Marriage & Weddings in Spain
Find out more about the process of 'legal' marriage in Spain and how a celebrant wedding ceremony can offer you the flexibility to have the wedding ceremony of your dreams.
Can we legally marry in Spain?
To be legally married in Spain, at least one of the partners needs to be a Spanish national or have Spanish citizenship (this is different to being Spanish residents). It is possible to marry in a Spanish church if you are of the Catholic faith.
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The Civil marriage process in Spain is very different to the UK requiring several meetings over time and many forms and documents which are required to be translated and notarised if they are not written in Spanish.
Often frustrated by this and the words of the ceremony itself you'd be surprised at the number of Spanish couples who complete the 'legal marriage' part and then have a wedding celebration and ceremony with a Maestra de ceremonias (a celebrant) that is more personal and reflects them.
A celebrant wedding is special because it is personal and written and personalised just for you. We can be flexible on the words, music and tone of the ceremony which a civil register office does not permit. I like to call the register office the legal bit and I do the true wedding and ceremony afterwards.
The Solution
I recommend a simple statutory ceremony with your local registrars office in the U.K, Ireland or the country that you live in/are citizens of preferably before your 'real' wedding ceremony in Spain.
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It helps if you think about the Marriage as the "legal bit" and the Wedding as the "celebration" which is where I come in!
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For those choosing to do this in the UK I can advise on the simplest and most afforable way to do this, which may not always be made clear on the local authority website.
Why have a Celebrant Wedding in Spain ?
The main reasons are Flexibility and Choice.
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Non-Spanish citizens are unable to have a Civil marriage in Spain. Civil wedding ceremonies are governed by the laws of the country and mean that what is said, by whom and how is closely regulated and controlled.
A celebrant wedding ceremony gives you choices and options that are not permitted in a Civil ceremony. The ability to choose:
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When to have your ceremony
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The location
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The time
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What you say
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Who attends and particpates
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Who will deliver your wedding ceremony (hopefully that's me!)
Together we can creat a wonderfully personal wedding ceremony that brings your unique story to life, isn't scripted from a template and can include your family and friends.​ We can also add personal touches and fun elements to create a memorable ceremony celebration.
Learn more about ...
Email me - hello@celebrantcostablanca.com for more information about my ceremonies in Spain
I create personalised wedding ceremonies for couples who want to marry in Spain
Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, across the Costa Blanca and beyond!
If you're ready to start planning your wedding in Spain, contact me for a no-obligation chat, I'm happy to share ideas and can recommend fabulous Costa Blanca wedding venues too!