The Wedding Atlas · Cyprus
Getting Married in Cyprus
Four coasts and a mountain range on one Mediterranean island, with civil marriage at the town hall. Cyprus has married foreign couples for decades. Under the Marriage Law of 2003 a civil marriage is performed by the municipality's marriage officer, at the town hall or at an approved venue such as a hotel. Notice of marriage is followed by a fifteen-day wait, or an earlier date on a special licence. The municipality issues the certificate on the day.
Part of the Cyprus destination guide.
- Best months
- May, June and September
Where to marry
Where to Get Married in Cyprus
Photo: Kefalos Beach Weddings Paphos and the west
The harbour town and the coast road of hotels north to Coral Bay and Peyia, with the sea caves, the shipwreck beach and the rock of Aphrodite. These are the island's most photographed ceremony settings.
Photo: Amathus Beach Hotel Limassol
The south coast city, with a long seafront of large hotels and, behind it, the hill villages that make Commandaria wine. It has the widest hotel choice.
Photo: Galu Seaside Larnaca
The south-east coast and the main airport, with a palm-lined seafront, beach hotels and bungalow resorts. The village of Tochni in the hills behind suits a wedding in a traditional stone house.
Ayia Napa and Protaras
The east of the island, with its best beaches, Ayia Thekla and Pernera, white chapels on the headlands and resort hotels that have ceremony areas and chapels of their own.
The Troodos mountains
Byzantine chapels for an evening ceremony with the sun setting over the sea below, and cooler air in the hills in summer.
Find your area
Cyprus on the map
Choose an area to see the venues we list there. Every name is a plain link to its listing.
Cyprus
The 6 venues we list in Cyprus. Choose an area, or tap a pin to open a venue.
Have a guest count or a number of nights in mind? .
Our selection
Where we would start
Three of the 6 Cyprus venues we list, chosen by our editors to show the range.
Amathus Beach Hotel
A beachfront hotel on the Limassol coast, open since 1973, that hosts weddings on the Pier, the garden lawns and in two ballrooms.
Columbia Beach Resort
A five-star resort in Pissouri Bay, between Limassol and Paphos, with a sea-view chapel, terraces, pergolas and a ballroom for weddings.
Galu Seaside
A beachfront venue on Oroklini Beach with an outdoor deck over the sea and a climate-controlled indoor space.
People who work here
The owners, wedding directors, planners, photographers and chefs behind weddings in Cyprus.
A Wedding in Cyprus
Four coasts and a mountain range on one Mediterranean island, with civil marriage at the town hall
The island has four coasts and a mountain. Paphos in the west has the harbour, the sea caves at Peyia, the rock of Aphrodite and hotels along the coast road. Limassol in the south has the seafront hotels and the vineyard villages behind. Larnaca in the south-east has hotels and the main airport. Ayia Napa and Protaras in the east have the best beaches and small white chapels on the headlands. Inland, the Troodos mountains hold Byzantine chapels used for evening ceremonies that catch the sunset over the sea.
The season runs from early April to late October, with almost no rain through the middle of it. May, June and September are the months planners prefer: warm but not punishing, and quieter than July and August.
Choosing a setting
Choosing a wedding setting in Cyprus
Beach resort hotel
The large hotels of Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa have a licensed ceremony area, often a chapel of their own, a beach and rooms for the whole guest list.
Beach and headland ceremony
Approved beach and clifftop spots run from Ammos and Ayia Thekla in the east to the Peyia sea caves and Aphrodite's rock in the west. The reception is held at a hotel nearby.
Beachfront estate
Private beachfront venues at Paphos offer a ceremony lawn, a shaded garden and an open view of the sea.
Mountain chapel
The Byzantine chapels of the Troodos host small sunset ceremonies.
Village house and winery
Stone houses in hill villages such as Tochni and the wineries of the Limassol hills suit a rural wedding, with the sea within reach.
