Guidelines for a successful wedding in the Riviera

If your intention is to marry abroad and you choose the Italian Riviera as wedding destination, here are some useful info you may need to reach successfully and without stress your goal.

At least 6 months before the event (but better one year) start talking to a local wedding planner to find out about rules and hints to create a great event whether it is for just the couple or for a party of 100 guests.

First of all decide the kind of ceremony you want: civil, religious or blessing. If you choose a symbolic ceremony all things will be easier and smother of course, but in case of religious or civil wedding many pieces will have to match as in delicate puzzle.

Then fix the date, establish wedding budget and decide the number of guests

You will have to decide this along with your wedding planner; better giving him/her a choice of dates so that, once chosen the vent and town shall or religious site, he or she will have more chances to put it on hold until final confirmation.

Consider that, especially in the Cinque Terre Riviera and Poets’ Gulf and if you have a large party there are a few places that would be ideal for your needs, big venues are extremely are and in many cases if you like a sea view venue you have to think about renting tents to cover the dining area.

Finalize all details : number of guests, flowers and all the other services

Once chosen venue and catering sign a contract with terms and conditions. If you choose a wedding planner usually fees for his/her job are to be paid at the beginning of planning season and very often a deposit is required for confirming venue, catering service and other providers.

Then the preparation of all legal documents starts. Do not forget that papers have a validity time of 3 – 6 months only (it depends on type of documents and nationality).

Down here some quick facts and addresses for major nationalities. More on request. Remember that it is always a good suggestion to contact one’s own Embassy or Consulate in the country couple chooses for the wedding rite, so to get first hand, up-to-date and personalized info and answers. 

If you choose to send invitation cards from Italy (we could provide handwritten ones in ancient Calligraphy) please consider to calculate times exactly so to let your guest nicely arrange flights and accommodation early in advance so to save money. This has to be done at least 3 months in advance, but 6 or more are only well welcomed.

Choose witnesses for your religious or cvil right and investigate if one of your relatives and friends is bilingual so to act as interpreter; otherwise you will have to hire one locally, eventually through your wedding planner.

Think about rings, bride and bridegroom dresses. If you have in mind to choose flowers and decorations matching your dresses, you can send a swatch to your wedding planner so that he/she can handle it to the florist..

Down here a guide to Paperworks; do not be afraid if at firsts it seems complicate; little by little and with the help of an expert you will for sure get them right.

Guide to Legal Paperwork Requirements for UK, US, Australian and Irish Citizens.

British Citizens getting married in Italy 

British nationals must present the following documents in order to get a Nulla Osta issued by the British Consulate to get married in Italy:

• Photocopy of valid UK Passport

• Certificate of No impediment – To obtain this document you must publish the banns at your local registry office in England or at British Consulate if residing outside of UK. Once you decide date and location of marriage give notice of marriage at your local registry office. After 2/3 weeks they will issue a Certificate of No Impediment. Important: it’s necessary to get 2 different certificates of no impediment (one for the bride and one for the groom).

• Original Birth Certificate (namely Entry of Birth) – This is a special Birth certificate in long form in which appear the name of both parents. There is also a shortest versions, but this is not accepted.

• Divorce decree (if applicable) – A divorce decree is necessary if you have been divorce + certified copy of previous marriage certificate Note: In cases where the name on the birth certificate differs from the one on the passport, previous marriage certificate together with decree absolute of divorce or deed-poll showing change of name (the originals which will be returned to you) must be presented.

Once you have obtained these documents you have to fax or scan them to your wedding planner that will forward them to the British Consulate or directly to the British Consulate.

After checking them, the Consular officer will confirm to us if documents are fully completed and valid for them to issue a Nulla Osta of marriage.

Once the Ok is given, all you have to do is send original documents to Italy (except passports, of course) to the following address:

BRITISH CONSULATE IN MILAN
Via San Paolo 7
20121 Milano
phone: (39) 02 723001
fax: (39) 02 86465081

More information on marriage in Italy at following link: http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-italy/how-register-marriage/

American citizens getting married in Italy

American citizens getting married in Italy must present the following documents:

• Passport for a civilian or ID Card for a member of the Army forces

• Copy of full BIRTH CERTIFICATE with the name of both parents. This document must be translated into Italian and must also be certified with an APOSTILLE by the Notary Public of the State where the document has been originated in. Under the Italian law the Apostille is valid only for 6 months.

Information on how to obtain an apostille can be found on this website: http://travel.state.gov

• If applicable, a FINAL DIVORCE DECREE or DEATH CERTIFICATE of any previous marriage. These documents have to be translated into Italian and Apostilled.

• ATTO NOTORIO (to be done in USA or Italy): this is a declaration sworn by 2 or 4 witnesses stating that according to US laws there is no obstacle to the citizens’ marriage, before an Italian Consul outside of Italy or in Italy before a Court Official.

Call your nearest Italian Consulate in order to set up an appointment. Ask them how many witnesses are necessary.

Important: the Atto Notorio cannot be issued more than 3 months before the wedding.

Information on Italian Consulates in USA can be found on this website: www.italyembassy.org/consolati.htm

We strongly recommend you to do it in USA because it’s easy for you to find witnesses who know you.

• NULLA OSTA or SWORN STATEMENT (to be done only in Italy): this document states that there are no obstacle according to US laws for the marriage to be performed in Italy. The document once issued has to be authenticated at the Prefettura (Law Court) with an Apostille  to be accepted by the Italian Authorities.

