Tenerife, with its all-year-round warmth, exotic beaches and mesmerising landscapes, is one of the best wedding destinations in the world. Without a doubt, Tenerife is the perfect place to say “I do” to your beloved. But you’re probably asking yourself “can I get married legally in Tenerife”?

You can have a civil wedding and do your legal wording in Tenerife if you or your partner is:

• a citizen of Spain

• A resident of Spain for at least two years before the marriage

If you are a foreigner and you or your partner do not hold Spanish citizenship or reside legally in Spain, the best option to make getting married in Tenerife a dream come true is to have a catholic wedding or have a marriage blessing.

Catholic Wedding in Tenerife

Spain houses some of the best catholic churches in the world. Tenerife weddings in catholic churches are registered and legally recognised. After the wedding ceremony, the Catholic Church wedding certificate is taken to the Spanish Civil registry to issue a civil wedding certificate.

Requirements The requirements to hold your Tenerife wedding in a catholic church are simple and straightforward. Basically, you or your partner must be a catholic and should not have been married or divorced in a catholic church. For a smooth Catholic Church wedding in Tenerife, we recommend that you begin the process at least 9 months before. All necessary documents should be sent to the priest in Tenerife by the bishop in your home country, and not by you. Also, documents should have been issued, at most, 6 months before the wedding.

Required Documentation for Your Catholic Church Wedding in Tenerife

- Original birth certificates (long form)

- Fe de Solteria y Vida (Civil Letter of Freedom to Marry)

- Prenuptial enquiry form

- Death certificate (if widowed)

- Letter of declaration from your parish

- Two photocopies of passports

- Two photocopies of birth certificate

Non-Catholic Wedding in Tenerife

If you or your partner isn’t Catholic, you can’t do a legally binding wedding in Tenerife. However, you can have your marriage blessings in Tenerife in front of family and friends. The only difference between a marriage blessing and a legal wedding is the legally-binding register you’ll sign in a civil/catholic wedding. This is why we recommended that you hold a civil marriage in your home country before coming down to Tenerife for an emotional and lovely wedding blessing ceremony.