A wedding in Montenegro - a complete guide to getting married in Montenegro

A wedding in Montenegro is a perfect way to start your marriage journey. Whether you want a small and intimate gathering for your family and friends, or a grand and luxurious wedding ceremony, you’ll find everything you’re looking for in this stunning Mediterranean country.

Imagine walking down a sandy aisle while gentle sunrays, a light breeze, and salty sea air decorate your wedding ceremony. After saying “I do”, you can then celebrate with your guests in a luxurious venue on the waterfront, with the most glorious sea views as your wedding backdrop.

Can it get any more picture-perfect than that?

If you’re thinking of getting married in Montenegro, this article will be your ultimate guide. It looks at the prices and best wedding venues in Montenegro, as well as all the legal requirements and documents you need to prepare.

There are no residency requirements to get married in Montenegro, which means you don’t need to be a Montenegrin citizen or resident. All you have to do is prepare certain documents and apply at the office of your chosen municipality. Then you can start looking for the perfect hotel or another wedding venue for your reception.

However, before you start planning your wedding in Montenegro, it is important to know the legal requirements needed to lawfully marry in Montenegro. They are as follows:

• Both you and your partner need to be over 18 years of age. Those younger than 18 need to provide parental consent.
• You and your partner cannot be closely related by blood.
• You need to have two witnesses at the wedding ceremony.
• You need to obtain a marriage licence by giving the notice to marry at least 7 days before the wedding ceremony (we recommend doing it even earlier if you can).
• You need to gather all of the necessary documents (more on these below) and register them with the local authorities in person, which means either visiting Montenegro prior to the ceremony or arriving a little earlier.
• Lastly, you need to pay an administrative fee for your marriage licence.

When you are sure you have met all of the above-requirements, it’s time to gather the necessary documents. These documents are to be obtained in your home state, but they must be translated by a licensed translator and apostilled in Montenegro. These are the required documents:

• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Certificate of no impediment
• Notice that you want to get married
• Copies of your witnesses’ passports
• Final divorce papers (if one of the partners is divorced)
• Death certificate of your previous spouse (if one of the partners is widowed)
• Proof of paying the administrative fee

A certificate of no impediment is a document that states that you and your partner are legally free to marry each other. It needs to be issued in your country of residence 3-6 months before the wedding ceremony. If it is not issued in your country (e.g. the USA), you should contact the consular department or embassy of your country in Montenegro. They will inform you of what to do next. 

Keep in mind that the required documents may differ based on the place of residence of the future spouses. That’s why it’s best to contact the Office of the Civil Registry of the municipality you want to marry in and ask them about the necessary documents.

Once you’ve obtained, translated, and apostilled all the documents, you need to take both the original copies and the translations to the local authorities and register them there in person.

How do you imagine your perfect wedding? Is it a small gathering for your closest family or a grand reception for hundreds of guests? Whatever you have in mind, you can make it happen in Montenegro.

Montenegro’s wedding venues are truly diverse. You can choose from numerous private villas, seaside resorts, and luxury hotels in popular locations such as Budva, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Tivat, and Perast. Alternatively, you can hold your ceremony in unique outdoor locations amidst Montenegro’s natural wonders.

For a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony, Montenegro offers you glistening beaches, charming vineyards and its idyllic countryside. For those who wish to incorporate stunning views into their ceremony, some of the most famous locations are Aman Sveti Stefan near Budva, and Durmitor National Park.

If you’re planning a church wedding, there are a number of Montenegrin churches and monasteries that have a stunning exterior and interior, and provide the perfect atmosphere. The most popular place for a church wedding in Montenegro is Our Lady Of The Rock Church in Perast.

For a sophisticated and luxurious venue hire in Montenegro, you can choose one of Porto Montenegro’s exceptional indoor and outdoor event venues. Regent Hotel is perhaps the most prominent.

The Porto Montenegro Yacht Club sits at the heart of the yachting community’s social and sporting activities, and is the perfect place for a fabulous and memorable wedding. With its relaxed ambience, captivating views over Kotor Bay, and a 64-metre infinity pool, it will create an atmosphere worthy of your special day.

It occupies an area of about 1,500 m2 – with different lounge spaces, dining facilities and a unique Buddha-Bar Beach. There you can experience an explosion of flavour, with local produce and exotic spices fused together.

Want to get married outdoors with glistening waters, superyachts, and towering mountains as your wedding backdrop? Look no further than Porto Montenegro’s Marina Park.

Marina Park is a picturesque lawned park situated in Porto Montenegro’s yacht marina. It occupies an area of 874 m2 and can accommodate up to 350 standing guests or 200 seated guests. Apart from its enthralling views over the moored superyachts, it also has a range of practical facilities such as ample parking.

Tivat and its modern neighbourhood of Porto Montenegro are a perfect place for a wedding reception. But, they also give you the chance to experience a rich cultural heritage and a relaxed and carefree lifestyle in a serene and sunny area.

Those who look for Kotor wedding venues often end up choosing Tivat. You can reach Kotor by car in just 15 minutes, and Tivat is conveniently placed for you to explore a host of popular tourist attractions. It’s also just a 10-minute drive from Tivat Airport.

Instead of just renting one of Porto Montenegro’s venues for your celebration, why not book a stay in a Venetian-inspired and nautically-themed hotel? That way you can enjoy the wellness facilities, fine-dining restaurants, and exclusive retail amenities on offer.

Choose your perfect wedding venue in Porto Montenegro and let us help you plan your dream wedding. Then extend your stay with us – for you and your partner or for your whole family – so you can explore the beauty of Montenegro and experience a life less ordinary.