Getting Married in Zagreb as a Foreigner: Civil Ceremony Guide

I am a wedding photographer, not a lawyer or registrar. This guide is a summary of official Croatian sources (gov.hr and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs) as of November 2026, combined with what I see at weddings I photograph.

Step 1: contact the registry office early

Civil weddings in Croatia are handled by the registry office (matični ured) in the area where you want to get married. The Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs advises contacting the office at least three months before your preferred date and asking exactly which documents you and your partner need. Requirements can differ depending on your citizenship and whether you were married before, so this first conversation saves a lot of stress later.

Step 2: collect your documents

The registry office decides what it needs in your case, but foreign citizens are usually asked for:

• A valid passport for each of you.
• A birth certificate issued within the last three months, showing your parents' names.
• Proof that you are free to marry, often called a certificate of no impediment or certificate of legal capacity to marry, issued by your home country.
• If you were married before, proof that the previous marriage ended (divorce decree or death certificate).

Foreign documents usually need an apostille (or legalisation, depending on the country) and a translation into Croatian by a certified court interpreter. Plan time for this, because ordering documents from abroad, apostilles and translations can take weeks.

Step 3: report your intention to marry and set the date

Under Croatian rules, the couple reports the intention to marry to the registrar, and the wedding date is then set within 30 to 45 days of that report. In justified cases it can be earlier, but not later than 90 days. If you live abroad, ask the registry office how they want to handle this step and when your documents need to be submitted. Some couples use a local planner or a trusted person to help with the paperwork.

Step 4: witnesses and interpreter

You need two adult witnesses with valid ID. They can be friends or family who travel with you. If one of you does not speak Croatian, the registry office will normally require a court interpreter at the ceremony, so ask the office about it and book the interpreter in time.

Step 5: fees

According to gov.hr, the administrative fees for a civil wedding at the registry office total 27.87 EUR. A ceremony outside the official premises, or on a weekend or holiday, comes with an additional fee that depends on distance and time. On top of that come your own costs for documents, apostilles and translations. The first extract from the marriage register is free. If you need your marriage recognised at home, check with your embassy which version of the certificate and which stamps you will need.

What a civil wedding in Zagreb looks like on the day

A civil ceremony is short, which is exactly why it suits small weddings so well. A typical day I photograph looks like this: guests gather in front of the wedding hall, the ceremony takes place, then come congratulations, hugs and one big photo with all the guests. After that we take a short walk for couple portraits, ideally somewhere close, and everyone goes on to lunch or dinner.

• 2 hours is usually enough for the gathering, the ceremony, the photo with guests and portraits nearby.
• 4 hours also covers the beginning of lunch or dinner, the toasts and the relaxed time with guests.
• 8 hours makes sense if you are having a full celebration with a first dance and a party in the evening.

If your guests do not know Zagreb, give them the exact address and meeting time, and plan a few minutes of buffer. Late guests and parking are the most common reasons a schedule slips.

Portraits after the ceremony

Zagreb is a great city for a short portrait walk. The Upper Town with its old streets is a favourite, and passersby often stop to congratulate the couple, which makes for lovely candid moments. Ideas for other spots are in the guide best wedding photo locations in Zagreb.

Damir Pišćetek

The photographer and filmmaker behind Piccolo Wedding. I have been photographing and filming weddings since 2013, with more than 300 behind me. For years I covered large 12-hour weddings as part of a team, often outside Zagreb, and for the last two years I have focused on small and intimate weddings in Zagreb and the surrounding area, with photos and a short highlight film in one package. I speak English, so we can plan everything together in English.

More about me · @dp.visual

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