidavit. If you are divorced or widowed, you must present the marriage or death certificate.
-Passport or ID card.
-Witness documents, you will need two witnesses of legal age.
-Certificate of residence in Italy.
-Residence permit if you are not an Italian citizen.
Before getting married in Italy, it is necessary to verify and obtain a series of authorizations in order to comply with the legal requirements.
Steps to follow:
-Obtain the Nulla Osta, it is a special authorization to be able to get married, you have to present all the documents and it is requested at the Italian Consulate.
-Legalize and translate the documents.
Wedding arrangements in Europe: Portugal
Portugal is one of the most desired destinations to celebrate your big day, due to its spectacular landscapes, beautiful beaches and great gastronomy. You will find a perfect dream setting for your big day.
But what do you have to do to get married in this beautiful place, don’t worry, here we tell you what are the necessary wedding formalities in Portugal for your wedding.
Legal requirements to get married in Portugal:
-Both must be over 18 years of age.
-Passport or DNI.
-Birth certificate.
-Certificate of No Impediment or equivalent documentation from your country of origin.
-Marriage license, specifying if it is going to be a civil wedding or a Catholic wedding and the chosen marriage regime.
-Baptismal certificate, if it is a church wedding.
-Marriage certificate, if you have been married before.
-Death certificate, if you are a widow or widower.
-Residence permit or authorization.
In addition all these documents must be translated into Portuguese and legalized in the Portuguese consulate of your country of origin.
Wedding procedures in Europe, we help you to fulfill your dream!
Now that you know what are the wedding procedures in Europe to get married in one of these beautiful countries, you just need to have a good destination wedding planner who can make your wedding easier and more special.
At Weddings and Events by Natalia Ortiz we have the best one, who can make your dreams come true and what are you waiting for?
Contact us, tell us what is your ideal place to get married and we will help you choose from hundreds of wedding venues in Portugal, France, Spain or Italy. But if you prefer to get married in a church, don’t worry, we can also help you choose among the most beautiful chapels or churches in Europe.