Guide to Getting Married in Hong Kong

July 21, 2022 / Posted by in Planning Tools

Last updated on April 2022

Efficiency is definitely one of the perks of living in a city like Hong Kong. Most government processes are made as straightforward and hassle-free as possible, including that of getting legally married in Hong Kong. Although simple, not a lot of people know about the civil registration process, so we decided to come up with a brief step-by-step guide that you can use as reference.

STEP 1: Book an appointment to submit a Notice of Intended Marriage
You would need to give a Notice of Intended Marriage no earlier than 3 months but at least 15 days (excluding Sundays) before your date of intended marriage. An appointment to submit this notice can be booked either online or by calling +852 3102 3883.

STEP 2: Prepare required documents
Either HKID card or travel document of both you and your soon-to-be spouse must be presented for verification during the appointment. You will also be required to fill out Form MR21B, so you can prepare this in advance or, better yet, submit it ahead of time online.

 

[From: A Modern Wedding with Only The Bride and Groom Present / Photos: Fermat Photography]

STEP 3: Submit Notice of Intended Marriage
Only one of you (see note in Step 4) would need to show up for the appointment with all the required documents. A fee of HK$305 would have to be paid to file the notice. If you are getting married at a marriage registry, you’ll also be allowed to book a time slot for your preferred date and marriage hall of choice during your appointment. An additional fee of $715 would have to be paid for celebrations within office hours or $1935 for outside office hours.

STEP 4: Claim Certificate of Registrar of Marriages
At least 15 days after your submission of Notice of Intended Marriage (and assuming no one objects to the notice), you may claim the Certificate of Registrar of Marriages which will be valid for the next three months. If you are getting married at a licensed place of worship, be sure to pass this to them before your scheduled ceremony. (Note: If only one of you submitted the notice in Step 3, the other party would have to pick up the certificate, so their declaration can also be confirmed.)

[From: A City Hall Wedding Filled with Genuine Emotions / Photos: Anna Maria Studio]

STEP 5: Get Married!
If you are getting married at a marriage registry, arrive at least 15 minutes before your time slot with two adults as witnesses. Be sure to remind them to bring a valid ID. A Registrar will ask you to read out the marriage oath and ask you and your witnesses to sign the marriage certificate, after which your wedding is official! HOORAY!

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Should You Bring a Hong Kong Photographer to Your Destination Wedding? This Will Help You Decide.

July 20, 2022 / Posted by in Photo & Video, Planning Tools

If you’re planning a destination wedding, one of the things you’ll need to decide on is whether to bring your preferred Hong Kong to your overseas wedding, or hire a local one from there already. As in all things, there are pros and cons for either choice. Today, we’re going to share the advantages and disadvantages of bringing your photographer with you to help you decide whether which option will be best for your special day. Read all about it below.

Advantages

(1) You know the kind of work he or she will deliver.

[From: This Beautiful Bali Wedding Had Us in Tears / Photo: Martin Aesthetics]

If you know your local photographer has all the skills and expertise you’re looking for, bringing him or her along will assure you of the quality of work. Some destination venues offer packages that include local photographers whom they’ve worked with. Even if they assure that this photographer will also provide quality service, if it doesn’t give you peace of mind, just bring your Hong Kong photographer.

(2) You’ll be more relaxed if you hire someone you trust.

[From: A Classic All-White Wedding in Bali Overlooking the Sea / Imaj Gallery]

As much every couple wants their wedding day to be perfect, there’s always that chance that challenges may come along on the day itself. When this happens, couples find comfort and confidence when they hire wedding vendors they trust. If you hire a photographer that you’re not very well acquainted with, you might end up panicking if something goes amiss. On the contrary, if you bring a Hong Kong photographer you trust to be able to handle any problems, you can let go and let him or her manage the situation.

(3) You can avoid communication barriers.

