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Information, Wedding

Simplest and cheapest way to get married in Tbilisi

You do not want formalities and really you just need to get married and to get the marriage certificate. You will think about parties when you will be back home or when your life situation will give you the right moment to organize that. There are a lot of people in the world, expats, digital nomad, foreigners in other countries that just need to tie the knot out any traditional scheme.

So, you did your search and you find in Tbilisi and in the Georgia country the option suitable for you. What everybody names “simple” package, it is just a sign in a paper in a public hall, usually the city Hall. This procedure usually includes the assistance to the documents, translation, notary, witnesses and everything related to set up this document. No frills at all.



Do you think you are saving money?

In Tbilisi the difference in money between a simple path in a public crowdy place and one clean, nice wedding lounge is very short. What nobody will explain you clear is the lost in time you will spend probably losing all the day from the moment you get in the public place administration till the moment you will be out with your certificate of marriage.

What can be exactly?

Few times everything went smooth and I can say in less time than I expected but the most of time these are the common issues:



– You have to understand you are giving your application of marriage (completely in Georgian) to an operator that does hundred different documents and operations during the day. He/she is not always ready to insert properly your name and surname and all your private data, from your foreign language to Georgian language. Any letter will be translated back in an official document for your country and if there is only one letter mistake, your country can refuse the document in the future. Furthermore, many operators, even if you pass the Georgian boarder regularly, can ask you for your visa translation. It means you must go out to the public hall, to find a translator and notary, to do the document and to be back to the public hall. Of course, you will need to do a new queue, you will meet a new operator and restart to insert your data in the Georgian system.



When this operation is over, the operator will say to you to go away and to wait for a sms to come back with your witnesses later on. There is not a fixed time, can pass some hours and even all day. In that moment you will understand you did not save money. Even worst if you decided to go with the help of one citizen that of course will not have nothing in charge if your documents have problems or any issues could occur.

If you wish to understand the difference and how much you save in stress and time, continue reading at this point about a Basic Service with a private wedding lounge.

By the way, if you are easy going person and you do not care about warning and you wish this simple way to get married, here you find a link for the service for “Simply” Wedding in Tbilisi.



 

 

Information, News, photography, Restaurant

Tbilisi Restaurants and Pubs crisis on April 2021

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Early April 2021. Catholic Easter, a period in which the city of Tbilisi saw an extraordinary incoming of tourists, at least until 2020 since the covid-19 pandemic, the lockdowns and various restrictions have ditched an exponentially growing market for over three years.

Shardeni street in Tbilisi on April 2021 – ©Alessandro Sanna – phototbilisi.com

The 7 million tourists are a distant memory. Only a few sporadic people and small groups of intrepid vacationers survivors meet on the almost deserted streets of the historic center under a shining sunny day.

Restaurant empty in Shardeni street – ©Alessandro Sanna – phototbilisi.com

We have photographed everything to make you better understand the surreal situation that still does not see an end after a year.

To notice this disaster it is enough to take a walk in the street of restaurants of the old city, the famous Shardeni street. Empty chairs and tables and lots of rent and sale signs point make a feeling of desolation, a sense of loneliness in what used to be one of the busiest places in the city  during the night and day.

KGB restaurant one of the most famous meeting places ©Alessandro Sanna – phototbilisi.com

A lot of decorations and ornaments have been removed from many places, taking the time back more than ten years. The takeaway service does not work in this area. It was the area of ​​the tourist refreshment, of the daytime and evening meetings, that of the crowd bath, the walk among the people.

The famous Cafe Konka in Tbilisi ©Alessandro Sanna – phototbilisi.com

In this photo reportage, you can get an idea of ​​the situation, while still admiring the beauty of a city like Tbilisi that hopes to rise soon. The complete photo shoot on phototbilisi.com

An empty Meidan square in the late morning ©Alessandro Sanna – phototbilisi.com
News

Wedding for foreigners in slow reopening ?

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Last March 2020 nobody was expecting  the situation was going so negative for the hundreds foreigners couples wishing to get married in Tbilisi.

Update 28 October 2020

At today , Georgia is not open for regular international flights till 1st November 2020. This date has been already postponed  several times and apparently will be again postponed having a look to the world pandemic situation. Let’s cross fingers.

At the moment Georgia is out the green list of safe countries due to the high daily cases since the mid of October.

Only arrivals from the following countries by selected and authorized direct flights are allowed:

  • Germany 🇩🇪
  • France 🇫🇷
  • Latvia 🇱🇻
  • Lithuania 🇱🇹
  • Estonia 🇪🇪

All travellers are required to fill in a pre-registration form before travel.  Except citizens/Resident in those 5 countries, everybody arriving in Georgia is required to self-quarantine 12 days at their expenses.

Updated on 08, September, 2020: According to the decision of the Interagency Coordination Council, all foreigners entering Georgia, including from those 5 countries which Georgia has opened borders unconditionally (Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), will be required to present PCR test results from the proceeding 72 hours as of September 15.

