Last updated on October 24, 2025
No, it is not allowed. Colombian law only recognizes marriages between human individuals, conducted through civil or religious authorities authorized by the state.
Love in Bloom, But Not in Law
In Colombia, you can fall in love with nature, hug a tree, even name it—but legally marry it? That’s where the law draws the line. While symbolic ceremonies between humans and trees have made headlines around the world, especially as acts of environmental protest or performance art, they hold no legal weight in Colombia.
Marriage in Colombia is a formal legal contract. It comes with rights, responsibilities, and a hefty dose of bureaucracy. And like any contract, it requires two legally recognized parties—both of whom must be human.
What the Law Says
Colombian marriage law is governed by the Código Civil Colombiano and the Registro Civil de Matrimonio, overseen by the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil. According to Article 113 of the Civil Code, marriage is defined as a solemn contract between a man and a woman—or, following constitutional rulings, between two consenting adults—who unite to live together and support each other.
The law requires that both parties be legally competent, identifiable individuals. They must present valid identification, birth certificates, and, if applicable, divorce or death certificates from previous marriages. The marriage must be officiated by a civil judge, notary, or authorized religious minister, and registered in the national civil registry.
Nowhere in this process is there room for a tree, no matter how majestic or meaningful it may be.
Symbolic Ceremonies and Environmental Activism
That said, symbolic “tree weddings” have occurred in Colombia, often as part of environmental campaigns. These events are designed to raise awareness about deforestation, climate change, or indigenous land rights. Participants may dress in wedding attire, exchange vows with a tree, and even sign mock certificates. But these ceremonies are purely theatrical—they do not create any legal bond.
Such events have been inspired by similar movements in countries like Mexico and India, where activists have “married” trees to protest logging or urban development. In Colombia, these acts are protected under the right to free expression, but they are not recognized by the state as legal unions.
Legal Recognition Requires Legal Personhood
For a marriage to be valid in Colombia, both parties must have legal personhood. Trees, while increasingly recognized in environmental law as entities worthy of protection, do not have the legal status required to enter into contracts. Even Colombia’s Constitutional Court, which has been progressive in granting rights to nature—such as recognizing the Atrato River as a legal subject—has not extended those rights to include marriage.
So while you can love a tree, protect it, and even symbolically commit to it, you can’t legally marry it in Colombia.
See more on Colombia
Sources
Registro civil de matrimonio – Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil
https://www.registraduria.gov.co/Registro-civil-de-matrimonio-527
2023-06-01
Validez en Colombia del matrimonio celebrado en el extranjero – Ministerio de Justicia
https://www.minjusticia.gov.co/programas-co/LegalApp/Paginas/¿Qué-debo-hacer-para-darle-validez-en-Colombia-a-un-matrimonio-celebrado-en-el-extranjero.aspx
2022-10-04