Frequently Asked Questions

Is our marriage legally recognised in the UK?

YES Kuoni overseas weddings are registered in the country where they take place and are then legally recognised in the UK. If you do not live permanently in the UK, please check with your own local authorities. Our wedding packages are designed for couples who are booking a complete Kuoni holiday. For legal requirements for all the featured wedding destinations please read p88-89 in this brochure.

Can we change our wedding date after we have booked?

YES Simply let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your requirements. There will be a small administration charge of £25 for each change. To cancel a wedding the charges are as follows: prior to 61 days before departure – loss of deposit (£200) within 61 days – 100% of wedding package price These cancellation charges will apply for all weddings including free weddings. Charges for cancelling or changing your holiday will apply asper the holiday brochure booking conditions.

Can we in vite guests to our wedding?

YES this is a very popular way to get married overseas. Simply let us know how many guests will be attending, and we will be pleased to book their holiday. Guests living in the country can attend but there is a £35 per head administration fee. NB: Please note some destinations require wedding guests to reside at the same location as the bride and groom. If the wedding couple are staying at an all inclusive resort, guests not staying at the same hotel may need to buy a one day pass to attend the ceremony, certain number, gender and age restrictions may apply. If guests cancel, cancellation charges may apply.

How do we transport our wedding outfits on the flights?

Generally there is no extra baggage allowance for wedding outfits on all carriers. We recommend wedding outfits should be packed in ‘hard’ suitcases which will be placed in the hold of the aircraft. Please contact the relevant airline should you require any further information, including baggage allowances on domestic flights. when can we be married? In most destinations, your wedding ceremony may be conducted Monday to Friday, excluding local holidays. In some countries, local festivals and holidays will determine available wedding dates, for example Poya days in Sri Lanka when no alcohol is served. All weddings are subject to availability of local staff and the wedding location/venue.

Where will our wedding take place?

Generally, your ceremony will take place in the grounds of your hotel unless otherwise specified. If your wedding is booked to take place in a public venue for example San Francisco locations, this will be re-confirmed with you while you are on holiday, subject to local regulations and availability plus weather conditions. We have no control over and may not be made aware of renovations planned to take place in public areas.

How do we book optional extras?

When you have booked your holiday we will send you a wedding information pack with an up-to-date price list if applicable to your wedding destination. These can be requested before you travel by the Kuoni Wedding Concierge Team or booked and paid for locally once you are in resort. These prices act as a guide and will vary from hotel to hotel (subject to change locally without notice).

What is included in our wedding?

The holiday and wedding price we confirm at the time of booking is the price we guarantee. Free weddings may not always include the same items as paid for weddings and are not usually combined with hotel special offers. Wedding package inclusions are correct at time of print (September ’09) however they may be subject to change.

Who will conduct our ceremony?

The majority of our weddings are conducted by a marriage officer whose title varies depending upon the resort ie: Australia will be a Celebrant, Barbados will be a Minister or Registrar. Where it is possible to be married by a Minister, the ceremony will be non denominational unless otherwise stated.

Can we have more than one copy of the marriage certificate?

YES Copies can be obtained by taking the original marriage certificate to your solicitor who will certify copies for you. Alternatively, when you are in resort, please request an additional copy from the marriage officer. In some destinations, the overseas authorities complete paperwork after the wedding has taken place. Generally, your original marriage certificate will be sent to you within four months.

Legalised documents

In some destinations such as Jamaica you will be required to have your documents legalised by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. The Kuoni Weddings team will give you details if this is required.

This document can be obtained from a Notary Public who can usually be found through a solicitor’s office. The document should detail information relevant to your circumstances to address the needs of the authorities in your chosen destination. For example, the document should explain that you are free to marry whilst there and confirm your marital status. Once you have booked your holiday and wedding with us we will provide an example that will help you. Costs may vary considerably from solicitor to solicitor and the affidavit will need to be signed and stamped.

This is a document required by some countries which states that there is no known impediment to your proposed marriage. If one is required for your chosen destination we will inform you on the document check list within your wedding pack. These certificates vary in the length of time they are valid for (sometimes just for a few months), so it is important to check the requirements which apply to your circumstances. Please also be aware that a Certificate of No Impediment may be insufficient on its own to allow a marriage to take place in a foreign country. This certificate is prepared by the Superintendent Registrar at the Register Office in the area in which you live. The cost of this certificate is £45 per person (approx) - you will need to take various identification documents with you to your appointment, which will be explained to you by the receptionist. Subject to there being no complications, the actual Certificate of No Impediment will be issued between 17 and 23 days after your appointment.

A marriage which took place abroad under foreign local law cannot be registered in the UK, however, a record of the marriage may be lodged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office via the General Register Office (telephone 0151 471 4801) by depositing an original marriage certificate, this only applies to certain countries and where it is possible a fee will be required. This means that in future a marriage certificate could be issued by the General Register Office here, should the need arise.

These can be provided by a solicitor who is legally granted to carry out this process. An original document will always be required by the solicitor to copy for example an original birth certificate. This will be photocopied, stamped (which should include the name of the solicitor) and signed by a solicitor indicating that it is a true copy of an original document. In the event that you are required to provide certified copies, as with a wedding in Jamaica we would ask that any signatures obtained from your solicitor are given in red or blue ink. This will help the overseas authorities and ensure that certified copies are not mistaken for a photocopy.

Where a party is divorced (or their marriage has been annulled) documents to prove the dissolution or annulment must be provided. Once a divorce or annulment has been made final the court will send you a Decree Absolute which will bear a red or embossed court seal. This decree must bear the court stamp as without it your wedding may not take place. In some countries couples who have divorced cannot re-marry until a full 12 months have passed since divorcing.

NB: Cuba does not allow weddings for divorced couples.

An Apostille is official confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on a document is genuine. It can be obtained at the legislation service of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.