The complete guide
How to Get Married in Santorini
Legal requirements, paperwork, timescales and what it actually costs — the whole process, start to finish.
Getting Married in Santorini: A Complete Guide
If a destination wedding appeals to you, consider marrying in Santorini. With the climate, the scenery and the food, you have all the ingredients of a very good day. Here it is common to marry outdoors, in a beach or villa setting, without depleting your savings in the process.
Below we cover what you need to make a Santorini wedding happen, from the legal requirements and paperwork through to the locations and the customs.
Types of ceremony
What kinds of wedding are possible here?
Civil ceremonies are the most common. They must take place in a town hall or another authorised venue — a venue becomes authorised by paying a fee and obtaining a licence. Couples of mixed religion often choose to marry here if they cannot marry at home. Many countries do not allow civil ceremonies themselves but will still legally recognise one conducted abroad.
Religious weddings are also common, whatever your faith. Catholic marriages are typically preceded by a civil ceremony. Otherwise marriages in Santorini are internationally recognised as legally binding. For Anglican weddings, a civil ceremony is not required.
Symbolic ceremonies are identical in every visible way but are not legally binding, which means no documents, no apostilles and no translation costs. Many couples handle the legal part quietly at home and hold the real ceremony here.
Same-sex civil unions and registered partnerships are legally recognised in Greece, and we plan commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples at the same venues, with the same team.
Legal requirements
What the law actually asks of you.
The legal requirements to marry in Santorini are not especially strict. You must apply for your wedding day with a marriage officer — in person or through your wedding planner — in the municipality where you will be marrying. You must provide all required documentation, and be in Santorini for three clear business days before your wedding day.
You need two witnesses for the ceremony, or we can provide witnesses for you at no extra cost. These rules apply whether you are an expat here or a visitor, and whether you are marrying a foreign citizen or a Greek one.
The process. To apply for a civil marriage or civil partnership you make a reservation at Santorini Town Hall via your wedding planner, or in person with the marriage officer. For religious weddings, you contact the registered officiant at the house of worship where you plan to marry.
Normally you must marry no sooner than 15 days and no later than three months from the time you apply. Alternatively you can pay a fee to marry within three business days. If you wait beyond three months from your application, that application becomes void.
After the wedding, the marriage officer sends a certified copy of the marriage certificate to your home country's embassy.
Costs
What a 30-person wedding here tends to cost.
Some luxury villas and hotels offer package deals covering food, venue hire and a planner for a set cost — these average around €5,000 for 30 guests, depending on formality. Below are individual estimates for a moderately formal 30-person wedding.
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Seven nights' villa accommodation for all guests | €3,000 |
| Paperwork and administrative costs | €200 – €400 |
| Reception site | €1,000 |
| Flowers | €500 |
| Decorations | €300 |
| Dress, shoes, accessories | €600 |
| Wedding planner | €800 |
| Photographer | €325 |
| Cake | €100 |
| Drinks | €900 |
| Food | €900 |
Estimates only. Our own packages start at €950 for a civil ceremony and €1,550 for a symbolic one — see wedding packages.
Before you book
Questions and Answers
Is our civil marriage in Santorini legal worldwide?
Yes. The marriage certificate is a legal document issued by the Greek Government and is accepted internationally. You will use the certificate to register your marriage back home once you have received it.
How do we obtain the marriage certificate?
After the ceremony we arrange a meeting at the Town Hall so we can proceed with the final signatures. Getting your marriage certificate with the apostille stamp usually takes 3–4 weeks. As soon as we receive it back from the Town Hall we send it to you by post.
We don't have two witnesses for the ceremony.
We will be more than happy to provide two witnesses for you at no extra cost, so please don't worry about it.
How long do we have to be on the island prior to the wedding?
We recommend being on the island at least two days before the wedding, as we like to hold a pre-wedding meeting to discuss all the details. For a civil wedding in Santorini it is also necessary for the couple to be here one working day after the wedding, so we can arrange the final signature at the Town Hall.
Can we get married on the same day we arrive in Santorini?
We only provide this service for couples arriving on the island via cruise ship. Otherwise we recommend being on the island two days prior to the wedding date.
When is the best time to book my wedding?
Santorini is a very popular wedding destination and the available days go fast, so it is better to book your wedding day as soon as possible in order to reserve the date and the venue you prefer.
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Send us your preferred ceremony dates and anything you already have in mind. We check availability with the venues and the registrar, then come back with real options and real prices — no obligation.