Where you can legally marry in Sicily
The casa comunale rule, some authorised venues we know, and the paperwork, explained for British couples.Most British couples dreaming of a Sicilian wedding follow the simplest route: marry legally at a register office in the UK, then hold the ceremony and celebration in Sicily. That symbolic route removes nearly all the Italian bureaucracy and lets you marry anywhere you like, led by anyone you like.But a symbolic ceremony is the celebration, not the marriage. Some couples want the legal moment itself to happen in Sicily: the vows that make you married, the register signed there and then, an Italian marriage certificate to bring home. That is the legal route, and it is entirely possible for British couples.
The one rule: an authorised location
An Italian civil marriage or civil union must take place at a location authorised by the local comune, known as a casa comunale. Traditionally that meant the town hall. Today, comuni across eastern Sicily have passed resolutions authorising private venues as extensions of the casa comunale, which means the registrar can marry you legally in a garden, on a beach or in a medieval palazzo.In Italy, civil marriages and civil unions are covered by the same comune authorisation. A venue verified for one is verified for the other, so same-sex couples have exactly the same choice of legal venues.Here are three authorised venues in the east of the island, chosen because they could hardly be more different from one another.
Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano, Taormina: a fourteenth-century palazzo
Taormina is probably the most famous place in Sicily, and Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano is where it holds its civil ceremonies: one of the town's finest medieval buildings, a fortified palazzo in dark lava stone and pale Syracuse limestone, set in its own garden near Porta Catania. Demand is real: high-season dates are booked well ahead, and summer Saturdays go first. The comune's ceremony fee for non-residents in 2026 is €1,200 on a weekday and €1,600 at a weekend.Best for: couples who want history and architecture, Taormina on the doorstep for photographs and celebrations, and a ceremony with real sense of occasion.
Thalos, Augusta: a garden estate beneath Etna
Thirty minutes south of Catania airport, Thalos is a private estate of citrus gardens, pools and a stone amphitheatre with Etna on the horizon. In late spring the gardens carry the scent of zagara, the Sicilian orange blossom. The comune of Augusta has accredited Thalos for civil ceremonies, so the legal wedding takes place in the gardens themselves, with the reception following on site. Exclusive hire starts around €3,800; smaller groups can often agree a reduced rate. There is accommodation on site for the wedding party, and the venue works well from spring through autumn.Best for: couples picturing a garden ceremony with mountain views, a full reception in one place, and easy airport logistics for guests.
Blasé, Marzamemi: a legal ceremony on the beach
Marzamemi is an old fishing village on Sicily's south-eastern tip, a few kilometres from Noto. Blasé sits directly on the sand, and it is authorised by the comune for civil ceremonies, which makes it one of the few places in Sicily where the legal marriage itself can happen barefoot on a beach. It hosts anything from two guests to about a hundred and twenty, with dinner on the terrace and the sunset over the water. Venue hire runs from about €1,000 to €2,300. It is a seasonal venue, open roughly May to September, so it does not suit autumn or winter dates.Best for: elopements and smaller weddings, couples who want the sea as the setting rather than the backdrop, and summer dates.
What the legal route involves
The paperwork is real but manageable with the right guidance:A certificate of no impediment (CNI), obtained by giving notice at your local register office in the UK. The gov.uk "getting married abroad" service tells each couple their exact route.An apostille on the CNI from the FCDO Legalisation Office, followed by a certified Italian translation in the form the chosen comune accepts.A sworn declaration before the registrar in Sicily, in person, usually about two days before the wedding.The ceremony itself, conducted in Italian by the registrar, with an interpreter and two witnesses as required by law.An apostille on the Italian marriage certificate so the marriage is recognised in the UK.A comfortable timeline is four to six months. Italian offices slow down in August, so build that in.
How we help
Married in Sicily coordinates the whole process for one fixed fee agreed up front. We are bilingual and UK-based, so the comune correspondence, the document checking, the translations and the Italian side of the day itself are handled directly, not passed through an agency. We are not tied to any one venue or agency, we take no supplier commission, and you pay venues and suppliers directly, so the venue we suggest is simply the one that fits you.If you are weighing symbolic against legal, or want to know whether a particular venue can host a legal ceremony, book a free call and we will give you an answer you can rely on.
Talk it through
Tell us about the wedding you're dreaming of in Sicily. We'll talk through possible locations, the practical challenges and likely cost, so you leave knowing whether a Sicilian wedding is right for the most important day of your lives.
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Last updated: June 2026.