With its stunning vistas, a destination wedding in Turkey can offer sun, sea and sensational scenery. Here’s what you need to know about getting married in Turkey, and handy links to the wedding experts based there.
Planning Your Wedding in Turkey
Unlike the UK, only civil marriage is legal in Turkey but that doesn’t mean you can’t also have a religious ceremony or blessing if you wish, it just needs to be in addition to the civil marriage ceremony. Religious wedding ceremonies in Turkey are not legally binding.
And while you could organise it all yourself, it’s a lot easier and less stressful to enlist the expert assistance of a destination wedding planner such as Turkey Weddings and My Wedding in Turkey and professional wedding photographer there like Seren Agan of Wedding Photography Turkey.
Weddings there can only be conducted by a Turkish official with the necessary documentation from the couple wishing to marry, and a marriage that would not be approved in the bride or grooms’ country cannot go ahead.
For a civil wedding in Turkey you will need the following documentation:
- Certificate of no impediment
- Full standard birth certificate (with parents’ names)
- Passport
- Decree Absolute (if married before and divorced)
- Death certificate of spouse (if widowed)
- Name change declaration (if your name has been legally changed)
According to the British Embassy in Ankara, in New Marriage Procedures for British Nationals Marrying in Turkey, since March 2014, Turkish offices have accepted an affidavit/affirmation of marital status sworn before a UK Public Notary or British Embassy or Consulate.
If you are British and resident in the UK
Couples need to complete the bilingual affidavit or affirmation form. Their oath or affirmation should be administered by a local public notary in the UK and legalised by Foreign Commonwealth Office Legalisation Department before travelling to Turkey. The document will then be submitted to the marriage office in the town where the couple are to be married.
If you are British and resident in Turkey
Couples need to complete the bilingual affidavit or affirmation form and book an appointment at the British Embassy Ankara or consulates in Istanbul, Izmir or Antalya for administering their oath or affirmation. The document must be legalised by the Turkish Authorities, either by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara or the Governor in Istanbul, Izmir, or Antalya. Once the document is legalised it should be submitted to the marriage office in the town where the couple intend to be married.
For more information from the experts on getting married in Turkey please visit weddings abroad.
