Posts

Showing posts from 2008

More countries to choose from for your wedding abroad

We'd like to welcome a new wedding organiser to Marry Abroad. Holidaysplease organises weddings, honeymoons and holidays around the world and can offer great prices for couples looking for an amazing wedding abroad. As well as covering weddings in the Caribbean, Holidaysplease can also arrange ceremonies in the very popular wedding destinations of Mauritius and Sri Lanka . If you'd like to find out more about the destinations they cover please click through to their wedding page to contact them directly.

New Czech Wedding Planner joins Marry Abroad

We're delighted to announce that we have a new Czech wedding planner on the site. Bohemia Events is based in Prague and can arrange wonderful fairytale weddings in this stunning city, and beyond. The Czech Republic is a wonderful country in which to get married, especially if you're looking for a romantic winter wedding (although it's great in summer too!). Andrea from Bohemia Events would be happy to send you details of the weddings she can arrange for you, whether you already have the ceremony planned down to the last detail, or just don't know where to start. Visit our Czech Weddings page to find out more!

Marry Abroad’s top 5 low cost wedding destinations abroad

For those couples who don’t want to spend a fortune on a UK wedding, but still want to have a fabulous day, we’ve come up with our top 5 low cost wedding destinations abroad. General tips Travel off season - generally November to March, excluding Christmas. Take advantage of hotel offers - many will offer free rooms for the bride and groom if they book a certain number of rooms for guests Email your wedding invitations Hire your wedding dress, borrow a dress, buy it from a charity shop or ask a student designer to design one for you Order digital photos on a memory card and print them out yourself Top 5 low cost wedding destinations Las Vegas . The wedding capital of the world is also one of the cheapest, with a wedding licence costing only $55 and ceremonies starting from only $80. Take advantage of winter offers in one of the large hotels, or even grab a late package deal to Vegas and you could be married before you know it. Florida . A similarly popular destination for Brits gettin...

Marry Abroad expands into Africa

We are delighted to announce the expansion of our site with the launch of 7 new African wedding pages - Zambia, Namibia, Kenya, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Madagascar and the Seychelles. African tour operator Pulse Africa is the first advertiser on these pages, with further wedding professionals soon to join. Stuart Inglis from Pulse Africa says “we feel the time is right to show UK couples the great value of having a wedding in Africa. Why not do something different and exchange your vows on an idyllic sandy beach in the Seychelles, or have a bush wedding under African skies? Getting married abroad is often less costly than doing it in UK so why not have a luxurious wedding abroad, at a fraction of the cost of one at home?” Considering the current global climate, cutting back on your wedding need not be the end of your fairytale dream. Couples are becoming more imaginative with their finances, and friends and family are happier to spend money on a combined holiday and wedding than splashing ...

New California wedding planner

A wedding in California is a dream come true for many couples, so why not check out our new wedding planner, A Beautiful Wedding? Renate is a wedding abroad specialist and is very used to couples from overseas coming to get married in San Diego. She also is happy to officiate for last minute weddings and elopements. To see what Renate has to offer please take a look at our California weddings page.

New Caribbean wedding planner joins Marry Abroad

Caribbean weddings are a "traditional" wedding abroad destination, with many couples deciding to take advantage of simple wedding legalities and get married overseas. Marry Abroad is delighted that Bliss Weds has joined us this week - offering weddings in Antigua and St Lucia, Bliss Weds can make your Caribbean wedding dream come true! For more details take a look at our new Antigua weddings page or our existing St Lucia weddings page, Daniela from Bliss Weds would be happy to send you more details if you spot a wedding ceremony idea you like!

Collapse of XL and couples with weddings booked abroad

It's very sad to hear that the travel company XL has collapsed. For couples who have booked their dream wedding abroad with XL should contact our overseas wedding planners and resorts as they may still have availibity for a wedding this year.

New wedding planner in Umbria (Italy)

Marry Abroad is delighted that Ferraguzzo Weddings and Events has joined our Regional Italy page. Luca designs beautiful weddings in this historic villa in the Umbrian hills in central Italy, and he is always happy to hear from any couples who are searching for a unique and sumptuous venue for their wedding celebrations. For more details please see our Regional Italy Weddings page.

