A wedding is an extremely touching, solemn ceremony, which is the beginning of a new stage in the life of a couple in love - marriage. However, for a marriage to be valid under the law, several important formalities must be completed. In Poland, civil and concordat weddings (in other words, church or religious weddings) have legal force. What are the necessary documents for a civil wedding? What to remember before a church wedding? 

Documents for a civil marriage 

A civil wedding is concluded at the Registry Office in the presence of an official. The ceremony can be moved to any place - a Registrar's Office permit and a fee of PLN 1,000 are required. You should go to the Civil Registry Office not earlier than 6 months and at the same time not later than a month before the planned date of the wedding. Future newlyweds should bring their identity documents (ID cards or passports) and proof of stamp duty for the wedding (the fee is PLN 84 and can be paid at the office's cash desk or via the Internet). Although most offices do not require abbreviated birth certificates (data are available in the system), it is worth taking them with you just in case. In some cases, you also need court permission to get married. This applies to underage women who have turned 16, persons related by marriage, as well as persons suffering from mental illness or mental retardation. 

One of the brides is a foreigner? In such a situation, a document confirming consent to the conclusion is needed marriage according to the law in force in the country of the fiancé. All documents written in a foreign language must be officially translated. A translation prepared by a sworn translator or a Polish consul will be important. Moreover, if at least one of the persons wishing to get married does not speak Polish, the presence of an interpreter or an expert is necessary. 

During the visit to the Registry Office, the bride and groom together with the clerk will set the date of the wedding, specify their surname after the wedding and the surname of their future children. The official will prepare an assurance that there are no circumstances preventing the marriage. The assurance is valid for 6 months from the date of submission. 

Documents for a church wedding 

A church ceremony, though beautiful, touching and exceptionally romantic, is not legitimate. In order for the marriage to be valid, the engaged couple, apart from receiving the sacrament of marriage in the church, must enter into a civil wedding. The combination of these celebrations is a concordat wedding. Thanks to it, the Bride and Groom do not have to attend the ceremony twice - first at the Registry Office and then at the church. The ceremony takes place in the temple, and the priest after the wedding takes care of the formalities related to the legal establishment of the marriage - the priest takes all the relevant documents to the Registry Office. 

The necessary documents for a church wedding are: 

• Identity Cards, 
• baptismal records from the parish of the bride and groom (but not older than 3 months), 
• confirmation certificate from the parish where the bride and groom received the sacrament, 
• confirmation of pre-marriage education and meetings at a family counseling center, 
• certificate of announcement (if there were such in other parishes). 

Some parishes also require a religious education certificate. 

At the beginning, the bride and groom must book the wedding date in the parish of their choice (about six months in advance). Then, as in the case of a civil marriage, they should go to the Civil Registry Office in order to provide an assurance that there are no circumstances precluding the marriage. The assurance should be given to the clergyman who will officiate the wedding. 

3 months before the planned date of the wedding, the bride and groom together with the priest write down a pre-wedding protocol. To prepare the document, you need ID cards, baptismal records and confirmation certificates. A week before the wedding, a marriage certificate is drawn up, for which a set of documents is needed. Future spouses should also go to confession - 3 months and a day before the ceremony. 

You also need to remember about this, i.e. contracts with subcontractors and other formalities 

If future spouses, they want to arrange wedding party after the ceremony, they still have to complete a few important formal issues. Of course, these are contracts with all subcontractors. Detailed agreements will be a kind of protection against any unpleasantness related to the possible failure of one of the parties to fulfill their obligations. Therefore, thinking about what to surprise wedding guestslet's also remember about the formalities. 

First of all, you need to sign a contract with the place where it will be heldthere's a wedding. The document should contain information about the responsibilities ofparties, the exact date of the event and details of what to do in the event of a possible rescheduling or cancellation of the reservation wedding hall. 

Joyful music cannot be missing at a wedding. Young couples usually decide to hire a professional band or DJ. A contract must also be signed with this subcontractor. An appropriate license is also required to legally play and perform music. ZAiKS for the wedding arranged by the Young Couple, manager or owner of the wedding hall or a hired team. 

We also sign contracts with a photographer who will take wedding photos, a decorating company that is responsible for wedding styleas well as with companies offering attractions that will spice up the party.