Our studio was born from our love for beautiful and clean fine art wedding photography. Since the first day we are seeking to create timeless photographs for all the couples who are choosing us for their wedding day, so they can enjoy their photos for the rest of their days as husband and wife. We love doing things together, our wedding studio is one of them. Being partners in life and work allows us to work great as a team and always deliver breathtaking images inspired by our couples’ love.
Since day one we’ve been working in Portugal, the city enchanted us with its unique colors and flavors. Whether you’re drawn to the rugged beaches of Sintra, the colorful streets of Lisbon, or the baroque sights of Porto, Portugal is the perfect spot for adventurous couples to escape for an unforgettable wedding day! Sunshine all year-round, a culture that’s influenced by sea travel and discovery, with it artistically decorated tiles as far as the eye can see. The paradise-like country on the Iberian holds thousands of fascinating details and it has its very own charm. So it’s not surprising many couples are getting married in Portugal.
Are you one of the many Portugal lovers and thinking about having your wedding in Portugal? Let us share what we’ve found out as destination wedding photographers in Portugal! We hope we help you with your wedding journey!
Destination Wedding in Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is the bohemian’s dream city. The heart and soul of Portugal have so much to offer potential destination wedding couples, from its picturesque, shabby-chic streets to its unique beaches. Portugal was elected in 2019, for the second consecutive year, as Best Tourist Destination in the World. Lisbon also won awards as the best city break and best city in the world. The history, gastronomy, romanticism, and diversity of Portugal conquer more and more people each year.
Portugal is a country full of history. With two major domestic airports, Lisbon and Oporto, getting married in Portugal is an incredible journey through the most beautiful cities of the country. You can make your destination wedding in Lisbon and your honeymoon in Oporto, for example. Or you can get married at Quinta do Torneiro in Lisbon and then go on a family vacation to the beautiful beaches of the Algarve. We recommend Quinta do Torneiro in Lisbon as the best one possible. It is 15 minutes from Lisbon airport and 5 minutes from two hotels. Also, it is less than 20 minutes from the main sights of Portugal: National Pantheon, Lisbon Aquarium, Belém Tower, and also Sintra and Estoril. Lisbon is one of the most romantic cities in the world to make your wedding. With walks in front of Tejo River, a sunset to color the late afternoon, historic neighborhoods, and Portuguese tile museums in the open sky through the city. It is the perfect destination for your destination wedding in Lisbon!
Quinta Weddings and Palace Weddings
Portugal is known for its extraordinary architectural style. The quaint Quintas and prestigious palaces are great options for your wedding venue. Enjoy your stay at a comfy and cute Quinta, while admiring the lush forests and the high mountains surrounding you. Or celebrate a lavish wedding at a stunning palace. You can’t go wrong with either venue, as both have their charm.
When is the best time to get married in Portugal?
Like with all weddings, it’s a good idea to start planning early on, with destination weddings maybe even a bit earlier. One and a half years in advance is a good time to start planning if you want to get married in Portugal. This way you will have enough time and can make sure to get a booking with your favorite vendors at your desired date. The same goes for family and friends since they also have tight agendas and are sometimes booked out years in advance.
Which season to favor?
In Portugal, there’s is a moderate maritime climate which means it doesn’t get particularly cold or moody in the winter. The chance of having a sunny day in Lisbon even in February, while at home it’s grey and unwelcoming outside, is very high. The best time for travel is from April through October. The warmest month is August with an average of 30 degrees celsius. Nevertheless, there will be a cool breeze coming in from the nearby Atlantic, you are better off scheduling your destination wedding outside of the holiday season. This way you avoid the general tourist turmoil and are not having to fear those absolute maximum temperatures taking a toll on your wedding. The wedding season in Portugal is from April to November.
Wedding Photography in Lisbon, Portugal; What makes it unique
It’s easy to see why Portugal is such an attractive option for couples thinking of getting married abroad. Loved for its long, sandy beaches, mouth-watering cuisine, welcoming people, and gloriously sunny weather, Portugal is home to lots of incredible wedding venues and suppliers, so you’re spoiled for choice if you choose to tie the knot there.
A study on Atmosphere
Lisbon has a completely different air to it than Porto. As the capital city, the most surprising and doubly enchanting thing about it is how shabby it is in a very unique way. Its historical significance is obvious with stately monuments and ancient tiles. But this is mixed up with alleyways coated in graffiti and faded paint. Lisbon captures that oh so elusive word “Saudades” or longing for what once was.
The Lisboeta spirit is a colorful melancholy. It’s a city of cool artists and businessmen, master chefs and grandpa’s cafes, buzzing nightlife, and quiet mornings. It’s like a giant Portuguese village with every aspect of the Portuguese culture ramped up to one hundred in the best possible way.
The river Tejo is pretty and welcoming. It leads out to the coast where many great Portuguese explorers once journeyed to “discover” the world. With that comes some interesting beaches although admittedly, not my favorites in Portugal. The coastal region of Cascais is the uptown neighborhood with sandy beaches and high-end wedding venues. All in all, Lisbon casts a very rare spell on visitors and if you love the eclectic, bohemian vibe, as well as a luxurious experience, it’s the perfect place for your wedding in Portugal.
What we’ve learned about Accommodation
As Portugal’s capital city and given popularity, Lisbon has so much to offer visitors when it comes to accommodation. Of course, you have the big 5star hotels which are antique and perfectly located, like the Tivoli Avenida or Hotel Rossio. You also have some adorable B&Bs and guesthouses like the Shiadu group which we’re huge fans of. As with Porto, Airbnbs are popping up everywhere too in very central locations. Whatever you or your wedding guests need, you can find a place in Lisbon.