Create your own Fairy Tale Wedding Abroad

The land of the castles and the beer cellars with proper, snowy winters and beautiful blooming summer times. The Czech Republic is a prosaic name for a lovely place, full of drama, mystery and history. The ideal place to get married, pledge your lives to each other and eat duck with cherries washed down with beer. There are castles and chateaus dotted all around the countryside outside the country's capital, Prague. Most of them were abandoned during the Cold War and left to crumble amid overgrown gardens and fallen trees. Now, a new generation of Czech entrepreneurs, often backed by foreign investors, have started restoring these historic buildings, building on their history by sympathetically renovating them back to their former glory. Highlights include beautifully chandeliered rooms that manage to look intimate and theatrical at once and are perfect for weddings; local food perfectly prepared; cosy and comfortable rooms; not forgetting the obligatory in-house spa for pre and po...

Australia - Getting Married "Down Under"

Every year, hundreds of couples from the UK travel to the other side of the world, or as many refer to it – ‘Down-Under’ to get married. Perhaps it has always been your dream to visit Australia, to see the spectacular Sydney Opera House right on Sydney Harbour, to dive through the beautiful blue waves on Bondi Beach or to travel into the red centre and visit Uluru – the true Aboriginal name for Ayres Rock and see the sun rising over its massive height, turning the rock into a huge red and golden spectacular. Perhaps your honeymoon dream has been to cruise the Whitsunday Passage calling in at all the islands along the way or to bask in the warm tropical sunshine up at Cairns and Port Douglas in North Queensland. Perhaps the attraction for you are the famous vineyards of the Margaret River south of Perth in Western Australia or the stark white sands of Broome on the north west reaches of this vast and wonderful land. Each year as a Civil Marriage Celebrant, I marry hun...

Save money on your wedding abroad

One of the major costs if you have a wedding abroad is the cost of transferring the money to pay your wedding planner abroad. Bank charges can be high and credit cards don't always offer the best exchange rate, so one good way to minimise the cost of exchanging your money is to use an independent currency broker. We have teamed up with World First Foreign Exchange to give you access to excellent exchange rates worldwide - you can even check out the cost of the conversion from one currency to another on our new currency converter page , so you'll always know the total cost of your wedding. There's no excuse to overspend now! For further details please also see our latest press release .

New Wedding pages

We're always trying to bring you the most information possible about getting married abroad, so we've added a few new pages to the site recently to give you even more wedding abroad ideas. Ethical weddings are big business these days and there's no reason why your overseas wedding can't be "green" as well, you've just got to think about it a bit more than a "regular" wedding - take a look at our new Ethical Weddings page for some great ideas! If you're thinking of eloping any time soon, it's more than possible to do at short notice, however there are some things to think about, especially if you just want to run away now and get married! See if we can help you remember all the important things you need on our Elope Abroad page. Now, you may be happy about not inviting all your family to your wedding abroad, but they could very well want to be there to support you on your special day. In the 21st Century the best of both worlds are possi...

Rise in “Holiday” Weddings

Houses may be falling in value, food prices may be rising, but there’s one thing most of us can’t do without – a holiday! The world’s credit problems may not ease up any time soon but one “essential” that most couples will not give up easily is a holiday. Lean times call for innovative thinking and many engaged couples are being drawn to combining their annual holiday with planning their wedding abroad. For those who were thinking of having an overseas wedding anyway it’s a simple equation – save money by getting married abroad and combine your holiday with making the wedding arrangements. Alternatively, many couples are deciding that they like their holiday location so much they want to get married there instead of at home! Candida Jane Blaxall from Whatever Ibiza recently married a UK couple who had discovered Ibiza’s more romantic side, she says “the groom had been coming over with the lads for years when one time saw the other side of Ibiza and discovered the chilled out island we ...

