Have your winter wedding in Lapland
Wedding ceremony in a snow chapel, reception at a reindeer farm and wedding night spent in a glass igloo gazing at the Northern Lights…this is all possible in Lapland. Lapland Weddings is the place to begin your planning.
WeddingVenues
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Wedding Paperwork Guide
All information relating to documentation and legal requirements stated here are for British Passport holders only.
Required Documents
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Minimum residency period - 1 Full Working Day
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Valid 10-year passport
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Certificate of no Impediment stating marital status. This is the only original document that requires to be sent to Lapland. This certificate is valid for 3 months.
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Must be 18 years or over by law
*Please note that we cannot be held responsible for delays, mistakes or errors relating to paperwork. These instructions are for guidance only. We would strongly recommend that you contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Finnish Embassy for a definitive guide.
Guidelines for Documentation
Step 1- Go to your local register to post your bands (intention to marry). This step takes 28 days from your appointment with your local registrar to get your certificate of Non-Impediment. Gather together all required documentation - Passports (photocopy last two pages) and Certificate of Non Impediment (obtained from the local registrar - 2 forms - separate for Bride & Groom, one will have bride name first, one will have grooms name first)
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The date on the certificate of non-impediment will be the date you collect the document. It will then be valid for 90 days, in which time you must be married.
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Local registrar/solicitor in the UK has in the past advised wedding couples that they do not need apostilles for the certificate of non-impediment as they will be sending the original certificates. However, this is incorrect the magistrate in Finland requires the apostilles even though it is the original document.
Step 2- Find a Public Notary - http://www.thenotariessociety.org.uk The Public Notary is required to authenticate the copies of the passports. Make sure the Notary signs his or her own name and not the company's name. Stamped or electronically signed signatures or computer-generated seals are not acceptable. DO NOT let the notary sign the Certificate of No Impediment. (Photocopies of passports can be altered in photoshop etc so they need the Notary to say they are true copies. The Certificate of Non-Impediment is an original document so no need to say it is true.)
Step 3- Send notarised copies of the passport along with the Certificate of Non-Impediment to:
The Legalisation Office
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
PO Box 6255
Milton Keynes
MK10 1XX
For general enquiries phone on 0370 000 2244 or visit. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issue the Apostille (International Stamp) for each document. An Apostille - this is an international stamp affixed to all legal documents in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1961: In the UK this is done by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. All documents sent must have the original apostille stamp attached.
Before sending your documents, you may find it useful to run through the following check-list:
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Make sure a public notary has signed your copy of your passport.
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Make sure the public notary has signed in his or her own name not the company name.
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DO NOT ALLOW the Notary to sign your certificate of impediment
Using the Government Online System
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You can get documents legalised using https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised
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Please flow the instructions given on this site. If you would like your document returned by Special Delivery you must send the appropriate fee. Apostilles are £30 each you need four.
Please do not include the following:
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Passports or ID cards
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Documents not intended for legalisation
Please note that for extra security it may be advisable to send all documents by Recorded Delivery. When sending documents to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office indicate clearly the country in which they will be used and your full name, address and telephone number.
FAQS
Is the price of the wedding package included in my holiday? No - the wedding package is separate from the cost of your holiday.
Is it a religious ceremony? The only Christian religion present in Lapland is Lutheran. Lutheran priests may only provide blessings for members of other religions undertaking marriage ceremonies in Lapland and therefore you must agree to be married in a civil ceremony.
Is this recognised as a marriage in the UK? Yes, this is a legal marriage.
Can we have extra copies of the marriage certificate? No, you will receive two copies in total. You cannot order extra. Remember you can't get a replacement in this country for any lost marriage certificate.
Is the price of paperwork in the UK included in the wedding package? No - we suggest setting aside an additional £300 to cover the cost of all paperwork in the UK as you will have registrar, notary and Foreign Office fees to pay.
Will it be dark during our stay? An average Lapland winter day will provide 4 - 5 hours of what is termed 'grey light' (generally between 10 am and 2:30 pm Finnish time, although this will vary up to one hour based on location). When the sky is clear this can be clear blue skies with the most amazing colours.
How far in advance do I need to book? 12 weeks prior to your wedding date is the absolute minimum due to the paperwork requirements. You need to allow enough time to apply for your non-impediment to marriage certificate as this can take up to 22 days to be issued from the date of request from your local register office. Holidays can be booked from 1 year before approx. The magistrate and venue can be booked before the holiday to reserve special dates.
When can I get married in Lapland? The Levi Ice Castle, Aurora View and Snow Village will be available from mid-December – March. Northern Lights House venue will be available all year round, however, if you would like to get married in the Summer, Spring and Autumn seasons we would have to arrange schedule flights which go via Helsinki. Yes, they do have a summer and it can be just as picturesque that time of the year.
Can I book flowers, wedding cake and a hairdresser through you? You can book the cake and flowers through ourselves, however, we prefer for client's to sort out their own hairdresser (we would be happy to provide you with the contacts). We can arrange hand-made bouquets, buttonholes and flowers at the altar. Please inform us at least 10 weeks prior to the wedding of your preferred colour scheme and flower choice. Please note that roses last the longest in these Arctic temperatures, however even these wilt over a 24 hr period.
How do I choose my wedding meal, and where will this be held? Lapland Weddings will only book the after-wedding meal at their chosen venue which is normally a set menu. Most wedding parties take their meal in their holiday resort and we can provide information on different restaurants and menus available. However, as much as e can provide contact details and information, the client must deal with the restaurant themselves.
What temperature is it going to be at the wedding venue? The Snow Village, Aurora View and Ice Castle are inside snow/ice structures and will be about -4 in the venue. If you are arriving by Reindeer or Snowmobile at any venue it may be considerably colder depending on the temperature outside (temperatures have been known to reach -37). If you choose to get married in the Northern Lights House this will be indoors with heated floor and normal indoor temperatures.
What are the distances from the resorts to the venue?
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Levi – Ice Castle - 15–20min
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Levi – Snow Village - 40–50min
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Levi – Northern Lights House- 15–20min
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Ylläs – Ice Castle - 40–50min
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Ylläs – Snow Village - 15–20min
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Ylläs – Northern Lights House- 40–50min
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What should I wear on my Wedding Day? It depends on which venue you are getting married. Please remember, in the ice building it is going to be a minus temperature, so make sure you wear something that will keep you warm and suitable footwear for snow and ice. If you are planning on wearing a strapless dress we recommend taking a fur shawl. Fur cloaks with hoods are ideal and look lovely.
How will I know if there are any changes to the Wedding Day once I'm in Finland? The Wedding co-ordinator will phone you on your mobile once you are in Lapland. Please ensure that your phone allows international calls from Finland BEFORE you leave the UK.
Should I pre-book my Optional Extras & Safaris? On the 7 night departures, we recommend that Husky/Reindeer/Snowmobile Safaris are booked in the resort at the welcome meeting. The days of these trips are not arranged until close to your departure and there is the possibility of a clash with the wedding. If you have pre-booked them you would not be refunded and they are easily bookable in resort.
Help for disabled and severely ill persons. Please note that in respect of disabled parties special assistance, specially adapted vehicles, sleighs, disabled harnesses etc. are not provided within the normal cost. Within the normal cost, local staff will be pleased to help and assist but they are not trained either in the technical style of paraplegic lifting or specific disabled assistance. (If additional services are required these should be requested and quotation obtained).
Please see the ABTA Checklist for Disabled and Less Mobile Passengers, on www.abta.com
Flights
We Recommend Inghams and there charter flights to Lapland. Inghams offer 3,4 and 7 night packages during the ski season.
Search Inghams Flight's
