Getting Married in Porto Montenegro and Herceg Novi
A former naval arsenal at Tivat, rebuilt as a superyacht marina and waterfront resort. Porto Montenegro is a large waterfront development on the Adriatic. The former Yugoslav Navy arsenal at Tivat, a shipyard and submarine base closed after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, was redeveloped from 2007 into a superyacht marina and mixed-use resort. The old arsenal buildings now hold restaurants, galleries, shops and event spaces.
A former naval arsenal at Tivat, rebuilt as a superyacht marina and waterfront resort
Herceg Novi, at the outer entrance to the Bay of Kotor, has a different character: an old Adriatic town with a walled citadel, subtropical gardens and a working harbour. A large resort just outside the town bridges the two settings.
Together they serve couples who want either a modern international setting, with a marina hotel, yacht club events and yachts as the backdrop, or a classic Adriatic town with a global-brand resort. They combine in a short programme, with a day trip to the inner bay or south towards Sveti Stefan.
Where to Get Married in Porto Montenegro and Herceg Novi
Porto Montenegro marina
The superyacht marina, the marina hotel, the converted arsenal buildings that now form the Village of restaurants, galleries and boutiques, and the Yacht Club.
Tivat town
The historic settlement east of the marina, a smaller Adriatic town with an old church, a square and a seafront promenade. It has a few good restaurants and a local life separate from the marina.
Herceg Novi
The outer bay town, with the fourteenth-century Forte Mare on the seafront, the Ottoman Kanli Kula fortress on the hill, the stepped Šetalište promenade and subtropical gardens. It is warmer than the inner bay, and the sunset over the open Adriatic is a feature.
Luštica Bay
A large mixed-use resort development on the Luštica Peninsula, with a hotel, villa residences and a marina. It is still being built in phases but operates for hotel guests and events.
When to marry, and what to arrange
The season
When to Get Married
Porto Montenegro operates all year as a marina town, but the active social season runs from May to October. Tivat airport lies close to the marina.
Recommended wedding months
May-October
Peak season is July and August, the peak marina season, when the social scene is at its most active., and the shoulder months are May to June and September to October: quieter, with good light and the hotel fully operating..
Settings, travel and stays
Choosing a Setting
Marina hotel. The full-service international hotel at the centre of the marina complex, and the only established hotel within Porto Montenegro itself.
Yacht club event space. The Yacht Club has event spaces within the marina for cocktail receptions and dinners, with superyachts moored at the pontoons alongside.
Large international resort. A large resort at Herceg Novi, opened in 2019, with a thalassotherapy spa, gardens, a private beach and several ceremony settings.
Historic fortress. Forte Mare, the medieval seafront fortress, and Kanli Kula, the Ottoman hilltop fortress, can both be booked for private evening events through the city's cultural office.
Getting There
Tivat Airport is close to Porto Montenegro, which makes it the best-placed airport in Montenegro for this area.
Tivat Airport (TIV). Served by easyJet from Gatwick, and by TUI and Wizz Air from Gatwick and Luton, mainly from April to October. The transfer to the marina is short.
Podgorica Airport (TGD). Served all year by easyJet from Gatwick, with better off-season connections than Tivat but a longer transfer.
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), Croatia. Wider UK connections suit large groups. It is closer to Herceg Novi than to Porto Montenegro, and the road crosses the border at Debeli Brijeg.
Where Guests Stay
Porto Montenegro is anchored by its marina hotel, and Herceg Novi by a large international resort.
Marina hotel, Porto Montenegro. A full-service hotel within the marina complex, with a ballroom, a rooftop terrace and a private beach.
Resort at Herceg Novi. A large resort and residences on the outer bay shoreline, with a thalassotherapy spa, gardens and a private beach.
Luštica Bay resort hotel. Part of the developing Luštica Bay resort, in rural peninsula country between Porto Montenegro and the outer bay.
Villas, Luštica. Private villas with pools and direct sea access on the Luštica Peninsula, also relevant to the Bay of Kotor guide.
Good to know
Food and Drink
Porto Montenegro has an international restaurant scene shaped by its marina clientele, while Herceg Novi offers more traditional Adriatic and Montenegrin dining.
Marina restaurants. The Village complex holds a varied restaurant strip, with seafood, international cooking and cocktail bars, all looking over the superyachts.
Traditional restaurant, Tivat old town. A Montenegrin restaurant in Tivat old town, a short walk from the marina, serves pršut, grilled fish, black risotto and lamb at non-marina prices. It suits a welcome dinner.
Herceg Novi restaurants. The old town squares and the Šetalište promenade hold a genuine restaurant scene, with fresh Adriatic fish, Montenegrin meat dishes and local Vranac.
Good to Know
Legal marriage in Montenegro. Foreign nationals can marry legally in Montenegro through the local registry office, with both partners present. The process takes months, so many couples marry legally at home and hold the celebration here. The marina hotel is a licensed venue.
The Adriatic coastal road. The Jadranska magistrala, or M2, runs along the coast from Herceg Novi to Ulcinj, through Tivat, Budva and Sveti Stefan. In July and August it is congested, especially between Tivat and Budva, so private transfers beat self-drive.
Superyacht culture. The Yacht Club hosts the Montenegro Yacht Show, usually in May. Yachts in the marina through the season give the setting a backdrop of unusual scale, and charters for sunset cruises or guest excursions can be arranged through the marina.
Herceg Novi gardens. Herceg Novi has a mild microclimate, and mimosa, bougainvillea, agave, palm and citrus grow openly in its gardens. A walking tour of Forte Mare, the old town and the gardens makes a natural guest activity on the day before or after the wedding.
Visas and Entry
Entry rules for Montenegro depend on the passport held. Montenegro is not an EU member and uses the euro as its currency. Current guidance is on the Montenegro government's website and on the traveller's own government's travel pages.
Marrying Legally
The legal marriage and the celebration are separate. Ask your venue or planner what the town hall requires for the place where you plan to marry.
Planners, photographers, florists and musicians who work in Porto Montenegro and Herceg Novi
How did Porto Montenegro come about?
A superyacht marina and resort on the former Yugoslav Navy arsenal at Tivat. Development began in 2007, and the nineteenth-century Austro-Hungarian arsenal buildings now form the Village. The marina hotel opened in 2014, and the complex is still developing.
Can a private yacht be used for a ceremony?
A charter is practical, but it works better as a cocktail cruise after the ceremony than as the ceremony venue, because of sea conditions and the need for stability.
How does Porto Montenegro differ from Luštica Bay?
Porto Montenegro is built, urban and mature, around the marina hotel and arsenal buildings. Luštica Bay is a larger, more rural development on a different peninsula, still under phased construction.
Can Porto Montenegro be combined with a ceremony elsewhere in the Bay of Kotor?
Yes. A ceremony in Kotor old town or at a palazzo can pair with a marina dinner and an overnight at the marina hotel.
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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.