Will our marriage be legally recognised in the UK?

Yes, your wedding will be legally recognised in the UK.

Will we get an official marriage certificate?

Your wedding cost includes the issue of a copy of your marriage certificate translated in English. At some destinations, marriage certificates are not issued immediately after your wedding and may not be ready to take back with you before you return home, in which case we will forward the documents to you.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Following Brexit, you now need an apostille on each copy of your marriage certificate (should you require more than one copy).
In Cyprus It is obtained from the CITIZEN’S SERVICE OFFICE (ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΛΙΤΗ). The apostille stamp must have a 5 euro revenue stamp for each certificate, from the Post Office. You will need to make an appointment in order to get this apostille and details will be given to you in resort as to where the nearest Citizen Service Office is or we can arrange for this to be collected, stamped and delivered back to your hotel via a courier service at a cost of €40 or €45 (+ €5 per extra certificate). This will be paid to your wedding coordinator in resort.

How soon do we need to book?

The notice is governed by how long it takes to process the paperwork in UK and at your nuptial resort - as this varies between destinations, specific information on when we need to receive your documentation will be advised at the time of booking.

To give you time to send your documents to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ( FCDO) you will need:

Greece: at least 7 weeks notice prior to your wedding  and your total minimum stay in resort will be 7 nights. You will need to go back to the town hall one or two days ( working days) after the wedding date,

Cyprus:  at least 7 weeks notice prior to your wedding  and your total minimum stay in resort will be 7 nights.

Malta & Gozo: at least 10 weeks notice prior to your wedding but documents must not be dated any earlier than 12 weeks before
your wedding date. Your total stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Portugal: at least 7 weeks notice prior to your wedding. Your total stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Croatia: at least 7 weeks notice prior to your wedding. Your total stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Italy: at least 7 weeks notice prior to your wedding. Your total stay must be a minimum of 7 nights.

Wedding deposit required at the time of booking

• For weddings in 2022, a non-refundable deposit of £450 must be paid by yourself to Planet Holidays at the time of booking if you are also booking your holiday (flights and accommodation) with us  or £650 if Wedding Only ( for 2023 £500 and £700 respectively).

• Some resorts may also require a non-refundable deposit of £100 to secure the registrar.

• We will also confirm to you if your wedding venue / hotel requires a non-refundable deposit to secure your wedding date.

• Some deposit required for resorts / venues / hotels need to be paid directly to the resort / venue in Euro and other deposits will need to be paid to Planet Holidays.

What about all the required documentation?

There is a certain amount of paperwork involved and full details of what you must do and what we will do on your behalf are clearly shown on the 'Legal Requirements' page.

What name must be used for the booking of the bride-to-be?

As the name on the booking must coincide with the name shown on the passport, the bride-to-be will be booked under her maiden name for both journeys.

Can our length of stay be flexible?

With the range of scheduled flights available from Planet Holidays, you are not restricted to book a standard 7 or 14 nights stay. One thing you must comply with is the minimum length of stay officially required at each nuptial destination - specific details are shown above. Whilst weddings in various resorts can be organised during a 1 week’s stay, we highly recommend you book 2 weeks to allow yourselves time to relax between
the various visits to the registry office and the court.

Can we request a specific date and time for our wedding?

We shall discuss this with you at the time of enquiry/booking. Your request will be forwarded overseas and will be subject to availability of your chosen venue and of the person responsible to conduct your marriage.
Unlike other companies, we will be able to confirm the date of your wedding prior to departure (for weddings in Cyprus, time can also be confirmed). Please bear in mind that last minute re-scheduling may occur locally due to unforeseen circumstances.

Who will conduct our marriage ceremony?

Civil weddings are short ceremonies performed by a registrar or a mayor. Religious weddings/blessings last approximately 30 mins and are performed by a reverend, priest or minister.

In Cyprus, all weddings are conducted in English.

In Greece, civil weddings are performed in English and in Greek.

