how to get married in gibraltar

We were initially going to use a wedding planner.  At more than twice the price of arranging everything ourselves, Sweet Gibraltar Weddings seemed worth the premium for the peace of mind of having someone local to arrange the date, paperwork, flowers, etc.  That was until I asked to reserve our date and they told me that the price they'd quoted was a "special offer" and that the price had since gone up by £100.  Less than 10 minutes after telling them "nevermind," they replied saying that they'd honor their original quote.  I don't deal with vendors who pull those kinds of shenanigans, so I decided to do it myself! (and I'm glad I did)

The cost of a Registry Office wedding in Gibraltar, including the license, ceremony, notary, and certificates is around £160.  With the visa and residency requirements, we were looking at around £1100 for the same in England.   And this, my friends, is why I abandoned my dreams of a midwinter handfasting to get married in Gibraltar!

This website told me everything I needed to know about the logistics of planning a Gibraltar wedding.  For a Registry Office wedding, you don't need a wedding planner, just a little patience :)

The days and times of Registry Office weddings leave a bit to be desired.  You can only get married on weekdays between 9:00 & 2:00, and most of the days leading up to Christmas and just after New Year's are also off limits. 

For those keeping score at home, that means no midwinter wedding date, and no evening ceremony! I'd hoped to keep at least some our original vision intact, but alas, we'll be married at 1:00 on an insignificant date in late September.

Reserving the date was a very slow, uncertain, and stressful experience.  After emailing our document scans and preferred date/time to the Registrar, I heard nothing for days.  I sent a follow-up email and still nothing.  I called and they said they'd "look into it."  Still nothing.  Nothing for two weeks!  I was beginning to think the Registry Office was in cahoots with the wedding planners and that we wouldn't be getting married in Gibraltar, near Spain after all.  Then one Saturday morning, I got the email I thought would never come and I was happy I hadn't freaked out completely and hired a wedding planner!

The Gibraltar Registry Office has been very pleasant to deal with and I get the sense that they're just very busy.  So if you're planning a Gibraltar wedding and are reaching freak out stage because they haven't confirmed your date, make a Cosmo and chill out.  They'll get back to you :)

With the date finally confirmed, we had to decide on a florist and a photographer.  Wedding planners will try to tell you they have access to the "best" vendors, but Gibraltar is small and there's a limited number of florists, photographers, salons, etc., so DIY brides have the exact same access as the wedding planners have.  Since Gibraltar is a British territory, the local language is English, which really simplifies things. Trip Advisor has been an invaluable resource, there are plenty of people in the Gibraltar forum who have been married in Gibraltar and they're very helpful to aspiring Gibraltar brides.

With the money we've saved by skipping the wedding planner, we're splurging on our first choice photographer... I knew he was it as soon as I clicked on his portfolio! He's based out of Spain and does both weddings and commercial/glamour photography.  It's just going to be the two of us and my choice of dress is trending more towards designer than bridal, so he'll approach the day as a fashion shoot, not a wedding... no botanical gardens, no bridal poses, nothing lame;  just glamour and romance around the Rock!