From apostille to weddingmoon - here are our 50 most important terms for anyone planning a destination wedding. Quickly understand what wedding planners, venues and vendors are talking about - and avoid surprises around legal requirements, logistics and planning.
Need to go deeper? Start with our guide hub or jump straight to legally valid weddings abroad or planning checklist.
Sworn statement under oath that no impediments to marriage exist. Required for legal weddings in countries such as the USA, South Africa and several Caribbean nations, often as a complement to the impediment certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency.
Wedding package where venue, food, drinks, decor, ceremony and often accommodation are included at a fixed per-person price. Common at resorts in Mexico, the Caribbean and Thailand. Simplifies planning but offers less flexibility in vendor choice.
An internationally recognised stamp under the 1961 Hague Convention that verifies an official document (e.g. marriage certificate or impediment certificate) is genuine. Required for documents to be valid abroad. In Sweden, apostilles are issued by a Notary Public. Read more in our guide on legal weddings abroad.
Historic tradition where the impending marriage was publicly announced on three consecutive Sundays in church. In Sweden, banns were abolished in 1973 and replaced by the impediment certificate. The term lives on in wedding contexts as a synonym for "officially announcing the engagement".
Wedding clothes adapted to the destination climate - lighter fabrics like linen and chiffon in tropical climates, warmer outerwear for Nordic or autumn weddings. Should be communicated to guests in the invitation so they avoid overheating or freezing.
Bilateral treaty between a state (e.g. Italy, Spain, Portugal) and the Vatican that gives Catholic religious weddings the same legal validity as civil ones. Means a Catholic wedding in these countries can be legally binding without a separate civil ceremony.
Service package from a local coordinator typically covering 3-6 months of support: vendor contracts, Zoom meetings, payment handling, day-of scheduling, on-site execution and guest communication. Price in Europe: 2,500-7,000 EUR. Compared with full-service wedding planner in our DIY vs coordinator guide.
Detailed minute-by-minute schedule for the wedding day from preparations to last dance, including times for vendors, photographer, ceremony, food, speeches and entertainment. Should be shared with all key people at least 2 weeks before the wedding and held by the coordinator on the day.
Specially adapted meal options for guests with food allergies, intolerances or dietary preferences (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal, kosher). Should be collected via RSVP and communicated to the venue at least 2-4 weeks before the wedding.
Official exemption from a legal requirement, such as shortening the statutory residency period before marriage, waiving language requirements on documents, or approving a foreign officiant. Usually granted by local authorities or courts and can take several weeks.
Pre-booked music setup including DJ, sound system, microphones and often lighting and smoke effects for a fixed number of hours. At destinations the package often includes a house DJ via the venue, which is cheaper but less customisable than an external DJ.
Intimate wedding with only the couple and possibly 2-10 of their closest, often without invited guests. Focus is on the experience and location rather than the party. Common destinations are Iceland, Tuscany, Santorini and US national parks. Read our complete elopement guide.
Wedding focused on close family, typically 15-40 guests. A middle ground between elopement and full-scale wedding that allows a more personal ceremony alongside a proper celebration dinner, often at a private villa or boutique hotel.
Staged and photographed moment when the couple sees each other for the first time on the wedding day, usually before the ceremony. Allows for emotion in a private setting and frees up time after the ceremony for more portraits and mingling with guests.
Industry term for premium venues ranked highly in quality, service and prestige - typically historic villas, castles and 5-star resorts. Gold tier venues often cost 30-100% more than standard equivalents but usually include a coordinator, dedicated staff and higher standards of decor and food. Read more in our venue guide.
Combined reservation of multiple hotel rooms or flight seats for wedding guests, often with a 5-15% discount and flexible cancellation terms. Should be booked 9-12 months in advance for popular destinations in high season.
Trip the couple takes together immediately after the wedding, traditionally 1-3 weeks long. For destination weddings the honeymoon is often combined with the wedding trip by moving on to a nearby, more secluded location after guests have gone home. See our weddingmoon guide.
The country where the wedding takes place. The host country's laws govern the legal validity of the wedding, any residency requirements and which documents need to be translated and apostille-stamped. Different host countries have very different requirements - compare carefully in our destination guide before choosing.
Tax Agency investigation certifying that no legal impediments to marriage exist (e.g. another ongoing marriage or kinship). Required for all citizens getting married - at home or abroad. Valid for 4 months and often needs apostille stamping for overseas weddings. Detailed info in our legal weddings guide.
Pre-booked indoor venue as backup for an outdoor wedding if the weather changes. Should be included in the venue contract at no extra cost and activatable 4-12 hours before the ceremony. A central part of Plan B for destination weddings.
Finnish industry term for wedding or party venue. The term is sometimes used by Nordic wedding bloggers and vendors targeting Finnish and Nordic couples and generally refers to the place where the celebration is held (equivalent to the English "venue").
Legal status indicating whether a person is single, married, divorced or widowed. Must be proven (typically via a personal certificate from the Tax Agency) before getting married abroad to demonstrate that no impediments to marriage exist.
Official document from the officiant or registrar certifying that the wedding has been performed. Required to change marital status, take a partner's surname and register the marriage at home. For overseas weddings, the certificate must be apostille-stamped and translated by an authorised translator.
The person who legally officiates the wedding - usually a priest, pastor, rabbi, imam or civil officiant appointed by the regional authority. For overseas weddings the officiant must be recognised by the country authorities; foreign civil officiants do not have authority abroad.