In Portugal, Italy, Malta and Croatia,  civil weddings are performed in the country’s language  in which case the ceremony will be in the presence of an interpreter. Catholic Church weddings are usually in English. Prior to all religious weddings, you will have a chance to run through all aspects of the service, such as a special music request, poem, passage of the bible, etc, that you may wish to include.

Can friends and family attend our wedding?

Of course, and Planet Holidays can also easily take care of their holiday booking arrangements. Your guests’ travel date, length of stay and accommodation do not need to be the same as yours!

Does the wedding couple and/ or guests have to be residents in the hotel where the wedding takes place?

- The wedding couple will have to be resident in the hotel where the wedding will take place for a minimum of 7 nights.

- Some hotels will also require a percentage of the guests to also be residents.

- Hotels offering only 'all inclusive' will charge a fee  to all non residents guests coming in on the day of the wedding.

Important note:
- Due to 'Covid', some hotels will not allow any non resident guests to come in the hotel, others will limit the numbers of passes given to non residents.
- Hotels offering 'all inclusive' will not allow you to use your 'all inclusive' food and drinks on your wedding day and you will have to purchase a drink package and a wedding menu for all guests, residents or not.

Do we need to organise ‘witnesses’ to attend our ceremony?

Two witnesses are necessary for all types of weddings. Witnesses can be family or friends but they must be over 18. If you do not have any guests attending your overseas wedding, our Wedding Co-ordinators at your resort will be honoured to act as your witnesses. Please note that some resorts will charge extra for witnesses.

Can we change/cancel our wedding booking once it has been confirmed?

Should you need to change your wedding date, please let us know immediately. If we are able to comply with your request, a £100 wedding amendment fee will apply.

Should you need to cancel your wedding, your non-refundable wedding deposit will apply up to 100% charges as shown below:

Period before departure Cancellation charge as a % of total invoiced cost*

-  70 days or more Non refundable Deposit payment

-  69 - 56 days: 30%

-  55 - 29 days: 50%

-   28 - 22 days: 70%

-   21 - 15 days: 80%

-  14 days or less: 100%

(b) *Important Note: Extra cancellation fees will also be levied by 3rd party at nuptial destinations (such as local churches, registry offices etc,) and we reserve our right to pass on to you any cancellation charges imposed by our suppliers which are in excess of the cancellation charges set out above.

(c) Amendment charges are non-refundable.

(e) If the deposit paid is more than the percentage cancellation charge applied within 70 days then the higher amount will be charged.

(f) Where possible, we will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.

Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

Do we need a special ‘wedding insurance’?

We strongly recommend that you take out a special ‘wedding insurance’.

Can we choose any style of wedding outfit?

All couples have very personal views on their wedding outfits. Our best advice to you is to consider a comfortable attire suited to the climate of your nuptial destination. Light weight, natural fabrics are highly recommended and design styles favoured for overseas weddings tend to be more casual than for traditional British weddings.
When choosing your outfit, please bear in mind your chosen wedding venue - bermuda shorts simply won’t do if you have opted for a religious ceremony! Do contact us if you feel you need further advice.

How should we transport our wedding attire?

Check-out our ‘Wedding Dress Travel Case ’ suggestion - a perfect way to carry your wedding attire. Alternatively, you may pack your outfits in a hard suitcase that will be placed in the hold of the aircraft.
Usually, it will be considered part of your standard luggage allowance, although some airlines may agree (upon prior request) to be more flexible with wedding couples. We can discuss this further with you once your travel arrangements have been booked.

Can we arrange pressing and storing of our outfits on arrival?

Most hotels offer a pressing service which may take a few days, and a charge will usually apply.

Can we make an appointment with a hairdresser & beautician?

Many of the hotels we feature have excellent beauty salons and hairdressing facilities perfect for pre-nuptial preparations.

In most resorts we also have our own suppliers and where possible they will come to your room on the day of the wedding.

It is best to prebook these services but you can also discuss your requirements on arrival at your resort with your Overseas Wedding Co-ordinator.

Can we get separate rooms for the night prior to our wedding?

An overseas wedding does not mean having to put aside all traditional customs and separate rooms, subject to availability, can be requested on your behalf, at a supplement.