Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork...

Positanobride10 · March 2, 2010

So, by now everyone knows I am planning a wedding in Italy. We are getting married legally there and in the US, if we get the paper work right.

So, here's what we've done so far:

Got certified copies of our birth certificates

Got them translated into Italian

Got the apostille which is internationally recognized stating our birth certificates are real

Made an appointment at the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC to get our Atto Notorio

I am really excited about #4, our appointment is this Thursday, 4 March. This is great, only five or six more steps!

After #4 is complete, we have the following left...

Make an appointment at our consulate in Rome to fill out another form, Nulla Osta.

Take the Nulla Osta and get a stamp on it, bought for 1 or 2 Euros at a tobacconist

Then take everything to the Town Hall a few days in advance to declare our presence and our marriage. We also pay at the Post Office at this time too.

Come back for our ceremony.

After the ceremony we have to file at the province capital, our interpreter is doing this for us for a small fee.

We are completing #3 four days before our wedding. Our interpreter is helping us with that process, which I am grateful for.

After that we are legally married in the US and Italy!

This seems like a lot of paperwork to get married. Others have asked me why don't we get married legally here and then do a symbolic ceremony there. My response is all of the hard work and frustrations are going to make it so sweet! If you're going to do it, do it right!

Also, I have a cheesy dream of having a beautiful wedding certificate in Italian from the town hall framed in my house. We are actually getting 5 copies, 4 which are international versions (in English and Italian) and one in Italian for framing.

Stay tuned, we are only on the original step 4, Atto Notorio....