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Getting Married on South Georgia

With its stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife, and unique history, South Georgia is a very special place to get married. Your wedding can be incorporated as part of your visit to Grytviken.

If you decide this is what you want to do, you should contact the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) at least three months before your prospective wedding date. This allows for the practicalities of the marriage to be arranged before your visit so that your special day is relaxed and hassle-free.

The Legalities

Registering Marriages

As a UK Overseas Territory, South Georgia has its own laws regarding marriage, but these reflect the marriage laws in England. This means that all couples, including same-sex couples, can apply to get married on South Georgia.

Any marriage conducted on South Georgia is recognised in the UK. However, if you are from any other country, you should check what steps are necessary to register or validate the marriage there and ensure that you comply with any requirements.

Civil or Religious Services

Civil marriages are solemnised on South Georgia by a Registrar appointed by the Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands. Our Government Officers are appointed as Registrars. The Government is not able to provide a religious service as there are no ministers of religion on location in South Georgia.

You will need a Special Licence to get married on South Georgia. These are issued by the Commissioner.

To obtain a licence, please complete the Notice of Marriage form. That form and the notes for completing can be found on below. You will need to send an electronic copy of the completed Notice of Marriage to registryenquiries (at) townhall.gov.fk, along with copies of the following:

  • Copies of passports of both people getting married
  • Contact details (postal address and email)
  • Proof of address (such as a utility bill) for both people
  • Decree absolute or death certificate (if either applies)

The original, completed Notice of Marriage must be either received by post to Registrar General, Town Hall, Ross Road, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ in advance of your visit or handed to the Registrar on South Georgia prior to the wedding. If posting, for speed and security we advise that you use a courier and send well in advance. Currently we are only aware of DHL delivering to the Falkland Islands.

You will need to pay an administration fee for the wedding to the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI); this is currently £400.00.

TitleFile TypeFile SizeLink
Wedding Forms Notice of Marriagedoc30 KB
Notes re completion of Notice of Marriagepdf348 KB
Visiting South Georgia (2023-2024)pdf13 MB

Locations

All marriages must be conducted in the vicinity of Grytviken, but there are a number of locations in and around Grytviken that you can choose from. Even if you choose an outdoor marriage location, it’s a good idea to have an indoor location in mind as a back-up, as while we will do what we can to make your day special, one thing we can’t do is guarantee the weather! The church at Grytviken is a popular indoor location for ceremonies. Some locations suitable for weddings include:

Further Information

The Notice of Marriage will be displayed outside the Registrar General’s office in Stanley, Falkland Islands. It must be displayed between three months and 21 days before the date of the marriage.

If the Commissioner approves the granting of the Special Licence, this will be issued and the licence will be valid for three months from the date of issue. This gives flexibility for the date of the wedding, as although you will have an expected date of the wedding, occasionally your arrival date in Grytviken may change, for example due to weather.

GSGSSI will prepare the Marriage Certificates. These will be sent down to the Registrar on South Georgia, together with the Special Licence, in readiness for your wedding day. Following the ceremony, you will be given a copy of the Special Licence and a copy of your Marriage Certificate. Copies of the Marriage Certificate will be held by the Registrar on South Georgia and the Registrar General in Stanley.

Certified copies of the Marriage Certificate can be obtained from the Registry Office in Stanley, Falkland Islands.