I (would) do: the merits of getting married abroad

Getting married abroad in warmer climes seems to be a growing trend among British couples and, with almost-guaranteed good weather for their big day and huge savings to boot, who can blame these amorous globetrotters?

The average cost of getting married in the UK sits at around the £20,000 mark, whilst the average cost of getting married abroad is around £6,500.

Agia Sophia Chapel in Rhodes, one of Ionian Weddings’ venues

I have attended two weddings overseas in as many years. Last summer, my best friend got hitched on the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes outside a picturesque beach-side chapel in Lindos. I may be biased – as this was my closest friend – but it was the best wedding I have ever attended. With a guestlist of only their nearest and dearest, the whole bash (including the days before and after the main event) was an intimate affair and exactly as the bride and groom had wished for.

I have just returned from a second wedding in the Dordogne region of France. The couple rented a stunning hilltop château where the wedding party stayed and were married in the grounds’ rose garden.  For the wedding breakfast, we were seated at tables outside the front of the château with wonderful views across the valley. One of the grand reception rooms was reserved for dancing, under the watching eyes of painted 18^th century aristocrats. Overall it was idyllic and entirely different from any UK wedding I can remember.

At each wedding, the bride and groom seemed relaxed and at ease come the big day (presumably because their wedding planners had everything under control on their behalf). They even had a sun-kissed glow from days spent chilling outside prior to the wedding. Their honeymoons were stress-free too, as they began right away with the travel already done.

There was no accommodating elderly, mad aunties who the couple would only see once in a blue moon; no awkwardness with friends wanting to bring children at the last minute; no having to create a two-tier wedding with only some guests invited to the whole event; and no need for the newly-weds to stress about talking to each of the 300-odd guests, as there were far fewer attendees and more than one day to catch up with everyone.

All in all, getting married abroad seems like a no-brainer.

(For more information about getting married in Greece, Cyprus or Italy, contact our award-winning overseas-wedding specialist client Ionian Weddings.)

(Julie Jenner)