Lucy Valdes

Whether on a tropical beach, in a forested village or in a cosmopolitan city, saying "I do" abroad will exceed all your expectations.

What does it take to get married in another country? Check out these tips to make sure you don't miss any details.

1. Find out about the destination

That's the first thing they'll need to do, starting with review the requirements for foreigners to marry in that country Both civil and church.

This way you will be able to gather all the documents, as well as those who will officiate as your witnesses, and you can rest assured that you will not have any inconvenience when you arrive at the place.

But along with the requirements for getting married abroad, it is also important to take into account other factors related to the country, such as climate, distance, language and currency. In fact, if a marriage is already expensive on national soil, getting married abroad could be even more so if the wedding will be in another continent. But if it will be in a nearby country and with few guests,they might even be able to save.

Regarding Covid-19, don't forget to find out what vaccinations or certificates you need to enter that country.

Cyclop Production Company

2. Organize ahead of time

How to plan a wedding abroad? There are two ways to organize a wedding outside of Chile: on the one hand, hire a wedding package from a travel agency, which includes the ceremony, the banquet and the party, or plan everything on your own.

In the first case, although they will save on organizing the wedding, since a wedding planner will take care of everything, you will still need to coordinate travel and accommodations for your guests.

In the second case, you will have to plan all the logistics from scratch. Although there is always the option of taking a risk, it is advisable that, if you are organizing on your own, you already know the country or have a contact there who can guide you. And even better if you speak the same language.

In any case, whichever alternative you choose, it is best to start preparing for your event at least a year in advance.

3. Assemble the guest list

Perhaps one of the most complex items, regarding how to get married in another country, is the one that has to do with the guests. And it is that you will have to analyze several points. First of all the budget available to them Will you allow them to invite their relatives and friends on an all-expenses-paid basis? Will you ask them to pay for their own tickets instead of giving them a gift?

They will want to share the big day with their closest family members, so they should also consider whether the seniors, either their parents or grandparents, are able to take a plane.

What about young couples who have children? Do they plan to get married in another country, inviting children as well?

After all these points have been clarified and the guest list is ready, send out the invitations as soon as possible including the dress code .

Consider that a marriage abroad, even if it is in a neighboring country, will involve a stay of at least a whole weekend.

4. Carry the essentials

In addition to gathering the documents to get married abroad, it is ideal that you make a list of everything you need to take on your trip .

This way they won't forget the wedding rings in Chile, nor the tapes that they will hand out to their guests, nor the Polaroid camera that they bought especially for the occasion.

The advice is to pack the right and necessary clothes for before and after the wedding, considering that most of the space in the suitcases will be taken up by your wedding dresses and respective accessories.

And consider also the souvenirs When planning how to get married abroad, the luggage item is also relevant.

Lucy Valdes

5. Validate the marriage

Once you are back in Chile, the next step will be to go through the procedure to validate your marriage celebrated abroad.

To do so, you must go to a Civil Registry office and request the registration of your marriage. They may do so as long as they have done so in accordance with the requirements established by Chilean law, i.e., with respect to the age of majority; free and spontaneous consent; not being married in Chile; and not having mental impediments or legal prohibitions.

What will they have to present? In addition to their valid identity documents, they will have to present the marriage certificate issued by the authority of the country where they got married, legalized if the country is not a member of the Hague Convention and apostilled if the country is a member of the Hague Convention.

And if it is in a language other than Spanish, they will have to attach the official translation of the certificate, which can be requested at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile.

In addition, since marriages abroad fall under the Separation of Property regime, this will also be the instance for them to modify their regime, if they wish to do so.

Although the requirements to get married in another country will depend on each destination, the steps to follow to get married abroad are usually the same. Do you already know where in the world you would like to seal your union?