Singaporebrides | Home & Travel
February 2022
Fulfil Your Destination Wedding Dreams in Breathtaking Switzerland
Getting married in Switzerland is easier than you think. If a destination wedding in the land of fondue and the Swiss Alps is a dream for you, let Switzerland Tourism answer your burning questions so you can make that dream come true.
Travelling in these times definitely hasits challenges—last-minute cancelled flights, multiple PCR tests, sudden lockdowns… you name it. That’s why many have jumped at the chance of travel at the commencement of the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL)* for fully vaccinated Singaporeans.
One of the countries we’ve been seeing appearing a lot on our social media feeds is Switzerland, probably because it’s the perfect season to visit right now! Switzerland’s intense natural beauty, with its mountain peaks, rolling meadows, and beautiful lakes are most iconic when covered by layers upon layers of snow. Even past winter, travellers visit Switzerland to experience the scenery and are pleasantly surprised by the cultural treasures found in the various cities and many smaller towns and resorts.
Switzerland is also the perfect choice for a wedding destination. The breath-taking scenery offers the ideal background for your pre-wedding shoot, while venues ranging from an estate in the vineyards to a romantic resort overlooking a lake offer luxurious accommodations and cuisine. After the celebrations, you can indulge in a relaxing couples spa session with the famous Swiss experience before heading out to enjoy the myriad activities the country has to offer. Hint: it’s not just skiing!
We spoke with Ms Jennifer Chin from Switzerland Tourism to give us an insight on what it’s like to have a destination wedding in the awe-inspiring country.
1. How far in advance do you need to book the venues in Switzerland?
Jennifer: For the most part, it is advisable for couples to plan for their wedding in Switzerland at least one year in advance. However, there are certain venues that have open dates and are flexible for bookings with a shorter notice period. You can drop us an email with your wedding details so we can advise you better.
2. What are the local marriage requirements? Do we need to send any documentation prior to arrival?
Jennifer: Swiss law makes it easy for international couples to obtain a legal civil marriage license recognised as binding in your home land.
Formal preparations can begin six months prior to your desired wedding date, however; the documents will require a minimum of three months to be processed.
Our contact with the local government civil office allows us to enquire and reserve an available date, venue and time for your legal marriage ceremony in Switzerland. No wedding planner will be able to process your paperwork for you. Like applying for a passport, you must personally visit your nearest Swiss consulate and file the necessary documents. We will direct you to the proper offices in order to obtain a legal civil marriage license.
In summary:
- Personal visit to the Swiss Embassy or General Consulate in your home country at least 6 months prior to the planned wedding date
- Put together all requested documents (regional difference possible depending on Swiss canton)
What to do:
- Valid passport and birth certificates dated not older than 6 months prior to the wedding date
- Two witnesses
- Affidavit stating your marital status
3. Can we bring our own photography and videography team? Are there any photograph or video restrictions, such as having to obtain written permissions to have photographs taken in certain locations?
Jennifer: Yes, you can bring your own team, whether they are local or from overseas. Outdoors are generally your safest bet and they make the best photographs. Most places are good to shoot. It displays courtesy to check with the locals if you wish to include them in the shots or if they own the space. Some public spaces do require permits, such as airports. With regards to drones, there may be permits required, and it varies with cantons. You can write in to Switzerland Tourism and we will be more than happy to assist you with the permits.
4. Will Switzerland be able to cater for some of the more traditional customs of my wedding?
Jennifer: Yes. Known for their Swiss hospitality, many venues in Switzerland are aware of the varying customary wedding needs from couples all around the world. From flying in dedicated chefs to cook in the hotels’ kitchens to property buyouts, the couple will be well taken care of. Specific to Chinese weddings, we have also recently launched a dedicated page that showcases an example of how it can be done, combining Swiss charms with the traditional Chinese wedding customs.
5. What interesting activities can we do after the wedding or on our honeymoon?
Jennifer: Social programs for guests and the couple themselves are a major part of the success of a wedding event. The couple and the guests alike can take advantage of the trip for the wedding to explore the attractions near the wedding location and even tour around Switzerland. We have a curated list of suggestions on our site that you can filter by regions to plan out your itinerary.
Visiting a Swiss cheese grotto, heading up to the mountain tops, dog-sledding and many more activities are very popular as pre- or post-wedding activities, honeymoon, proposal locations and for other joyous occasions or family outings.
6. With the current pandemic situation, what are the things I need to look out for when planning a destination wedding in Switzerland?
Jennifer: Firstly, it is important to have a clear agreement between venues and vendors with regards to last-minute changes. Most venues or wedding planners in Switzerland will have a COVID-19 clause in their contracts. If not, please ensure that it is put in.
Secondly, be informed and brief your attendees on the travel measures before they travel to your wedding event. You can refer to this COVID-19 page for latest updates about entry into Switzerland.
Lastly, planning a destination wedding in Switzerland during the pandemic is not as difficult as people imagine. There are plenty of wedding resources, professional wedding planners and a dedicated Switzerland Tourism team based in Singapore who are able to assist you and make your dream wedding in Switzerland come true.
Whether you visit Switzerland for its gorgeous scenery or iconic mountain ranges, you get to discover a country that is unofficially divided into four regions—the surrounding nations of France, Germany, Italy, Austria share their mother tongues with their neighbour. The Swiss embrace their melting pot culture so getting your pre-wedding shoot or honeymoon done in Switzerland almost feels like you’ve visited four countries at one go! Now that’s a good deal if we ever saw one.
*Travellers intending to leave Singapore to a VTL (Air) country/region, must check with the authorities of their desired destination on the prevailing entry requirements of the destination, and to exercise care and caution, especially when travelling with children. For all departure-related advisories, please visit the ICA website.
Vendor Credit List
Sponsored by: Switzerland Tourism
Wedding Region: Gstaad
Wedding Venue: The Alpina Gstaad
Ceremony Venue: Lac Retaud
Proposal Location: Glacier 3000
Wedding Planner & Design: Nicole Please Weddings
Photographer: Kuenzli Photography
Videographer: Gomango
Florist: Tom Flowers
Wedding Hair and Make Up: Reslie Mundwiler Makeup Artist
Proposal Hair and Make Up: Phatruethai Bize
Stationery: Sanstation
Furniture Rentals: Party Rent Schweiz
Plates: Tauta
Tableware: Frohsinn
Garden Furniture: Lollo’s
Jewellery: Sahak Fine Swiss Jewellery
Wedding Band: The Rayy Fine Jewellery
Wedding Cake: A Cake Story
Bridal Store: Zoro
Ceremony Dress: Badgley Mischka
Dinner Reception Dress: Galia Lahav
Proposal & Afterparty Dress: Talbo Trunhof
Qi Pao: Top Fashion Wedding
Bride Mother Dress: Talbot Runhof
Groom & Father of Groom Suit: Zoro
Ceremony Suit: Guglielmo G.
Dinner Reception Suit: Carlo Pignatelli
Proposal Suit: Guglielmo G.
Father of Groom Suit: Guglielmo G.
Fire Show: Ziegler Shows
Horse Carriage: Kutscherei Reichenbach
Special thanks to Tamina Biberli (Bride), Felix Chenix (Groom), Chang Xiao Lian (Mother of Bride) and Chan Sang Lung (Father of Bride).
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