Facts about Cyprus
| Area: | 9,251 sq km |
| Capital: | Nicosia |
| Language: | Greek, Turkish |
| Currency: | Euro |
| Turkish Lira | |
| Population: | 784,301 |
| Coastline: | 648 sq km |
Home > General Info > Wedding
Cyprus Wedding
Cyprus as a perfect wedding destination
Is there a better place for wedding than the island where the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, was made out of the foam?
Cyprus has got everything to make your wedding unique and unforgettable. With over 300 days of sunshine per year, the weather for your wedding day is certainly something you do not need to worry about Sunshine, picturesque scenery of lush vegetation, and the beauty of the island on the whole make truly favorable conditions for getting married in Cyprus.
After you have chosen Cyprus as your final wedding destination along with deciding on your location, you should be aware of arrangements to follow.
To reach the island quickly and securely the best way is to take a flight. There is a variety of airlines flying to Cyprus to choose from. For most of the flights, Larnaca international airport is conveniently reached, along with Paphos airport, and Ercan airport in Northern Cyprus. From all the airports there is an option to hire a car to your final wedding destination.
Foreigner's wedding in Cyprus
For the foreigners all wedding ceremonies in Cyprus are conducted in English, as Cyprus Law is based on the English system, and so are the wedding certificates. It is possible to get married in all districts of Cyprus.
Documents required
As a first step, the couple has to fill in, sign and submit a joint application called "Notice of Marriage" indicating their will marry each other. This application of marriage is made to the Marriage Officer at the local Town Hall and you will need the following legal documents all in original format:
- Valid passport
- Birth Certificates for both the Bride and Groom
- Affidavit or Certificate signed by a notary public indicating your marital status i.e. divorced, widowed or single and that you are free to marry. This document must be dated, signed and stamped. Legal documents are only valid for 6 months so make sure that it is dated to be in this time period by the time the wedding is due to take place. For Scottish residents a certificate of No Impediment is acceptable - this is available from your local registrar.
- Death Certificate (in case of widow or widower)
- Decree Absolute (in case of divorce)
- Adoption Certificate (in case of adoption)
- Deed pole certificate (in case of a change of name)
- If under the age of 18 a letter of consent from parents or guardian which must be stamped by a lawyer.
This paperwork applies for British passport holders - all other nationalities need to contact and check their government agencies for details of required paperwork and all the official documents must be translated into English, certified, stamped and signed by a notary or a lawyer. The couples have to be aware of paperwork that varies for each region and type of wedding. Couples from abroad wishing for Anglican or Roman Catholic weddings will require further documentation and permissions.
- certificate of Thalassaemia (produced from the state or private doctor, required for Cypriots only)
The couple must arrive in Cyprus at least 5 working days before the set date for the wedding as the original papers must be presented to the Town Hall.
Craig Beck Cypus Wedding Photographer
1 Pyla Panoramic, Pyla Larnaca
Tel.: 0870 385 1997
Email: craig@craigbeck.com
Craig is a sort after reportage wedding photographer working in the UK and on the beautiful island of Cyprus.
Ceremonies
In Cyprus there is an option of two types of ceremony, civil and church ceremony. If you wish to you can have both. There are perfectly legal and recognized worldwide, including UK, Ireland, Europe, Russia, Israel and North America. Your Cypriot marriage certificate is presented to you after the ceremony and is a legally binding document. If at any time you misplace your certificate you can obtain a duplicate from the town hall that performed the wedding.
All wedding times vary according to the Marriage Officer diary that is why you need to contact him first at the Town Hall. Both ceremony and venue for your marriage need to be booked well in advance too. Two witnesses are usually required for both the ceremonies in accordance with Cyprus law. In addition your hotel must be located in the same town in which your marriage will take place. This, however, applies to the Greek side of Cyprus.
Civil ceremony
Civil weddings are conducted by a Marriage Officer and usually take place in the town hall of your chosen resort. The legal part of the ceremony which takes about 5 or 10 minutes is then followed by your exchange of vows and rings. The moment this is done you are declared husband and wife and then you go on to sign your certificate. Civil ceremonies can take place in any venue that has been licensed by the Mayor.
Church ceremony
You can choose where to have a wonderful religious ceremony. Either you opt for the little hotel chapel or you decide to have the church ceremony in one of the cathedrals, churches or chapels, Cyprus has got a wide choice to select from. Anglican and Catholic churches are available in most main resorts. However, if you book a hotel for your wedding, the best thing you can do is to have your church ceremony in one of the hotel chapels.
The church ceremony can be preceded by a civil ceremony at the local town hall and is conducted by a local Anglican priest. Those who want a religious wedding must have some link with their home church. At least you must have been baptized and it is necessary to make a copy of the baptism certificate. After filling the application form and the following interview with the priest you can discuss the passages as well as the format of wording of the ceremony. A rehearsal with the priest is normally arranged and you will be informed about the music and the hymns if provided by the church. The ceremony itself takes approximately 25 minutes but it can vary prior to the resort and church.
The number of religious ceremonies is restricted by the local church so it is very important to book the chosen church well in advance. What you also need to check is the capacity of the church.
Wedding and hotel arrangements
What you need to be aware of is to make the date of your wedding and reservation of a chosen hotel where the wedding will be held. For better availability it is recommended to book the hotel well in advance. Check the capacity of the hotel and inquire about special offers for the wedding couples.
Most of the hotels provide you with the facilities for your wedding. You can choose from the large reception venues with the swimming pool in the middle, flowery gardens, restaurants or sandy beaches within the hotel ground. It is up to you if you decide whether to have your wedding reception outside or inside the hotel. Also make sure to check if the hotel can arrange the wedding reception for the number of people you expect to be present. Inquire about the catering service for the wedding day, and discuss the meal served with the personnel of the hotel, including candlelit dinner, wedding cakes and tarts. Agree on the music as well as the decoration of the tables, floral design and decoration of the whole reception venue.
The most practical solution to have your religious ceremony (if you wish for that) is to select from the chapels each belonging to the hotel complex. In this case you have to contact the local priest for the arrangement of your church ceremony.
Hotels you choose from can fully enable the accommodation and transportation for you and your wedding guests. There are also special offers for the wedding couples, like room upgrade, room decoration with the flowers, serving wine and fruit or breakfast served the morning after the wedding.
Do not forget to contact your wedding agent to arrange your wedding dress, hair and make-up stylist, as well as the photographer, video arrangement, wedding rings, and the wedding invitation. Most of all do not forget to book a honeymoon cruise to see the Egyptian pyramids, visit Holy Land, or reach the Greek islands!
Wedding Companies
Many people spend there entire lives dreaming and planning their perfect wedding. It’s nice to know that there are companies out there that can take those dreams that have seemed so far fetched and make them into reality. There are such wedding companies in Cyprus, and we hope that they will work to make you wedding the most memorable of occasions. Below you will find a list of Wedding companies that operate in Cyprus.
