Legal matters

Wedding paperwork

Get your papers in order

Destination weddings in Italy are legal in your home country. We have experience with paperwork assistance for citizens coming from all over the world. So far we have contributed to the happy ending of residents in the US, UK, Europe, Russia, Japan, Korea, Australia, South America, Nigeria, North Africa, Pacific Asia and East Europe.

Filling in the paperwork required for your wedding in Italy will be a walk in the park with our assistance. That's because we literally take care of all the process. We will arrange the due appointments and we will write up as many documents as we can, on your behalf. We will instruct you on what is needed and remind you before the appointment what to bring - sometimes, we even personally take care of the minor legal hassles ourselves, unless you are required to be physically present.

Civil, catholic or protestant - get married under the law with our help.

Many couples simply get legally married at home before or after their symbolic destination wedding. There's no need to go through that. You can have a legally valid ceremony in Italy and have your marriage status validated in your country with an international wedding certificate.

We know that for 9 out of 10 couples looking into the paperwork is a boring part of the planning, and since you will be dealing with a legislation that is all new to you, it can even be confusing. We have been doing this for a very long time, so let us take these matters into our hands and you'll break no sweat.

The legal requirements for getting married in Italy are relatively straightforward and we will keep it super simple for your benefit. You will be told which documents to send, or bring personally and the rest is handled by us internally. WeddingItaly takes care of their own.

Civil weddings

Make your 'I do' official

A civil marriage ceremony is performed in Italian by the Mayor or a public servant, together with an official interpreter who will translate into your native language. The ceremony consists of a mix of the articles of the Italian civil code and traditional marriage vows, and lasts around 20 minutes, but after the official reading of the vows, the ritual can be customised with poems and personal notes read out by the couple, or with music.

Civil ceremonies by law must take place in buildings approved by the Italian government and outdoor ceremonies can only be performed in certain locations. Enquire with our team of legal experts to find out which are the licensed venues to officiate your marriage en plein air.

For the rite to be official, two witnesses over 18 years of age are needed.

The list of requirements

Civil marriage checklist

Our team of planners at WeddingItaly will walk you through the legal process carefully, and explain exactly what is needed of you to ensure the wedding has a legal value and you will go home with a certificate at the end of the journey.

APPLICATION The name and number of documents you will need to obtain may vary based on your country of residence, but this is a general list of paperwork required by the Italian authorities for the marriage to be valid

Certificate of No Impediment (which you can obtain at your local registry office)
Nulla Osta (sworn statement)
Original Birth Certificates with the names of both parents
Passports
Photocopies of the picture page of the passports for your two witnesses, their names, address and occupation
Decree absolute and previous marriage certificates (if you are divorced)
Deed Poll (if you have changed your name)

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE You will receive one copy of an internationally valid wedding certificate. In the event that more copies are needed, send your request in advance. We will inform you upon your return home if you should register the marriage at your local office, providing the marriage certificate received by us.

All documentation must be original or certified copies are also valid
Your certificate of no impediment must not be older than 6 months
There are no minimum residency requirements
If you are female and have previously been married, your wedding cannot occur until 300 days after your marriage was annulled.

Catholic rites

The holy sacrament of marriage

For the faithful ones amongst you, it won't come as a surprise to know that Italy is the highest-ranking country for number of places of worship, with a certain 100 000 between churches, abbeys, cathedrals and basilicas. A Catholic ceremony officiated in Italy is legally binding, so if you choose to go down this path, you'll fly home with the official marriage papers. We have many English-speaking priests in our book of vendors, and if unavailable, the ceremony can be officiated in Italian and translated with the help of one of our interpreters.

A few important steps to know before committing to a Catholic wedding are the following:

permission from your Parish Bishop and proof of attendance of your Pre-Cana classes
baptism and confirmation certificates

Note: paperwork has to be issued within 6 months (not longer) of the proposed wedding date

Protestant faith

For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health

Protestant weddings are legally binding only when performed by a licensed Minister authorised to officiate combined marriages. This is very rare and many couples prefer to get married with a civil ceremony in their home country, and only plan the religious part of the wedding in Italy.

Protestant weddings in Italy can be performed anywhere including outdoor gardens, villas, castles and farmhouses. However, there is a much limited number of Protestant churches (non Catholic) to officiate your ceremony.

Other beliefs

Your own ritual

In the past we have organised Jewish and hindu marriages, so our capacity to cater for other types of ceremonies is extendable. Get in touch with one of our wedding planners, we'll be happy to research and get the necessary resources, whether possible, to satisfy your needs. Our mission is to make every dream come true, without distinction of culture, background and faith.

Need help with your papers?

Speak with your planner now!