getting married in Austria

#1. May 2nd 2010, 11:55pm | Link to Message | Report Post

Hi all we plan to get married in Austria.In no hurry for details as its not for some time. What I'd like to find out is the do's and dont's of getting married there.I know that you have to have a civil service to make it legal then if you want a religious one after. To organise for a certain date do we have to go across there to confirm it or can we do it another way?

#2. May 3rd 2010, 9:50am | Link to Message | Report Post

Where are you from? It may make a difference depending on what your own country of residence is.

#3. May 3rd 2010, 4:38pm | Link to Message | Report Post

OOps lol Hi Richard we are from the UK

#4. May 3rd 2010, 8:08pm | Link to Message | Report Post

I absolutely adore Austria! All those colourful palaces and gorgeous gardens with quaint little towns and villages so gorgeous - great choice. Can I ask why Austria? Also whereabouts in Austria? Vienna is such a romantic setting full of history and culture although further out of the city you have the beautiful Alps full of fine forests and lakes.

Unlike some other European countries you do not have to reside in Austria for any period of time before you get married there. It is the law in Austria that you must be married in a short civil ceremony before getting married or being blessed in a church or chapel ceremony.

You will need a certified birth certificate for both you and your partner, both of your passports, a certificate of residence (basically something that proves where you live, i.e. driver's license, tax document), proof of citizenship (passport), your parents' marriage certificates (your parents names should be on your birth certificate so this might do) and evidence that you are legally free to get married. If you have been married previously, you will need to provide a copy of your divorce decree or a death certificate. You may also need to provide the registrar with a sworn and witnessed statement that you are single and free to get married.

When applying for your marriage licence both you and your partner must be present at the main office in Vienna however in some circumstances the registraar way waive this if you don't reside in the country. (not quite sure how this works, whether you just need to contact the office and explain your circumstances). Otherwise you can hire an attorney to take care of this part for you (to save you both going there in person). The ceremony will also be in German (it has to be to be legal) therefore if you aren't fluent in german you will need a translator.

once the marriage application has been filed, there is usually a waiting period of 2 to 6 weeks until you will be given a confirmed date of marriage. You can file your marriage application up to a maximum of 6 months prior to your wedding date.

I know this sounds like a lot but really it's the same in this country save for the names of the documents etc.

The other option is to find a wedding venue hotel that offers a free wedding coordinator (most do) who will be able to talk you through the legalities and things that you might not know about. Are you having guests travel with you? If so then you might want to hire a wedding venue for the evening meal/party which will also help with the planning of your day even if it's just advice on what suppliers to use (ie for your wedding flowers/hairdressers etc).


Hope this helps!