Getting married in Spain & Gibraltar
The question every international couple asks first: how do we make it legal? Here are the three ways to marry on the Costa del Sol, and how we help with each.
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I
Marry legally at home first
Symbolic blessing
The most popular choice. You sign the legal papers at home, quietly, and celebrate your real wedding here with a personal ceremony led by a celebrant, anywhere you like: a beach, a garden or a hilltop.
How we plan it -
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Legally binding
Civil wedding in Gibraltar
About an hour from Marbella, Gibraltar offers a quick legal civil marriage in English. A one-night stay in Gibraltar is required, the night before or the day of the ceremony. Many couples marry legally there and celebrate with a blessing in Spain a day or two later.
How we plan it -
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Legally binding
Catholic church wedding
Spain’s historic churches are breathtaking settings. Catholic weddings are only available to practising Catholics and need a dispensation granted by the Bishop of Málaga. We guide you through the paperwork before and after the ceremony.
How we plan it
And a civil wedding in Spain?
A civil wedding at a Spanish registry usually requires at least one of you to be resident in Spain, and the process can take several months. That’s why we recommend the options above to most international couples. Ask us about your situation.
General guidance only: requirements change and depend on your nationality, so we always confirm them for your case with the relevant registry or parish.
More questions
Can we get legally married in Spain?
A civil wedding in Spain usually requires at least one of you to be resident here, so most international couples either marry legally at home and celebrate with a symbolic blessing on the coast, or have a legal civil ceremony in Gibraltar, about an hour from Marbella. Catholic church weddings are possible for practising Catholics, with a dispensation from the Bishop of Málaga. We guide you through the paperwork.
How far in advance should we start planning?
For the most popular summer dates, 12 to 18 months gives you the widest choice of venues and suppliers. That said, we have organised beautiful weddings in just a few weeks, including a sunrise beach wedding planned in a month.
Do we need to come to Spain before the wedding?
Not necessarily. Many of our couples plan everything with us by video call and email. If you can, we recommend a short trip to view your shortlisted venues together with your planner.
Let’s begin with a conversation
Tell us about the two of you and the day you imagine. Your first consultation is free and without any obligation, by video call or over a coffee in Marbella.