Wedding with 10-30 guests - more than an elopement but smaller than a traditional wedding. Enables premium experiences (Michelin dinner, luxury villa, exclusive wine tasting) at the same total budget as a large wedding. Trend that has grown strongly since 2020.
Lawyer or solicitor appointed by the regional authority who certifies the authenticity of signatures, copies and official documents. In Sweden, notaries public issue apostilles on marriage certificates and impediment certificates. Fee: approximately 250-400 SEK per stamp.
Person legally authorised to officiate a wedding - e.g. a notary, priest, municipal official or approved celebrant. For overseas weddings the officiant must be approved by the country authorities; foreign clergy normally do not have this authority abroad. See also marriage officiant.
Number of hours the photographer is on site during the wedding day. Standard packages abroad cover 6-10 hours including preparations, ceremony, portraits and beginning of dinner. Full day (10-12 hours) usually also covers party and dancing. See our destination wedding photographer guide.
Prepared backup plan for outdoor weddings in case of rain, wind or extreme heat. Includes indoor backup, marquees, parasols, heaters/fans and a clear deadline for the decision (usually 4-12 hours before the ceremony). Should be agreed in writing with the venue.
The celebration after the ceremony - from welcome drink to dinner, speeches, dancing and late-night snacks. At destination weddings the reception often lasts 6-10 hours and is gladly combined with an outdoor sunset cocktail hour and a more relaxed after-party.
Ceremony within a religious community, e.g. Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu or Muslim ceremony. In some countries (Italy, Spain, Greece) a religious ceremony can also be legally binding thanks to a concordat - in others a separate civil ceremony is required for legal validity.
Invitation requesting a reply from the guest about whether they will attend. For destination weddings the RSVP deadline should be 3-4 months before the wedding since flights, hotels and final venue numbers need to be confirmed in good time.
Advance notice to guests with date and destination, normally 9-12 months before the wedding. Sent before the formal invitation so guests can book holiday, flights and hotels in time. Crucial for destination weddings at popular locations in high season. See our planning checklist.
Trip to the destination 3-9 months before the wedding to visit venues, meet vendors in person and do tastings. Costs 500-1,500 EUR per person but significantly reduces the risk of unpleasant surprises on the wedding day.
Wedding ceremony without legal effect - beautiful, personal and free of legal requirements. The couple gets legally married at home before or after the destination trip. The most common solution for couples abroad as it avoids apostille, translations and residency requirements. Read our symbolic vs legal ceremony comparison.
English term for tasting menu. Often used by international venues and catering companies and can include wine tasting, wedding cake and welcome drinks. Book the tasting at least 3 months before the wedding.
Pre-event tasting where the couple approves dishes, wine choices and presentation before the wedding. At destinations the tasting is often combined with a site visit 3-6 months before the wedding. Some premium venues offer the tasting at no cost.
Swedish authority issuing impediment certificates, personal certificates and marriage certificates. Also handles registration of foreign marriages in the Swedish population register. Personal and impediment certificates can be ordered digitally and delivered digitally or by post within 1-3 days.
The person (usually coordinator or master of ceremonies) responsible for keeping the day-of timeline and making quick decisions on delays, weather changes or surprises. Critical for overseas weddings where sunset and vendor times are hard limits.
Wedding at a privately rented villa or estate where the couple and guests stay for the entire wedding week. Common in Tuscany, Provence, Mallorca and the Algarve. Gives total control over schedule, food and music, but requires external catering, staff and permits. See our venue guide for more.
Entry permit required for citizens of certain countries. Within Schengen and the EU a Swedish passport is enough, but for weddings in e.g. India, Vietnam, the USA or several African countries a visa is required for the couple and all guests. Should be checked 6 months in advance.
Pre-built package from venue or organiser including officiant, ceremony, floral decoration, witnesses, photographer and marriage certificate at a fixed price (typically 1,500-8,000 EUR in Europe). Practical for elopements but can limit the ability to personalise the ceremony.
Local expert at the destination handling logistics, vendors and the day-of timeline. Differs from a wedding planner by often being location- or venue-specific and focusing on execution rather than full planning. See our DIY vs coordinator comparison.
Insurance covering financial loss from cancelled or delayed weddings due to illness, natural disasters, vendor bankruptcy or other unforeseen events. Especially important for destination weddings due to flight, weather and visa-related risks.
Full-service planner responsible for the entire wedding from concept to execution - including budget, vendor selection, design, guest communication and on-site coordination. In Europe a wedding planner typically costs 6,000-15,000 EUR and is hired 6-18 months before the wedding. See our DIY vs coordinator vs planner comparison.
Personal website with information for guests about date, location, schedule, dress code, hotels, transport, RSVP and gift wishes. Especially valuable for destination weddings where guests need more practical information than for a local wedding. See also our guide for destination wedding guests.
Multi-day wedding over 3-7 days with several events: welcome dinner, excursions, ceremony, after-party and farewell brunch. Gives guests more time with the couple, justifies the long trip and is becoming more standard for destination weddings with 30+ guests. Our multi-day wedding guide goes deeper.
Combination of wedding and honeymoon at the same destination. The couple gets married on arrival and stays on for honeymoon for 1-2 weeks. Trend that saves both time and travel costs and has become particularly popular for couples with small weddings. We have a full guide on weddingmoons.
Informal dinner the evening before the wedding where the couple welcomes guests to the destination. Standard at destination weddings with foreign guests and serves as a warm-up for coming days. Often held at a local restaurant to ease the budget.
The glossary gives you the basics - but to truly understand how to plan a destination wedding, we recommend reading one of our in-depth guides.