Churches in Abu Dhabi: Guide to Getting Married in a Church | ExpatWoman.com
 

Churches in Abu Dhabi: Guide to Getting Married in a Church

Here's a list of all the churches in Abu Dhabi where you can hold a religious wedding ceremony

Posted on

23 July 2013

Last updated on 1 October 2020
Churches in Abu Dhabi: Guide to Getting Married in a Church

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." (CCC 1601, see also Mathew 19:5-6, Mark 10:7-12, Ephesians 5:22-32, Malachi 2:13-16).

A church wedding in Abu Dhabi is different from a civil wedding in so many ways. Many couples instinctively know that this is a sacred and defining moment in their lives and quite simply they want to mark this special occasion in the presence of God.

If you are an expat couple planning to marry in Abu Dhabi, we've got your handy guide to ensure your marriage is legal and the wedding day runs smoothly.

Couples who wish to get married at church in Abu Dhabi will need the following documents:

Documents to be submitted:

  • Baptism Certificate
  • Confirmation Certificate
  • N.O.C. (No objection Certificate or Freedom to Marry Certificate)
  • Marriage preparation course certificate.

Take note that the NOC certificate has a six month validity period. Some churches may also require other additional documents from the couple, so we recommend calling the church staff ahead to make a complete checklist.

How to get married in a church in Abu Dhabi

The following procedure must follow the ceremony in church to ensure correct acceptance in Abu Dhabi.

Take the signed copy of the Marriage Certificate for accreditation to:

  • The Ministry of Justice, in the Ministries area (near the Hilton Hotel), Attestation desk in the Main hall, on the right-hand side.
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the area adjacent to Carrefour Hypermarket, off Airport Road (at the Maqta Bridge exit). This takes a day and can be collected the next day. You can also use the Infinity Services shop in Marina Mall – in the basement below Paris Gallery. Service is immediate and costs Dh160.
  • Your own Embassy or Embassies for counter stamping and signature.
  • The foregoing procedures validate the marriage for the UAE & most countries in the world.
  • The Chaplain will meet the couple for marriage preparation. Marriage preparation is by appointment on Monday at 5:00pm. Please contact the church office to make an appointment to meet the Chaplain. You will need at least two witnesses.

Do's and Don'ts

  • Flowers and other suitable wedding decorations may be arranged in Church; videos and photographs may be taken discreetly.
  • Weddings are conducted on Sundays only. The date and time should be discussed with the church staff so they will try to make your wedding a joyful and meaningful experience.
  • A CD or USB with appropriate wedding music, provided by the church, is played at the entrance of the bride, during the signing of the marriage certificate and at the departure of the bridal group.
  • All documents and fees should be submitted to the office at least ONE WEEK before the scheduled date of marriage.

Looking for a church to get married in at the capital? Have a look at our complete list of churches in Abu Dhabi:

St. Joseph's Cathedral Abu Dhabi

St. Joseph's is located near the intersection of Airport Road (Street 2) and Seventeenth Street.

The parish today has over 100,000 expatriate Catholics from all over the world. With the growing economy within the region, the Church has also witnessed a steady increase in the number of faithful. Masses are celebrated in several different languages and the Church is generally seen packed to full capacity at most services.

A major section of the parish complex was demolished at the beginning of 2013 to give way for the construction of new halls/catechetical rooms/offices/residence for priests and staff.

Churches in Abu Dhabi

Weddings at St. Joseph's Cathedral Abu Dhabi

St. Joseph's Cathedral conducts Marriage Preparation Courses regularly for couples who intend to get married within the next six months (generally every alternate month on 2nd Monday to Thursday at 8:00 PM). The dates and times for the course will be announced in the Parish Notices section.

The church wedding fee is AED 1,500.

An appointment must be booked for a meeting with the priest, in order to have the pre-nuptial enquiry. The couple is responsible for wedding arrangements such as the choir, church decoration, Mass booklets etc. The choice of readings and printing of Mass booklets must be done in consultation with the priest.

Please contact the parish office for additional details about how/when this Sacrament is given (including displaying of marriage Bans, prerequisites of Baptismal/confirmation certificates etc).

