With its sheer natural beauty and its cities steeped in history and culture, Austria is a stunning location for a wedding abroad.
From a magical winter wedding in the snow to a stylish and classical wedding in some of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe, Austria is definitely a destination that should make your short list.
Top Tips for getting married in Austria
- Austria makes a fantastic year round wedding destination – it’s ideal for both winter and summer weddings.
- Embrace the local culture and traditions – it is very flattering to the people you will get involved with and it helps a lot.
- Get the legalities right – it could be disastrous if you find 3 weeks before the wedding that you can’t get married and people have booked flights and accommodation. Registration for civil ceremonies in Austria can be done at the earliest 6 months before the wedding. Ideally, couples should contact their wedding planner at least 9 months before their desired wedding date, so that all the paperwork can be done in time and the preferred venues secured. The earlier the better, but High Emotion Weddings also finds optimal solutions for spontaneous requests.
- Send out a list of potential properties to guests as soon as possible (if you can go and view them first) and get flight details from all your home airports.
- Don’t expect things to work the same way as they do in your home country. Ask as many questions as many times as you need to in order to make sure you get the answers you need.
I think it’d be fair to say that the vast majority couples plan their weddings around warmth and sunshine, praying that the heavens will not open on their special day. However, I think there is something incredibly romantic about a winter wedding, think roaring open fires, the soft glow of candle light, snow capped mountain peaks, rich colours and a warm and ambient environment.

Belinda & Rory’s Wedding at Schloss Prielau, photography by Horia Photography
If the idea of a cosy romantic winter wedding abroad appeals to you, then look no further than having your wedding in Austria. Vienna is wonderful at Christmas time with traditional Christmas markets and festive lighting all over the city and the Austrian Alps offer many unique locations where you can combine your wedding with a spot of skiing.
Although, Austria isn’t just beautiful in the winter. If you are looking for a wedding destination that combines history and culture, then Vienna is a fairytale setting that has its own unique charms in every season. And the natural beauty of the Alps, Austria’s meadows, pine forests, crystal clear lakes, rushing streams and fast flowing rivers will not disappoint the nature lovers in the warmer months.
Having been captivated by Austria on a recent visit I would whole heartedly recommend it as a wedding destination.