YOUR CIVIL WEDDING
Between joyful tears and laughter, your civil wedding will probably be the best day of your life. As for any event, a good organization ahead of time is recommended. You can complete the required steps and formalities of a wedding at the city hall starting as of now!
Noces Italiennes helps and supports you all along the process. No detail will be left to chance…
Please keep in mind that this article is based on French and Italian law systems. Some legal and formal elements may vary depending on your country of origin. The purpose of our agency is to adapt our services. Our wedding planners will be glad to work by your side to bring about your wedding project in Corsica or Italy!
WHAT IS CIVIL MARRIAGE?
Let’s start with the definition of a civil wedding. It is a legal act celebrated by a state officer in the city hall of the place of residence of the spouses or in a city hall abroad. Its objective is to formalize the union of the couple in the name of the law. Put otherwise, it registers a union legally. Please note that weddings at the city hall are systematically celebrated before any religious ceremony. If you don’t plan on celebrating a religious wedding, civil marriage is enough to give the status of a family to your couple. In conclusion, a civil wedding is an important step in your life together that requires good preparation upfront!
THE CONDITIONS FOR A WEDDING AT THE CITY HALL
It is important to mention that a civil wedding can be based on two different systems. On the one hand, the wedding contract implies a potential separation of goods, the community of property and the participation in acquisitions. On the other hand, the common law system refers to a wedding without a contract. Partners must agree on the system that best suits their situation. The spouses can change their marriage contract all along their life together.
Civil weddings are submitted to several conditions. First, the spouses must be adults, single, and without family relationships. They also shall give a free and informed consent, otherwise, the union will be cancelled. A wedding file is to be completed upfront by the future bride and groom. Once the union is sealed, the spouses are bound by common obligations and benefit from the advantages of a legal marriage.
COMPOSING YOUR WEDDING FILE…
Around 3 months prior to your wedding at the city hall, you must compose your wedding file. Each spouse shall give the following elements to the mayor’s office:
-A proof of identity
-A birth certificate given by the city hall of your birthplace 3 month before your wedding (6 months for a wedding abroad)
-A proof of residence
-A sworn statement of single status
-A recent medical certificate (less than 2 months)
-The personal information of the bride’s maids and best men; identity, place and date of birth, profession, and city of residence.
These documents must be forwarded to the registry office.
SPECIAL CASES OF CIVIL WEDDINGS
If you are divorced, a widower or a stranger, you will need to provide additional documents to complete your wedding file. Moreover, you must show a notarial certificate if you have signed a wedding contract. If you decide to marry in the residence city of your parents, the latter have to give you proof of residence. Once your wedding file is ready, the city hall publishes the banns. The publication of the banns is the official and public announcement of your wedding. Banns are exposed for 10 days on the walls of the city hall that will host your ceremony and in your city of residence if you don’t celebrate your wedding there. The banns give the location of the wedding, the names, surnames, profession, and residence of the future spouses.
CHOOSING A PLACE AND A DATE FOR YOUR WEDDING
As said previously, you can choose to get married in the city hall of the place of residence of your parents, but also in your second home if you have one. In general, the spouses choose to marry where they live. In any case, the wedding must be celebrated in a room open to the public.
Another option is to organize your celebration abroad. Italy and France are popular destinations and attract many couples. Italy allows you to choose the city where your wedding will take place contrary to a wedding in your home country. Once you have selected an Italian city hall, you can submit your wedding file there. About the date of the ceremony, you can get married starting from 10 days after the publication of the banns. It is recommended to anticipate your wedding several months in advance to free yourself from a stressful preparation.
HOW DOES A CIVIL CEREMONY UNFOLD?
The civil union is a short wedding ceremony of about 15 minutes. According to the civil code, the celebration must be presided by the mayor or one of his or her deputies with the attendance of the spouses and their wedding witnesses. During the ceremony, the civil code section about marriage is read, and the fiancés commit to live by the obligations of respect, faithfulness, help and assistance. They then express their mutual consent aloud. At the end of the civil ceremony, the newlyweds and the state officer sign the wedding certificate that will be kept by the city hall. A family record book is given to the spouses if they don’t have children. If they do, their family book is updated with the wedding certificate. You can give a symbolic and friendly dimension to your civil ceremony with warm speeches and gifts. You can also choose a song for your entrance and exit and decorate the officer’s desk with a beautiful floral composition.
THE EFFECTS OF A CIVIL WEDDING
Civil weddings offer numerous advantages to the couple and their children. In particular, tax advantages exist. Indeed, married couples pay less taxes thanks to a shared tax declaration. Their social security is also better as the spouses are each other’s beneficiary regarding any kind of insurance (health, death, etc.). This system allows medical expenses to be covered more easily. Civil marriage also grants advantages for those who have kids or wish to adopt thanks to the protection of their direct line of descendance. The husband benefits from the presumption of paternity (parental authority) on his wife’s children and the couple can adopt together. Furthermore, civil marriage allows separation with the intervention of professionals who guarantee the rights of both parties as marriage cannot be dissolved freely.
OUR WEDDING PLANNERS’ SUPPORT
Our team of wedding planners accompany you in the administrative steps of your civil wedding. Thanks to our expertise and experience, we support you in order to avoid oversights, delays, and mistakes. For a civil ceremony in Italy, we take care of contacting the city hall of your choice and help you to obtain the Nulla Osta. We can also put at your disposal the services of an interpreter and even wedding witnesses if needed. Additional services are customized according to your expectations, in particular for floral decoration, the presence of a photographer, or the renting of a wedding car.
Contact Noces Italiennes as of now to organize your civil wedding and benefit from an 100% customized service!
If you want to seal your union with a civil wedding in Italy or Corsica, Noces Italiennes will stand by your side from A to Z to deliver the wedding of your dreams.
Get a free customized quotation here!
