Weddings Abroad

Getting married abroad in a foreign country has all the hallmarks of a dream romance. You step onto a beach, barefoot and beaming; walk through the grand hallways of a medieval castle, with roses falling as you pledge your love; you sky dive and nod at high-speed…OK this last one is lacking the dream element, but the others are all possible.

But before you start, you need to ensure your paperwork is up to date.

Full Birth Certificates from the betrothed must show both parents names, Passports – if you’re abroad that should be a given. If you are divorced you will need to show the original final papers and if you are a widow/widower, a death certificate will need to be shown.

Your wedding planner should confirm this with you prior to booking your flights and a variety of other things, but some countries ask for a little more. A certificate of NO Impediment can be obtained from your local Foreign Affairs or the Embassy in the country you are planning to marry in. An Apostille Stamp is occasionally required, it’s a method of legalizing the documents you provide for the country.

Finally, oh please, let it be finally; a Certificate of Single Status/Sworn Affidavit showing you are free to marry – you can get this online.

Places To Get Married Abroad

So, now that you have all the paper work done, it’s time to think about the location for your marriage abroad. Be it Sri Lanka or Senegal, Las Vegas or Laos, you have a lot to think about. Numerous websites cater to your needs and it’s entirely possible to plan your wedding from the comfort of your own home.

So, you’re looking first and foremost to cut costs. Location is key for your overseas wedding, but not starting your married life in the red is rather nice too.

It’s worth remembering that if you are going to marry in a foreign country, you are likely to have a significantly smaller attendance at the service. The cost of travel to Thailand, Sri Lanka or wherever you decide to have the ceremony is something that will be passed onto the guests. Not all can afford the time and money, but that can be a good thing. Your reception will invariably become smaller and the cost, vastly reduced.

Wedding Packages Abroad

On average a wedding in the United Kingdom can run-you upwards of £20,000, whereas if you relocate, preferably to somewhere a touch sunnier, you are likely to pay all of £8,000. Here’s how.

Planning a wedding is not easy, it never is, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the UK or abroad; you will experience stress. However, if you book a package, you can relocate some of that stress on to another’s shoulders. Worried you won’t get what you want? Don’t be, just tailor it to match your needs and budget. There are countless companies out there that can help, and Perfect Weddings Abroad is just one.

Make use of your maid of Honor and the Best Man. They wanted the titles, make them earn it. If they’re really good friends, you can give them a lot of responsibility and trust them to handle the things you can’t.

Wedding packages abroad are cheaper than you think.

Weddings Abroad On A Budget

Budget and wedding day don’t often go hand-in-hand. When you dreamed about that special day as a five-year-old, you never imagined swapping your Barbie Dream Palace for a garden in the back of a hotel. Don’t worry, chances are, you won’t have to.

Getting married abroad cheap brings with it not only a financial saving, it opens you up to a world of possibilities you never imagined when you thought you’d have to host relatives from far afield and vague cousins from wherever.

Here’s a few tips to getting married abroad, cheap:

You could get married in Cyprus? The paper work would all be in English. There’s cheap, easy flights direct to the island. You can honeymoon there or wherever you want within an Easy Jet flight’s distance or the like. You can get married on the beach – no need to book a church 3 years in advance.

Don’t like Cypus? How about Barbados?!

It’s in the Caribbean! Not good enough? How about you only need to register all of 48 hours before the wedding. Lots of hotels offer wedding services. You can get deals on rooms and wedding packages as inclusive. Some hotels even offer FREE weddings to couples staying over a week. That’s even better than a cheap wedding abroad – that’s free. Now, we’re not advocating getting married just because the hotel throws it gratis…but if you’re in love…

Don’t forget – a cheap wedding abroad may be cheaper for you, your friends and family may be limited in their commitment. Budget for them too.

And remember to check the exchange rate before you book. It can mean the difference between the dream wedding and the dour wedding.

Might it be worth to keep a little cash in reserve for an interpreter? Some countries don’t have English as a strong second language and the last thing you want to be is lost-in-translation.

Wedding Venues Abroad

There are more varied options when booking your wedding abroad, that should go without saying. But, we’ll say anyway.

Beach weddings abroad – anywhere around the world, private gazebos in a secluded location within a hotel complex, cruise ships and even underwater services can be held with a little early scheduling. However, if you’re an experimental couple, how about a trip to Lapland and a traditional Kota wedding? These small huts are warm, cozy and with the potential backdrop of the Northern Lights, can you get more romantic?

The location doesn’t have to be the only “different” element to your wedding. How about your method of transport away from the service? Limousines are great, but speedboats are fun. In keeping with the Lapland idea; how about a reindeer ride, champagne and the Aurora?

Wherever you choose, your wedding planner should be able to OK the location and arrange for any license needed.

Getting Married Abroad; When Is The Best Time?

Deciding when to marry is often contingent with weather and to get married abroad it’s no different. Remember to research your chosen destination. While June-August might be a summery, sunny time in Britain, in other countries it could easily be monsoon or tornado season. As we mentioned it, Barbados pans-out like this – Humid = Apr-Nov, Dry = Feb-May, Rainy/Hurricane season = Jun-Nov.

Cyprus looks like this – Very Hot = May-Oct, Hot and Sunny = Oct-Nov, Rainy = Dec-Jan, Spring = Jan-Feb (a wonderful time to visit the island).

If you want to have a look at countries from a glance, then MarryAbroad.co.uk makes it very clear.

Wedding Travel Insurance

When you’re looking to spend so much money, even when budgeting, wedding travel insurance is key. NOW’s Wedding Travel Insurance policy covers you on your special day for all manner of eventuality; including losing the ring, damage to the gown or suit, loss/damage to the gifts and much more.

Best of luck, congratulations and don’t forget your wedding insurance. NOW knows HOW to make your special day that much more care-free.