Update on 09, September: Social gatherings of more than 10 people as wedding will be banned in Georgia starting from the 10th September.  So only the couple with the 2 witnesses and one photographer can be allowed. Facial mask is mandatory.

Georgia does not reopen borders with No-Eu countries, with business visit being the only exception.

You can find the Frequently asked question going to the official Governament website at this link.

It should be noted that the rules imposed by countries are constantly being reviewed, so a citizen must have a close look at the rules of a host country before purchasing an air ticket and departing.

Of course spending 8 days quarantine on arrival cannot be consider a normal holiday and this restriction requires  a staying of almost 3 weeks to perform the wedding procedure in Tbilisi for no resident people.

This update is dated 28th, October, 2020.

Next update  will be on 07th November or before if Government will announce any changement.

Uncategorized

When Wedding and Ceremonies will be reopening in Tbilisi

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In Georgia the State of Emergency has been lifted  (24th May) but many restrictions will be on duty before to come back at a normal life.

Regarding what affected to a normal activity of the related bureaucracy procedure before, during and after the wedding ceremony we interviewed the local authority  to clear the actual information released from the Government and all fake news in the social network.

Notary services and affiliated official translators bureau are not ALL on duty.  All the activities must have an online booking to be accepted.

Wedding houses are not ALL open and they cannot accept any new request or re-booking of the services without an advance online booking request. Only some wedding house will be open but for restricted number of person, no more than 10 people are allowed in the hall during the civil rite and everybody must wear the mask [update on 06th June, 2020]. Everything has to stand-by monitoring as the light reopening can effect to the spread of the virus. Any wedding full ceremony is not allowed till further date. Any event organization and event agency are not allowed to operate at the moment. Only Georgian citizens or people resident actually in Georgia can apply for this request if their need could be consider urgent by authority decision. At the reopening, following the actual roles, maximum 10 persons including the celebration official authority and the photographer will be allowed in the hall wearing mask and keeping social distance.

The international flights and related Tourism services will be starting from the 1st of SEPTEMBER 2020 [updated 22nd July].At the moment to create a safe corridor authorities are thinking about safety roles. It is not yet confirmed but Tourist entering Georgia may have to prove they’ve tested negative for coronavirus in the past 72 hours.

On Governament decision Georgia open boearders unconditionally to 5 countries, Germany, France , Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. The citizens/residents of the 5 countries above can only use direct flights to Georgia for any type of visit. Before crossing Georgia’s border, they must fill in a special e-form and list their travel history in the course of the previous 14 days, as well as the location of their stay in Georgia, contact information.

All people from the other countries will be under 14 days quarantine at their expences. (Update 24th July 2020).

Georgian National Centre for Disease Control states Tourists may have to abide by several conditions when entering and moving about in the country, and may be monitored by a ‘tracking app’. This is not approved at the moment but it is on the desk of the Gov to be discussed. Being these last statements still working in progress, it is clear Georgia Gov will be monitoring the situation and going to add or remove restrictions on the way. It makes more difficult to plan something till a clear and  final official statement will be release.

Wishing to keep a safe way to work for all our clients, considering this situation does not allow us to plan and to work as normal and to be able to give a date for restart till now, we took the decision to postpone  the reopening of our activities at later date. We wish and will monitor how the opening of the Tourism can affect to the spread of the Covid-19, waiting for the full reopening of the wedding houses and the official Notary and Translator bureau in town.

Do not exitate to contact us for any update you should need.

Information

To get married in Tbilisi during the Coronavirus Covid-19 2020

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Dear guests, As we go through these difficult times, we would like to update you on what’s been happening in Tbilisi. We have sadly had to suspend all our photography and wedding management services until the 20th of August 2020 (updated) due to the ongoing situation and measures taken against COVID-19.

We’re so much looking forward to the days when we can happily welcome you again and be a part of your story again.  We would like you to know that as Tbilisilovesyou.com  we continue to work determinedly to solve the issues we collectively face and to provide accurate and up to date information regularly by email to our clients that already subscribed for information or already confirmed their booking and it has been postponed.

We are sorry to all our guests who couldn’t travel due to cancelled flights during this unprecedented time.

We miss sharing your excitement as you travel to your love great date, and getting your images of your greatest moments in the life.

May and June are extremely optimistic time to think everything will restart as usual. Due to the consequences of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, in compliance with the provisions of the Georgian Government regarding safety and prevention of contagion, the Ministry of Justice suspended all the official Wedding Houses activities until a later date. And now a day (May, 19th), still wedding houses does not have a date of reopening till at least 1st July.
It is has been set a provisional 11th of May (already posponed from previous 21st April) as light restart from lockdown but as you know, in all the world, daily updates born since some monthes.
Update : State of emergency has been postponed till the 22nd May Included and it will be note extend (updated 19th may 2020).
All flights in and out of Georgia have been suspended till 1st July 2020 (updated on the 19th May 2020.)  The Prime Minister declare from 1st July Georgia will be ready to attend the foreign tourism. We are still missing information how and what the tourist need to arrive in Georgia following a safe protocol belong the path  of the Ministry of health coordinated with the Airports and Airline Companies of the different countries.
By the way all official wedding services are not allowed till  July ( at the moment we are writing (19th May 2020).
Curfew is mandatory from 21:00 till 06:00 am till the 22nd of May.
All transport inside Tbilisi  including taxi and private cars are banned through the 27th April included (Updated).
All transport in and out the main cities are banned till the 22th of May (Updated). Only private cars can travel out Tbilisi from the 11th of May.
This is the provisional plan of reopening (updated on the 7th May 2020 at 20:30 Tbilisi time):

