Berlin Elopement Guide
How to elope in Berlin in 2025-2026
You’re dreaming of an intimate wedding in Berlin? That sounds amazing!
As your local Elopement expert I’ve created this guide for you to tell you everything you need to know about how to elope in Berlin.
Who I am and what I do for you
Elopement Photographer & Elopement planner based in Berlin
I’ve been documenting Elopement weddings all over the world for years now and I’m super grateful to call Berlin my home. My wife and I (who also eloped, of course) absolutely love our life in this amazing city, which is why I deeply enjoy working here as a photographer as well.
I also co-plan your entire day with you! This includes providing all your planning resources, choosing the best photo locations and creating your Elopement timeline.
Time for something epic!
Berlin Wedding Photographer
Let’s make your dreams become reality:
What exactly is an Elopement?
The modern definition
An Elopement is the modern alternative to a big, traditional wedding and by far the most intimate way to get married, since it isn’t focussed on the guest-experience.
It’s an intentionally crafted wedding day that instead focuses entirely on you as a couple and often (but not always) doesn’t include any guests at all.
You can sometimes also legally marry at your Elopement, even though it’s quite difficult as a foreigner in Germany. More on this in a second.
Can foreigners legally marry in Berlin?
Important rules to know
Yes, you can legally marry in Berlin (or in Germany for that matter) as foreigners. However, there’re a lot of important details and to be quite honest, I can’t really recommend this process to anyone, since it’s incredibly complicated.
Only a civil ceremony, performed by an authorized registrar in a local registry office of your choice (“Standesamt”) can be legally binding.
The entire application process for it takes a long time and can vary depending on the registry office you choose. You should get started with this at least 6-8 months before your ceremony.
Which documents do we need?
IMPORTANT: All of the required documents will need to be translated to German by a sworn translator.
The documents cannot be older than 6 months.
Proof of residency
This isn’t true for every registry office (only the information provided by the registrar is binding), but most offices require one of you to provide proof of at least 21 days of continuous residence in Germany.
Divorce Decree / Death Certificate
If one you has been married before and got divorced or widowed, the appropriate certificate is required as proof.
Birth certificate
Both you and your parter need to provide a valid birth certificate. This is also necessary for your common children if you have any.
Valid Passport or ID
A identification document which includes a photograph of you.
Certificate of no impediment
A certificate that states you are legally free to marry (and not already married). You will get this from your local registry office.
Marriage questionnaire & declaration of intent to marry
After handing in all required documents, you’ll receive a form with some final questions and need to fill out a formal declaration of your intent to marry.
Should we have a civil or a symbolic ceremony?
The answer to this comes down to personal taste and what the two of you want out of your Elopement, so there’s no right or wrong here.
When a civil ceremony is right:
If you absolutely want to be officially married right at your Elopement, there’s no way to get around a civil ceremony. If this is what’s most important to you, take a look at all of the requirements mentioned above.
When a symbolic ceremony is right:
If dealing with the legal process of getting married in Germany as foreigners sounds too complicated or simply impossible to you, opting for a symbolic one (with or without an officiant) would be the better and much more comfortable choice. This is where you can still exchange your rings and your vows and enjoy this heartfelt moment without any pressure.
To then also legally marry you’d simply take care of this in your home country before or after your Elopement in Berlin. This doesn’t take anything away from your Elopement (except for the stress of dealing with it) or makes it less meaningful.
Do we need witnesses?
Or can we get married on our own?
None of the ceremonies require any witnesses. Your Elopement could however of course include some guests, if that’s what feels right to you.
Simply bring your closest friends or some family along for certain parts of your Elopement or maybe have them join you the next day. Or you simply do it all on your own, which is what most couples choose.
How far ahead do we need to plan this?
Securing your date
An Elopement can be planned way faster than a traditional wedding. However, inquiring with me at least 4-6 months before you’re planning to come to Berlin would be beneficial. But of course: The earlier, the better. This ensures that I can still manage to fit your date into my schedule.
How to get to Berlin
By plane
Flying to Berlins international airport (BER) will be the easiest way to get here if you don’t live in Germany or any of the neighboring countries. Over 150 airports (most of them in Europe though) offer direct flights to Berlin, including US airports like JFK, NWR or MIA. Otherwise you can get to Berlin with a single layover along the way from almost anywhere in the world.
By train
Berlin is easy to reach by train and there’re many European cities that offer direct train connections like Amsterdam, Vienna, Stockholm, Prague, Copenhagen and Paris.
By car
While getting around Berlin with a car is quite annoying most of the time and you really don’t need one, it’s of course well connected to the German highway system.
Do we need a travel visa?
Important regulations
Depending on your home country, you might need a visa to enter Germany. This is true for example for all of Africa, most of Asia and a few central- and southern American countries. If you’re from the US, you don’t need a Visa. Find out more here.
