Wedding paperwork guide

Catholic Weddings in Italy

A church wedding in Italy when you live abroad: possible, beautiful, and a little more complicated than you would think. We know which churches will say yes.

The short answer

Getting married in church
in Italy.

Legally valid, in theory. In Italy a Catholic wedding also has civil effect, so no separate civil ceremony should be needed. In practice, many priests and bishops prefer couples to arrive with the civil marriage already done at home: we tell you what to expect for your church, to save you a lot of stress.
One Catholic is enough. You don't both need to be Catholic, as long as the Catholic partner has received confirmation.
Start early. Allow at least 6 to 9 months for the preparation with your parish at home.
Not every church. Many dioceses don't accept weddings of couples who don't live in Italy. We know where you can marry.

Leave it to us Book a 30-minute consultation (€50)

How it works

The steps,
from your parish to Italy.

1. Your parishAt least 9 months before, talk to your parish priest at home. You collect your baptism and confirmation certificates, and your priest runs the pre-marriage course and the interview.
2. The bishopsYour priest sends everything to your bishop, who forwards it to the bishop in Italy responsible for the parish where you will marry. Go through these steps carefully with your priest.
3. In ItalyYour documents must reach Italy at least 2 to 3 months before the wedding.
4. The churchWe find a church that welcomes couples from abroad close to your reception, or a reception venue close to the right church.
5. Your weddingThe ceremony in church, with your witnesses and, where needed, the civil part already done at home.

Not every church, not every diocese

Before you fall in love
with a church.

Many Italian bishops are reluctant to celebrate weddings of couples who don't live here, and the rules change from diocese to diocese, sometimes from church to church. Talk to us first: we tell you where it is possible and find the right church near your venue.

The consultation costs €50 for 30 minutes on Google Meet: real time spent on your own case, by people who deal with these procedures every week. No sales pitch, just clear answers. If you then ask us to take care of your paperwork, the €50 is deducted from our fee.

Book a consultation

Good to know

Married before
as a Catholic?

If one of you has already been married in a Catholic ceremony, a new Catholic wedding is only possible after a Church annulment, which is long and uncertain: a civil divorce is not enough.

You still have beautiful options: a civil wedding, a symbolic ceremony, or a Christian ceremony with a Baptist or Evangelical pastor. Ask us which one suits you.

Other faiths

Other religious
ceremonies.

Blessings, Jewish, Hindu and other ceremonies can be arranged, but some are not easy in Italy. Reform rabbis, for example, are very few, and some ask for very high fees. A traditional Hindu ceremony can last many hours.

Depending on how important the religious rite is to you, a symbolic ceremony with some rituals from your tradition can be a lovely alternative, led by Italian Wedding Celebrants. For faiths whose weddings are not recognised by the Italian state, such as the Church of England, the legal part must be a civil wedding, in Italy or at home.

More paperwork guides

You may also need.

How to get married in Italy

Who can marry in Italy, how long you need to stay and which documents you need, with a guide for every nationality.

Read the guide

Tuscany wedding celebrants pledges officiate

Your wedding ceremony

We plan and coordinate your ceremony; your celebrant, or officiant, comes from Italian Wedding Celebrants, the ceremony specialists of our group.

Discover more

Other nationalities and special cases

European citizens, couples from two different countries, divorces and other special cases: we tell you exactly what applies to you.

Find out more

Reviews

What our couples say about us.

Elizabeth and DaleNew York, NY · September 2026

★★★★★

A dreamy wedding weekend

Francina made planning an international wedding so much less stressful! Her expertise and relationships with local vendors helped us to feel confident with our ultimate vendor decisions, and all the vendors absolutely delivered!…

Marisol & JorgeOctober 2026

★★★★★

An Absolutely Perfect Wedding Day

We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding celebrant and day-of coordinator than Francina! 🤍 From the very beginning, she was amazing, and everything on our wedding day went perfectly. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and…

Paige RusherOctober 2026

★★★★★

Francina Goes Above and Beyond!

Words cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to Francina for all of her diligent work to make my Tuscan wedding weekend perfect. She went above and beyond to ensure the details and vendors were finalized and the guests were…

5.0 out of 5 from 186 reviews since 2008 · Read all the reviews

Questions, answered

Catholic weddings
in Italy.

Is a Catholic wedding in Italy legally valid?

Yes: in Italy a Catholic wedding also has civil effect. In practice, though, many priests and bishops prefer foreign couples to arrive with the civil marriage already done at home. We tell you what to expect for your church.

Do we both need to be Catholic?

No. One Catholic partner is enough, as long as he or she has received confirmation.

Can we marry in any church in Italy?

No. Many dioceses don't accept weddings of couples who don't live in Italy, and rules can change from church to church. We know where it is possible.

How long does the preparation take?

At least 6 to 9 months with your parish at home, and your documents must reach Italy 2 to 3 months before the wedding. Start talking to your priest at least 9 months before.

One of us was married before in a Catholic ceremony. Can we have a Catholic wedding again?

Only after a Church annulment, which is long and uncertain. You can still choose a civil wedding, a symbolic ceremony or a Christian ceremony with a Baptist or Evangelical pastor.