If you are planning a wedding overseas, Germany offers itself as an interesting alternative to some of the more well-known destinations, such as the Greek Islands, the Italian Lakes, or a tropical beach. There are no residency requirements for couples wishing to get married in Germany. However, the different States (Länder) have different requirements regarding waiting periods once you have registered your intent to get married with the local registrar’s office, the Standesamt, before the civil ceremony can take place, with some wanting to you wait up to six weeks.
To comply with local regulations overseas-based couples wishing to hold their wedding in Germany, but not being resident in the country must complete forms during a formal appointment at the Standesamt. You will need to provide a photo ID, birth certificate, an apostille (an agreement stating that documents from either Germany or the UK. are valid in both countries) and a Certificate of Free Status. The Certificate of Free Status guarantees that each partner is free to marry and not obligated to any past marriages. Applicants who have been previously married will need to provide a divorce decree, certificate of death or annulment decree. Germany requires that all identification documents be issued in the past six months.
Marriages must be performed at a Standesamt in Germany. Couples can hold a religious ceremony later in a church, if they wish, but a church wedding alone is not sufficient for international recognition purposes. It is only the civil ceremony that is legally-binding, and the formalities must be conducted in German, so a translator will be needed for the ceremony. Once the formalities are completed and the marriage ceremony is held at a Standesamt, a marriage certificate can be issued.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Germany since 2001, and the legislations has granted same-sex couples most of the same rights as opposite-sex couples.
Please note that, as with other international weddings, whilst the marriage is legally-binding in other countries, including in the UK, getting married in Germany does not convey any other legal rights in Germany, such as residency, access to benefits, employment etc. These are covered by other international agreements.
We will be pleased to assist you with detailed information about the formalities and requirements, if you decide that getting married in Germany is what you wish to do, and we know whereabouts you wish to plan the ceremony. However, we wont book or confirm any travel or accommodation arrangements until we know that the wedding ceremony can go ahead.
We can, of course, help you with not just plans for the Ceremony itself, but also the celebration with family and friends that goes with this. We have great options for this - from baronial castles to beaches, museums and art galleries to lakeside locations. One of the most picturesque settings would have to be at the Am Riessersee Hotel just outside of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, where you not only get your own romantic lake where you can entertain your guests, but you get stunning mountain scenery thrown in for free.
If you have your ceremony in the UK or another country, Germany offers many other wonderful options as a destination for your honeymoon, whatever the time of year you are tying the knot. There are wonderfully romantic hotels, such as renovated castles or former stately homes, fantastic spa and health resorts, beautiful beach-locations, stunning mountain-views, and, of course, so many fabulous cities that any couple would be spoilt for choice.
Whether you are planning your wedding or thinking of Germany as a destination for your honeymoon, let us help you through the paperwork and the planning, so that you get the trip of your dreams.
The Experience Germany Travel office is open Monday - Friday between 9.30am and 5pm, and on Saturdays between 9.30am and 1.00pm. We are closed on Sundays.
If you are a client travelling overseas, and need to contact us in an emergency situation, you can call our 24-hour Duty Officer Telephone Number: +44 (0)7766 406759 for information and advice.