Getting Married in Malta
Honey-coloured stone, a harbour at every turn and a registry that marries anyone, anywhere approved. Malta is the smallest wedding country in Europe and one of the easiest to marry in. The Marriage Registry marries foreign couples with no residency requirement, in its own marriage room or at any public place approved beforehand by the Marriage Registrar, so the civil ceremony itself can be held in a palazzo garden, on a harbour terrace or in a citadel courtyard, and a religious ceremony in one of Valletta's baroque churches alongside.
Honey-coloured stone, a harbour at every turn and a registry that marries anyone, anywhere approved
The settings are the capital and its harbour, the old capital inland, and the second island. Valletta, built by the Knights of St John in the sixteenth century, gives high baroque churches, the Inquisitor's Palace and the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens over the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. Mdina, the walled medieval city on its hill, gives the Carmelite church and the courtyards of its palazzi. Around the villages stand the nineteenth-century palaces and villas, Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar with its gilded ballroom among them, and the gardens and marquee lawns of the country villas. Gozo, a short ferry crossing north, is quieter, greener and used to year-round visitors.
The season is long. May, June and September are the months planners choose: warm, the sea swimmable, the islands less busy than in the peak summer. The whole stretch from April to October is reliable; July and August are hot and full. One airport, Malta International, serves the islands with daily flights across Europe and to the Middle East, and nowhere on Malta is more than 40 minutes from it.
Where to Get Married in Malta
Valletta and the Grand Harbour
The capital of the Knights: high baroque churches, the Inquisitor's Palace, and the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens with their panoramic view of the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. City hotels and harbour terraces for the reception.
Mdina and Rabat
The walled medieval citadel on its hill inland: the Carmelite church, Palazzo Falson and the courtyard of the Xara Palace hotel for an intimate ceremony. Silent streets for the photographs.
The villages and country villas
Palazzo Parisio at Naxxar with its gilded ballroom and gardens, Villa Arrigo at San Pawl tat-Targa with a ballroom and a marquee lawn, rustic farmhouses and the Limestone Heritage park at Siggiewi with its waterfall and rock. The big receptions happen here.
The coast
Clifftop and seaside ceremonies on the approved spots, from the north bays to the southern cliffs, with the hotels of St Julian's and Sliema for the party.
Gozo
The sister island, a ferry crossing north: greener, quieter, with its own citadel at Victoria, farmhouses converted into small hotels and a coast of coves. For a smaller wedding that takes the whole island for a weekend.
When to marry, and what to arrange
The season
When to Get Married
May averages 24 to 25°C and is often the prime month; September is warm with golden light and thinning crowds. July and August are hot and the islands at their fullest. The sea is warm enough for guests from May to October. Winters are mild and a December wedding is possible indoors, with the sea gardens for photographs.
Recommended wedding months
May, June and September
Peak season is July and August, and the shoulder months are April and October.
Settings, travel and stays
Choosing a Setting
Palazzo and villa. The nineteenth-century palaces and country villas with ballrooms and gardens, Palazzo Parisio and Villa Arrigo the best known: ballroom inside, garden or marquee outside, rain or shine.
Baroque church and citadel courtyard. Valletta's churches and Mdina's courtyards for the ceremony, civil or religious, in the oldest stone on the islands.
Harbour terrace and garden. The Barrakka Gardens and the sixteenth-century terraces over the Grand Harbour, approved for civil ceremonies, with the harbour as the view.
Hotel. The hotels of Valletta, Sliema and St Julian's, and the Xara Palace in Mdina, for ceremony, dinner and rooms in one place.
Farmhouse and heritage site. Rustic farmyards and the Limestone Heritage park at Siggiewi, and Gozo's converted farmhouses, for an outdoor wedding in the landscape.
Getting There
One airport serves the islands and nothing is far from it. Gozo is reached by ferry from Cirkewwa in the north; the crossing is short and the wedding party travels together.
