A Civil wedding ceremony would be carried out at the Town Hall in the old historic centre of Maratea. This is mandatory under Italian law. The civil ceremony would be conducted by the Mayor at the Municipio (the Town Hall) in the Italian tradition and according to Italian law, or, if he is not available for any reason, by his deputy. You will have 2 Italian witnesses and an interpreter. This will be local people one of whom will be your local wedding organizer. The Civil Ceremony takes place in the Mayor’s office, an impressive room representing the centre of Maratea’s civic establishment. The Mayor or his deputy will conduct a brief ceremony. Dress can be informal ( smart casual) if you wish. It will last approximately 10 to 15 minutes. For the Civil Ceremony the number of guests who can be accommodated in the room is usually limited, as you would expect. Apart from the bride and groom there are 2 officials, the interpreter, and the 2 witnesses. You could be surrounded by your relatives if you wish.

A Civil wedding ceremony would be carried out at the Town Hall in the old historic centre of Maratea. (see Civil ceremonies). This is mandatory under Italian law. However this ceremony can be repeated at any location of your choosing afterwards, even on another day if so you wish. You could choose from any type of location. Maratea is full of suitable places to conduct a symbolic wedding after the main legal one has been held in the Municipio (Town Hall). The Mayor or his Deputy will meet you later (at a subsequent date or time at your chosen symbolic wedding location). He will then conduct a full Italian marriage ceremony completely translated for the benefit of you and your guests. The outdoor ceremony can take place any day of the week except Sunday. The Town Hall visit cannot be on Saturday or Sunday.

Foreign citizens can be married in Italy according to the Catholic rites. In this case, the ceremony must take place in a Catholic Church (see paperwork requirements). Maratea is also well known for its 44 churches. Big churches and small chapels (see Church wedding) are found at sites with ancient religious origins. A separate civil ceremony is unnecessary because the priest must register the marriage with Civil State Officer in order to be legal it. There is no wedding hosting fee for church weddings. A donation to the Church is expected

For the couple who do not want or cannot celebrate a formal civil or religious wedding ceremony, a symbolic ceremony is an ideal solution – thus avoiding legal documentation in Italy and expensive town hall fees in Italy. You may already be civilly married but want a ceremony in a beautiful location or to renew your vows on a special anniversary. Symbolic ceremonies are celebrated by an English speaking officiant and can take place anywhere you like without restriction, for any couple and for any reason as they are not legally binding. There is no documentation required for a symbolic wedding and it is the perfect choice for those who have already had a civil ceremony. A symbolic ceremony can consist of personalized vows and exchange of rings in an unusual setting.