He made the proposal… and of course, the answer is YES!!!
Now begins the beautiful process of organizing your wedding. But there are surely some boring things you can’t avoid. Let’s go over the bureaucratic requirements before the wedding…
Here are all the documents required for a religious wedding:
1.Birth Certificate: This can be issued by the K.E.P. (Citizen Service Center) or the Municipality to which you belong. Your ID is required.
2.Certificate of Celibacy: This is issued by the parish where each of you resides for at least 3 years. To obtain this certificate, the following documents will be required:
α) Your ID card
β) Your birth certificate
γ) Two witnesses with their IDs. Be careful not to bring your mother or sister, as they cannot be first-degree relatives. The witnesses must also be adults.
δ) A declaration under Law 1599/86 from the witnesses stating that you are unmarried and not related by blood.
ε) Divorce certificate if you have been married before.
ζ)Marriage certificate if you have previously had a civil marriage.
η) Death certificate in case of widowhood.
3. Publication of Marriage Announcement: Your marriage announcement must be published in a daily newspaper in the city. You will need to take this with you when applying for the marriage license. The publication must include your names, your parents’ names, your mothers’ patronymics, and the location of the wedding. (Take a photocopy; it will be needed, and it will also serve as a keepsake.)
4. Stamp Duty: You will need to obtain a stamp duty from the tax office (it cannot be issued online).
5. Marriage License: To obtain the marriage license, visit the church where the wedding will take place with the following documents:
Certificate of Celibacy
The newspaper announcement of the marriage
The stamp duty and your IDs.
With all the documents for the marriage license, go to the local Metropolis (Ecclesiastical Authority) to have them stamped by the Marriage Office responsible for approval.
The license will be issued either on the same day or within the next few days.
The marriage license is valid for up to 6 months; if it expires, you’ll need to renew it.
Finally, before the wedding, along with the marriage license, you will need to sign a declaration regarding your children’s surname.
If you wish to take your spouse’s surname, you will need to visit a judicial authority.