Malta International (MLA). Daily flights across Europe and to the Middle East; 20 to 40 minutes by road to Valletta, Mdina or the north coast.
Where Guests Stay
Guests stay in the capital, on the Sliema and St Julian's seafront, in Mdina's one hotel, or in Gozo's farmhouses; the islands are small enough that the wedding and the rooms are never far apart.
Valletta. Boutique hotels in the capital's palazzi and townhouses, for the baroque city on the doorstep.
Sliema and St Julian's. The large seafront hotels across the harbour from Valletta, with the rooms for a big guest list.
Mdina and Gozo. The Xara Palace inside the citadel; on Gozo, converted farmhouses with pools, often taken whole by one party.
Good to know
Food and Drink
Maltese cooking is Mediterranean with Sicilian and North African notes: rabbit, fresh fish, ricotta pastries and local wine from the islands' small vineyards.
Fenek. Rabbit, stewed or fried, the national dish, served at the long family table.
Fish of the day. Lampuki in autumn, swordfish and sea bream from the harbours at Marsaxlokk and Mgarr.
Pastizzi and ftira. Ricotta or pea pastries from the street, and the ring-shaped bread with tomatoes, tuna and capers, for a welcome lunch.
Good to Know
Apply at least three months ahead. Couples book an appointment with a Marriage Registry Officer at least three months before the wedding date and complete the request for the publication of banns and the declaration under Article 7(5) of the Marriage Act. There is no minimum residency requirement.
The documents. Birth certificates, apostilled or legalised unless issued in the EU; identification documents and copies; a photocopy of the witnesses' identification; and other documents the Registry asks for according to nationality and marital status. Documents not in English are translated into Maltese or English.
Where the ceremony may be. A civil marriage may take place in the Registry's marriage room or at any other public place approved beforehand by the Marriage Registrar, including a passenger ship registered in Malta. That approval is what lets a palazzo garden or a harbour terrace host the legal ceremony.
Witnesses. Two witnesses, each at least 18, present valid identification on the day, as do both partners.
Marrying legally and entry rules
The legal requirements for marrying here, and who needs a visa, are being checked and are not published yet. Confirm both with the official authority that will marry you before you book.
Planners, photographers, florists and musicians who work in Malta
Angela SalzanoJewel WeddingsKG Events MaltaFind Malta wedding professionals
When is the best time of year to get married in Malta?
May, June and September: warm, the sea ready for guests, the islands less busy than in July and August, which are hot and full. April and October are good shoulder months, and winter weddings are held indoors in the palazzi and hotels.
How do guests get there and around?
Everyone flies into Malta International, which has daily flights across Europe; Valletta, Mdina and the north coast are 20 to 40 minutes by road. Gozo is a short ferry from Cirkewwa, and the wedding party crosses together.
Where do wedding guests stay in Malta?
Guests stay in the capital, on the Sliema and St Julian's seafront, in Mdina's one hotel, or in Gozo's farmhouses. The islands are small enough that the wedding and the rooms are never far apart. The large seafront hotels of Sliema and St Julian's have the rooms for a big guest list.
What kinds of wedding venue are there in Malta?
The nineteenth-century palaces and country villas with ballrooms and gardens, Palazzo Parisio and Villa Arrigo the best known: ballroom inside, garden or marquee outside, rain or shine. Valletta's churches and Mdina's courtyards are used for the ceremony, in the oldest stone on the islands. The hotels of Valletta, Sliema and St Julian's, and the Xara Palace in Mdina, offer ceremony, dinner and rooms in one place.
What food can we expect at a wedding in Malta?
Maltese cooking is Mediterranean with Sicilian and North African notes: rabbit, fresh fish, ricotta pastries and local wine from the islands' small vineyards. Fenek, rabbit stewed or fried, is the national dish, served at the long family table. Pastizzi and ftira, ricotta or pea pastries and the ring-shaped bread with tomatoes, tuna and capers, suit a welcome lunch.
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How We Compiled This Guide
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.