There are many different wedding ceremony styles. Deciding which style of wedding ceremony to opt for can be difficult. This wedding ceremony rundown should help make your decision a little easier.

Choosing a Style of Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony is the most important part of a wedding.  It had always been the part I was most terrified of.  The thought of walking down the aisle in front of everyone and standing at the front with all eyes on me!!  Becoming united in marriage as husband and wife and exchanging your rings really is the most meaningful part. You can personalise your ceremony how you please with your choice of music, vows, poems etc.

Gone are the days of only choosing between a religious or a civil ceremony… There are now various options to ensure you get the right style to fit what you are looking for.

Different countries have different legal requirements which I can discuss on your consultation.  Below is a general overview.

Wedding Ceremony Rundown:

Civil

A Government Official will carry out a civil wedding ceremony which is a non-religious.  You can have a civil wedding in Italy, Portugal, Malta and Ireland.  The Civil ceremony will be carried out in the countries own language and translated into English.

There are no official residency requirements for civil ceremonies in either country but couples will need to arrange relevant paperwork prior to the wedding.

Contact me for further details

Religious

You can have a Catholic ceremony in Italy, Portugal, Malta and Ireland but it MUST be performed in a church.  Furthermore, at least one of you – bride or groom – must be Catholic. Pre-marital classes can be attended for the party who is not Catholic.  Paperwork would then need to be approved by religious authorities.  The Church would not allow you to remarry if either party has been divorced.  Catholic ceremonies are legally binding.

A Catholic wedding is not the only type of religious wedding ceremony possible although is the most common.

Contact me for further details on other religions

Symbolic

Symbolic ceremonies work well overseas if you prefer not to have the stress of organising the paperwork in advance, although I am here to help with that.  It is not a legally recognised marriage ceremony.  However, the perfect solution if you are unable to meet the residency and legal requirements in the country where you would like to celebrate your wedding.  The bonus to a symbolic ceremony is that you have more flexibility and there are no restrictions as to where you can hold your ceremony, who performs it or what you include.  The ceremony is carried out in the same way as a legal ceremony so your guests would not know any different.  As previously mentioned, you would need to have a symbolic ceremony in Spain unless you have been resident there for two years or are having a Catholic ceremony.

Same-Sex

Same-sex marriage is legal in Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and Malta..

Contact me for further details on the documentation required.

In Ireland it is also possible to have a Humanist or a Spiritualist ceremony which are both legally binding:

Humanist

Humanist ceremonies offer a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the milestones of life in a very personal and meaningful way. The celebrant and the couple will compose the ceremony in close consultation. The ceremonies are designed to be meaningful and honest.

Humanist Weddings are all about a couple celebrating their love for each other.  They are making a commitment to one another in the company of those people who are important to them.

Spiritualist

A spiritual ceremony is non-denominational.  A lot of couples choose a spiritual ceremony if they wish to have someone who has passed to be a part of their special day.  People may choose to display pictures and light candles.  Spiritualists believe that when the physical body passes, the spirit body lives on and we can connect and communicate with the spirit body.

 Regardless of which style of wedding ceremony you opt for and whether at home or abroad, the paperwork and legalities can be quite complicated requiring background knowledge.

Contact me for further information.