Portugal…The Perfect Place to Get Married
Portugal is fast becoming one of Europe’s most-visited destinations, not just because of its gorgeous weather and landscapes, vast array of world-class golf courses and deep, rich culture and history, but because it’s one of the most perfect places in the world to get married.
It is highly popular among Brits for honeymoons and weddings, so it’s telling that there’s been a sharp increase of couples taking all-inclusive holidays to Portugal; they aren’t going for the perfect climate and gorgeous views alone.
Photo by: philippe
First things first
If you intend to get married in Portugal, there are a few rules and laws that you need to familiarize yourself with. Firstly, there are only two kinds of lawful marriage in the country: the civil ceremony and the Catholic ceremony. A marriage that takes place via any other kind of religious ceremony would not be legally recognized in Portugal.
Given the popularity of British weddings in Portugal, you will have a lot of help with getting the paperwork done – just log on to the British Embassy website for more information. If you don’t want to get tied down in red tape, the easiest way would be to get a marriage certificate in the UK first and then have the celebration in Portugal.
Venues
Portugal is a country with diverse regions, each with its own special set of unique features. Which will you choose to get married in?
Photo by: Glen Bowman
• Algarve: famed for its gorgeous natural beauty, head to the Algarve if you want to have a wedding steeped in luxury, as there are a range of luxury resorts, complete with exclusive golf courses and pinewood forests for you to feast your eyes on.
• Alentejo: if you fancy something cut off from the tourist-heavy areas, head to the Alentejo, the rural farmland of Portugal, to the north of the Algarve. The climate here is very hot and makes an ideal place for a vineyard wedding.
• Lisbon: out of all the possible places to get married in Portugal, Lisbon, the capital, will give you the widest range of venues. You could choose to get married in an old palace or a luxury coastal resort, depending on your tastes. Whichever you choose, you can be sure that your wedding will be a luxurious one. Lisbon definitely has the widest range of options for you and your beloved.
• The North: the north of Portugal has plenty of beautiful, old-world farm houses – ideal if you want your wedding to have plenty of rustic charm. Expect quaint churches and a number of vineyards.
Make sure that you leave a lot of time to plan things if you intend on getting married in Portugal. Besides considering such things as wedding ceremony length, there are a great number of places and venues to choose from: deep valleys, wide rivers, waterfalls, lagoons and the rolling hills. Portugal’s beauty will ensure the happiest day of your life is spent in idyllic surrounds.
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This post is written by Julie Parker. Julie is a keen sun-worshipper, who spends most of her time with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. As a mother of two, she’s always on the lookout for great family package holidays with lots to keep the kids entertained.
