Getting Married in the United Arab Emirates

The climate chart shows the shape of it: mild, dry winters and a long, severe summer. The cooler months suit an outdoor ceremony and a garden or beach reception. May to October is the heat. Ramadan and the two Eids move earlier each year, and their dates are calculated on this page, with the usual caveat that the start depends on the sighting of the moon.

Recommended wedding months

December, January, February and March

The shoulder months are November and April.

Beachfront resort. The large resort hotels on the Gulf coast, with a ceremony on the sand or lawn and a ballroom for the reception.

City and palace hotel. The grand hotels of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with ballrooms, gardens and rooms for the guest list in one place.

Desert camp and reserve. Tented camps and conservation reserves in the dunes, for an evening ceremony under the sky.

Island and marina. Hotels on the man-made islands and around the marinas, for a ceremony with the water behind it.

Mountain and coast. Ras Al Khaimah's mountain terraces and quieter beaches, for a smaller wedding away from the cities.

Each emirate has its own airport and the main ones are international. A wedding party usually flies into Dubai or Abu Dhabi and transfers by road.

Dubai International (DXB). The main airport for Dubai and the closest for most of its resorts.

Al Maktoum International (DWC). Dubai's second airport, south-west of the city.

Zayed International (AUH). Abu Dhabi's airport, for the capital and the court.

Ras Al Khaimah International (RKT). The airport for Ras Al Khaimah's coast and mountains.

Emirati cooking is the cooking of the Gulf coast and the desert, and the cities' kitchens add Lebanese, Persian and South Asian traditions.

Machboos and harees. Spiced rice with lamb, chicken or fish, and the slow-cooked wheat and meat dish served at celebrations.

Gulf seafood. Hammour and other fish from the Gulf, grilled or baked in spice.

Arabic coffee and dates. Cardamom coffee poured from a dallah, served with dates on arrival.

The legal ceremony is in Abu Dhabi. A visiting couple's civil marriage is held at the Civil Family Court of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. The celebration is arranged separately and can be in any emirate, with the venue and the planner.

Ask the venue before you choose it. What a setting allows, from where a ceremony may be held to the music finish time and the drinks service, varies by emirate and by venue. Each is confirmed by the venue; none is stated on this page.

Plan around the heat. From May to September the days are very hot; the climate section gives the monthly highs. An outdoor ceremony is planned for the cooler months or the evening.

Ramadan and the Eids. Their dates move earlier each year; they are calculated for the next two years on this page. Ask the venue how it operates in those weeks.

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.