Rubber boots, a flood and a see through wedding gown.

There are a million components to consider when planning a wedding, but finding out the legalities of a destination wedding far from home is arguably one of the most important. It can be quite the challenge though! We asked Vietnam Wedding Celebrant, Leanne Summers to give us the legal low-down on getting married in Vietnam. Leanne: "Broadly speaking, a wedding in Vietnam between two foreigners is unlikely to be recognised by your home country. I will explain why in a second. However, before you ditch the romantic notion of jumping on a plane bound for Vietnam, having a picture perfect wedding under the palm trees, on the sand with the waves lapping at your feet, read on. It’s not the end of the world.   I’m officiating a beach wedding today for two Australians on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam. At the moment I’m gazing over one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. The sky is blue, the water is crystal clear and the sand as white and squeaky as snow. The couple marrying here at the JW Marriott Resort (look it up, it's fab) told me they could not imagine getting married anywhere else. Surely Australia has its fair share of jaw dropping beautiful beaches with squeaky white sand, so why do it? Especially if it’s not likely to be recognised in Australia. The couple have their own reasons - couples who choose to get married in Vietnam always have their own unique and personal reasons. The legalities for them are always a minor point to be addressed either before or after their wedding in Vietnam. An overseas wedding isn’t for everyone. It might be for you though; that’s why you are here, investigating. Regardless of the reasons the question remains, will your Vietnam wedding be recognised in Australia (or any home country internationally)? In short, for just about all the countries I have researched, marriages will be recognised in your home country as long as your wedding overseas was recognised as a legal marriage in that country. Basically as long as your wedding in Vietnam is a legal one here in Vietnam, it will be recognised as a marriage at home. (I’m not saying I’ve researched every country on earth, however this is broadly what I am finding". For further more detailed knot tying head to her comprehensive blog post

NB: Leanne will be moderating and answering all your questions regarding getting hitched in Hoi An and beyond in this section of the forum - just as soon as she has got her head around the bewildering task of remembering her password. You can follow her antics here:- https://www.facebook.com/weddingcelebrantvietnam & here:- https://www.weddingcelebrantvietnam.com Hi, I’m Leanne. Thanks for popping in for a squiz. It’s fair to say I’m pretty enamoured with Vietnam. A few years ago, on a romantic whim my husband and I decided to escape the rat race and take a new direction in life. It lead us to Vietnam. Some of our friends thought we were crazy, and others wished they were coming! Talking of rat races, many couples these days are opting for a wedding in Vietnam. Let’s face it, the moment that ring adorns your finger or the big announcement is made, your wedding is public property. It seems like everyone has an opinion, suggestion or demand. Clearly all well intentioned, it can be overwhelming. Definitely enough to take the twinkle out of the sparkler on your finger. So these days, more and more couples are choosing to please themselves and wed their way. Besides, who could argue with starting your honeymoon before your wedding in one of the most beautiful and affordable parts of the world? That’s where I can help. I’m all about you. We make your ceremony your way. There’s something fairly significant that happens in between the dressing up, the walking down the aisle and the big kiss. The vows you make are life long promises and it’s a pretty big deal. It shouldn’t be stressful though and although we are designing a ceremony that should fit you like a glove, it should be fun. I’m here to create a ceremony with you, and help you breathe. Trust me. Lot’s of folks forget to breathe. From the moment we first chat, through to meeting when you arrive, having the rehearsal and the big day, I’m with you, all the way. I’ve married people from all over the world. From lavish 100+ people soirees to eloping couples where it’s just the three of us. I love wedding ceremonies, and yes, I do tend to get a tear at times. I’m not going to fall down howling, though I do feel the emotion when the time comes. One thing to note. I am a wedding celebrant. Not a wedding planner. Though I know all the quality operators and can certainly put you in touch with them and we can work together. I’m all about the special part that happens when you finally face each other for the last time as a couple and emerge as your new married selves. Even if it’s a pea thought of an idea, please feel free to drop me a line here and I will answer any questions you might have.