Wedding destinations abroad

micah537 · 02-06-2021 11:15am #1

We want to get married abroad with/without guests, possibly 8-12 but we are not pushed if it's 0 guests.

I didn't realise choosing a place would be so difficult. Maldives only renew vows, Mexico seems to have a lot of running around to do, France seems to be a no etc. I contacted some businesses in Italy but they seem disinterested in giving much information unless we have 30+ guests.

We are both Irish, brought up as Catholics. A church isn't a necessity, we would be quite happy on a cliff, beach somewhere scenic etc.

The main thing is we want our marriage legally recognised. Where did people go and how did they find it. We are open to anywhere in the Mediterranean region, Asian or Caribbean islands. We both have a lot of history in Madrid so it's definitely a front runner along with Barcelona, but it seems we needed to live there in the previous two years? I lived in Barcelona (studying) for 9 months about 5 years ago and Madrid for 4 months (working), she worked in Madrid for 8 months around that time. We speak decent Spainish and I picked up some Catalan if that helped.
I noticed Irish people can have wedding in Marbella, it's an option but we would prefer other places.

Is there much paper work to be done when we return home? I checked some wedding planners and they will provide witnesses if needed, does that have any impact back in Ireland?

Covid restrictions make no difference. 2022 is fine even 2023.

Faith · 02-06-2021 11:38am

Croatia and Malta are popular choices.

Sir_Name · 03-06-2021 11:21am

A lot of destinations have minimum requirements for how long you should be there in advance of a legal wedding - France for instance is something like 6 weeks in advance.

We did look into this, and the easiest places to get married if you lets say want to do it with 3-5 days we found are:
US - The obvious Vegas but NY I think too
Gibraltar
Seychelles
Denmark
Cyprus

You'd have to do research as some have longer requirements but I think Cyprus or Gibraltar were only a few days. Obviously with Covid/travel that might need to be factored in.

micah537 · 04-06-2021 10:28am

Thanks for that. Cyprus or Gibraltar were two places that interest us but we hadn't thought about.

Mauritius and Hawaii seem straight forward but flight time is a little off putting. Mexico has a bit off running around to do but possible.

glut22 · 05-06-2021 5:40am

How about Bermuda? Beautiful and plenty of non residents marry there

Gael23 · 05-06-2021 7:57am

glut22 wrote: »

How about Bermuda? Beautiful and plenty of non residents marry there

Would being married there be legally recognised in Ireland?

glut22 · 05-06-2021 8:44am

Yes definitely

05-06-2021 8:52am

Lots of the foreign weddings are just for show and not legally recognise in Ireland. You have to have a registry office real wedding before or after the foreign one. If you’re not bothered about numbers, why not have the ceremony here and a honeymoon wherever you want.

woodchuck · 05-06-2021 9:15am

I'm not sure on the legalities of it all, but anyone I know who has had a wedding abroad, has done the legal bit in the registry office in Ireland first. The ceremony abroad is more of a "blessing" and basically just a nice location to have the wedding reception/celebration.

Would you consider something like that?

Signore Fancy Pants · 05-06-2021 9:23am

OP, I got married on a beach in Maui, Hawaii. Just us, the wedding planner, photographer and the celebrant.

No issues with length of stay or recognition on return to Ireland. It was so much cheaper than the "standard" Irish wedding.

In total, return first class flights from UK, 5 days in San Fran, 5 days in Honolulu, 5 days in Maui, 2 days in LA, 5 days in Las Vegas. Flight time from San Fran is about 5hrs, Honolulu to Maui about 30mins.

Total for all flights & accommodation in 4/5* hotels was about €15k.

I couldn't recommend it higher enough for those who wish to marry abroad and have no issues with not having family there.

It was an amazing time, worth considering tbh.

The J Stands for Jay · 05-06-2021 9:29am

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

OP, I got married on a beach in Maui, Hawaii. Just us, the wedding planner, photographer and the celebrant.

No issues with length of stay or recognition on return to Ireland. It was so much cheaper than the "standard" Irish wedding.

In total, return first class flights from UK, 5 days in San Fran, 5 days in Honolulu, 5 days in Maui, 2 days in LA, 5 days in Las Vegas. Flight time from San Fran is about 5hrs, Honolulu to Maui about 30mins.

Total for all flights & accommodation in 4/5* hotels was about €15k.

I couldn't recommend it higher enough for those who wish to marry abroad and have no issues with not having family there.

It was an amazing time, worth considering tbh.

