Is it possible to get married at the Vatican? How much does a Vatican wedding cost? I’m receiving more and more requests for weddings at the Vatican, so let’s analyse the possibility of a Vatican wedding and the budget you would need for planning a ceremony at the Vatican.
Vatican wedding: how does it work?
Yes, at the moment it is possible to plan a Vatican wedding. You can enquire about available dates a year or so in advance. You can get married in the small church of S. Anna dei Palafrenieri, or at St. Peter’s Basilica. And no, getting married in the Sistine Chapel is definitely not an option!
Weddings are performed only in the morning, usually at 10.30 am, every day except Wednesdays (when the Papal audience is held) and Sundays. You’ll be given the official confirmation for you Vatican wedding only once all the requested paperwork is received and approved of. Photographers and videographers must request a permit and ideally, it’s always better to hire a professional who has already worked at Vatican weddings and knows the exact rules.
S. Anna dei Palafrenieri is a lovely, small church, perfect for intimate and medium-sized weddings, with easy access from a gate guarded by the Swiss Guards, in Via di Porta Angelica. Here it’ll also be easy to plan for flower decorations and music, provided the church is well informed beforehand of all your plans and give you permission. Again, it’s a wise choice to use a florist and most of all, musicians who know the church and its rules.
Vatican weddings at St. Peter’s Basilica are held in the Chapel of the Choir, which is very big, looking like a small church, in fact! The Chapel is situated on the left, entering the Basilica and closed with a gate. A thick curtain will also be drawn during the celebration, so as to guarantee the privacy needed. Access for a wedding at St. Peter’s will be more complicated. The groom and all the guests should meet one hour or so outside a dedicated entrance, again guarded by the Swiss guards, pass under the metal detector and walk in altogether at the same time. They’ll be led directly to the Chapel of the Choir where they’ll wait for the bride to arrive. The bride’s car is the only vehicle that can access the area, and a permit must be requested for it. Rules are very strict, and once the ceremony is over, you can have pictures taken in the Chapel of the Choir, but you must all then leave the Basilica, with no possibility of wondering around taking pictures.
Vatican wedding cost
After understand a bit more about the options for a Vatican wedding and the way it works, let’s consider how much a Vatican wedding cost.
You should budget in an offer for the church of euro 300.00 for S. Anna dei Palafrenieri to euro 500.00 for St. Peter’s Basilica. However, this is subject to changes without notice, so you’ll need to confirm with the Vatican Office, once your wedding has been approved. You should also consider an offer for the priest to perform the ceremony and you should fine one to perform the ceremony in English or your desired language. You are welcome to travel with your own priest, provided you inform the Vatican Office and approval is given.
The paperwork should also be taken into consideration, when talking about a Vatican wedding cost. You are highly recommended to get civilly married back home, before the Vatican wedding. This way you’ll only need to produce your civil marriage certificate, along with the religious paperwork. Costs will therefore depend on your nationality and your parish’s specific procedure.
As far as the wedding reception is concerned and all the additional services you might require (photo, video, beauty services, etc.), you can refer to my blog on weddings in Italy. The wedding reception cannot be held in the Vatican City, therefore a reception venue and all the additional vendors will need to be found in Rome.
A Vatican wedding can be very complicated and rules may change from one day to another, as I could witness over the years. Seek the help of someone like Dolce Vita Weddings who can navigate the complex procedure and suggest the most appropriate suppliers who knows what to do (permits must be requested for photographers and videographers, for example) and how to behave inside the Vatican; stick by the rules and above of all, never forget that a Vatican wedding is not about cost, nor show-off. A Vatican wedding is about a unique spiritual experience.