There are many beautiful venues, talented photographers, decorators, caterers, designers, beauty professionals, musicians and other service providers. But the information is often scattered across different places, social media pages and personal contacts. This can be especially challenging for couples who do not permanently live in The Gambia or foreigners who have chosen The Gambia as their wedding destination.
So, we decided to turn our own wedding-planning journey into something useful for others.
We are starting to create the My Gambia Digital Wedding Guide – an online guide where we will gradually bring together practical information, contacts, venues, businesses, services and experiences that can help couples plan their wedding in The Gambia.
And we are starting with one of the first things every couple needs to know: how to legally get married in The Gambia and how much a civil marriage costs.
According to the Civil Marriage Guidelines available to My Gambia in September 2026, the official marriage fee depends on the nationality of the couple.
If both parties are Gambian citizens or citizens of ECOWAS countries, the marriage fee is D7,000.
If one party is Gambian or an ECOWAS citizen and the other is neither Gambian nor an ECOWAS citizen, the marriage fee is D15,500.
If both parties are neither Gambian nor ECOWAS citizens, the marriage fee is D20,000.
In addition to the marriage fee, the Civil Marriage Form costs D1,000.
The Civil Marriage Form must be submitted at least two weeks before the proposed marriage date.
This is important to keep in mind, particularly if you are travelling to The Gambia specifically for your wedding. Do not leave the legal part of the process until the last few days.
Once the marriage date has been confirmed, both parties must also attend for swearing-in and payment of the required marriage fee at least 24 hours before the marriage date.
What Documents Do You Need?
The properly completed Civil Marriage Form should be submitted together with the required supporting documents.
Both intending spouses need to provide photocopies of their passports, or ID cards in the case of Gambian citizens, as well as one passport-size photograph for each applicant.
For a single Gambian citizen, a Bachelor/Spinster Certificate is required, with a stated fee of D1,000.
If either person has previously been married, additional documentation is required. A divorced applicant needs to provide a Divorce Certificate, while a widow or widower needs to provide the Death Certificate of the former spouse.
If a Divorce Certificate or Death Certificate is issued in a language other than English, a certified English translation must be provided.
When Are Civil Marriages Conducted?
According to the guidelines, civil marriages are normally conducted in the morning, between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM, unless another arrangement is determined by the Registrar of Marriages.
Couples with a confirmed marriage date must attend the required swearing-in and make payment of the marriage fee at least 24 hours before the wedding.
This Is Only the Beginning of Our Wedding Guide
The legal procedure is only one small part of organising a wedding.
Then come the venue, food, decoration, photography and video, wedding dress, suit, cake, flowers, hair and makeup, music, transportation, accommodation for guests, honeymoon... and all the little things you often only discover once you actually start planning.
This is exactly why we are creating the My Gambia Digital Wedding Guide.
As we go through our own wedding-planning journey, we want to collect and share useful information that can make the process easier for the next couple. We want the guide to become a place where couples can find not only practical information but also trusted contacts and businesses offering wedding-related products and services in The Gambia.
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DO YOU OFFER ANY WEDDING SERVICES IN THE GAMBIA?
And this is where local businesses and wedding professionals come in.
If you have a venue, business, product or service connected to weddings in The Gambia, we want to hear from you.
We are looking for wedding venues, hotels, restaurants, decorators, photographers, videographers, bridal and fashion businesses, beauty professionals, caterers, bakers, DJs and musicians, florists, car hire and transportation providers, honeymoon experiences, event planners and anyone else who helps make a wedding happen.
This is an opportunity to introduce your services to couples who are actively looking for wedding solutions in The Gambia – including people planning their wedding from abroad who may have no idea where to start or who to contact.
Be discovered when couples are ready to plan, book and spend.
If you would like your business or service to be considered for the My Gambia Digital Wedding Guide, contact us:
+220 87 214 0001
info@my-gambia.com
The civil marriage information in this article is based on the Civil Marriage Guidelines and GTCO documents available to My Gambia in September 2026. Procedures and fees may change, so we recommend confirming the latest requirements with the Registrar of Marriages before proceeding.
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