How did you manage to get 2
1st class flights so cheap?

micah537 · 05-06-2021 1:13pm

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

OP, I got married on a beach in Maui, Hawaii. Just us, the wedding planner, photographer and the celebrant.

No issues with length of stay or recognition on return to Ireland. It was so much cheaper than the "standard" Irish wedding.

In total, return first class flights from UK, 5 days in San Fran, 5 days in Honolulu, 5 days in Maui, 2 days in LA, 5 days in Las Vegas. Flight time from San Fran is about 5hrs, Honolulu to Maui about 30mins.

Total for all flights & accommodation in 4/5* hotels was about €15k.

I couldn't recommend it higher enough for those who wish to marry abroad and have no issues with not having family there.

It was an amazing time, worth considering tbh.

That sounds great. We were thinking of staying in a few random places. Is it legally recognised in Ireland or had you to do anything in Ireland before or after?

Signore Fancy Pants · 06-06-2021 6:01pm

micah537 wrote: »

That sounds great. We were thinking of staying in a few random places. Is it legally recognised in Ireland or had you to do anything in Ireland before or after?

Yep, legally recognised and didn't have to do anything at all.

ted1 · 06-06-2021 6:03pm

Would you consider San Sebastián in Spain. It’s a fantastic place.

Signore Fancy Pants · 06-06-2021 6:09pm

McGaggs wrote: »

How did you manage to get 2
1st class flights so cheap?

We went through a company in Dublin city to organise flights/accommodation package. Originally had Premium Economy seats.

Two months away from our flights I rang them and queried about upgraded seats. Just so happened that the carrier (Virgin Atlantic) had "a deal on" and it was the last day of the deal. We got 2 x first class seats for the cost of 1 seat 1 way, so €1200 extra.

Not entirely sure how it worked out tbh. Either way, without first class seats it would have worked out just over €13k.

donspeekinglesh · 06-06-2021 6:15pm

We got married in Rome, fully recognised in Ireland.
We had about 50 people and used the rooftop restaurant of a hotel near the Colosseum. Friends of ours also got married in Rome a few years earlier and they booked an area in a restaurant for the reception. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a restaurant that wouldn't take a a small group.

micah537 · 06-06-2021 9:06pm

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

We got married in Rome, fully recognised in Ireland.
We had about 50 people and used the rooftop restaurant of a hotel near the Colosseum. Friends of ours also got married in Rome a few years earlier and they booked an area in a restaurant for the reception. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a restaurant that wouldn't take a a small group.

I read in Italy that it has to be in Italian by a Mayor and you need a translator. Is Rome the same? If so how did you find it?

micah537 · 06-06-2021 9:07pm

ted1 wrote: »

Would you consider San Sebastián in Spain. It’s a fantastic place.

It is a beautiful place. Did you get married there? I kind of ruled out Spain as most places needed a minimum residency.

donspeekinglesh · 06-06-2021 9:11pm

micah537 wrote: »

I read in Italy that it has to be in Italian by a Mayor and you need a translator. Is Rome the same? If so how did you find it?

Nope, in a Catholic church, in English. And the marriage cert has English on it, as well as Italian, so we've never had to get a translation.

While not where we got married (although our friends did) San Silvestro is very popular with English speakers.

ted1 · 06-06-2021 11:24pm

micah537 wrote: »

It is a beautiful place. Did you get married there? I kind of ruled out Spain as most places needed a minimum residency.

Yes and no.

We had a big church wedding there but did the legal stuff in the register office in Wicklow. ( Dublin was booked up)

clo1 · 24-06-2021 7:57am

woodchuck wrote: »

I'm not sure on the legalities of it all, but anyone I know who has had a wedding abroad, has done the legal bit in the registry office in Ireland first. The ceremony abroad is more of a "blessing" and basically just a nice location to have the wedding reception/celebration.

Would you consider something like that?

I’m getting married in costa Blanca in Spain next Year . If you do a catholic ceremony it’s recognised in Ireland and it’s legal:) no residency requirement!!

Peregrinus · 24-06-2021 8:15am

micah537 wrote: »

It is a beautiful place. Did you get married there? I kind of ruled out Spain as most places needed a minimum residency.

You need a minimum residence period for a civil wedding in Spain. But the state recognises Christian, Jewish and Islamic weddings as valid (though you do need to notify the civil registrar in advance that you are going to have a religious wedding, get a certificate of freedom to marry and give that to the celebrant, and send him the religious wedding paperwork to the registrar after the event).

The requirements for religious weddings are set by the respective denominations. They mostly don't impose a residence requirement.

Wedding destinations abroad

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