Love may well know no reason or boundaries but if you're hoping to get hitched abroad there are one or two important things you'll need to consider. Jetting away with your beloved to tie the knot on an exotic island in the Mediterranean was an increasingly popular option - until recently.
You could say the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, with travel and social distancing restrictions of varying severity across Europe, was a bit of a passion killer. But now international travel is picking up again and rules in many countries are easing, many lovebirds will once more be eyeing a wedding in the sun.
There will be some worried that Brexit could yet scupper their overseas marriage plans. The course of true love never did run smooth, but rest assured - it is still possible, with just a little preparation.
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There are a number of advantages to getting married abroad. As well as the weather, romantic location and unique experience, it is often cheaper than in the UK and it can double as a honeymoon.
Many hotels and resorts offer wedding deals for couples. It can also be more intimate and a good excuse to slim down the guest list. The most important thing when planning a wedding in Corfu, Madeira, Ibiza or wherever you have your heart set on, is making sure you have the right documents.
The UK Government has an online tool to find out what is required in each country. Most embassy websites also contain helpful information.
Legal requirements will vary by country, but every destination will need the bride and groom to have certain documents in good order and ready to hand, according to the Wedding Ideas website. These will usually have to be in their original form, or a certified copy.
You will need to have a valid 10-year passport which has at least six months remaining on it. A birth certificate - or adoption certificate - is another vital piece of paperwork you will need and if you have changed your name you will also need a deed poll.
Individuals will need a decree absolute certificate if they have recently got divorced. A marriage and death certificate of a deceased spouse is also important if you have been widowed.
In some cases, your paperwork may have to be translated into the language of the country you are getting married in. You may also need an apostille, which is an additional certification of authenticity, to validate the document abroad. The UK Foreign Office can help couples with this.
Other common documents could include a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI). This is to prove there is no legal reason a couple cannot get married. They can be obtained from a local registry office or a British embassy.
Cyprus, Italy and Greece are three of the European countries where these certificates are required before you can get married. The main advice is to make sure you have all the documents your destination requires well before you travel to avoid a terrible disappointment.
Same-sex couples hoping to tie the knot, or be joined in a civil partnership will need to check that the country they are visiting allows gay marriages and civil partnerships. Neither are recognised in Turkey or Poland for example. While gay marriage is not allowed in Italy Greece and Croatia, civil partnerships are fine.
The UK Government website says: "If you’re a British national getting a marriage or civil partnership abroad, you might need certain documents from the UK government, for example, a certificate of no impediment (CNI). You'll need to contact the local authorities where you want to get married to find out what you need to do."
Importantly, your overseas marriage or civil partnership will usually be recognised in the UK on your return, but there are two key things you need to make sure of. The first is that couples need to have followed the correct process in the country where they get married. The second is that the marriage would have to be allowed under UK law.
