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Lawfully Wedded

To tie the knot in Italy, both you and your fiancé must have valid passports; certified copies of your birth certificates, translated into Italian; and an atto notorio, a sworn declaration, signed by four unrelated witnesses, stating that you are free to marry, which you must bring to the Italian consulate nearest you for notarization ($55). All documents must be affixed with an apostille (a form attached by the Secretary of State of the issuing state), which the consulate can help you obtain. Once you arrive in Rome, you’ll need to take the documents to the U.S. Embassy, where you will sign a declaration of intent. If you want help in expediting the process, which can be hard to negotiate if you don’t speak Italian fluently, consider hiring a wedding planner who specializes in organizing destination weddings in Italy.