How Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court became destination wedding venue

More than 7,000 couples, including celebrities, have tied the knot at the court in the first half of 2024

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  Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has emerged as a popular wedding destination since launching in 2021. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Couples wait to take their vows at the court

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  Bride Silvia Cabrera, from El Salvador, signs her wedding documentation

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  There have been 36,000 weddings at the court since 2021

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  UK native Stephen Walker and Ms Cabrera wed last year in Abu Dhabi

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  The couple exchange rings

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  Mr Walker and Ms Cabrera felt that Abu Dhabi was the best place for them to get married

An Abu Dhabi court is quickly becoming the go-to destination for non-Emiratis to tie the knot in the UAE.

It was reported that 10,000 weddings were carried out at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court between late 2021, when it opened, and June last year.

About 7,000 couples have been married there already this year.

The court has become so popular with couples that some celebrities have chosen to tie the knot there.

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Lebanese actress Sara Abi Kanaan married her actor husband Wissam Fares at the court last month.

“It was easy and hassle-free,” Fares said. “Planning a wedding is [nearly] always stressful, but this wasn’t.”

The couple initially considered getting married in Cyprus. “Then we found out that we could have it done in the UAE, which is like a second home to us, as we come here regularly,” he said.

The couple flew in two days before tying the knot in Abu Dhabi. “Everybody was excited,” Abi Kanaan said.

High emotion

It was announced last week that non-Emirati lawyers would also be allowed to practise at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court.

The court was established in 2021 to hear all cases governed under a non-Sharia process. The court was launched with the aim of bringing the emirate into line with international legal practices.

The room where marriages take place has a desk, where a judge oversees the process, and two long couches on either side. It is always decorated with fresh flowers.

Couples have the option of reciting their vows in Arabic or English, with Arabic speakers repeating their vows after the judge.

The couple then exchanges rings and signs their marriage certificate. While the ceremony lasts no longer than 10 minutes, that is still plenty of time for the couple of be swept up in the emotion of the occasion, Abi Kanaan explained.

“When the judge said, ‘Even when we are old, I will still love you – even when your face changes, I will love you, and even when everything changes, I will still love you,' that is when it hit me,” she said.

“I started to cry because it felt like this was something I would always tell Wissam. I would imagine us getting old together, holding hands and walking in our village together. It was very emotional. I wasn’t expecting to cry."

Couples wait outside the courtroom for their special moment. An average of 60 weddings take place at the court every day of the week.

Many couples hold video calls with their families, sharing the joy and excitement of their special day.

Lebanese celebrities Wissam Fares and Sara Abi Kanaan were married at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court. Photo: Easy Wedding

Taking the lead

Abi Kanaan and Fares organised their big day with help from Easy Wedding. Liz Nunes founded the company in the UAE after facing difficulties finding someone to help organise her own wedding.

The company receives between 70 to 100 requests a day. Customers include men and women from different faiths who have faced challenges organising their wedding.

“We specialise in interfaith and international couples. When they can’t get married because of the rules or the law where they live, they contact us and we find a legally possible solution to get married in Abu Dhabi," she said.

“We started back in 2019 when my husband and I couldn’t get married because there was no civil law. We couldn't marry at our embassies because we are of different nationalities.

"So we struggled and looked for a solution. Because we had a lot of legal questions about what would happen in his country and in my country, we decided to do our own research, contact lawyers, notaries, and so on."

The couple were married in Georgia and initially planned to help organise weddings there, until Abu Dhabi introduced a new marriage law.

Getting hitched

UK citizen Stephen Walker, 50, and Silvia Cabrera, 41, from El Salvador, were among the couples who took their vows in the capital recently.

They were married last week at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court.

The Dubai residents have known each other for five years, having hit it off immediately after meeting through an online dating site.

“For us, getting married at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court was the best choice,” they said. “When we looked at other options like getting married in the UK, El Salvador, or another country, they all came with complications and legalities.

"Coming to Abu Dhabi and getting married here was the best way to do it."

Ms Cabrera also emphasised the benefits of having a wedding at the court. “We now have a certificate that is valid in both our countries."