Getting married in Monaco: what it actually takes
Who can marry in the Principality, the one rule that surprises everyone, and the right order to do things in — from the first document to the day itself.
The short answer first: you cannot simply arrive and marry. Monaco celebrates a civil wedding only if at least one of the two of you is Monegasque, or is domiciled — or has been staying continuously — in the Principality for more than a month by the time the banns are published. That is article 139 of the Monegasque Civil Code, quoted on the Mairie de Monaco’s own page.
How long does it take to get married in Monaco?
The first is the residence clock: the month of continuous presence (or Monegasque nationality) has to be true of one of you before the banns. The second is the publication clock: article 52 has the banns posted for ten days, and the wedding can only follow them. Neither clock can be compressed by enthusiasm, or by a planner — which is why we tell couples to start from the paperwork, not from the date.
Where and when are civil weddings celebrated?
Civil weddings are celebrated at the Mairie de Monaco: on weekdays between 10:00 and 16:00, and on Saturday mornings between 10:00 and 11:30. The Mairie itself recommends booking several months ahead, especially for Saturday mornings between May and October. If you were imagining a Saturday ceremony in June, that sentence is the most important one on this page.
Which documents do you need?
The exact list is not something to take from any website — ours included. It depends on the nationalities and situations of you both, and the authoritative version comes from the Mairie’s civil-status office. What is universally true: foreign documents take time. Issuing, legalising and translating them involves more than one office in more than one country, and some expire while you wait. Ask for your list before you set your heart on a date.
Is a marriage in Monaco recognised in your country?
A wedding abroad is only half the journey: the marriage then has to be recognised in your own country. Italians know this as the trascrizione — the Monegasque certificate travels through the consulate to your comune’s registers. Other countries have their own versions of the same path. Whoever plans your wedding should be able to explain the route for your passport before you commit to anything.
Can you sign at home and celebrate here?
Plenty of couples do the civil part in their own country and hold the celebration on the coast. It removes the residence rule from the equation and frees the calendar completely. Nothing about the day itself needs to change — the vows, the dinner, the view stay exactly as planned; only the signature happens elsewhere, earlier.
Source
Mairie de Monaco, «Se marier à Monaco», read on 12 August 2026 — articles 139 and 52 of the Civil Code are quoted there, together with the celebration hours. Rules change; the source is linked so you can check it the day you read this.