Planning guide
Corfu Wedding Planning Checklist (Free and Printable)
Planning your Corfu wedding yourselves? This checklist puts the main steps in order, from choosing your ceremony to registering your marriage after the wedding. Add your date and ceremony type, and it works out your deadlines. Your ticks stay in your own browser.
Updated 8 November 2026
Planning it yourselves
Lots of couples plan a Corfu wedding on their own, especially a small symbolic ceremony at a venue that has its own coordinator. Work through the list at your own pace. Nothing here asks for your name or email.
Getting help where it counts
A local planner knows which suppliers are reliable and deals with Greek offices in Greek. A day-of coordinator runs the day itself, so you and your families don't have to. Tasks marked A planner or coordinator can take this on are the ones where local knowledge saves the most time. Many couples keep the creative parts and hand the supplier search, paperwork and logistics to a pro.
12 months or more before
These two numbers decide almost everything else, from the size of the venue to whether a villa or a hotel suits you better. Our Corfu wedding cost guide has 2027 ranges.
Symbolic (no legal paperwork in Greece, you marry legally at home), civil (legal, run by the municipality, and open to same-sex couples since 2024) or church (Greek Orthodox or Catholic). Use the filter above to show only your tasks. Not sure? Read symbolic vs legal weddings in Corfu.
Full planner, partial planning, a day-of coordinator, your venue's own coordinator, or none. A planner can only run one wedding a day, so summer dates go early. Decide this before you book a venue. Our guide to whether you need a wedding planner in Corfu can help.
July and August are the hottest and busiest months. May, June, September and early October are milder. For a civil wedding, check the municipality's ceremony days before you fix the date. See the best month for a Corfu wedding.
Many direct flights from the UK and Ireland are seasonal, so check that your guests can fly in easily on your dates.
The west coast faces the sunset, Corfu Town has the old town and its churches, and the north-east coast around Kassiopi and Kalami looks across to Albania. See the map of Corfu by area.
Get the capacity, the time the music must stop and the plan for rain or wind in writing, and ask exactly what the price includes.
Buy it once you've paid your first deposits. Check what happens if a supplier cancels or flights are disrupted.
Summer flights to Corfu fill early, so guests need the notice.
UK visitors need a passport issued less than 10 years before they arrive and valid for at least 3 months after they leave (GOV.UK). Check yours, and remind your guests.
Corfu has three municipalities: North Corfu (seat: Acharavi), Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands (seat: Corfu Town) and South Corfu (seat: Lefkimmi). You apply to the one where the ceremony takes place, so ask your venue which one covers it. Only Central Corfu publishes its civil wedding procedure online; ask North or South Corfu for theirs.
Under the Municipality of Central Corfu's decision of 19 March 2020, civil weddings take place on Thursdays, with ceremonies starting between 11:00 and 14:00, and on the last Saturday of each month, at the Marasleio Megaro, the historic town hall (San Giacomo), the Ionian Parliament, Faliraki, Bosketo, Mon Repos or the People's Garden (municipal decision). A different day or time is possible only in exceptional cases, and the decision lists no private venues. Ask the town hall whether this still applies in 2027; North and South Corfu set their own days and places.
Start with your government's page on marrying abroad: GOV.UK, Ireland or the Australian Embassy in Athens. UK couples can read our legal guide for UK couples.
For a Greek Orthodox wedding, at least one of you must be Orthodox, and the other must be a Christian baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity; the parish priest arranges any permission a mixed marriage needs. The Church does not usually hold weddings during Lent before Easter (2 May 2027) or from 1 to 15 August. For a Catholic wedding, start with your home parish. Ask the parish, the Holy Metropolis of Corfu or the Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu what they need and which dates are free.
9 months before
Summer weekends go first. Ask to see full galleries from real weddings, not only the highlights.
They write and lead your symbolic ceremony, often in your own language.
A symbolic ceremony in Corfu is not legally binding, so marry at home before or after the trip. In England and Wales you give notice at least 29 days before, after living in the district for 7 days (GOV.UK).
Check your venue's music cut-off first, then book a DJ, a band or traditional Greek musicians.
Ask whether they come to your venue and how many people they can get ready before the ceremony.
A block of rooms or a few guest villas near the venue keeps transfers simple. Our guest guide is ready to share.
Common for private villas. Ask about tastings, staff, tableware and clearing up.
6 months before
Include the airport (Corfu, CFU), where to stay and how guests will get to the venue.
Ask what is in season in Corfu on your date. Local flowers travel less and cope better with the heat.
Roads to many venues are narrow and winding, and taxis are hard to find on summer evenings. A coach or minibus for guests is often worth it.
Think about heat, sand or grass underfoot, and covered shoulders if you marry in an Orthodox church.
