Planning A Wedding In Malta: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding in Malta is a great option for couples looking for a destination wedding. The Maltese Islands cater to all tastes and budgets, with a typically Mediterranean climate, stunning scenery, beautiful architecture, and an established wedding industry. Wedding ceremonies are conducted in English, and there are no minimum residency requirements. Civil ceremonies can take place in wonderful venues, while religious ceremonies can be held in elegant baroque parish churches or intimate countryside chapels. Wedding celebrations can range from dinners in alfresco restaurants to cocktail parties or lavish receptions in luxury hotels.

Civil or religious ceremony

Malta offers the option of a civil or religious ceremony. Civil ceremonies can be held in a variety of venues, including elegant civil venues. Religious ceremonies can take place in the splendour of a baroque parish church or a more intimate countryside chapel.

Same-sex civil unions are legal in Malta, and ceremonies are conducted in English.

If you are planning a DIY wedding, there are tools available online to help you stay on track. You can also book a personalised planning consultation. It is important to provide guests with as much information as possible, including a list of potential accommodation and flight details.

Planning a wedding in Malta can be easy and great value for money. However, it is worth noting that responses from suppliers can take time, especially during the summer wedding season. Starting your planning early will save you stress and give you more time to negotiate deals.

Wedding reception options

Your wedding reception can take whatever form you wish, from a dinner in one of Malta's alfresco restaurants to a cocktail party or a lavish reception in a luxury five-star hotel. Large buffet receptions are part of the traditional Maltese wedding, and experienced caterers can tailor-make a menu for your party, whatever the size.

Civil or religious wedding ceremonies are available in Malta. Civil ceremonies offer a range of wonderful venues, while religious ceremonies can take place in elegant baroque parish churches or intimate countryside chapels.

It's important to keep in mind that Mediterranean countries like Malta are very laid back and slow. Starting your wedding planning well in advance will save you stress and give you more time to negotiate better deals and save money for extras like fireworks, which are quite affordable in Malta.

Wedding planning tools

Planning a wedding in Malta can be easy and great value for money. You can choose to use a wedding planner or tour operator that offers wedding packages, or you can plan the wedding yourself. If you're planning a DIY wedding, you can use a Wedding Abroad Planning Tool Kit to help you stay on track, or book a 90-minute Personalised Planning Consultation.

If you're planning the wedding yourself, it's important to keep in mind that sometimes it takes a dozen follow-ups and weeks to get responses from suppliers, especially if you start planning in the summer – the middle of wedding season. Starting your wedding planning with plenty of time ahead will save you from stress and give you more time to negotiate better deals and save money for fun things like fireworks, which are quite affordable in Malta.

You can have either a civil or religious wedding ceremony in Malta. For a civil ceremony, there are some wonderful civil venues to choose from. Options for a religious ceremony include the elegant splendour of baroque parish churches or the more intimate and secluded countryside chapels.

Your wedding celebration can take whatever form you wish, from a dinner in one of Malta’s celebrated alfresco restaurants to a cocktail party or a lavish reception in one of its luxury five-star hotels. Large buffet receptions are very much part of the traditional Maltese wedding. A wide selection of experienced, professional caterers can tailor-make a menu for your party, whatever the size.

Guest information

Provide guests with as much information as possible. You can read a guest information guide and download a guest information checklist which covers everything from guests' expenses to creating a personal wedding website. Send out a list of potential accommodation to guests as soon as possible (if you can, go and view them first) and get flight details from all your home airports.

You can have either a civil or religious wedding ceremony in Malta. For couples wishing to have a civil ceremony, there are some wonderful civil venues to choose from. Options for a religious ceremony include the elegant splendour of baroque parish churches or the more intimate and secluded countryside chapels.

Your wedding celebration can take whatever form you wish, from a dinner in one of Malta's celebrated alfresco restaurants feasting on local delicacies, to a cocktail party or a lavish reception in one of its luxury five-star hotels. Large buffet receptions are very much part of the traditional Maltese wedding. A wide selection of experienced, professional caterers can tailor-make a menu for your party, whatever the size.

Suppliers and timing

Malta is a laid-back and slow-paced country, so it's important to keep in mind that it can take a dozen follow-ups and weeks to get responses from suppliers. If you start planning in the summer, which is the middle of wedding season, this process may take even longer. It's best to start planning your wedding with plenty of time to spare, so you can save yourself from unnecessary stress and negotiate better deals.

Malta offers a wide selection of experienced, professional caterers who can tailor-make a menu for your wedding party, whatever the size. You can also choose from a range of venues for your ceremony, including civil venues, elegant baroque parish churches, and intimate countryside chapels.

To save on costs, consider having your wedding on a weekday. You can also watch out for hidden fees and think outside the box to keep expenses down. For example, you could opt for a dinner in one of Malta's alfresco restaurants or a cocktail party instead of a lavish reception in a luxury hotel.

Frequently asked questions