[From: This Bride Designed Almost Every Detail at Her Wedding! / Photo: The Stage Photography]

Sometimes hiring a foreign photographer poses communication issues between the couple and the vendor. There will be times where you’ll be faced with cultural differences and language barriers that require extra care and understanding. If you want to skip all this, bring your local photographer along to your wedding.

(4) You want a photographer that you can build good rapport with.

[From:  A Tropical Wedding with a Dinner Banquet in a Famous Grotto / Photo: Polina Ilchenko]

One of the important things to consider when hiring a photographer is being able to find someone you get along with. We highly recommend communication with your photographer and building good rapport well before the wedding day. If you’re comfortable with each other, you’ll have a breeze shooting together come the wedding day. This might be challenging if you choose a photographer from your overseas destination because the distance will be a barrier to relationship building.

(5) Hong Kong photographers have worldwide tour dates that you can take advantage of.

[From: An Intimate, Modern Tropical Garden Wedding / Photo: Wittita Workspace Photography]

Many Hong Kong photographers announce their destination shoot tour dates beforehand. You can take advantage of this if you’re ideal wedding date falls within their tour dates. If you book them during this time, you may be able to save on costs since the tour already incorporates travel expenses.

 

Disadvantages

(1) It can be costly.

[From: A Classic All-White Wedding in Bali Overlooking the Sea / Imaj Gallery]

Flying a whole photography team can be expensive. You’ll need to shoulder the flights, accommodations, meals, and all other related expenses for the whole team. You will also have to take care of any other needs for the whole team. So if you really want to bring your Hong Kong photographer along, make sure you allot enough budget for him or her and the team.

(2) A destination photographer will be more knowledgeable about local culture, customs and other details.

[From: This Bride Designed Almost Every Detail at Her Wedding! / Photo: The Stage Photography]

If there are any local customs or other details, a photographer who is from your destination location will be able to guide you on what needs to be done–whether it be for shooting permits, cultural etiquette about shooting, and more. He or she can give you a heads up on any kind of local sensitivity when it comes to shooting.

(3) A destination photographer can recommend other local locations for shooting.

[From:  A Tropical Wedding with a Dinner Banquet in a Famous Grotto / Photo: Polina Ilchenko]

If you’re planning to have your pre-wedding or post-nuptial shoots at your destination location as well, a photographer from the area will already know great shooting spots that you can go to. He or she will also know all the legalities of shooting in these locations–permits needed, other rules, etc.

(4) A destination photographer can help you connect with other vendors.

[From: An Intimate, Modern Tropical Garden Wedding / Photo: Wittita Workspace Photography]

If you’re also looking for other complimentary vendors for your wedding, a destination photographer will be able to give you local recommendations.

(5) A photographer from your overseas wedding location will be more flexible when it comes to schedule.

[From: This Beautiful Bali Wedding Had Us in Tears / Photo: Martin Aesthetics]

If you opt to fly a Hong Kong photographer over to your overseas wedding, you will have to be very mindful of his or her schedule since he or she will also have to manage the schedule for Hong Kong weddings and engagements. But if you have a photographer from your overseas location, he or she may have more flexibility since he or she is there already.

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A Romantic Garden Wedding at The Pavillion with Warm Hues

July 18, 2022 / Posted by in Local Weddings

When a love story unfolds in front of our eyes, we take in all the emotions and details. Today’s featured wedding, which was held at The Pavillion, is full of the most heartwarming moments. The couple, Dede and Caleb, didn’t hold back on showing their love and happiness. The smiles from their family and friends added even more cheer to the day. That’s not all you’ll see from the beautiful photos taken by Hatsumori Photo by Gavin.Y. Dede and Caleb dressed their outdoor garden venue with cream, orange, and burgundy flowers and wooden accents and chairs. They also set up cozy lounge areas made with carpets and pillows so guests could relax any time. All in all, their special day was warm, joyful, and full of romance. Read on to enjoy the rest of their wedding day photos.