Your church will tell you which documents it needs and how recent they must be; some ask for a baptism certificate issued within the last few months. Ask your parish in Corfu before you order, and allow time for an official Greek translation.
4 months before
UK citizens who live in the UK give notice at their local register office, which issues a certificate of no impediment (Islington's page is an example); those who live outside the UK use GOV.UK's online service. Irish citizens apply for a Certificate of Freedom to Marry at least 4 months ahead (ireland.ie). Australians get a certificate of no impediment through the embassy in Athens or DFAT (Australian Embassy). The US doesn't issue one: where the town hall asks, US citizens swear an affidavit in person in Athens or Thessaloniki (US Embassy). Ask the Corfu town hall which document it accepts before you apply.
The full version, with your parents' names. Neither Central Corfu's page nor Greece's procedure register sets a maximum age, but some offices prefer recently issued certificates, so ask the town hall and don't order too early. If either of you was married before, you'll also need the divorce decree or death certificate.
Your home parish usually prepares the papers and sends them through your diocese to the Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu. Dioceses can take several months, so speak to your parish priest early and ask the archdiocese in Corfu what it needs.
3 months before
Documents from outside the EU, including the UK, US and Australia, need an apostille. A UK paper apostille can take up to 25 working days plus post, and the faster e-Apostille isn't available for birth certificates (GOV.UK). Documents from EU countries don't need one, and an EU multilingual standard form can usually avoid the need for a translation (Your Europe).
The Municipality of Central Corfu accepts translations by the Translation Service of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by a permanent official of the Greek consulate in the country that issued the document, by a Greek lawyer who certifies they know the language, or by a translator with a degree from the Ionian University (municipality page, 2021). Greece also keeps a register of certified translators, but it isn't on Central Corfu's list, so ask the town hall before you use one. Translate after the apostille, not before.
So they can check everything before you arrive with the originals. Ask the town hall whether it can open your licence file from these copies, so the one-week objection period runs before you land.
Tell your venue or caterer about dietary needs early.
Outdoor venues may need extra lighting after sunset, and a plan for wind.
Where to stay, how to get around, what to wear and the timings for the day.
1 month before
Greece's procedure register mentions a notice of the marriage in a local daily newspaper before the licence is issued (mitos.gov.gr). Central Corfu's civil wedding page lists it only for Greek applicants, not for foreign couples who live abroad, so ask the town hall whether you need one. If it says yes, ask which paper and how far ahead.
For foreign couples living abroad, Central Corfu lists a certificate of no impediment from your own country's authority, a birth certificate, a passport photocopy, proof of legal stay in Greece (residence permit, visa or entry stamp) and any divorce decree (municipality page, 2021). The certificates must be officially translated, and those from outside the EU need an apostille. Passports are no longer stamped now that the EU Entry/Exit System is taking over, so ask the town hall what proof of stay it accepts, for example boarding passes. The licence itself is generally free, though some official pages still list an €18 stamp duty; ask the town hall. It is issued after a one-week objection period and is valid for 6 months (mitos.gov.gr).
They must be over 18 and bring photo ID, such as a passport, on the day. They can be friends or relatives (mitos.gov.gr).
From hair and make-up to the last song. Leave time for travel between places and for photos in the evening light.
Date, times, the exact address with a map pin, who to call on the day, and what is still to pay.
Check whether quotes include VAT, ask for the VAT rate on each line, and find out whether each supplier wants a bank transfer or cash. Our guide to the hidden costs of a Corfu wedding lists the extras couples often miss.
Shade and water for guests, and a ceremony time that avoids the midday sun.
Wildfire risk runs from April to October, and causing a fire is a criminal offence even by accident (GOV.UK). Greek fire rules ban sky lanterns from 1 April to 30 November. Fireworks and sparklers are not allowed outdoors on high fire-risk days, and professional displays need a permit or advance notice to the Fire Service (Fire Service Ordinance 9/2024). Ask your venue before planning any of these.
Never in a checked bag.
The last two weeks
The marriage licence needs a one-week objection period after you apply, so arrive more than a week before the wedding, unless the town hall has opened your file from copies sent ahead. Ask before you book flights. For a church wedding, ask the parish when it wants to see you.
Central Corfu asks you to complete the ceremony application at least 3 days before, including a declaration of the surname your future children will take, and to pay a €100 ceremony fee (municipality page, 2021). Ceremony fees in Greece range from €0 to €150, depending on the municipality (mitos.gov.gr). Ask the town hall for the 2027 fee. The 3-day step comes after the licence, which needs its one-week objection period first.
Pick a time on the day before, look at the forecast with the venue, and stick to the decision.
Sun cream, plasters, safety pins, insect repellent, a fan, flat shoes and a phone charger.