Here the details of  the Ufficio legalizzazioni of the Prefettura

- the Prefettura in Rome are: Viale Ostiense, 131L, 2nd floor, Scala B, Rome – open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm. Before going to the Prefettura, you will need to purchase a revenue stamp (marca da bollo) which costs Euro 14,62 (approx.) at a tobacconist (tabaccaio) to take with you.

- the Ufficio Legalizzazioni at the Prefettura in Milan is located at Corso Monforte no. 31 and is open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 11.00 am.

If you plan to marry at a Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, you do not need this legalisation.

The local authorities will need these certificates at least 2 months before the ceremony.

Very important: your full name must be written in the same way on Passports, Atto Notorio and Nulla Osta, otherwise the documents won’t be considered valid.

• Translations

Your Birth and or divorce/death certificates must be translated into Italian and Apostilled through the Secretary of State’s Notary Public of the state the document originated in. Translation service is usually provided by the Italian Consulate. Visit the Italian Embassy website for more information on this service: www.italyemb.org  Translations are then authenticated by the Italian Consulate.

• Apostille – (Done via mail)
This peculiar word means that the original documents (birth and, if applicable, divorce) which need to be presented to the Italian Consulate have been:
- Sent to the Secretary of State’s Notary Public of the state from which the document originally is from for authentication (or Apostille seal).
- The Apostille is simply the seal of the Notary Public of the State in accordance with the Hague Convention, which means that the documents can be used officially even in a foreign country. It is NOT a regular Notary Public stamp!!

US EMBASSY IN ITALY  www.usembassy.it

For more information we invite you to contact our office by e-mail or call your nearest Italian Consulate. Consulates in USA can be found on this website: www.italyembassy.org/consolati.htm

Australian citizens getting married in Italy

To be done in Australia

• Before leaving Australia we strongly recommend you to Obtain an ATTO NOTORIO (sworn declaration) from the Italian Embassy or Consulate in Australia in the state where you reside.

• VALID AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT.

• Certified DIVORCE DECREE (if applicable) or DEATH CERTIFICATE (if widowed), this can be obtained from the Registrar of Birth Deaths and Marriages Note: Please note that a divorced woman who wants to marry again within 300 days of the date of her divorce must contact the local Italian authorities and seek special permission from an Italian magistrate. Otherwise, she must allow the required period of 300 days to elapse.

To be done in Italy

• In addition to the Atto Notorio, an Australian citizen intending to get married in Italy will need to make a Statutory Declaration or NULLA OSTA. This declaration must be signed in the presence of an Australian Consular office at the Australian Embassy in Rome or at the Consulate General in Milan. This document simply states that “there are no impediments” and that one is free to marry. The Nulla Osta is valid only for 6 months

• Nulla Osta must then be legalized by the PREFETTURA

· The Nulla Osta must then be legalised by the Uffico Legalizzazioni of the Prefettura. The details of the Prefettura in Rome are: Viale Ostiense, 131L, 2nd floor, Scala B, Rome – open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm. Before going to the Prefettura, you will need to purchase a revenue stamp (marca da bollo) which costs Euro 14,62 (approx.) at a tobacconist (tabaccaio) to take with you.

The Ufficio Legalizzazioni at the Prefettura in Milan is located at Corso Monforte no. 31 and is open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 11.00 am.   If you plan to marry at a Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, you do not need this legalisation.

Note: If you did not obtain the Atto Notorio prior coming to Italy, this document can be executed at the TRIBUNALE – Ufficio Atto Notori, and you must present with an Interpreter and 2 witnesses over 18. You, the witnesses and the interpreter must show proof of identity, evidence of recent entry into Italy (i.e. plane ticket or visa or a permit to stay)

Consular section Australian Embassy in Rome
Via Antonio Bosio 5
00161 ROME
TEL: + 39 (06) 852721 or direct number: + 39 (06) 85272299
Facsimile: + 39 (06) 85272300
Website: http://www.italy.embassy.gov.au/rome/Marriage.html

For more information we invite you to contact our office by e-mail or call the Australian Embassy in Rome or Italian Embassy in Australia.

Irish citizens getting married in Italy

To get married in Italy an Irish National must apply for a “Certificate of Nulla Osta”.

Irish citizens living in Ireland should apply to the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs:
Consular Section – Department of Foreign Affairs
72/76 St. Stephen’s Green
Dublin 2
Ireland
Tel. (01) 408 2568
Locall:1890 426 700
Fax: (01) 478 5951
E-mail: marriageabroad@iveagh.gov.ie

Your certificate of Freedom to marry will be sent by the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Irish Embassy in Rome who will then forward it to the district where you will be married.

Irish Embassy in Rome
The Embassy of Ireland in Italy -  L’Ambasciata d’Irlanda
Piazza di Campitelli 3, 00186 Rome, Italy
Tel:(+39)06/697-9121 Fax:(+39)06/679-2354
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00-13:00
Website: www.ambasciata-irlanda.it 

In most other cases, the Certificate of Freedom to marry will be issued by the department and sent directly to you. Irish Citizens living abroad should contact their nearest Irish Embassy to apply for a Certificate of Freedom to Marry. List of the Irish Embassies can be found on this website: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/
Note: The Embassy suggests applications to be made about fours months prior to the wedding, while the Nulla Osta will be issued about one month before the wedding For further information we invite you to contact our office by e-mail or the Irish Embassy in Rome

These are major info, but remember always to check up-to-date info with your own Embassy or Consulate, so that all your documentation is issued properly and without any delay.