Continue reading “A Romantic Garden Wedding at The Pavillion with Warm Hues”

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Save the Date: ‘With Love, From Us’ Central Market Wedding Fair

July 15, 2022 / Posted by in Bridal Fairs

Something old, something new, ‘With Love, From Us’  is just for you! Find everything you need to fast track your wedding planning journey at this specially curated fair.

Proudly brought to you by Nina Hospitality and renowned wedding planner Wedding Maestros, ‘With Love, from Us’ Central Market Wedding Fair is the first of its kind to be held at this historical Hong Kong landmark. Get to know the latest wedding trends and enjoy a wide range of popular wedding, lifestyle, and fashion must-haves to help make your dream wedding a reality. 

 

A Venue for Every Kind of Wedding

From intimate unions to grand celebrations, Central Market offers a variety of unique spaces for weddings, including outdoor areas and pet-friendly ceremony options. These versatile spaces can also be booked for birthdays, engagements, and anniversary parties. Explore these incredible venues and more at the wedding fair.

 

All The Vendors You Need In One Event

If you are still in need of wedding suppliers, you don’t have to look any further. Renowned wedding planner Wedding Maestros has rounded up top-notch vendors for this two-day event. Here is the list of participating vendors: Continue reading “Save the Date: ‘With Love, From Us’ Central Market Wedding Fair”

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8 Ways To Make Overseas Guests Feel More Comfortable at Your Wedding

July 13, 2022 / Posted by in Etiquette

When you’re planning your wedding, you must always have your guests’ well being in mind, especially those who are coming from distant places or those who are flying in from far away. There are many ways to make your guests feel comfortable during your wedding. We listed our suggestions below. Read on now to find out what they are.

[From: A Beautiful Bali Wedding That Had Us in Tears / Photo: Martin Aesthetics]

(1) Keep them in the loop.

Letting guests know about all the wedding details related to their stay and the wedding will make them feel more at ease because they’re well aware of what’s going to happen. So the first thing you should do is keep them informed–whether it be through your wedding website, a private chat group, etc.

(2) Offer suggestions for accommodations.

Help them book their stay and if you have extra time, offer to help them out as well. You can also ask your destination venue for special discounts for wedding guests. Guests really appreciate it when couples help them with accommodations.

[From: A Modern Black, White, and Gold Themed Wedding in Phuket / Photo: Danae Herrmann]

(3) Help prepare transportation arrangements.

Guests from abroad may not have a way to and from your venues (ceremony, banquet, hotel). Help them make your wedding a worry-free celebration by helping with their transportation arrangements.

(4) Surprise them with welcome bags.

How about arranging a welcome package that will greet your guests when they arrive? You can also include some wedding-related items, like fans if you’re having an outdoor wedding, or slippers if you’re having a beach wedding. Your welcome bags will show your appreciation and thoughtfulness.

[From: This Bride Designed Almost Every Detail at Her Wedding! / Photo: The Stage Photography]

(5) Suggest things they can do.

Chances are, guests will have some extra time on their hands. If your venue is a beautiful resort or destination location, guests might also decide to extend their stay. You can help make the trip feel like an extended vacation by suggesting quick guides and other tourist information. You can include this in their welcome bag as well.

(6) Entertain them.

To be honest, this is a hard one since you’ll be busy preparing up until the wedding day. What you can do is ask your family members and entourage to help entertain your guests. Having a welcome dinner is also one way to be able to spend some time with everyone. If you won’t be having one, consider going around during your banquet and after party.

[From: A Classic All-White Wedding in Bali Overlooking the Sea / Photo: Imaj Gallery]

(7) Ask them if they need anything else.

Some guests are shy and will hesitate to inform you if there’s anything else they need. You can be the one to approach them, too. Ask how else you can make them feel more comfortable.

(8) Thank them.

Lastly, make sure you express your gratitude. You can prepare a farewell package with personalized Thank You cards , or you can even just sincerely bid your guests farewell and say “thank you” in person. Either way, they will know their presence made you happy on your wedding day.

[From: A Tropical Wedding with a Dinner Banquet in a Famous Grotto / Photo: Polina Ilchenko]

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