In the last five years, the number of British couples getting married abroad has increased by 43 per cent to an estimated 51,300 in 2008. According to a Mintel report, that’s a whopping 16 per cent of all marriages registered in the UK.
This is extremely good news for the bride and groom. But what about the guests?
Well it certainly beats the local registry office. But being invited to a wedding abroad involves more than just the celebration.
There’s the cost for one. Then the extra days out of the office. And what about the fact that you might be travelling to a destination you wouldn’t previously have considered?
When you break it down, sometimes a wedding abroad can feel more like a burden than a joy.
Last year I was invited to – and attended – four destination weddings. This makes me well placed to suggest some ways in which you can make this unexpected addition to your travel plans still feel like a worthwhile holiday.
My foreign wedding relay kicked off with a colleague’s alpine nuptials in Chamonix. The next leg was at a South African vineyard, where my fiancée (for the record, the furthest we are dragging our own guests is West Sussex) was best man.
Then in May, we headed to Italy for my brother’s wedding in a Piedmont castle. And finally it was on to Miami in October, where a British friend of mine married her Argentine love.
I do not want to sound spoilt, it was an amazing year of travel but thanks to all these overseas marriages, I now have an aching overdraft and no more holiday time.
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As the recession continues to bite a high street chain is offering a wedding outfit for £100 in its latest bid to lure in cash-strapped shoppers.The ensemble, sold by BHS, consists of a white strapless corset top with a tie-ribbon back, A-line skirt and shoes.
Bridesmaids can also be kitted out with a skirt and bodice from around £85.
The outfits, made from 100 per cent polyester, come in ivory and range in sizes 8 to 22.
The simple satin shoes feature a bead, sequin and pearl heart-shaped design.
The retailer is the latest in a line to offer cheap wedding attire at knock-down prices.
Last year Marks & Spencer cut a bridal dress to £15, a 10th of its original price, as it cleared out old stock.
Supermarket giant Asda led the charge in 2006, offering a range of wedding dresses for £60.
UK couples pay an average of around £20,000 for their wedding, with the dress typically costing nearly £1,000, according to You And Your Wedding magazine.
Some brides manage to save money by opting for a second-hand dress.
In September last year, Heather Saint, from Teesside, managed to find hers on eBay for 5p.
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For most couples, a fast food restaurant would be the last place they would pick for their wedding reception let alone the ceremony.A picturesque church, imposing castle or a registry office are usually the venues of choice for those walking down the aisle.
But this was not so for a young couple in the US who opted for a rather more unique spot for their nuptials - a Taco Bell.
Customers inside the Mexican fast food joint even carried on buying tacos and burritos as Caragh Brooks, 21, and husband Paul, tied the knot.
'It's appropriate. It's an offbeat relationship,' the groom said.
Employees had decorated the restaurant with streamers and balloons for the ceremony.
They even customised the hot sauce packets with the words 'will you marry me?'.
Unsurprisingly, the wedding in the ironically named town of Normal in Illinois, was a cheap affair - setting the couple back just $200.
The bride wore a $15 hot pink dress and their friend officiated in a t-shirt after being ordained online as several dozen guests looked on.
Caragh, who is originally from Australia, met Paul, 30, on an internet dating site.
They already had the same last name and immediately became close.
After writing to each other and talking on the phone for nine months, Caragh made the move to the US.
Her new husband said: 'We have the same brain, just in two bodies. We think alike in virtually every manner. We have the same interests, viewpoints.'
He proposed on New Year's Eve and, because they like to spend time at the local Taco Bell, they decided to wed there.
The restaurant's manager, Carl Harmlow, was pretty taken aback by the request.
'I would never have expected in my life in working here there would be a wedding,' he said.
To limit the effect of the current economic climate, our preferred partner, Gran Canaria Weddings and Celebrations launched a Credit Crunch Wedding Package where the couples can make significant savings on their wedding day without cutting corners or reducing the quality of service provided.
Getting married in Gran Canaria is fast becoming a favourite destination for overseas weddings based on the cost effectiveness and year round outstanding weather. With the average cost of a wedding in the UK as much as 20,000 pounds compare with as little as 4000 pounds in Gran Canaria, it is no surprise that more people are now looking at Credit Crunch weddings as the best option for their special and memorable day.
"Gran Canaria weddings offer exotic but affordable versions of celebrity-inspired weddings. As the credit crunch bites and recession looms, this could be the perfect cost-saving measure allowing couples to have the wedding day they have always dreamed of," says Paul Gibson
A potential downside is that while the bride and groom often benefit from a cheaper celebration, weddings abroad can prove an expensive affair for guests. But Gran Canaria Weddings has also been able to establish outstanding relationships with hotels and also tour operators to minimize the costs of flights and accommodation as much as possible including group discounts, which is why more people are attending weddings in Gran Canaria and taking a holiday at the same time.
With the addition of Hen and Stag party weekends in Gran Canaria, the whole wedding package is now arranged by the couple’s personal wedding planner, making the wedding package more attractive and more accessible for everyone.
Click here to see our selection of weddings in Gran Canaria
