Your All-encompassing Guide to A Bali Wedding

Getting married abroad is not only trendy, it is becoming an option for more and more couples. In the UK, for instance, 1 in every 10 couples gets married abroad. The reasons vary and they cover a wide range of considerations, with one exception, the top destinations have remained fairly constant.

The heavenly beaches, spiritual atmosphere, and scenic view make Bali one of those top destinations. If you have done your research and decided Bali is your choice, here is a guide that will help you navigate the process and make your Bali wedding both perfect and rememberable.

Legality

Legality is arguably the most important factor to consider before getting married in Bali. It can be quite the disappointment for you to spend money only to realize later that your marriage is not recognized under any law.

Legality has two aspects to it. The first one being; is it legal for foreigners/citizens of any nationality to get married in Bali? Yes, persons of any nationality can get married in Bali as long as they are followers of one of the five religions recognized by Indonesia. See, in Bali; a wedding has to be officiated by both a religious leader and a civil registrar, otherwise, that wedding is not considered legal. Because this is the law, foreigners must adhere to it as well. The five recognized religions include; Hinduism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, and Protestantism.

The second aspect of legality is if the marriage will be considered legal in the couple’s respective country. Here is where it gets a bit tricky because largely it will depend on the laws of that particular country. In Australia, for instance, there is a document that enumerates Australia’s position on the recognition of foreign marriages and one is often advised to consult a solicitor.

However, in the case of a Bali marriage, there is a general rule that usually applies to most countries. First, a couple has to visit the respective Embassy or Consulate and get a certificate of No Impediment. Basically, the certificate states that there is no objection to the couple getting married in Bali. The couple, therefore, visits the Consulate, swears an oath that they are free to marry without an objection from anyone and they are issued with the certificate.

After getting the certificate, the couple is also required to have Birth Certificates for both parties, Passports, Religious Faith details, for example, a Baptism Card, Death Certificate of a former spouse or Divorce Certificate where applicable, and two witnesses.

With that done, then you are now ready to have a wedding in Bali.

Consider Wedding Packages.

Once the legal aspects are settled, it is time to get the details and preparation right. Here is where wedding packages come in.

As the name suggests, a wedding package is a list of services concerning your wedding that is provided by an agent, a company, a resort or a hotel. For a given sum calculated to cover everything, the wedding package will deal with the venue, decoration, food, dress, registration, reception and any other details. All the couple has to do is show up.

The parameters of the services that the wedding package covers will depend on the provider of that package. It is thus crucial that before settling on a package, the couple should go through the details thoroughly to ensure they are getting value for their money.

Two things to consider when deciding on a wedding package is affordability and that the package should take care of the majority of the wedding details.

While a couple might decide not to use a wedding package, it is advisable to use one because of three major benefits. One, the language barrier ceases to be an issue. Second, it is less stressful and finally, a wedding package is more pocket-friendly.

Answers to Other Frequently Asked

Can we get married in a Balinese Temple? While any other venue is allowed, one cannot get married in any of the Temples.

What about a symbolic ceremony must we adhere to the legal requirements? No, for a symbolic ceremony a couple can have a blessing or commitment ceremony that requires no legal documents.

Can we skip the religious ceremony? No, as explained above, a religious ceremony is a requirement.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.