What we’ve learned about Accessibility
Lisbon has the largest airport in Portugal making it the easiest spot to fly into from all over Europe. If you are in Canada, the United States, or the Middle East, you’re also in luck as there are direct flights into Lisbon’s airport too. From Australia and New Zealand or elsewhere, it may be trickier. Often you will have to fly into Dubai and then take a connecting flight to Lisbon.
Within Lisbon, it is equal parts easy and difficult to get around. We’d say the easiest way to travel in the city is by metro which is very straightforward. It only has four lines – can all Londoners and New Yorkers rejoice – which are the yellow line, blue line, red line, and green line. These are all labeled in English and the train attendants also speak a range of languages to help you. In the downtown districts of Baixa Chiado near the Terreiro do Paço, most things are within walking distance but, as with Porto, beware of steep cobbled streets!
Food for thought: Wondering how to make your destination wedding more meaningful? Check out our thoughts on how to have an intimate and meaningful wedding!
The best wedding venues in Portugal
In Portugal, you have a wide selection when it comes to choosing the wedding venue. For that reason, we have focused mainly on the Lisbon area. There you can find a vast variety of hip hotels, breathtaking, historic buildings, picturesque Quintas in the countryside, venues right at the beach and many other locations to choose from. The beauty of weddings is that there’s no right or wrong way of doing a wedding – it’s all about you two as a couple, breaking traditions and doing things your way. Trends will always come and go, but the experiences that make you two who you today make you one of a kind! So take all of who you are, mix it up, shake it, stir it, and pour it into an epic day to celebrate the beginning of this next chapter in your adventure.
What You Need to Know About Getting Married in Portugal
- You may only be married in Portugal according to Portuguese law. You may not be married at an embassy or any of the consulates in Portugal by a consular from your country.
- Both civil ceremonies and Catholic church weddings are legally recognized. Religious ceremonies for all other churches and faiths must be preceded by a civil ceremony. The Anglican churches in Lisbon, Estoril, Oporto, and the Algarve, as well as the Scottish church in Lisbon, for example, are not licensed for marriages.
- Same-sex civil weddings are permitted with the same provisions.
- Currently, there is no legal residency requirement for a wedding in Portugal.
- Foreign citizens do not acquire Portuguese nationality when marrying a Portuguese citizen. However, they may apply for Portuguese citizenship after three years of marriage.
- The minimum age requirement for getting married in Portugal is 16. However, written consent of both parents is required for those aged under 18.
- The ceremony, whether civil or Catholic, will be conducted in Portuguese. It’s not a legal requirement to have a translator, but if neither of you speaks Portuguese, you can arrange for an interpreter to be present throughout the ceremony.
Getting Married in Portugal: Civil Ceremony
- Civil ceremonies are legally binding in Portugal.
- The ceremony for a civil wedding can take place at the registry office (Camara) or at a location of your choice. It doesn’t need to be a location licensed for weddings, as there is no such license in Portugal. Hotels, restaurants, Quintas, or holiday apartments are among the options. Beach weddings are also possible, but an additional license from the maritime police is required.
- The ceremony must be performed by a celebrant from the Camara to be legally binding. This needs to be arranged well in advance.
- You can also legally marry at the registry office (either in Portugal or your home country) and then hold a symbolic ceremony that suits your tastes better in your chosen venue.
- Your ceremony will be conducted in Portuguese. It’s not a legal requirement to have a translator, but if neither of you speaks Portuguese, you can arrange for an interpreter to be present throughout the ceremony.
- You’ll need to provide several documents to legally marry in Portugal, which we’ve listed below.
Getting Married in Portugal: The Paperwork
- All documentation you provide for your wedding must be original and endorsed with an Apostille stamp. An Apostille Stamp authenticates documents executed outside of Portugal, a birth certificate, for example, so that it can be recognized as genuine.
- Any documentation that is not in Portuguese must be accompanied by official translations, translated by an agency that’s verified by the Portuguese Consulate in your region.
- You and your partner will need:
- Your passports. The expiry date must be more than six months after your wedding. If one of you lives in Portugal, the resident’s card is enough.
- Newly-issued, full-length birth certificates for you both, which must show the name of your parents, and be dated within six months of your wedding date.
- A divorce decree or death certificate to prove termination of previous marriage or marriages, if this is not your first marriage. These documents must have been issued within the last six months. If you have been divorced from a wedding in the Catholic church and your marriage was not officially annulled, you cannot marry in the Catholic church in Portugal.
- Written parental or guardian consent, if you or your partner are under the age of 18.
- A fee. This changes from year to year, so it’s best to check with the embassy for your region (we’ve provided links below).
- Extra documents are required for a Catholic ceremony if you’re having one. We’ve provided a list below.
- Other documents. Above, we’ve listed the general documents required for getting married in Portugal, but according to your nationality or country of origin, further documentation may be needed.
- Further information on getting married in Portugal for US citizens:
- The U.S. Embassy in Portugal
- Portuguese Embassy in the U.S.
- Further information on getting married in Portugal for UK citizens:
- The U.K. Embassy in Portugal
- Portuguese Embassy in the United Kingdom
Food for thought: Catch up with our Destination Wedding Advice!
Check out this fantastic wedding by Lisbon Wedding Planner Anastasia Ivanova!
Wedding Photographer in Lisbon, Portugal: We’ll make it magical
Our philosophy on wedding photography lies in capturing your most authentic moments with beauty and style. We want you to have an unforgettable celebration and heirloom photographer that’ll remind you how perfect your wedding day was! We will travel by your side to where your love takes you, whether it’s Portugal, Italy, Greece or whenever feels right to marry your favorite human! All you have to do is smile and we’ll make the clicks!
Planning a destination wedding in Portugal and looking for photographers to capture your beautiful celebration? It sounds like us! Contact us!
