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Both civil and catholic marriages are deemed valid under Spanish Law, and are thus recognized legally in Europe and the United States. Your wedding coordinator will guide you through the legal process ensuring that you are aware of all documentation required and can submit the documents to the correct local authorities on your behalf. Catholic Ceremonies
Catholics of any country may be legally married in Spain. The
couple must first contact their local diocese to discuss their marriage
intentions. From here, the necessary paperwork will be arranged from
within the church itself. In the past, couples have even brought their
own preist to perform the service from the UK. If one party member is
non Catholic it will be necessary to request a Dispensation from their
Bishopric. Neither party may be divorced for a catholic wedding.
*The process for a catholic wedding requires strict paperwork which may
take upwards of year to obtain. With high demands for the local
Catholic Church, it is also recommended that provisional dates are
booked early to avoid disappointment.*
Civil Ceremony
Wedding Blessing A wedding blessing is really the best of both worlds; as once you have signed the papers to make the marriage legal (usually in your home country), the ceremony (blessing) with all your friends and family present can be religious or non religious as you like it. You can write your own pieces for the blessing ceremony or decide on poems or songs etc for inclusion. We are in contact with several good inter-faith ministers who perform wedding ceremonies such as these. The minister works closely with you to determine the style, form and content of the blessing ceremony to give you a chance to create a ceremony that is truly memorable.
The requirements for civil wedding ceremonies in Spain are dependent on local regulations and therefore will vary greatly from each town hall. At the current time legislation regarding civil weddings for non-residents is complex and subject to mis-interpretation. We recommend therefore that couples who are not residents in Spain have a civil marriage in their home country and a Wedding blessing in Spain.
If you are resident in Spain for some or part of the year you will need the following documentation for a civil marrige:
Admiralty Office
London SW1A 2LG Tel 0207 008 1111
The office is open from 9:30am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
Irish Department of Foreign Affairs All documents to be Apostilled or authenticated should bear an original signature, seal or stamp from a Notary Public in Ireland. The fee for this service is at present €20 for each Apostille or authentication.
Please note, the process of obtaining and submitting all papework is timeline sensitive, meaning that there are strict deadlines involved. Whilst your wedding coordinator will inform you of the deadlines and processes for your paperwork, Spanish Wedding Planner, does not accept responsibility for incorrect paperwork or missed deadlines. Obtaining and submitting the correct paperwork is your responsibility.
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Weddings