Weddings abroad

grass_is_greener

Hi all

As a previous user of this forum (under a different user name), we went through a massive struggle with a venue which ruined our wedding and ended up with us sueing them in court. We never got our wedding Mojo back but, now three years later, we are back and ready to plan again.

This time though, we want to do things a different way, we do not want the same struggle again and this time it has to be right.

We are considering getting married abroad and want to know people's experiences on the good and bad and whether there are any recommended locations/destinations or wedding planners to help with this. This time we are doing our research properly and want it to be right so would really appreciate any help that you may be able to offer.

And of course given that this is a moneysaving site, we would really appreciate any tips to save those important pennies.

Thank you all in advance, your help would be much appreciated and I hope this time my posts will all be positive.

jtr2803

Welcome back! (I think I know who you are, I read the story).

Hmm, well to be honest without having some sort of 'idea' of what you are looking for it would be hard to suggest, the costs involved would vary dramatically too.

People have got married in NYC, Thailand, Cuba, Kenya, Florida, Greece.....the list is really endless! Were you thinking beachy or more modern?

Most destinations will have wedding planners but make sure you go by recommendation, I know that the big high street travel agents aren't always that helpful. Once you have decided on a destination why not ask on the Trip Advisor forums, you might find some hotels have their own planners you have to use too.

grass_is_greener

jtr2803 wrote: »

Welcome back! (I think I know who you are, I read the story).

Hmm, well to be honest without having some sort of 'idea' of what you are looking for it would be hard to suggest, the costs involved would vary dramatically too.

People have got married in NYC, Thailand, Cuba, Kenya, Florida, Greece.....the list is really endless! Were you thinking beachy or more modern?

Most destinations will have wedding planners but make sure you go by recommendation, I know that the big high street travel agents aren't always that helpful. Once you have decided on a destination why not ask on the Trip Advisor forums, you might find some hotels have their own planners you have to use too.

Thank you jtr and yes, I think you probably do know who I am!

I think really we are looking for a beachy style wedding, somewhere up to £8000, but the less the better. We have that money but really would rather spend the money doing up our house but obviously, for the right wedding, we may spend more.

I think a four hour flight would be ideal (Cyprus, greece) but would really love the Caribbean as that is where we got engaged (but don't think our money will stretch to that). We did try travel agents the other day but like you say, didn't actually get much help. They seemed intent on selling us a wedding in the most expensive place which, although lovely, we really could not afford the prices they were suggesting.

Trip advisor is a must and once we get a rough idea, will definitely use it. I think we are just in such a muddle, we want to do it but neither of us really knows what they are doing and both of us are still reluctant to actually make a decision in case it ends like last time. I know it sounds lazy and daft but after our experience last time, I just want the wedding to be planned by someone else and just turn up at the end and enjoy the day. . Then again, I am too frugal to pay for that pleasure!

It just seems like a mammoth task and whatever I do, whilst we really do want to get married, can't quite make that first step. We have looked round loads of local venues and just cant find one we like but i dont know if this is our past. I almost feel like we are floundering and running away abroad (but I don't know if this is really right). I think I need a magic wand!

MatyMoo

Also think I followed your last thread, so glad to see you back and planning the wedding of your dreams after that fiasco!

A friend recently got married in Gibraltar's Botanic Gardens, they had 2 short trips out there to organise it and then a week out there for the wedding itself with most guests there for the whole time.

All in it cost about the same as your budget and was a really lovely experience for all of us. We all stayed at the Rock Hotel which is just across the road but there are cheaper hotels on the island.

CompBunny

If you would consider the Greek island of Rhodes Fawny recently got married there and was very happy with her planners. Lindos Weddings were the planners she used and this is her thread: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4192525 Looks lovely

dw85

Hi Grass is greener

My fiance and I are planning a beach wedding next year, hopefully in the caribbean (barbados or antigua). Thing is, we cant/dont want to book anything until he comes home in Jan.
We have a similar budget, if slightly smaller and wont be going overboard on it, but hopeully simple and beachy!

The wedding brochures are a bit pants from what ive seen. The tack we are taking will be to book the holiday (Also so that family and friends that wish to join us can book along with us) and then planning the wedding after. Unless theres a free one chucked in, i doubt we will be using the package ones.

Do you know where you want? or things you want as part of it?
For closer destinations, Italy and Rhodes are lovely. Check out the minimum residency and the cost of getting documents translated...it can soon rack up (we were looking at mexico too...but the document translation was like£300 or something!)

Good luck!

little_dreamer

Hi,

We are getting married in Cyprus next year and we have booked through Ionian weddings they have been very helpful with evything so far and their packages start quite low and you can add and adapt the pakages to suit you. We are getting married on a pier over the ocean and cannot wait! Good luck with your planning

http://www.ionianweddings.co.uk/

grass_is_greener

Thank you everyone, I am just looking through all the suggestions ... So many options and so much to read up on. It's good to get some personal recommendations so thank you for that.

Dw85, I hope January soon comes so that your fiance can come home and you can get your wedding booked.

Thanks everyone, I best get doing some reading.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

ellies_angel

My husband and I got married in Gibraltar last year. I organised it myself all by email with Gibraltar registary office. Didn't even ask my hudband until a couple of weeks before we went! Once in Spain, we drove over to Gibraltar a few days prior to the service to get the original documents notorised birth certificates, divorce certificate, death certificate to do with previous marriage certificates and the paperwork signed and then back for the actual wedding. Piece of cake (didn't actually have any cake) but was really easy and straight forward. We did it with only 2 witnesses

joho

Hi G.i.G,

I'm another Lindian bride who can also recommend Lindos Weddings. Here is my thread.

The main choice of chapel in Lindos is St Pauls, but there are others that are smaller, more intimate.

Another choice, if you like Greece, is Kefalos, Kos which has a little island with a chapel on it that can only be reached by boat and looks very romantic.

Incidentally, the chapel is only ever a backdrop - you can't get married in one unless you are Greek Orthodox, and the ceremonies are civil and short (about 20 mins).

Cyprus is also another choice for beach weddings. My husbands niece got married at Kefalos Beach Hotel, Paphos which caters for weddings of all sizes and has it's own chapel.

£8000 should go a long way for a Greek wedding!

Enjoy replanning.
Jo x

dizzyblnd

I got married in Barbados hun, and it was amazing, the weather was beautiful and everyone being toegther before and after the wedding made the two families even closer. I have a fantastic florist if your interested who created my ideal flowers for the day, artificial of course, and packed them all ready to take with me. I couldn't have wished for better, I say go for it!