Overseas Wedding Destinations
All of the following countries are popular destinations to consider for couples wishing to marry abroad. More countries are added here regularly as we complete research on up-to-date regulations.
For each of them we have answered the most important questions that people ask when considering an overseas marriage:
1. Is a legal Civil Wedding possible?
This is quite often determined in a practical sense by the length of residency required.
2. Is a Legal Church Wedding Possible?
In almost all cases where it is not, a church ceremony following a civil marriage is relatively easy to organise. In countries where a legal marriage is possible there will be a list of churches whose marriages are legally recognised. See destination details for specifics.
3. What is the Residency Period?
This can very from none to years. Occasionally special licenses, for an additional fee, can shorten the residency requirement.
| Destinations | Legal Civil? | Legal Church? | Residency? | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Yes | No | None | You may have to travel to submit documents in person. |
| Croatia | Yes | No | None | Church weddings available for Catholics only. |
| Cyprus | Yes | No | 2-3 days (with special License) | Easy to organise |
| France | Yes | No | 40 days | Residency never waived. Church wedding after legal marriage elsewhere is easy |
| Gibraltar | Yes | Yes | None | Easy |
| Ireland | Yes | Yes | 7 days & 21 day waiting period | Relatively easy apart from residency. No residency requirement for church marriages. |
| Italy | Yes | Yes | None | Relatively easy but very bureaucratic |
| Malta | Yes | Yes | None | Easy to organise |
| Scotland | Yes | Yes | None | Easy |
| Slovenia | Yes | No | None | Religious ceremonies following a civil marriage are possible |
| South Africa | Yes | Yes | None | Easy, though availability of churches of some religions is an issue |
| Spain | Yes
| Yes | 2 years, except for Catholic Weddings | Only weddings in Catholic Churches can avoid the 2 year residency |