Extract or full copy?
Two versions of the same record exist, and picking the wrong one costs a week. An extract gives the bare facts: names, date, place. A full copy reproduces every line of the register entry, including notes added later. Visa desks and foreign registries usually want the full copy, so ask the far end which they mean before you order. That question is the real first step in how to legalize a Marriage Certificate.
Where the record lives
The entry sits with the civil registry of the Comune where the marriage was recorded. If you married in Bologna, that is the Bologna registry, even though you both live elsewhere now. Ask for a printed copy on paper, because a screenshot from an online portal carries no seal. The clerk's seal is the thing the next two desks will vouch for. Without it, embassy legalization of a Marriage Certificate in Bologna cannot even begin.
The Prefettura leg
A register entry is an administrative record, so the Prefettura is the desk for it. A prefecture stamps papers made by town halls and other state offices in the province. Notary deeds and court rulings go to the Procura della Repubblica instead, a different queue in a different building. Bring the sealed copy and a €16 tax stamp, the marca da bollo. That stamp is the Italian half of consular legalization of a Marriage Certificate in Italy.
And then the consulate
Next comes the consulate of the country that will read the record. It adds a stamp of its own and often wants a translation bound to the copy first. Ask whether they need the full copy or the extract, because the two are not interchangeable at that counter. The embassy attestation of a Marriage Certificate in Bologna is booked once the Italian stamp is on. Whether that step is needed at all rests on the destination, so put the question to the office there before booking.
Cost, time and common snags
The Italian leg costs a €16 tax stamp. The consulate then charges a fee it sets on its own, so ask for the current figure at booking. Most files finish inside 10–15 business days, and a rush route can close in 3–5 business days. Couples who legalize a Marriage Certificate in Bologna for a spouse visa nearly always need a translation bound in as well, so order the two together.