Almost 5,000 Gay Weddings in Spain

The marriage rate has greatly increased, but contrast the enormous differences by region, which denotes there is still some discrimination and social barriers in Spain. Regions with heavier gay populations, like Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia and Valencia have all seen a large increase in gay weddings.

Gay marriage in Spain

Even though you won't be able to get married in a church in Spain None of the Churches in Spain, as yet, will agree to hold a gay ceremony, therefore they are at Civil Registry Offices on certain days of the week or private venues, such as Hotels, Restaurants and Villas.

The Legality of Gay Marriage in Spain?

In the past, one or both of a straight couple had to be resident in Spain for a minimum of 2 years. Times change, gays marry and now some areas marry ‘foreigners’ who do not live in Spain.

To ensure consistency, the Spanish Government is cities that do not comply to court. It was encouraging to see that a National Identification Card was given to an Argentinian after their marriage, stabilizing the 1/2 Spanish couple's status.

Planing for your Big Day

Like all things governmental in Spain, your application to marry can require tedious and time-consuming paperwork, so be sure to allow sufficient time for the application to be processed. It is not uncommon for the process to stretch out as long as six months.

A gay wedding in Spain

Since Spain is only one of 3 countries (Canada, Spain and Belgium) that recognize gay marriage as marriage, it is possible that your marriage in Spain will be symbolic (which is important as well), rather than legally recognized as a partnership when you return to your country.

In Spain, you are covered under EU and EEA (European Economic Area) common law which means that a gay marriage in Spain should be legally recognized in those countries who allow same sex unions. The catch is that a gay marriage is not recognized as a marriage in the UK -- it is a civil partnership.

Welcome to Gay Spain!

If you know of a gay-friendly wedding location or planner, please drop us an email atsuggestions@officialspainguide.com