When we think of the most beautiful, exciting and desirable places in the world to get married, perhaps the first thought that comes to mind would be Las Vegas, Hawaii, Mauritius or a marriage in Spain – all places in which the backdrop of an exotic location can help to bring romance to the event, as well as treating the guests to a fun holiday with loved ones.
Up to a thousand couples get married in Gibraltar every year
Not everyone is aware of the role the Mediterranean town of Gibraltar has played over the years in matrimonial arrangements. Every year up to a thousand couples get hitched in Gibraltar, many of them Britons taking advantage of the overseas British territory in the south of Spain that is legally allowed to execute British marriages and to top it off can host most of these with warm sunny weather.
In the past, celebrity couples who have decided to get married in Gibraltar as opposed to a marriage in Spain include Hollywood stars of the mid-twentieth century such as Lawrence Harvey and Margaret Leighton, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt and James Bond actor Sean Connery, who got married not only once but twice on the `Rock´.
So what makes this place so attractive for people to get married in Gibraltar? For one thing, the local laws do not require for residential documents to be presented and the only documents that are required are valid passports, birth certificates and divorce decree and previous marriage certificates if necessary. Couples planning to get married in Gibraltar only need to be in the territory 24 hours before the wedding, something not many wedding venues can offer and a marriage in Spain can certainly not offer, either.
The Gretna Green of the Med
Naturally, this provides an option for lovers in spur-of-the-moment pacts, or romantic lovers eloping to escape the months of endless planning and organising that conventional weddings often involve. Gibraltar has in the past been dubbed the ‘Gretna Green of the Med’ for this reason.
To make things even easier, the laws have recently been changed to allow marriages to take place outside of the registry office, so that the ceremony can be held in a more pleasant setting, such as gardens or an historical building.
Gibraltar marriages are recognised internationally
Weddings in Gibraltar are not only an appealing prospect for British couples – who make up only a third of all weddings, but those from America and other parts of the world who are also drawn by the speed of the process, as well as the many charms of the Mediterranean. Gibraltar marriages come with the added benefit of being recognized internationally.
Full information regarding the legal requirements, including the eight approved locations for weddings, fees and contact details can be found here.
If you would like to receive any advice concerning marriage in Gibraltar or any other local issues in Spain or Gibraltar, Perez Legal Group are a Spanish Law Firm with offices in Alicante and Marbella and can be contacted through their website.