Wedding in Hungary joins Marry Abroad

If you're looking for a European wedding destination with a difference, then look no further, we're delighted to say that Wedding in Hungary has joined Marry Abroad. Offering a great choice of weddings in this exciting country, ceremony choices include exchanging your vows in a romantic castle or on a boat sailing down the blue Danube! Judith from WIH can send you details of all the ceremonies on offer - you can contact her through our Hungary Weddings page.

New weddings abroad in Cambodia and Denmark

If you're searching for a wedding abroad with a difference then take a look at our new wedding supplier Bliss Creations which offers buddist weddings in Cambodia! For couples who are really searching for a ceremony off the beaten track, Cambodia offers an amazing wedding experience. To see what's available visit our Cambodia wedding page. Alternatively, if you're looking to remain in Europe, our other new wedding supplier Wedding 4 You offers wonderful wedding ceremonies in Denmark. With relatively easy legalities and plenty of choice of stunning locations, Denmark makes a fantastic European wedding destination, take a look at our Denmark wedding page today!

New Wedding Abroad Planners in Thailand and Portugal

Two more overseas wedding planners have joined us from Thailand and Portugal this month. Algarve Events in Portugal can help with as much or as little wedding planning as you like, and is based in one of the most popular areas of the country. Eleanor would be only too happy to hear from you if you'd like to email her through our Portugal weddings page. If you're dreaming of a far eastern wedding, then Jit from Thailand Weddings.com could help you out. Based in beautiful Chiang Mai, Jit organises Christian and Buddist ceremonies in a stunning private estate, ensuring that there are no unwelcome visitors, or "conveyor belt" wedding experience. To find out more, please email Jit through our Thailand weddings page.

Weddings in the Bahamas

We are delighted to announce that Amour Affairs has joined Marry Abroad , offering wonderful weddings in the Bahamas. For all those couples looking for a beach wedding overseas, look no further! The excellent dollar exchange rate makes the Bahamas a very appealing wedding destination for UK couples, and Paulette would be more than happy to send you details of the ceremonies she can offer. For more details please take a look at our Bahamas Wedding page.

Celebrity Wedding Abroad of the Year!

As we're sure the world now knows, Coleen McLoughlin and Wayne Rooney got married today in Portofino on the Italian Riviera. For those couples planning their own wedding abroad, you'll be pleased to know that it won't cost you the reported £5 million that Coleen and Wayne spent on their nuptials! Getting married in Italy needn't cost the earth, and there's plenty of choice of wedding planners as Italy is one of the most popular overseas wedding locations. Whether you're dreaming of escaping your relatives or have a large guest list, Italy won't disappoint as a destination wedding. If you're having trouble choosing between a riviera wedding, marrying in a castle, or exchanging vows in the Italian countryside, our Italian wedding planners will be able to help you. Just remember, marrying abroad is the low-cost option, unless you're a footballer of course! Follow in Coleen and Wayne's footsteps by taking a look at our Italian wedding planners today...

Getting married.....Indian style

We're delighted that UK-based wedding firm, Bespoke Weddings Abroad, run by Reena Popat, has joined Marry Abroad. As Reena says “an increasing number of couples from the UK are expressing a desire to get married in India . Whilst all recognise that this would provide a unique and distinctive experience, few will have the time or depth of local contacts to enable them to successfully organise their wedding abroad. Wedding planners such as myself provide a friendly and professional means of accessing the Indian wedding services market that is still quite daunting for outsiders to deal with.” With the majestic palaces, the vibrant colours, the smell of Indian spices, and the cultural richness, it is not surprising that India is fast becoming one of the most popular places in the world to get married. More and more couples are electing to get married the “Indian way”, either Maharajah-style at one of the palaces in Rajasthan or on a beach in Goa or Kerala. A mosaic of many languag...