Suppliers need someone to call who isn't you. If you have a day-of coordinator, that's part of their job. If not, choose a calm friend who knows the plan and isn't in the wedding party.
Wedding week
Where the ceremony goes, where guests are dropped off, where suppliers set up, and the plan for wind or rain.
Give one person the job of looking after them on the day.
Give them to your contact person the evening before.
Within 40 days after the wedding
Civil and church weddings must both be registered at the Registry Office (Ληξιαρχείο) within 40 days. In Central Corfu it's at the Marasleio Megaro, by appointment. Either of you can go, or someone holding a notarised power of attorney if you've flown home. Bring your passports, the translated certificates and your Greek tax (AFM) and social security (AMKA) numbers, or a signed declaration that you don't have them. Late registration cost €30 after 40 days and €60 after 90 in 2021 (municipality page); ask the registry whether those fees still apply.
Either of you, or someone with a special power of attorney, can ask for a free extract of the marriage record. It takes up to 10 days. Online requests through gov.gr need a Greek TAXISnet login, so couples from abroad usually ask at a citizens' service centre (KEP), through myKEPlive, or with help from their planner (mitos.gov.gr).
Back home
Outside the EU you'll usually need an apostille and a translation. In Greece, the Decentralised Administration apostilles registry documents: you apply through a KEP, and there's no fee for this type of document (mitos.gov.gr). Within the EU, ask for the multilingual standard form.
A marriage abroad is generally recognised in the UK if it was legal where it took place and would be allowed under UK law, but you can't get a UK marriage certificate for it (GOV.UK).
It helps the next couple more than you'd think.
Everything ticked. Enjoy your wedding!
When a planner or coordinator is worth it
This checklist is here for couples who want to plan their own Corfu wedding, and lots of couples do it well. A good local planner earns their fee in exactly the places a checklist can’t reach:
- The paperwork. A civil or church wedding means documents from home, apostilles, Greek translations, possibly a newspaper notice, and appointments with Greek offices. A planner who handles this regularly knows what each office expects.
- Knowing who to trust. They know which suppliers turn up on time, which venues handle a windy evening well, and who to call when something goes wrong.
- Being there. If you can’t visit Corfu before the wedding, someone local can see venues for you, meet suppliers and check details face to face.
- The day itself. Even couples who plan everything themselves often bring in a day-of coordinator, so nobody in the family spends the wedding answering the phone.
If you’re having a small symbolic ceremony, your venue has its own coordinator and you have time to plan, doing it yourselves is very achievable. If you want a legal or church wedding, have a big guest list or can’t come over beforehand, talk to a planner before you book anything else. You can find planners, coordinators and paperwork help in our directory. Professionals pay a yearly membership for a full profile there (some have a free basic listing), and we explain how we make money openly.
A few things that catch couples out
- Corfu has three town halls. The island has three municipalities, and the civil wedding rules and dates can differ between them. Check which one your venue is in before you fix the date.
- Distances look short on the map. Many roads are narrow and winding, so allow more time between the ceremony, photos and the reception than you’d expect. See the areas of Corfu.
- Summer evenings are busy. Taxis are hard to find late at night in July and August, which is why many couples book transfers for guests.
For the reasons behind each deadline, read our Corfu wedding planning timeline. Still deciding on help? See do you need a wedding planner in Corfu? For the bigger picture, start with our complete guide to getting married in Corfu.
Questions couples ask
Can we plan a wedding in Corfu without a wedding planner?
Yes. It's most manageable for a small symbolic ceremony, or at a hotel or venue with its own coordinator. A civil or church wedding involves Greek paperwork, so many couples who plan everything else themselves still get help with the documents.
Which tasks change with a civil, church or symbolic ceremony?
A symbolic ceremony drops the Greek paperwork, but you marry legally at home. Civil and church weddings add documents, apostilles and translations, and a civil wedding also needs a licence and possibly a newspaper notice. Choose your ceremony in the filter and the list shows only your tasks. For how far ahead to book everything, see our planning timeline.
Can we use the checklist if we have a planner?
Yes. Tasks marked 'A planner or coordinator can take this on' show what to agree with them, so nothing falls between you.
Do we have to register our marriage after a wedding in Corfu?
Yes, for civil and church weddings. The marriage must be registered at the Registry Office within 40 days, otherwise a late fee applies. If you fly home straight after, someone with a notarised power of attorney can do it for you.
What's the difference between a wedding planner and a day-of coordinator?
A planner helps from the start: finding suppliers, the paperwork, the budget and the design. A day-of coordinator takes over the plan you've made, usually in the last weeks, and runs the day itself so you and your family can enjoy it.
Does the checklist save our progress?
Yes, in your own browser on this device, so it's there when you come back. It's never sent to us. Use Reset to clear it, or Print to keep a copy on paper.