Looking forward to getting married abroad? Congratulations!

People who have gotten married abroad have actually testified that it was the most beautiful experience of their lives.

However, it isn’t some magical experience that just needs a simple wave of the hand to materialize. It also needs to be planned carefully, with the addition of finding out if your country will consider your wedding in another country, legal. It also requires a lot of processes and documents for it to become a dream come true.

In this article, we’ll be giving you everything you need to know before getting married abroad.

Decide on the Destination

Destination weddings are definitely not out of style and will never be, so it’s important that you decide on the place where you want to get married first and foremost. This is also where you can branch out many of your wishes because coordinating with a local wedding planner would be easier.

Additionally, researching the country’s marriage laws and requirements would also be essential for you to be informed about the validity and consequences of getting married.

Random Requirements

Not all countries have the same requirements. Some are even surprising!

We all know that the Caribbean has been famous for decades in relation to destination weddings, but the islands have 24-hour waiting periods and various other documents.

Some islands require you to have a minimum amount of residency spent in the region, such as in Martinique, Jamaica, and St. Kitts and Nevis, where residency requirements vary from 1 day to 1 month.

Their fees also vary, as some islands charge you, while others opt to keep it free.

Documents Galore

One of the key parts of getting married abroad is preparing documents such as your passport and birth certificate. For previously married individuals, you also have to keep a divorce decree and an annulment or death certificate on hand to ensure that you won’t be committing bigamy. Plus, some countries ask for a certified translation of these documents in their languages.

You think that’s it? Well, think again. Many countries also mandate an affidavit of eligibility to marry as documentation that nothing is stopping you from marriage.

Lastly, some countries need parental consent for lovers below 18 and sometimes, a plane ticket going back home.

You also have to swear in your own country’s government office that there are no legal hurdles to you getting married in another country.

So, get all your translations done and documents authenticated within less than months before your wedding, as these expire after six months. You can always hire global language services to make sure you get all your documents translated smoothly.

Lastly, decide on a date so planning it would be easier, and the documents could become uniform.

Are We Done Yet?

Religious ceremonies are a great memory for marriages abroad, but not all these ceremonies are legal and binding. For example, marriages done in a religious ceremony in Japan aren’t considered legitimate weddings in the US legal side, while Indonesia considers only religious ceremonies like marriages.

So this is why it’s important to fact check and decide where you should get married to ensure unproblematic futures.

Hire a Local Wedding Planner

Since you’re unfamiliar with the place you’re going to get married in, it’s best if you hire a local wedding planner that could make your job easier for you.

Not only will you have the inside scoop on the country or island, but you also have a better hand at getting discounts and the best deals!

Looking for equipment to use after your wedding? Read ”5 Best Places to Rent Party Equipment Online” to learn more.