Brides flee Britain to escape credit crunch

The flowers cost more, there’s more duty on champagne. Even the breadrolls have got dearer. Little wonder more and more couples are looking to get married abroad to save money but still have the wedding of their dreams. The strength of the pound has made it even cheaper than before to get married in certain countries, especially the USA where a US dollar rate of nearly $2 to a pound means you get a lot for your money. Carol Campanella of New York wedding firm Fab NYC Wedding says that she’s seen an increase in business from the UK lately, and they’re all saying it’s because of the cost. “Business has doubled in the past year and all my couples are from the UK and all come to NYC because it’s a fantastic city but also because they get excellent value for money. Since our dollar hit rock bottom it’s so much cheaper for them. They get married here and even hold large receptions to celebrate after and it’s still much cheaper then if they married at home. ” Likewise Amy ...

New Wedding Suppliers page

We know that sometimes you don't want to use your wedding planner's preferred suppliers for your flowers, catering or any other wedding supplier, so we've created a special wedding supplier page to give you even more help with your wedding abroad. Our first advertiser is The Empty Box Company who provide beautiful boxes to transport your wedding dress and other garments abroad. Perfect for avoiding creases while you travel! For more details check out our new wedding page and see if the Empty Box Company can help you travel to your wedding abroad. Alternatively, if you run a wedding supplier firm and would like to feature on the page email us and we'll send you more details.

Wedding Photography in the Ibizan Sun

When the confetti has settled and the honeymoon seems all but a dream away , the one memory that stays with you forever is your wedding album and video. Through these unique images you and your loved ones will relive your wedding experience for the rest of your lives !!..... WOW !! When you look at it like this your choice of photographer is yet another important decision to be made before your wedding day !! Just as each wedding couple is a world of its own, The job of the wedding photographer is to capture this relationship in its purist form, by capturing your gestures, moments of eye contact and loving touches on film for ever. In the same way the photographer must also capture the whole ambience of your wedding experience, from the wedding ceremony to those special relaxed moments at the reception, with images of both the newly weds and of course the vast patchwork of happy faces and expressions displayed by your wedding guests. In former days wedding photography was a very forma...

Perfect Wedding Attire for the Bride and Groom

You’ve all heard the saying: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. But what does it really mean and where does it come from? It’s a superstition that has become tradition for most brides around the world. Although wedding dresses are not considered to be a fashion statement, styles, fabrics and colours do change from season to season. A few years ago the trend in bridal wear was LACE, but as it is also a classically elegant look it will never date. Many of the styles available were a very sleek dress with a lace overlay, perfect for the slim figured bride. Alternatively you can keep your dress simple and decide to wear a vintage lace veil. Every bride should wear the dress of her dreams and with careful planning will be able to. Before trying on any wedding dresses do some research into the style you think would suit you and your personality. For example The Princess Style is perfect for any bride except the very petite, turning fantasy into reality w...

Choosing the right church or chapel for your wedding abroad

Most couples will opt for their local place of worship where they know the priest well and he knows both or one of the couple intending to get married. This is certainly one way to make your wedding day more special. Some of you may even have a priest in your family and by asking him to marry you can create a more intimate celebration. A lot of our couples will have personal reasons for choosing a particular church. It could be that they were both baptized there, and so have something in common with each other as well as with the church. To get married in a church or chapel you have to complete the marriage preparation course. They will be held by your local priest who will then forward the documents to the Archbishop here in Malta. Deciding on the right amount of decoration can become a nightmare so set a budget for flower arrangements and remember your guests will only see them for about an hour. The most obvious area to be dressed is the altar as this will be the main focus dur...

Spanish Country Weddings – IBIZA is the place!

With its endless days of sunshine, blue skies, perfect med sunsets its no wonder that Spain is fast becoming a firm favourite as a convenient “ wedding abroad” destination . Few guests and family can not be tempted to a few days or a week in the Spanish sunshine! Now many of you might think that all that Spain and in particular IBIZA has to offer is romantic beach weddings , with white sand, white linen clad guests and unspoilt local fish “restaurantes” on the beach hosting relaxed chilled out lobster and chilled white wine feasts……… Well yes this can be found, created, and enjoyed in IBIZA, this is true, but there is also another ambience of wedding that has just begun to evolve. Small, traditional country hotels are now becoming the venue for both a beautiful country wedding ceremony and also the perfect location for an intimate family celebration reception. With Rural hotels and Casas ranging in size from 6 rooms to larger 30 room venues, you are able to find a venue the perfect siz...

