Do We Need to Get Married Legally Before Our Lanzarote Wedding?

This is the most common questions I get asked by couples planning a wedding or elopement in Lanzarote.

Hi, I'm Sarah The Lanzarote Celebrant. Conducting all types of ceremonies here in Lanzarote since 2022.

Photo credit - @romanaellaplacek

So - Do you need to get married legally at home before your ceremony in Lanzarote?

The short answer is no — not really.

The longer, more honest answer is that it’s entirely your choice.

And that choice is one of the reasons so many couples fall in love with the idea of a symbolic ceremony in Lanzarote in the first place.

A symbolic wedding or blessing in Lanzarote gives you complete freedom. You can choose to complete the legal paperwork before you travel, after you return home, or not at all. There is no right or wrong way — only what feels right for you.

Let's break this down in to 3 types of couples:

Type 1 couples want the paperwork done before they arrive in Lanzarote.

For them, it’s about feeling officially married the moment they say their vows overlooking the ocean or standing together on a villa terrace. They like knowing that when the ceremony ends, they are legally and emotionally married, all in one moment. Lanzarote then becomes the place where everything truly begins.

Type 2 couples prefer the opposite. They want the paperwork done after their Lanzarote wedding day.

They don’t want a registry office appointment, signatures, or legal wording to distract from what their Lanzarote ceremony represents. They want this to be the meaningful one — the one where they speak from the heart, in their own words, without restrictions. For those couples, the legal part can wait until they return home, quietly and without fuss, knowing the emotional commitment has already been made.

Type 3 couples choose never to marry legally at all.

I’ve worked with couples who don’t feel aligned with marriage as a legal or religious institution, often for political, personal, or faith-based reasons. Some have been together for decades. Some have children. Some simply believe that their commitment doesn’t need official paperwork to be valid.

What they do want is a moment — a ceremony that reflects who they are, witnessed by the people who matter most to them, in a place that feels special.

Photo credit - @romanaellaplacek

A symbolic ceremony allows exactly that. No rules. No requirements. Just intention, commitment, and meaning.

This is why I always say that planning a wedding or elopement in Lanzarote is about choice — not just in whether your marriage is legal, but in the entire experience.

Choice of:

• Location

• Wording

• Who is there - just the 2 of you, your children, or a small group of friends

• Traditional vibes, relaxed or a bit of both

@stevelupsonphotography

My role as a celebrant isn’t to push you towards one option or another. It’s to listen, explain the possibilities clearly, and help you create a ceremony that feels right for you.

One that reflects your values, your relationship, and your reasons for choosing Lanzarote as the place to mark this moment.

If you’re at the early stages of planning and feeling unsure about what you “should” do, please know this:

there is no expectation, no standard path, and no pressure.

Whether your legal marriage happens before, after, or never, your Lanzarote ceremony can still be deeply meaningful, personal, and unforgettable.

If you’re considering a wedding, elopement, or vow renewal in Lanzarote and want honest guidance from someone who lives here and does this every week, I’d love to help you explore your options — no assumptions, no scripts, just a conversation.

Because the best ceremonies always start with choice.

@stevelupsonphotography