Portugal is a glorious lesser-known gem within Europe, a warm and special place to get married, only a three hour flight for the UK. Increasingly popular for both British weddings and honeymoons, it is set to be one of the most sought-after destinations, with its fantastic climate, stunning views and incredible unique mixture of historic, contemporary and innovative venues not found anywhere else in Europe!
Image courtesy of Lisbon Wedding Planners
There are two kinds of lawful marriage in Portugal – that is the civil or Catholic and civil ceremony. To marry in any other religious church is not legally binding due to Portuguese law. As with all weddings abroad, before the marriage can proceed it requires some paperwork on the part of the couple. You will find detailed information about the paperwork on the British Embassy website.
The way to avoid all the legal paperwork is to obtain your marriage certificate in the UK first, and then come over to Portugal to celebrate with your family and friends with a blessing ceremony conducted in your chosen fashion. Your family and friends do not even have to know that the legal part of the ceremony has already been conducted and you can have a lovely celebration looking out to sea in warm weather.
A helpful tip: be prepared or pay someone to be prepared for you. For example, there are certain requirements whereby a marriage certificate can only be obtained between certain times. It is a good idea to prepare a written authorisation giving permission to the wedding planner to handle paperwork on your behalf, should the need arise. Having a wedding planner can be really useful in other ways, as they will be fluent in Portuguese and ensure there are no misunderstandings with legalities, suppliers or venues. If you have an idea of what you want for your wedding, the wedding planner can piece together their knowledge of the area to create the perfect day for you.
Images courtesy of Lisbon Wedding Planners
The venues in Portugal are varied, depending on which area of Portugal you choose for your marriage.
The Algarve sits on the end tip of Portugal nearest to Africa, and is a very popular tourist destination. It has one of the hottest climates and you can choose between luxury boutique hotels, luxury villas, rustic quintas or the glorious white sands for your day.
The Alentejo is the rural farming region of Portugal above the Algarve and below Lisbon. It has the hottest climate in Portugal and the main places to marry are in the local churches or local stunning vineyards, which produce the region’s magnificent wines.
Lisbon is the Portugal’s capital, located on the western tip it spills to both sides of the river Tagus estuary. It has a great range of venues due to its scale and history, especially on the picturesque Estoril Coastline, making it perfect for any style of wedding. From old palaces, historic residences, to modern, contemporary and luxury coastal venues, Lisbon has it all with its warm all year round climate.
The North of Portugal is the industrial centre with a lot of medieval history, with features such as the Douro valley which is the Port capital of Portugal. It’s famous for traditional vineyards, and quaint churches for couples to marry in.
Lisbon Wedding Planners help brides and grooms marry in sunny Portugal with as little hassle as possible. Their staff speak both English and Portuguese, and have a wealth of experience helping British couples organise their perfect Portuguese wedding. They work with a variety of venues and suppliers, ensuring you get only the best service for your wedding.
We have lots of great weddings abroad advice on Confetti!
