There are a few things you’ll need to be able to elope in Italy. The basic documents you will need include a

• valid passport,
• birth certificate,
• Atto Notorio (also known as a Certificate of No Impediment),
• Nulla Osta (also known as an affidavit).

Below are a list of steps you’ll want to take in order to officially be allowed to marry in Italy. These steps apply to U.S. citizens getting married in Italy. The process is very similar to those who live in other countries as well. Always check with your embassy to make sure you’re taking the proper steps.

• 2-3 months before your wedding date, make an appointment at your nearest Italian Consulate to obtain an Atto Noto. Italian Consulates are found in most big cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. You will need to bring 2-4 (usually 4), witnesses, a passport, and your original birth certificate. All documents with the exception of your passport MUST be officially translated to Italian.
• 1-2 months before your wedding date, book an appointment with a Italian Consulate in the city where you’re going to be getting married. Book the appointment at least a week before your wedding date. They have consulates in Rome, Milan, Genova, Venice, Florence, Naples, and Palermo. This is where you’ll get your Nulla Ostav. You can print out the form and fill it out to save time, but do not sign it until you’re instructed to do so. This process costs about $55 a person.
• After you’ve received your Nulla Ostav, you’ll need to get it legalized. You can do this at a Prefecture Office in Italy. You’ll need to bring two revenue stamps that cost about $20 each and can be found at any tobacco store.
• Lastly, you’ll need to make an appointment at the town hall to complete a “Declaration of Intention to Marry” a few days before your wedding date. If you don’t speak Italian, you must bring an interpreter with you.

I highly recommend checking out this article to get a more in-depth explanation of how to go through these steps. It was written by an Italian wedding planner who works with couples getting married in Italy from the United States! You can also check out the official U.S. Embassy site as well that outlines all the steps (though I do find this one a bit more complicated to understand).

If these steps are very overwhelming to you, no worries! You can always get married in your home country then have a symbolic ceremony in Italy.