10 Things You Should Know If You Are Getting Married In Italy

10 Things You Should Know If You Are Getting Married In Italy
10 Things You Should Know If You Are Getting Married In Italy. Image source: Supplied

Have you thought about getting married in Italy? How about saying yes to a small church in a beautiful historic city or on a perfect beach with all your loved ones or in a special place that remembers your love story? Maybe, where he met or had his first vacation or where his parents are from? There are many reasons to choose Italy as your wedding destination: beautiful places, a pre-established honeymoon, excellent food and wine and much more.

If you have found a house rental in Italy and are planning a wedding in the country, then read on as these are the ten things you will need to do and the information you will need to make those vows legally binding.

1. Get Contact the consulate of your country of origin in Italy.

This will be useful as a support system and a reliable source of specific information about the chosen destination. They can help you start the process and prepare your wedding, starting with the organization of documents such as the Princess Apulia, which is a document required for US and Australian citizens to marry in Italy.

2. Send your declaration of intention of marriage to the local marriage office

The local marriage office – civic registry – is located in the town hall of the town, city or area where your marriage will take place. Be sure to do so at least three weeks before your wedding date, if not before. You will also have to get a couple of officially translated documents. However, the specific details of this part of the process may change, so being in contact with the consulate and the local town hall is the easiest way to know the exact details of the area in which you plan to get married.

3. Organize a translator

Not only for ease, even if you speak Italian, but you will also need to hire a translator to attend the ceremony for civil ceremonies due to a rule from a time ago. However, organizing a wedding planner who speaks your language is probably the best option for those who want an easier experience, since they can help you with all the paperwork, with the wedding organization, overcome language and cultural barriers and much more.

4. Other Religious Weddings and Same-sex Marriages

Italy recognizes religious weddings of all religions, including the different branches of Christianity, Jewish weddings, Hindu weddings, and Muslim weddings, as long as a civil ceremony is incorporated into the marriage to be officially legal. You will be asked to prove that you are civilly married before the ceremony can be held in a religious temple.

Unfortunately, same-sex marriages are not yet legally recognized in Italy. However, civil unions were legalized in 2016, so, in this scenario, you may want to hold a symbolic wedding while in Italy and legally marry in your country (if that is possible, of course!).

5. Weddings in the Church

While there are other religious groups in Italy, Catholicism is still the majority religion and the great part of the small and beautiful churches that you will see will be Catholic churches. If you want to marry in one of these, it is, sadly, almost always necessary that both members of the couple are of the Catholic faith. You will also have to comply with the rules of your local parish and the parish in which you are getting married. You will have to present all religious documents, at the latest, seven weeks before your wedding date, as they must be processed by both your consulate and the local Bishop. Contact with the two parishes will allow you to clarify the exact details.

6. Weddings and Civil Ceremonies

Civil ceremonies are usually performed by the city mayor or by an assistant or civil servant and, as noted, you must have an interpreter, but such an interpreter may be a friend or acquaintance who speaks Italian fluently, it is not necessary for Be an official translator.

Your votes and readings can be added and the main legal requirement is quite standard, at least two witnesses over 18 years. They must be present at the time of the wedding and sign in the register. Note: It may not be the best idea to ask your Italian friend to witness, since, according to Italian tradition, they would feel pressured to give away a large sum of money – you may suddenly find fewer guests at the wedding!

After the wedding, you must also return to the town hall to present the marriage certificate and receive an apostille seal, which verifies the document.

It should also be borne in mind that, as a rule, these ceremonies will only take place at the town hall and an outdoor wedding may not be requested. However, specific places, villas, castles, gardens, etc. They will be approved, authorized and prepared for civil ceremonies. Look at the area around where you want to get married and see if there is a place nearby.

7. The documents you will need:

– A valid passport or national identity document of both parties.
– Original birth certificate of both parties.
– Divorce documents or death certificate (if necessary).
– An affidavit, Nulla Osta or Dichiarazione Giurata, before a consular office in your home country, indicating that there is no legal impediment to your marriage in your home country.
– A Notorious Atto signed by two witnesses (if American or Australian)
– A declaration of intention of marriage that will go to the civil registry.

8. Also, for a Catholic wedding you will need:

– Baptism certificates.
– Confirmation certificates.
– Letter of non-impediment to marry.
– Proof of attendance at a premarital course.
– Permission of the local bishop to marry abroad.

9. Fees

The following document and processing charges will be incurred if you are getting married in Italy:

– A tax stamp for the Dichiarazione Giurata / Nulla Osta that will cost € 16

– A tax stamp for the Notorious Atto that will cost € 16

– A request for the Notorious Atto that will cost € 10.62

– An application for the Nulla Osta that will cost around € 40

– An urgent fee for the Notorious Atto will cost € 31.86, if necessary

There may also be local administrative fees, parish charges, etc., so be sure to check with the place where you are getting married for information on additional costs.

10. Everything is much easier if it is a symbolic wedding.

With this type of wedding, you can have a second wedding and have everything exactly customized to your tastes and needs. This way you can set aside the legalities of the official wedding for when you are in your home country, making things much easier. You can also get married wherever and whenever you want (within reason) since these ceremonies do not have the same type of legal requirements and restrictions.

With all this in mind, now you can start planning the Italian wedding of your dreams! Be sure to check out our amazing Italian wedding planner and you may find a place to stay and a wonderful place to celebrate the wedding, all under one roof!