Wedding in Austria and Slovenia, lakes, the Alps and castles just across the border

Austria and Slovenia are among the most convenient choices for a Czech wedding abroad. Both countries lie on the driving route from the Czech Republic, both feature mountains and lakes where you cannot get married in the Czech lands, and both are EU members, which simplifies administration. Our catalogue includes 27 venues in Austria (12 castles) and 25 venues in Slovenia (9 castles). This article explores specific regions and locations in both countries.

Why Austria and Slovenia together

Both countries share what draws couples away from a classic Czech wedding: Alpine or sub-Alpine landscapes, lakes and mountains as a backdrop instead of a hall overlooking a car park. Austria is closer to Prague and Brno (Vienna is roughly three to four hours by car, the Salt Chamber a little further), while Slovenia is further away (Bled is around five to six hours from Prague, an hour less from Brno), but for couples willing to turn their wedding into a long weekend, that is perfectly fine. The season in both countries matches the Czech one: May to September, with the added benefit that even in midsummer, temperatures in the Alps and the Julian Alps tend to be more pleasant than in the lowlands.

Austria: Salt Chamber and Lakes

The Salzkammergut is a region of lakes and mountains between Salzburg and Styria, and it ranks among the most visually striking wedding destinations in the area. In our catalogue, you will find venues by:

Mondsee - a lake made famous by the film The Sound of Music, featuring a baroque church right in the town and numerous hotels and estates with views over the water.
Wolfgangsee - one of the most visited lakes in the region, surrounded by mountains, with traditional hotels located directly on the shore.
Traunsee - a deeper and quieter lake with the dramatic panorama of Mount Traunstein in the background, less crowded with tourists than Wolfgangsee.

Venues by these lakes tend to have smaller capacities than large castles, which suits them well. They are designed for more intimate weddings with an outdoor ceremony by the water and a reception at a hotel or restaurant just a short distance from the shore.

Vienna and the surrounding area

Vienna offers a contrasting style: formal, urban, with palaces and baroque gardens. For couples who wish to combine their wedding with a stay in a major city and easy access for guests (Vienna has an international airport as well as direct train connections from Prague and Brno), it is a practical choice. The area around Vienna also features castles with parks where you can combine a formal ceremony with an outdoor reception.

Burgenland - wine-growing region

Burgenland, on the border with Hungary, is an Austrian wine-growing region around Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedler See). Weddings here typically take place in wine farms and manor houses, with a feast among the vineyards and local wine straight from the producer. It is an alternative to a formal castle: a more informal, rural atmosphere similar to Moravian wine weddings, but with an Austrian backdrop.

You can find the complete offer for all three areas in the catalogue of wedding venues in Austria.

Slovenia: Lake Bled

Bled is Slovenia's most famous wedding destination and rightly so. The island with its chapel in the middle of a turquoise lake, overlooked by a medieval castle, is one of the most photogenic settings in Europe. Specifically, you will find the following in our catalogue:

Blejský hrad - a castle on a cliff above the lake with views that have no competition in the region. Ceremonies on the castle terrace are among the most sought-after and therefore the earliest booked dates of the season.
Vila Bled - the former residence of Josip Broz Tito, located right on the lake shore, now a hotel with its own garden by the water. It combines history, privacy and direct access to the lake.

Due to the popularity of Bled, it pays to book your date well in advance. The most sought-after summer Saturdays are often booked more than a year ahead.

Vipava Valley, Kras and Portorož

If you are looking for a quieter and less touristy option, you will find it in the Vipava Valley. This wine-growing region lies between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea, featuring wine cellars and estates similar to those in Burgenland. The Kras area is famous for its stone villages and cave systems (Predjama, Postojna) and offers weddings with a unique historical backdrop. Portorož on the coast then gives you the chance to combine your wedding with the sea without having to travel all the way to Croatia.

You can find all these venues in our catalogue of wedding venues in Slovenia.

Symbolic vs. legally binding ceremony

As with other foreign destinations, the simplest and most common option is a symbolic ceremony in Austria or Slovenia combined with a civil marriage registered at home at a Czech registry office. A symbolic ceremony is not legally binding, so you avoid paperwork and official translations, and you can freely choose your venue - even on the castle terrace in Bled, where the administration for a legally binding marriage would be more complex.

If you wish to marry directly in Austria or Slovenia under local law, allow time for preparing documents (certificate of legal capacity to marry, birth certificates, and possibly an apostille - usually simpler within the EU than outside it) and for subsequent registration in a special registry in Brno, where you will receive your Czech marriage certificate. Specific requirements vary by country and change over time, so always verify them with the relevant embassy and registry office - this is just a general overview, not legal advice.

What to watch out for

Language. In Austria this is not an issue as German and English are standard. In Slovenia, staff at tourist locations (Bled, Portorož) usually speak good English, but it is worth checking in advance for wineries in the inland Vipava Valley.
Catering. At lakeside venues in Hallstatt and Bled, catering is often tied to a specific hotel or restaurant on site. It is important to find out right at the start whether this is mandatory or if you can bring in your own supplier.
Guest transport. Most guests can manage Vienna and Burgenland by car within a single day. Hallstatt and Bled involve longer journeys for guests, so it pays to arrange shared bus transport or to expect that some guests will arrive a day early.
Accommodation. Capacity is often limited during the season (June to August) near the lakes and prices rise. It is best to sort out accommodation at the same time as booking the venue, not afterwards, especially for popular destinations like Bled.

Where to start

Browse specific venues in the catalogue by country - Rakousko and Slovinsko - or filter directly by venue type via zámek na svatbu. Select three to five favourites and send them a non-binding enquiry through the website. For lakeside venues in season, it pays to send your enquiry as far in advance as possible. A broader overview of weddings abroad and other destinations can be found in the article Wedding abroad.