14 December 2009Getting Married Abroad – the Dos and Don’ts
Couples shying away from the big lavish Irish wedding often opt for a wedding abroad. Guaranteed sunshine, great food and wine - and usually at a fraction of the price - what’s not to like?! Some things to consider if you are thinking of flying off to get hitched …
The tour operator organising your honeymoon can often also assist with the wedding arrangements and guide you easily through the legalities of each destination. They can often put you in touch with reputable wedding planners in popular foreign wedding destinations which can prove invaluable as you won’t be on-the-ground yourself to oversee the planning.
Some popular overseas wedding destinations:
- Italy: Ravello, Rome, Venice
- Spain: Marbella, Granda, Malaga
- USA: Las Vegas, Florida
- France: Paris, Bordeaux
- Antigua
- Maldives
- Barbados
- Seychelles
Some questions for your travel agent:
- What style of marriage can I have? If you’re thinking of the Caribbean there should be a choice of church, beach, venue, gardens or even underwater ceremonies!
- What is included in the package that should be organised in advance: flowers; cake; photographer; transport; food; drink; registrar’s/officiator’s costs? Ensure you get an estimated cost of any extras that you feel will be essential while you are there. You don’t want to get caught out and have to dip into your general spending money
- Ideally, how long should you be at your resort prior to your ceremony? You will want to spend a few days acclimatising, finding your way around, booking the flowers, cake photographer etc. prior to the big day. Give yourself enough time so that you aren’t racing around and getting stressed.
- Are there any special deals if you take over 10 friends and family with you?
Benefits of marrying overseas:
- You will have a private and very personal ceremony.
- You can invite close family and friends to share in your special day as part of a unique holiday break.
- If you have any complicated family issues it can be a good way of celebrating a marriage without the traditional constraints and without upsetting anyone.
- It can be a cheaper way of tying the knot if you are under a tight budget. On average, a marriage and a two-week holiday abroad will cost between €3,000 and €6,000, depending on the destination and additional extras chosen.
- It gives you a great excuse to come home and have a big party to celebrate your union!
Ciara Crossan is the founder of weddingdates.ie, a unique website that allows engaged couples to select their chosen wedding date and the county in Ireland where they want to get married, and get back an interactive listing of wedding venues with civil ceremony or reception availability on that date. You can also follow Ciara on Twitter at twitter.com/weddingdates
