Austria – Wedding CeremonyIn Austria a civil ceremony is the only legally recognised marriage ceremony. It is still possible to have a religious wedding ceremony in Austria however this must take place after your civil ceremony. Your wedding ceremony will be conducted in German and you will be issued with an international marriage certificate.
In Austria only a civil ceremony is legally binding. Civil wedding ceremonies are an extremely popular choice for couples getting married in Austria and are easier to arrange than religious wedding ceremonies. Civil ceremonies are performed by officials of the Vital Statistics Office (Standesamt) and there are some very beautiful official locations in which your ceremony can take place. A civil wedding ceremony usually takes up to 30 minutes and may be personalised with your own vows and readings. The ceremony will be conducted in German and translated into English by an official interpreter. Note: even if the registrar speaks and understands English perfectly it is a legal requirement that the ceremony is done in German. Only if you and your witnesses – Austrian law asks for two witnesses – speak and understand German perfectly is the interpreter not necessary.
In Austria a religious wedding ceremony is not legally binding. If you would like to have a religious ceremony you must first have a civil ceremony. The religious official performing your ceremony must be given your marriage certificate as proof that your civil ceremony has taken place before they can conduct your ceremony. Many couples choose to have their civil ceremony the day before their religious ceremony or have their civil ceremony in their country of residence prior to arriving in Austria. If you choose to have a religious ceremony contact your local religious official and the religious official who will perform your ceremony in Austria at least six months prior to your wedding to ensure you can fulfill all the necessary requirements.
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