What better way to celebrate that most special day than to surround yourself with the elegance of the Italian Consulate General in SF, perched atop the hills with gleaming views of the Bay? Many don’t know, but the Consulate is a popular place for couples to bond themselves in official matrimony. It’s also the former mansion of the Hills Brothers, who made their fortune selling coffee in California at the end of the 1800’s. For those looking for an expeditious and special way to tie the knot, consider the noble edifice of the Consulate at your service.
So how does it work?
Application to get married in a Consulate
If you want to get married in an Italian Consulate the first thing to do is submit your application to get married in a Consulate. Both of you will need to sign the application and either take it in person to the Consulate or send it by post, fax or email. You must also attach a photocopy of your identity documents.
If the Consulate accepts your application (as it meets the legal requirements) you can then ask for your banns to be published, or “posted”.
Posting your banns
In Italy, before a marriage can take place, the banns must be posted by a civil registrar. The banns are valid for six months. You can therefore get married from the 4th day until the 180th day after the banns were first posted.
If you are unable to go in person to ask for the banns to be posted, you can delegate a third party to do so. In this case, you must use a special “proxy” written on “plain paper” (i.e. not requiring a tax stamp). This must be accompanied by a photocopy of your identity documents, which must be valid. If you are not European Union citizens and are not resident in Italy, you must have your signature authenticated.
Costs and ceremony details
The cost for officiating the wedding at the Italian Consulate is 500.00 Euros. For terms of payment please contact directly the vital records office.
The duration of the ceremony is usually about 20 minutes and the couple must be accompanied by two witnesses.
For full information from the Consular website, click here.