when a wedding in italy is your dream

Are you dreaming of a wedding in Italy? Are you fantasizing about a romantic ceremony on Lake Como followed by a motorboat photo session, or are you thinking of an exclusive wedding in Tuscany surrounded by golden hills and cypress trees?
Italy can offer these and much more in terms of breathtaking scenery and amazing options for your wedding, but before you start booking a venue and planning your big day, here’s some useful information you shall know if you come from abroad and you want to get married in Italy.

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Types of marriages in Italy

The Italian law recognizes two types of marriage: the civil and the religious one.

Civil marriage in Italy

Civil marriage is a non-religious marriage between two people of different sex. It takes place in a non-religious setting and it is officiated by a Mayor or a civil registrar in Italian. If one of the spouses does not speak Italian an official interpreter is required by law.

The Italian civil ceremony is usually very quick (20/30 minutes): mainly the Mayor reads the articles 143, 144, 147 from the Italian civil code, asks some mandatory questions to the couple, reads and makes them sign the marriage certificate; nevertheless the ceremony can be customized with personal vows, poetry and music.

A civil wedding in Italy takes place in a local town hall or one of the venues approved by the municipality, which are usually historical places such as castles, palaces or villas, so there shall be no worries about the backdrop.

Religious wedding ceremonies in italy

In Italy it is possible to celebrate marriages of all faiths; the Italian Government has signed an agreement with most (though not all) religions so that their ceremonies are legally binding. In that case ministers have to act as civil registrars, read the Italian civil code articles and the marriage certificate at the end of the ceremony.
Catholic – and other faiths – weddings usually require more paperwork than civil weddings.

Same-sex wedding in Italy: civil union

In Italy equal marriage is only meant for mixed-sex couples, but in 2016 the Italian Government approved the law for Civil Unions for same-sex couples.

What is the difference between civil unions and civil marriage? Both these institutions are guaranteed by the Italian Constitution, but there are few differences in the procedure and in rights and obligations. Keep in mind that different towns might require slightly dissimilar procedures.

Both institutions recognize the rights and obligations of coupledom (a civil union grants the same rights regarding inheritances, cohabitation, pensions and family name as a civil marriage), but Italian civil unions do not allow adoptions, there is no fidelity duty and dissolution of a union is simpler than a divorce.

Apart from these peculiarities the two celebrations are almost identical. In case of a union the ceremony is not necessary, the couple has simply to make a declaration in front of a public official and two witnesses and then the act will be recorded in a register.

General rules and requirements for a legal wedding in Italy

In order to get married in Italy as a foreigner:

  • both partners have to be either single, legally divorced or widowed.
  • by law, if the woman divorced less than 300 days before the new wedding date, a medical certificate of non-pregnancy should be provided to the local court
  • the two partners cannot be relatives of first or second degree: brother/sister, father/daughter, or mother/son. Not even if through adoption.
  • the ceremony requires 2 witnesses (but it is possible to have more than two)

Required documents

To get married in Italy foreigners will need:

  • valid passports or ID cards (depending on their nationality and their Country of origin)
  • original birth certificates
  • if divorced or widowed, divorce papers or a death certificate
  • a marriage Nulla Osta (certificate of no impediments); keep in mind that different Countries require different procedures to release this “Nulla Osta”
  • an Atto Notorio signed by two witnesses,
  • a declaration of marriage intent submitted to the civil register.

A Catholic wedding ALSO requires:

  • certificates of baptism, first communion and confirmation
  • a certificate of pre-marriage course attendance
  • a prenuptial inquiry issued by your hometown archdiocese
  • a written letter from your Priest or Pastoral Advisor with his permission
  • Nihil Obstat (a letter of no impediment) from your parish Bishop
  • if one of the partners isn’t a Catholic, a mixed religion marriage approval

All the aforementioned documents must be sealed and stamped by the Bishop’s office.

Planning a wedding in Italy

As foreigners you shall start planning your wedding in Italy several months before in order to comply with all paperwork.
Besides, popular venues are booked more than a year in advance, so you might consider that as well.
The best and safest thing to do to get married in Italy is to find a good Italian destination wedding planner
, who perfectly knows the country, the most reliable vendors and all the legal requirements. At the same time you shall double-check with your Embassy / Consulate in Italy all the necessary documents and how/where to apply for them.

An easier option – to avoid almost all complicated paperwork – could be to opt for a symbolic wedding ceremony in an enchanting Venetian palazzo or in a villa facing either the Mediterranean sea, a lake or surrounded by the Tuscan countryside: Italy offers you so many possibilities in terms of great scenery both outdoors and indoors.
Ready to start dreaming? Browse some of the best venues for your wedding in Italy here.

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