Photo: Amathus Beach HotelThe season
When to get married
Summers are hot and dry from mid-May to mid-September, with virtually no rain between May and October. June and July afternoons reach 30 to 35°C. May, early June, and September to October are the comfortable months. Winters are mild on the coast, and the mountains can see snow.
Getting there
How guests arrive
Two airports serve the island, and choosing the right one shortens the transfer. Larnaca serves Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Protaras, and Paphos serves the west coast. Coach transfers are the usual arrangement for a wedding party.
Larnaca (LCA). The main airport, just outside Larnaca on the south-east coast, with the widest range of international flights.
Paphos (PFO). Near Paphos on the south-west coast. It is smaller, and the right airport for the western resorts.
Where guests stay
Under one roof, or nearby
Guests stay at the resort that hosts the wedding, on the seafront in Limassol or Larnaca, in the beach hotels of the east, or in a hill village house a short drive from the coast.
Paphos coast
Hotels line the coast road to Coral Bay and Peyia, from large resorts to boutique houses.
Limassol seafront
A long line of large seafront hotels suits a big guest list kept in one place.
The east
Beach resorts at Ayia Napa and Protaras have ceremony areas and chapels of their own, and the bay at Pernera is quieter.
Photo: Columbia Beach ResortFood and drink
Eating and drinking in Cyprus
Cypriot cooking centres on the meze table: many small dishes, grilled meats and halloumi, with Commandaria, the island's sweet wine, at the end.
Meze
A long shared table of small dishes, from dips and salads to grilled halloumi, sheftalia and souvla.
Halloumi
The island's cheese, grilled, and part of every meze and every breakfast.
Souvla and kleftiko
Lamb and pork cooked on the spit, and lamb slow-cooked in a sealed clay oven. These are the feast dishes of the villages.
Good to know
Before you book
Witnesses and the certificate
Two adult witnesses with valid identification are needed. The municipality issues the official certificate, which may need legalisation for use abroad.
A waiting period, or a special licence. After the notice, the ceremony follows a fifteen-day waiting period and must take place within three months. A special licence allows an earlier ceremony, subject to the municipality's approval and availability.
From The 5 Star Edit
Stories from Cyprus
Visits, real weddings and planning notes from our editors.
Questions couples ask
Before you decide
When is the best time of year for a wedding in Cyprus?
May, June and September. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, with afternoons of 30 to 35°C, so ceremonies are held towards evening.
Which airport should guests fly to?
Larnaca for Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Protaras, and Paphos for the west coast. Coach transfers from the airport are the usual arrangement for a wedding party.
Where do wedding guests stay in Cyprus?
Guests stay at the resort that hosts the wedding, on the seafront in Limassol or Larnaca, in the beach hotels of the east, or in a hill village house a short drive from the coast. Limassol has a long line of large seafront hotels, which suits a big guest list kept in one place.
What kinds of setting can a Cyprus wedding use?
The large hotels of Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa have a ceremony area, often a chapel of their own, a beach and rooms for the whole guest list. Beach and headland spots run from Ammos and Ayia Thekla in the east to the Peyia sea caves and Aphrodite's rock in the west, with the reception at a hotel nearby. The Byzantine chapels of the Troodos host small sunset ceremonies.
What food and drink suit a Cyprus wedding?
Cypriot cooking centres on the meze table: many small dishes, grilled meats and halloumi, with Commandaria, the island's sweet wine, at the end. Meze is a long shared table of small dishes, from dips and salads to grilled halloumi, sheftalia and souvla. Souvla and kleftiko are the feast dishes of the villages.
Meet Aura
A planner who has read every venue in Cyprus
Tell Aura the setting, the season and the size of your day. She shortlists the venues and professionals that fit, and explains why.
More Wedding Destinations
This guide draws on the venues' own published details, official sources and the knowledge of our editors. Entry and legal information can change, so confirm it with the authority that will marry you before you book.