You want to get married in a dream-like setting, but Hawaii and Los Vegas are not quite what you had in mind. Did you know you can get married in Switzerland? Why not in Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn, in Lucerne (Luzern) on the Chapel bridge (Kappelbrücke) or in one of thousands of other locations! Switzerland abounds with idyllic settings for you and your guests to enjoy a truly unforgettable wedding.

Procedure
The procedure is fast and easy. Once you have chosen the municipality in which you would like to hold your wedding, simply get in touch with the local town hall or registry office and send them the appropriate form. All the necessary procedures can be done through correspondence. You will be asked to send a detailed description of the event, as well as a certain number of documents:

• Birth certificate
• Record of civil status
• Proof of residence
• Previous marriage certificate, if need be (divorce statement or death certificate)

Once they have all the documents, the cantonal authorities will examine them and will give you their decision within 4 to 5 days. Marriage authorizations are valid for three months, so there is no point in proceeding far in advance. Two months prior to the planned date should suffice.

Some municipalities may state that they do not organize such marriages. In Lausanne, for example, there is said to be too high a demand for marriages of residents and as a consequence, places are limited. In reality, you simply need to press them a bit. You have the right to marry in the municipality of your choice. They may give you a certain delay, but under no circumstances can they refuse to take your request into account.

This procedure costs SFR 500. You will be asked to pay a deposit of SFR 250 to SFR 300 and to settle the balance on the day of your wedding.