Dreaming of a destination wedding overseas? It gets a lot more complicated when you’re LGBTQ+, because same-sex marriage is still prohibited in most of the world. The good news: There are more than 30 nations that have legalized it, and that number is growing all the time.

Consider one of these gorgeous gay-friendly wedding destinations—plus, get tips for making everything go smoothly!

Tips for planning an LGBTQ+ destination wedding overseas

• In general, if you legally get married abroad, your marriage will be valid in the United States.¹ You will need to meet the requirements for marriage in your destination country, which may include bringing certain legal documents and/or submitting an application ahead of time. Working with a wedding planner can streamline the process.
• Need some expert help researching your chosen wedding destination? Call your Allianz Travel Insurance concierge! (included in certain plans) Your concierge can suggest LGBTQ+-friendly wedding venues and officiants, recommend local caterers and bakeries, and advise you on the legal requirements for marriage at your destination. Please note that a concierge can’t organize the whole wedding for you, but they’ll be happy to connect you with a local planner.
• If you don’t want to jump through the legal hoops, you may decide to have a symbolic wedding or wedding celebration at your destination. Do all the paperwork when you’re back in the U.S.
• Travel insurance is an absolute must. While insurance can’t cover the costs of the wedding itself, it protects you and your spouse-to-be with benefits for emergency medical care, trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, lost/delayed/damaged baggage, and more.

See the best travel insurance plans for destination weddings and honeymoons.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica was the first Central American country to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2020. It has since become a popular LGBTQ+ wedding destination, as it’s close to the U.S. and offers stunningly beautiful beaches, rainforests and waterfalls.

Gay-friendly wedding venues aren’t hard to find. Blue Osa Yoga Retreat and Spa, on the tip of the Osa Peninsula on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, offers perfect seclusion between the rainforest and the sea. For an truly magical (and relaxing!) experience for you and your guests, hold your wedding at Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort: a lushly landscaped resort and hot-springs complex next to the Arenal volcano.

Getting legally married in Costa Rica is a simple process.²

• Provide a copy of each spouse’s passport.
• Fill out a marriage application with your dates of birth, occupations, current addresses, and the names and addresses of your parents.
• If one partner has been married before, they’ll need to furnish an official copy of the divorce decree.
• Choose two people to witness the ceremony who are not related to the couple. If you’re eloping, your hotel or wedding planner can provide witnesses.
• Arrange your officiant. In Costa Rica, any wedding that’s not in a Catholic church is considered to be a civil ceremony, so you’ll want to find a local lawyer who’s authorized to perform weddings. The lawyer will record your marriage with the National Registry so you can get an official marriage certificate issued and mailed to you.

Iceland

Black volcanic beaches. Shimmering blue icebergs. Mossy green lava fields. Iceland’s spectacular natural beauty and welcoming culture make it the ideal LGBTQ+-friendly destination wedding location. English is widely spoken. Plus, it’s easy to get to from the U.S. and Europe, if you have guests coming from both sides of the Atlantic.

Some couples opt for a wedding out in the open air, in front of a waterfall, or even in an ice cave. For a religious ceremony, you may want to get married in one of Iceland’s austere but lovely churches. One of the best known is Búðakirkja, a historic church on the south side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

To get legally married in Iceland, you must first gather all the documents you need. These include:

• A marriage notification (Hjónavígsluskýrsla)
• Birth certificates for both partners
• Valid passports for both partners
• A certificate of marital status, issued within 8 weeks before the wedding date. This can be tricky, because the U.S. government can’t give you an official document saying you’re eligible to marry. “However, most countries will accept a statement from you regarding your ability to marry if your signature on the affidavit has been notarized by a U.S. consular officer,” the U.S. Embassy in Iceland advises.³
• A divorce decree, if either partner is divorced
• If either partner has been widowed, a document detailing that the deceased's estate has been settled

You can email the documents first, but be sure to bring the originals when you arrive in Iceland, no later than five days before the wedding date. Once you’re married, you can get a wedding certificate in English from the National Registry.

Portugal

Portugal’s vineyards, villages and dramatic coastline are the perfect backdrop for a romantic wedding. You could get married at Solar de Pancas, a 15^th-century villa with a courtyard in the wine region of Alenquer. Or plan a green wedding (literally) at Estufa Fría, a historic greenhouse and botanical garden in the heart of Lisbon.

The process for getting legally married in Portugal is fairly simple, but you can’t procrastinate! “It usually takes a minimum of four weeks to process each application and once approval is granted, the marriage must occur within six months,” the U.S. Embassy says.⁴

First, request a marriage license from any Portuguese Civil Registrar Office. Then, you’ll need to provide these documents:

• A certified birth certificate for both spouses, translated into Portuguese
• Passports for both spouses, or a resident permit if you live in Portugal (These two documents are not required when you are represented by an attorney who is requesting the marriage license on your behalf.)
• A certified copy of the final divorce papers, issued within the last six months and translated into Portuguese, if you’re divorced
• A certified copy of the death certificate of your previous spouse, issued within the last six months and translated into Portuguese, if you’re widowed
• A Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (Certificado de Capacidade Matrimonial). While the U.S. givernment can’t issue this certificate, you can execute a statement of eligibility to marry at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon before a consular officer and present it to the Civil Registry Office.  
• A power of attorney, if you’re being represented by a lawyer in this process

The couple must also make a declaration that specifies the type of marriage (civil or religious), their matrimonial property scheme, and the location, date and time of the wedding. Pay the fee, and you’re good to go!

Mexico

Mexico has long been a favorite wedding destination for Americans, and as of 2022, same-sex marriage is legal in all of Mexico’s 32 states.⁶ Puerto Vallarta, a resort destination on the Pacific coast, has long had a reputation as a gay-friendly vacation spot. Other popular options are Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, two towns on the Baja California Peninsula that are known for dramatic seascapes, luxury resorts and energetic nightlife.

The legal marriage process in Mexico is slightly more involved, compared to other LGBTQ+ wedding destinations. Specific requirements for the documents you need vary by state, so check the procedure for your intended destination.

If local laws require it, both spouses-to-be must arrive in Mexico at least three days before the ceremony in order to get mandatory blood tests for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and blood type. (Can you get married in Mexico if you’re HIV+? That depends on the state. Some prohibit people with HIV from getting married. Others allow it if the partner without HIV signs a document attesting that they’re aware of their partner’s status. Still other states leave the decision up to a local judge.⁵)

If you and your spouse are both American citizens, you're going to need all of the documents required by the state where your wedding is being held. These may include:

• A completed marriage application
• Tourist permits issued when you entered Mexico
• Both valid passports
• Apostilled birth certificates, translated into Spanish by a certified translator. (An apostille is a certificate that shows your original document is authentic.)
• Medical certificates and chest X-rays, issued shortly before the wedding
• A divorce or death certificate for your previous spouse(s), if applicable. (In Mexico, you must wait a year after divorce before remarrying.)
• Written permission granted by the parents or guardians, or a legal emancipation document, if one or both parties are under 18
• Originals and copies of four witnesses' IDs

Bring these to the Civil Register Office, pay the fee, and say “I do!” For your wedding to be recognized in the United States, you'll need to have the wedding certificate processed to receive an official apostille seal. It will be mailed to your home address a few months later.

Wherever you plan to have your dream destination wedding, be sure to double-check the local laws and requirements, as these may change. Don’t forget your Allianz Travel Insurance plan—not only for your wedding trip, but for your honeymoon! The Allianz Group is proud to support LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms worldwide. Learn more.

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