It's your turn to ask him!

It may be 2008 but there’s no reason not to follow Leap Year tradition if you feel in the mood for a proposal. Back in the “good old days” 29th February was the only day in 4 years when traditionally a woman could ask a man to marry her. Of course these days there’s no reason not to ask your partner to marry you at any time you choose, but for the truly romantic amongst you 29th February 2008 might be all the excuse you need to pop the question to your man! Obviously for all those men who feel the need to get in there first, Valentine’s day is around the corner, so if you don’t feel like waiting, make the first move into matrimony on Thursday – you won’t know if you don’t ask!

Top tips on colour

Get inspiration from your surroundings. Use the time of year when you will be getting married to guide you with available colour schemes of food and places or history and it’s characters and of course Mother Nature. The autumn shades and creams flatter brunettes and redheads with most brunettes looking fabulous in champagne or ivory and redheads looking particularly stunning in red. Ice-cool colours such as silver, blue and lilac will look sensational on Blonde-haired blue-eyed brides. The paler the complexion of the bride, the warmer the colour she should wear. Be warned that pale colours will cause pale skin to have a ‘grey’ tone. If the bride insists on wearing a pale colour she should enhance it with accents of warm colours in her make-up and bridal bouquet. Do not let other peoples’ superstition get in the way of the colours you choose. Most brides will tell you that it is unlucky to marry in green but nowadays brides are experimenting with costumes from the past and should you ch...

Wedding Themes

Planning and making decisions for your overseas wedding can be a time consuming and sometimes difficult experience to say the least! One easy way to bring your whole wedding experience and wedding planning together and a way to bring complete coherency to your day is to choose a “ THEME “ for your wedding. Now, this can be a simple idea such as a colour, a certain type of flower, a mutual hobby you both have, to something more complex such as a “time era” theme, i.e a 60´s wedding, a medieval feast wedding etc . This theme can then be used right from the beginning of your planning to influence your choice of invitations, choice of venue, type of wedding transport, dress code, choice of flowers, decoration to even the style of photography and more importantly the whole ambience of your wedding. It can be entwined into all the elements that make up your day to help create a very personal yet unified event. Let your guests know the theme when they receive their invitations so they can pla...

New wedding planner in Ibiza

We are often asked for weddings in Spain, so we're glad to announce that Whatever Ibiza has now joined marryabroad - offering a wonderful choice of different wedding ceremonies on the "White Island". For those of you considering a wedding on Ibiza, Candida from Whatever Ibiza has put together the following information to help you make up your mind. Years ago ,before the island became famous for being the nightlife capital of Europe, and a magnet for thousands of tourists looking for sunshine and sandy beaches , this little jewel of an island was a haven of beautiful countryside, friendly cheerful locals, excellent cuisine and blessed with an unspoilt mediteranean lifestyle. It was named the “white island “ because of its appearance and beauty in spring time with the white almond blossom looking like a white blanket over the countryside. What few people know today, is that this pure and simple country island lifestyle can still be found, making Ibiza this the ideal locatio...

New Countries and Wedding Planners for a New Year!

To go with the start of a brand new year, we are happy to announce that several new wedding professionals have joined Marry Abroad for the start of 2008. Take a look below to see who's who! It may be on the other side of the world, but Sydney is a fabulous wedding location if you're willing to fly that far. Elise Thomson is an Australian celebrant who has recently joined marry abroad and would be delighted to send you a quote for your wedding "down under". You can find her contact details on our Australian weddings page. For those couples dreaming of a fairytale wedding take a look at Vienna Weddings on our Austrian weddings page, for an extra special wedding you can even marry in a palace! Or for the perfect winter wedding, exchange your vows in the snow.....please contact Michaela for more details. Canada is another ideal location year-round, and western Canada makes a wonderfully scenic wedding destination. Lisa Hanslip is based in Calgary and with her company T...