Top Tips to Plan a Destination Wedding
• Do your research before deciding where you want to marry.
• Make sure you have a wedding planner in the country in which you are marrying. She will know
local suppliers and will save you money and time by sourcing everything herself.
• There is no etiquette regarding paying for guests to join you overseas. If you are having a
destination wedding you usually want to either “escape” inviting everyone you know to the
wedding, or to have a wedding unlike all your friends. If you're happy to pay for guests to join
you then that's good, but it's also ok to not pay for them. Sometimes the couple will pay for
close family to join them, and all other guests pay for themselves. Sometimes, they don't even
pay for close family. Whatever you do, make it clear on the invitation what you are paying for,
and that there is no pressure for guests to join you. That way guests don't feel pressurised into
paying for an expensive “holiday” to see you get married.
• State on the invitation if you are having a party to celebrate your marriage when you get home.
That's one way of seeing all your friends but not expecting them to pay a lot to see you
exchange vows.
• Your wedding planner will be able to advise on legalities. If you are having a wedding in a non-
English speaking country you will need to have the paperwork translated, and usually stamped
with an apostille. Solicitors can provide a Certificate of Single status, and your local Registry
office can provide a Certificate of No Impediment. You will need original or certified copies of:
your birth certificates; any previous divorce certificates; or death certificates of any previous
spouse.
• Take out wedding insurance specifically for wedding abroad just in case. Check the small print
as the policy probably won't cover “acts of god” such as tsunami/earthquake/ash clouds.
Pros and Cons of getting married abroad
Pros
• You should have less “advice” from family and friends and can have the wedding you truly want
• It can cost a lot less than at home (average destination wedding is under $10,000) *source,
Mintel
• You can choose the type of weather you want (snow, sun, tropical etc.)
• You can cut down the guest list so you only have the people you care about most with you
• You can combine your wedding and honeymoon in one
• You may be able to stream your ceremony on the internet for people at home to see
Cons
• Less guests will be able to join you due to costs
• It may take more time and cost more to ensure you have the right paperwork and necessary
stamps and translations
• Not all countries allow non-residents to legally marry there
by Stephanie Bishop
MarryAbroad.co.uk is a free information portal for couples engaged couples, providing marriage legalities, information and advice on how to have a destination wedding around the world. For more details please see MarryAbroad.co.uk or contact them on [email protected].
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