How to get around in Berlin
Don’t get a rental car
You definitely don’t need a rental car in Berlin. Just safe the money and spend it on something cooler instead.
Public transport
The cities local public transport system is AMAZING. Busses and Trains are frequent, rarely delayed are get you pretty much anywhere super quickly. Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines (which are found at every station) or online, with a single ticket costing 3,50 €, a 24h-ticket 9,90 € and a 7-day-ticket 41,50 €. Find more info here and here.
Uber & Co.
Like in every other major city, taxi services like Uber, Bolt or Lyft are also available in Berlin.
What is the best time for an Elopement in Berlin?
This is probably the decision that has the most influence on your wedding experience and should therefore be well considered.
Unless we’d get lucky with some snow and this is exactly what you want, you should probably avoid eloping in Berlin in winter. The sun sets at 16:00h (4pm) and temperatures range between -10°C to +5°C (14-41°F). Berlin is also unfortunately famous for being especially dark and grey in winter.
The city offers a lot of gorgeous parks and loads of greenery which can be best enjoyed from May onwards. If the higher summer temperatures aren’t your thing, coming to Berlin in spring would be a good choice.
Summer is when Berlin feels the most alive and vibrant and therefore when you’ll get the most out of your experience here and can enjoy up to 15 hours of daily sunlight. Although it’s rather rare, on the hottest days (mostly in late August) the temperature can reach up to 35°C (95°F), which is something to just keep in mind.
I really love fall in Berlin. The golden sunlight is amazing and up until early November it’s still warm enough to enjoy your time outside. And since the city offers so much greenery, it all turns red and orange in fall, which looks amazing.
Personally, I really enjoy being here in late-May, June and October. The days are long enough to fully enjoy them and the weather is great and comfortable.
Where to stay when eloping in Berlin
Finding the right place to stay at is highly important for a great Berlin experience. Not just because of comfort or luxury, but especially because the right location can make getting around a lot more convenient. A few recommendations (not sponsored):
Hotel NH Collection ($$)
Meliá Berlin ($)
monbijou hotel ($)
Hotel Luc, by Marriott ($$)
Hotel Adlon Kempinski ($$$)
Lux Eleven ($$)
Soho House Berlin ($$$)
The best Elopement photo locations in Berlin
There are of course some popular areas that are well suited for photos like the Mitte district or the Museum Island, but since the city is so de-centralized and kind off feels like multiple cities merged into one, you can literally find amazing locations everywhere.
Personally, I often avoid the more popular and crowded ones and rather opt for one of the many beautiful districts with cute old town-houses, amazing cafés and restaurants, pretty parks and cobblestone streets.
As your local Berlin Elopement Photographer, I’ll of course share my favorite areas with you and take you off the beaten path for your Elopement.
Hear what others say:
Over 75+ five-star-reviews
“A true artist”
I highly recommend Nico to all couples looking for a Photographer who not only masters his craft but is also a dedicated professional and genuinely cares about capturing your love in pictures. […]
– Marie & Chris
“Simply amazing!”
Nico is such a calm, pleasant person and we felt incredibly comfortable with him as a couple. […] At times, he captured the moments in such a way that you can almost feel the emotions again.
– Nici & Felix
“Don’t even know what to say”
[…] We can hardly believe our luck that we had Nico as our Photographer. The pictures are simply stunning! A thousand thanks!
– Fernando & Elisa
Berlin Elopement Packages
What you get with every package:
Photo Coverage
I capture your story in breathtaking photos, always giving you the space to fully enjoy every moment and making sure none of it feels like a photo production to you.
Your Photos + private Gallery
You receive all edited photos in full resolution through your private online gallery. This allows you to view, download, print, and share your photos at any time.
Preview Photos & Priority Editing
Within just 48 hours after your Elopement, you’ll receive your first preview photos from me. Only an additional 7-10 days* later, your complete gallery will be fully edited!
*Depending on availability & travel schedule
Photo locations
I choose the best photo locations for you, consider the expected weather, sunrise and sunset times, the sun’s trajectory and ultimately ensure that we are in the right place at the right time.
Activity Suggestions
Your day probably has room for at least one fun activity of your choice. Together we’ll explore and plan one that can be seamlessly integrated into your Elopement.
Custom Timeline
I create your perfect Elopement timeline, plan in a way that we will never be in a hurry and ensure that your day becomes even better than you could’ve ever imagined.
If a diverse, vibrant city full of culture, history, amazing food and pretty neighborhoods is just the right thing for you and your Elopement, look no further than Berlin. It’s the place I get to call home and I’d love to show it to you.
What’s included:
starting at
€ 1.600 / $ 1.700
FAQ – Your last burning questions answered
And? Ready?
Let’s go!
You don’t need to have it all figured out yet, don’t worry.
Just drop me a message and I’ll get back to you within 48h. I can’t wait to hear from you, learn about your plans and make them become reality for you.
You can of course also fill out this form in German if you like!