The joy of getting married in Portugal!
Weddings are a beautiful way of expressing two people's commitment to one another. The union of marriage stands behind the idea of coming together to celebrate love with friends and family.
A celebration like that takes quite a bit of planning. From venues to figuring out whether you want a band or a DJ, each step towards a successful wedding has to be carried out meticulously. After all, not everybody can have their wedding planned down to the last second, like Monica from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
I'm Romain, i'm a French destination wedding photographer and here's my recommandations about how to get married in Portugal and more precisely in the Douro Valley and Porto area.
wedding ceremony in La Quinta da Pacheca in Regua on the Douro Valley.
It's harrowing enough to get all the details sorted out in your native city. But, the process of planning a wedding, especially for the bride-to-be, becomes a stressful task when the wedding is supposed to take place abroad. Whether you want a conventional destination wedding and plan on treating your guests to a week-long stay in a lavish resort or want a low-key celebration with your loved ones, Portugal is known to be one of the most stunning locations for a serene ceremony. Getting married in Portugal has its charm. With its sandy beaches and an abundance of wedding venues to choose from, you can rest assured that you will be strapped in for an incredible time. However, it would help if you crafted a list of affairs you must get in order before you can sit back and relax.
Things To Take Care of When Getting Married in Portugal
I know you want to jump on the bandwagon of fun and ecstasy that comes with a destination wedding in Portugal, but for that to begin, you must take care of some legal matters. Before you get started, you must find a local embassy to help you through the process. Some are listed here:
- Embassy of Ireland, Portugal
- British Embassy in Lisbon
- U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Portugal
- Embassy of Canada in Lisbon
- Consulate of Canada in Faro
- The Consulate of Canada
- Consulate General of Portugal in Australia
- New Zealand Consulate in Lisbon
Let's have a look at some things you need to get in order when planning to get married in Portugal:
- Marriage in Portugal requires an official license.
- You must receive approval from a local priest in the region of Portugal you wish to get married in.
- Getting married in Portugal implies that you can only get married according to Portugal law.
- Both civil ceremonies and catholic church weddings are legally binding. You can decide whether you would like to tie the knot at the registry office or a location of your choice.
- The officiant should be from the Camara.
- You need a maritime license for a beach wedding.
- The wedding ceremony will take place in Portuguese. If you and your partner both don't speak the language, it's a good idea to have a translator present.
- Foreign nationals do not acquire citizenship in Portugal if they get married to a citizen of Portugal.
- You're liable to pay a fee when getting married in Portugal. Please inquire about this since the fee changes from year to year.
- Both you and your partner will require newly issued full-length birth certificates. These birth certificates must mention the name of both you and your partner's parents. Remember that the birth certificates must be dated within six months of your wedding date.
wedding photo session in La Quinta Da Pacheca, Douro Valley, Portugal
Wedding Venues in Portugal
One factor in weddings that you absolutely should not take for granted is the photographer. When you're done with the licenses, the registry, the invites, the music, and all that jazz, it comes down to the documentation of your love.
You don't want to be looking back at shabby photo angles with your kids 20 years from now, do you?
The photographer and the venue aspect of your wedding go hand in hand. Remember that you don't just require a good photographer, you need a good photographer who is well-versed in your wedding venue. Therefore, it would serve well to perform extensive research and look for a Portugal wedding photographer.
As a destination wedding photographer, I understand how nerve-wracking this particular task can be. When you're stepping into Portugal for the first time, you've chosen to get married in the coastal city of Porto, or by the riverside at the Douro Valley with Sintra in your sights; naturally, you want to make all the right decisions.
That said, the above-mentioned locations will be the center of this discussion today. We will look at some of the most spectacular wedding venues in Porto, Douro Valley, and Sintra. If you are a future bride planning the wedding of your dreams in Portugal, stay tuned! Here's another article about Portugal wedding venues.
La Quinta Da Pacheca
Now, I am a little biased regarding this particular venue. At my last gig as a wedding photographer trying to capture the true spirit of love in Portugal, this charming estate in the Douro Valley region was a wonderful experience. You can have a look at the wedding photo report i did for Marine & Matthieu at La Quinta Da Pacheca in sept. 2022 here : Marine & Matthieu's wedding.
Imagine having the option to sleep in a wine barrel. Who would want to miss that chance? It was a delight to capture warm wedding moments at La Quinta Da Pacheca.
Monserrate Palace
The Monserrate Palace, also known as a masterpiece of romanticism, is an expansive villa located outside Sintra, Portugal. It's the perfect location if you want your wedding to take place with an artistically sound backdrop. The architectural design influenced by Eclecticism has to be one of the most exquisite sights to capture.
Quinta Da Prata
Located just 500 meters from Porto, Quinta Da Prata is a gorgeous wedding venue where romance is in the air around the year. With stunning parks, and gardens big enough to accommodate as many people as you can invite, this wedding venue is a truly remarkable place to captivate the essence of love.
Now that you've gotten all your ducks in a row and are just waiting to recite your vows to the love of your life, I hope you have the wedding you envisioned from the beginning.
Remember, capturing all the precious moments of your life is an underrated but worthy act of love. So, if you like the photos documented here, give me a holler, and we will get ready for the biggest event of your life!