Potential spouses have to undergo a short marriage preparation course prior to receiving this sacrament. If NOT baptized/confirmed, these sacraments have to be administered first (see above for details regarding these sacraments)

Church weddings in Abu Dhabi

St. Andrew's Church Abu Dhabi

St Andrew's Church in Abu Dhabi was built on land donated by the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and consecrated in 1984.

Today, St Andrew's Church serves not only its own congregation but also a growing number of guest congregations from mainline protestant denominations, in many languages and styles of worship.

Weddings at St. Andrew's Church Abu Dhabi

St Andrew’s Church conducts over 100 weddings a year for couples who live and work in Abu Dhabi.

Each wedding is unique simply because each couple have their own stories to tell about how they met and why they have chosen to get married.

Part of the wedding process at St Andrew’s Church is that each couple meets with the Chaplain and during that time there is the opportunity to get to know one another so that the wedding becomes more personal. There is a pastoral overview of some of the challenges of marriage and a chance to walk through the wedding ceremony itself.

The Anglican Chaplain is registered with the UAE government as authorised to conduct legally recognised wedding ceremonies for members of the expatriate Christian community.

Marriages at St. Andrew's Church Abu Dhabi will be solemnized between two individuals at the discretion of the Chaplain, provided at least one is Christian, and documentary evidence is produced indicating that both parties are legally free to marry. At least one of the parties to be married should have a valid Residence Permit issued in Abu Dhabi only. (Not any other Emirate)

Those who have been married and divorced more than once, cannot be married in Church. St. Andrew's Church recommends a civil wedding for them.

Documents needed for each partner are:

  • Both original passports.
  • Photocopy of picture page and UAE residence permit / visa.
  • Written evidence that each is single and free to marry – this may be a Divorce Certificate (not by Sharia Law) or Death Certificate of deceased spouse.
  • If not previously married, a letter from your Embassy. In case your country does not have an embassy here, a Statutory Declaration witnessed by a solicitor in Abu Dhabi is required. A proforma and suggested solicitor are available from the office.
  • For Filipinos in Abu Dhabi, a Certificate to Contract Marriage is issued at the Philippines Embassy
  • For Chinese and Ethiopians it is necessary to get a Certificate to Contract Marriage from their Country of origin or Embassy.
  • For British citizens, their Embassy will post banns for 3 weeks and provide a Certificate of no Impediment to marry.
Abu Dhabi church weddings

The Chaplain is registered as an official recognized by the Ministry of Justice for the solemnizing of marriages.

Service times

The following are the service times at St. Andrew's Church Abu Dhabi:

Morning Prayer - Mondays to Thursdays at 8:15am.

Fridays - Holy Communion at 10:30am / Little Fishers (under 5s), Friday Club (5-11) and the Youth Group (over 11) meet during the service.

Sundays - Holy Communion at 10:00am and 6:30pm.

Contact details

Guide to Getting a Church Wedding in Abu Dhabi

New Vision Tamil Church Abu Dhabi

The New Vision Tamil Church in Abu Dhabi is an Evangelical Church Centre for the faithful. This centre invites people of all backgrounds into their facilities for prayer, as well as the following groups and activities:

  • Children’s Ministry
  • Camp Ministry & Care Cells
  • Prayer Ministry
  • Women Fellowship

Contact details

  • Tel: 050 5317044
  • Website: abudhabitamilchurch.com

St. George Orthodox Cathedral Abu Dhabi

Located Um Salamah Street, Al Mushrif in Abu Dhabi, you can attend the following gatherings and groups at the St. George Orthodox Cathedral:

  • Martha Mariam Samajam
  • Youth Movement
  • Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement
  • Sunday School
  • George Welfare and Development Committee
  • Prayer Ward

Contact details

  • Tel: 02-4464564
  • Website: sgocad.com
Where to do a church wedding in Abu Dhabi

Evangelical Community Church of Abu Dhabi

Based on Um Salamah Street in Al Mushrif, the Evangelical Community Church of Abu Dhabi is one of the few protestant churches in the capital.

Established in the 1970s, the church has since grown significantly with 60 congregations worship weekly. You can become a member of any of the following worship groups by registering online:

    Children and Teens
  • Men and Women’s Ministry
  • Discipleship Classes
  • Life Groups

Contact details

  • Tel: 02 4464563
  • Website: eccad.org