Second phase of reoping will start around May 5th:
– Building
– Construction supervision
– Companies that manufacture building materials
– Automotive services including car repair and auto-service facilities

around May 11th
– Computers, daily repairs and other services
– Recreational areas

Third phase, May 11th:
-Retail and wholesale stores (except shopping centers, clothing and shoes shops) with entrances separated from the streets
– All types of outdoor markets
– All types of production
– Publishing services

Fourth phase, around June 8th:
-Shopping centers
-Restaurants with outdoor spaces
-All types of financial services
-Beauty salons and aesthetic medicine services

Fifth stage, around June 15th:
– Closed markets
– All types of restaurant business

– Tourism inside Georgia (only local tourism)

Sixth phase, approximately July 1st:

-Entertainment services, sports and leisure, art
-Games and casinos
– Hotels and Tourism from foreign countries
-Educational institutions
–All other types of activities (including Wedding houses and wedding ceremonies).

The opening dates of the various stages may be subject to change, depending on the epidemiological developments in the country. Some restrictions could be reintroduced.

Roles to get in the Georgia boarder could be applied. Updates will be coming soon about protocol of entrance.

People will be required to observe distance rules at all times during the six phases.

We will keep you update as this emergency will be over adding you in our stand-by list if you wish. Just email us with your planned programme and auctomactically we will add you to our stand-by list.
 
Information, Wedding

My wedding in Tbilisi Apostille or Legalization seals?

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One of the most frequest question is what does mean Apostille or Legalization in your certificate of marriage. The difference is very important to be learn as it can make a big issue to register the marriage later in your country or in your embassy or in a third part country where you are expat and temporary or permanent residents.

Sometimes people does not get attention at all to this matter and frequently they arrived in Tbilisi without to get the proper informations.



The wedding in Tbilisi could be very smooth and fast but it will be not so easy, smooth and fast to register the wedding if you get wrong in this matter.

All countries related l’Hague convention are belong Apostille that practically by-pass your embassy and make quite fast to approch for the registration of your wedding hold abroad. if your country is not belong l’hague convention list (e.g. Lebanon, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, South Africa), you must require a certificate of marriage with legalization.

The first legalization seals are from the country issuing the certificate. So the certificate of marriage will have the Legalization seals by Georgian law. On contrary the Apostille, the certificate with Legalization  is not enough for a lot of countries and many Nations requires their seals stamped as well in that document. It means after the release of the official certificate of marriage in Georgia with the Legalization seals, you will need to get the stamp of the related embassy as well.

There are some exception like Canada and few other country and we try constantly to be updated but our advice is to check directly with your embassy or municipality what to get to register your marriage abroad.

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You can set any ammount you wish to donate and you will get a nice gift. Thank you very much to support us!

 

Restaurant, Wedding

Your wedding restaurant in Tbilisi

A lot of restaurants in Tbilisi could help to make your day unforgettable.

Being no resident in Tbilisi and coming alone with your partner for the wedding or maybe with just a small group of relatives and friends, you start browsing tons of web pages, reading thousand feeback in google maps or tripadvisor or getting in insane crowd forum. Time pass, stress comes and really for what?

Let me advice belong the day you are  thinking or better do not think, I will advice you correctly as I will meet you, i will understand your wishes.

Patrick and Natalia exactely did that. In love and harmony arrived in Tbilisi, we spoke  first of all of the details of their wedding in Tbilisi, the photography service itinerary and I propose to them to end their day in Qalaqi restaurant.

Elegant and fashionable place, delicious food, 3 kind of level design and athmosphere to choose your table belong the number of people.



 

We use to provide a list of restaurant we try and test before your arrival. Do not exitate to book your photography service and wedding management with us.

Restaurant

New Asia chinese and asian restaurant

Placed nearby Rustaveli Avenue the street perpendicular the Opera Theatre.
We have been several times in this cozy restaurant after various experience in different Chinese rests of the city.
Ambient is very nice and I can see elegant if they did not put a big tv screen in the bottom of the main room with usually pop music that cut any exotic atmosphere… by the way the ambient is nice in elegant oriental style.



Service is very good, kind and ready to help you, they pay attention to the customers. We tried a lot of different dishes, I can say really good the noodles, rice and chicken lemon and the meat with vegetables in foil.
Medium level for prices comparing life style in Tbilisi but a good value for price and service.
Toilette clean.
Opinion: a good solution to change from the local cuisine
good Final vote: Good
Adress: NEW ASIA – Chinese and Asiatic cuisine – Tbilisi , 11/3 Griboedov St. , Tel: 292 21 07