Weddings Abroad
Everyone knows that planning a wedding is high on the list of stress-inducing activities - controlling parents, warring relatives, spiralling costs, unreliable suppliers, and, not least, having to make contingency plans for bad weather. The average UK wedding now costs around £20,000, so it's not surprising that increasing numbers of couples are now opting for weddings abroad. Tying the knot in the sunshine can not only eliminate many of the stress factors, but can usually work out cheaper as well.
It may seem surprising that it usually costs less to marry abroad. Of course the cost can vary wildly depending on all sorts of factors, including the time of year, the place, and how simple or elaborate the wedding is. But there are a wide range of venues in destinations like Sri Lanka and the Caribbean that offer complete packages, including trimmings like the cake, photos and a decorated location, and several nights' stay, for well under half the cost of the average UK wedding.
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Why Go Abroad?
Apart from the good weather and the good value, there are other reasons why many couples choose to get married overseas. You can enjoy a much more intimate wedding, as only family and close friends are likely to make the journey -- you can avoid having to invite distant relatives whom you hardly know, or work colleagues and business associates you don't really want, without fear of giving offence. The atmosphere, with just your special people there, will be much more congenial, relaxed and informal.
What's more, you get to enjoy our wedding for a whole lot longer, as many of the destination wedding packages include a stay of up to 7, or in some cases 14, nights. For the traditional UK wedding, it often seems as if, after months or even years of planning, organising and anticipation, it's all over in just one day -- and that day passes in such a whirl that you don't even remember it. Abroad, it's usually much more relaxed, and you have several days to enjoy your big occasion.
Favourite Destinations -- Indian Ocean
One of the top destination choices for weddings abroad is Sri Lanka, largely because you can get five-star luxury, plus a stunning and unique wedding, for incredibly good value. For a barefoot-in-the sand wedding, Sri Lanka has more than 1,500 kilometres of some of the world's most beautiful and unspoilt beaches to choose from. But there is an abundance of other possibilities -- tropical jungles, lakes, splendid temples, National Parks with leopard and elephant as witnesses, or 5,000 feet high amidst breathtaking tea plantations.
Mauritius, also in the Indian Ocean, is another extremely popular choice, and has regularly ranked among the world's top wedding destinations. In fact, it has become known as the Island of Weddings, because of the delight the Mauritians take in making your wedding special. You can choose absolutely any spot you like in this spectacularly beautiful island -- a beach, a tropical garden, up a mountain, on a private island, or on board a catamaran -- and the Registrar will meet you there.
Caribbean for Romance
Running close to the Indian Ocean in popularity is the Caribbean, with so many paradise islands just made for romance. Enchanting St Lucia, styled the romantic capital of the Caribbean, offers a combination of luxuriant mountain backdrops and exuberant Creole culture that makes it one of the Caribbean's top choice for weddings. The Bahamas provide the ultimate setting for a fairy-tale wedding, with spectacular white, gold and pink beaches, the fragrance of flowers everywhere, and its diversity of islands, including the magical Out Islands, that virtually guarantees you the perfect spot to get married, whatever kind of wedding you desire.
These are just a tiny selection of the possibilities for weddings abroad. The choice can be overwhelming, so the best thing is to let our specialists know what kind of wedding you are looking for, and we will use our 30 years of experience to find the one spot in the world that is perfect for you. Remember too that, even in paradise, there are arrangements that have to be made, and formalities that have to be taken care of. You can turn it all over to us, so that you are free to relax and enjoy your day -- and each other.
