Is it possible to get married in an Austrian castle hotel?
Absolutely! Many castle hotels in Austria have private chapels on site for an extraordinary and romantic event. Keep in mind though that legal marriages in Austria take place at the Standesamt or the Vital Statistics Office. Many couples follow this civil ceremony with the religious ceremony. Austrian marriages are generally recognized in the U.S. (Always check with your state of residence.) Procedures and regulations to marry in Austria are as follows:
Required Documents
- A valid passport
- An original or certified copy of your birth certificate
- A driver’s license or other photo ID that shows your address of residence
- A registration that the Austrian police will give you after arrival, unless you’re staying in a hotel
- If you’ve been married before, you must have proof of dissolution, annulment, or a death certificate of any previous spouses. Divorce certificates from Mexico are generally not recognized if you’re a U.S. citizen. You also must bring the marriage certificate(s) of any previous marriage(s).
- Any of the above documents that are not in German must have a certified translation by an official translator.
The Standesamt
Officials from the Vital Statistics Office will perform the marriage in the appropriate jurisdiction. If you or your spouse-to-be is a citizen or resident of Austria, the marriage application must be filed at the Standesamt where he or she resides. If neither of you are citizens or reside in Austria, you must file your application at the Standesamt for the first district of Vienna, Wien Innere Stadt, Mariahilf, Schlesingerplatz 4, A-l082 Vienna.
Before living happily ever after you must:
Both of you must go to the Standesamt with the above documentation. They will forward your documents to the appropriate Oberlandesgericht, or Superior Court, for approval. Next comes the court fees, which are approximately 220 euros. The Oberlandesgericht will return your file to the Standesamt which will then schedule the date of your marriage ceremony (that part only takes about 15 minutes). If neither of you speak German, you must hire an official Austrian translator. The entire procedure takes anywhere from two to four weeks.
Generally both of you must be in Austria during the paperwork process. If only one can be present, you must obtain permission from your partner on a form called an Ermächtigung, which is available at the Standesamt. If neither of you can be there, an Austrian lawyer, or even a personal friend, can make arrangements. Plan on paying additional fees.
Now you’re ready to enjoy another ceremony and celebration at your castle hotel!