Eleanor & Rory

Paperwork for a civil wedding in Tuscany for foreigners

Paperwork for a civil wedding in Tuscany for foreigners is not always the easiest thing to do especially if the foreign couple has two different nationalities or it is coming from any country out of the UE.

However, no need to worry when you can rely on a professional wedding planner, preferably based in Tuscany like me! There are plenty of options in Tuscany in terms of historical town halls and beautiful licensed wedding venues, especially in the Siena area.

This gallery, for example, shows a civil ceremony held in the village of Serre di Rapolano while the wedding reception took place at a nearby Borgo sleeping 80 guests, at 15 minutes drive from the town hall. Transfer is needed and recommended because of limited parking and narrow roads. The area is full of attractions starting from the natural termal baths in Rapolano Terme.

Even if summer is not the best time to enjoy hot springs, with no hesitation I would suggest an aperitifs with a view there, a massage and some relax at the swimming pool. The spring waters emerge from the ground at 39 degrees centigrade and have notable therapeutic properties for a range of skin complaints, as well as respiratory and musculoskeletal problems.

Getting back to our main topic, paperwork for a civil wedding in Tuscany for foreigners can be tricky and the assistance of an Italian wedding planner is almost necessary unless one of the spouses can speak the language. And even if so, you will be required a translator for the day of the sworn declaration and the civil ceremony.

Just to give you a little hint:

You should start the process for your documents 6 months before your wedding date if you are resident in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales and 3 months before if you are resident in Scotland.

The names on all documents you provide must appear exactly as they do on your passports – if not, the authorities may refuse to allow the marriage to go ahead. Main documentation required is:

-Valid passports of Spouses and witnesses

-Pubblication of the Banns at your local Registry Office

-Certificate of Non-Impediment (CNI). You’ll also need to get your CNI translated by an approved translator sworn before the Italian Court. We can give you a list of recommended translators.

-Statutory declaration

If you are a US citizen, both Italian Consulate in your country and in Italy are involved.

For a first explanation of the process, you can click on this link prepared by the Foreign and Commonwealth office, but for accurate assistance with all the different steps nd finalization get in touch with a local wedding planner who will offer an all-inclusive package including paperwork, assistance with all the necessary appointments and interpreting.

A civil exclusive wedding in Tuscan village can be a real fully satisfying experience because you can be welcomed and greeted as a local couple and establish a nice relationship with the people there. Some of my couples still send cards to the civil registrar who married them.

“History is not the past but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveller.”

A Borgo is a very special place you do not find anywhere else but in Italy. The word Borgo can be translated as “hamlet” and refers to a very charming Italian small village from the Renaissance or Medieval age, built around a castle or a palace. Italy counts 260 “Borghi”, each one of them boasting an artistic and architectural heritage, tradition, and enogastronomic treasures.

Get in touch with me to tell me more about your ideal civil wedding and find the right venue!

Photo Credit Pasquale Mestizia