Advice from wedding planners about getting married in Montenegro
In recent years, more and more couples, in addition to entering into a secular marriage, are coming to the conclusion that they are consolidating their union in the “heavenly office.” For some, this is a tribute to centuries-old traditions, for others it is a high spiritual gesture, speaking of the feelings “until death do us part.”
Many faiths are represented in Montenegro. Most local parishioners are Orthodox, but there are also Catholics, and in the south of the country the minarets of Islamic mosques can be seen everywhere. Such religious diversity was formed due to the complex history of the Balkan Peninsula, and serves as a worthy example of religious tolerance.
More than 70% of churches hold services according to the Orthodox rite, so choosing a church for your wedding will not be a problem. Along with tiny churches and chapels, virtually every town has large churches, chapels with panoramic views of the sea and mountains, and, of course, cozy ancient monasteries.
To organize a wedding, you first need to decide on some factors:
The wedding will be organized by an event agency, or independently
necessary documents and conditions
approximate dates (I’ll write a little later about when it is not held)
a ceremony for two or a large celebration is planned
in which city is the event planned?
And so, everything is in order!
Cost and organization of a wedding in Montenegro
To independently organize a wedding, a little diligence and time is enough. If you are already in Montenegro, then you can arrange everything in a couple of days. To do this, you need to agree with the priest on the date and purchase a towel and candles from the church. Many couples find out general details on the Internet, and I can advise in more detail over the phone.
Another option is to order this service from specialized agencies. Then a personal consultant will be assigned to you and everything will be arranged without any hassle. An interpreter will be present at the sacrament to more accurately convey the essence of what is happening. The cost of such services averages 600-900 euros, depending on the package chosen. Or from 1500 euros if transfer, hairdresser, photographer and flower arrangement are included.
Conditions and documents for weddings in Montenegro
The wedding procedure itself is free in all churches in Montenegro, but the rules of good manners require leaving donations to the temple. There is no exact fixed amount. As they say, anyone can do as much as they can, often 50, 100, 200 euros to maintain the temple.
Before getting married, the couple must be officially registered at the registry office (no matter Montenegro or any other country), so bring copies of the marriage certificate, birth certificate and passport. Also, the priest must make sure that each of the newlyweds is baptized. For this, personal communication is sometimes sufficient, but more often they ask for an extract (ordinary note) from your home church with confirmation. The couple must not already be married and be closely related. A witness (one is enough) with a passport who is not a family member must be present at the sacrament. If you don’t have one, you can ask the photographer, stylist or apartment owner to do this honor for you in advance. It is not at all necessary to fast, attend divine services, etc., the main thing is to firmly know that it is “your” person nearby.
Choosing a wedding date
Depending on the length of your stay in the country, you can independently choose the wedding day. Often couples who have been married for several years have their own special dates (first date, wedding anniversary, the day he proposed) and want to plan for them. However, it is worth considering that weddings in churches in Montenegro are not held during fasting periods:
Rozhdestvensky (from November 28 to January 6).
Great, (7 weeks before Easter and lasts 49 days).
Petrovsky, (starts a week after Trinity and lasts until July 11).
Uspensky (from August 14 to August 27).
Also, weddings are not carried out on September 11 and 27, on Christmastide, during Maslenitsa and during Bright Week.
Big event or celebration for two
Well, we’ve got acquainted with all the details, now it’s time for more detailed planning of such an important day.
As a rule, there are two options - wedding on the wedding day and separately.
A very popular option is when the official ceremony (or symbolic, for those already married) is held on the territory of the chapel, and immediately followed by a church ritual. However, this is quite tiring both for the guests and for the newlyweds themselves. My advice, based on many years of experience, is to divide it into separate dates. It won’t be so stressful, and there will be twice as many holidays
