Sarah Jane Boon answers a Financial Times reader's question on the legal implications of a destination wedding
min readCouples planning a destination wedding this summer should they bear in mind a range of legal considerations, to make sure that marriages celebrated abroad are legally recognised in England and Wales.
This can vary from country to country, for instance religious and civil weddings in Greece are legally recognised, whereas in France this only applies to civil marriages. Depending on the destination, there may be requirements about who conducts the wedding ceremony and how the marriage is registered.
Additional hurdles can vary, from residence requirements, documentation, or the need for official documents to be notarised and sometimes translated by a court-registered translator.
Other practical considerations such as travel insurance and reviewing contracts and cancellation policies should not be overlooked. Similarly, both guests and any vendors (photographers, entertainers or otherwise) coming from the UK to an international wedding should be well aware of any visa, passport validity or vaccination requirements.
Sarah Jane Boon, Partner in our Family team, comments in the Financial Times:
More couples are choosing to be married abroad, either due to the trend for experiential weddings or potentially to cut costs. But if you plan to follow suit, it will require extra 'wedmin' that factors in the legal requirements for their chosen destination.
Read the full article in the Financial Times here (subscription required).
