Stand out from the crowd with an unusual wedding destination

• Belize has simple legalities

• Egypt offers desert delights

• Hawaii is Paradise with a Polynesian twist

Destination weddings are becoming all the rage these days, but they started off being something that your adventurous friends did to be different to everyone else. With one in five couples choosing to marry abroad*, how can you now stand out from the rest?

Having a wedding in an unusual location takes marrying abroad to another level. It goes back to the originality of ten years ago when the bridal couple invited few, if any, guests and exchanging vows in a different country really did make you stand out.

Luckily, the destination wedding industry has grown fast and more and more countries are open to having non residents exchange their vows on the beach or at a tropical resort. Destination wedding website www.marryabroad.co.uk has seen more wedding planners join recently from unusual destinations, all ready to showcase their wedding services to adventurous UK couples.

Belize in Central America is one of those countries. It's the only English speaking country in the region, and the marriage legalities are quite simple, so it really does make a good alternative to getting married in nearby – and more conventional - destinations such as Mexico or Cuba. With a long Caribbean coastline, and plenty of pretty islands (called cayes) dotted around, there are plenty of resorts and villas which offer wedding packages for non residents. Couples can have that Caribbean vibe with the cache of knowing they've taken the prize for destination wedding of the year!

Alternatively, for those who genuinely would like to have a wedding in the sun but really don't want to join the conveyor belt of weddings at certain resorts, Egypt really stands out. Sailing down the Nile on a felucca, exchanging your vows at a Red Sea resort, or watching the sun go down over the Pyramids after becoming husband and wife, this can come true for couples dreaming of a wedding unlike any other.

Further afield, couples should also consider Hawaii. “Traditional” tropical wedding islands they may be, but for a UK couple they are quite a unique destination. Pacific weddings are more usual for North Americans (for obvious geographical reasons), but, the flight time notwithstanding, these islands do make a lovely location to exchange vows. There are many hotels and resorts here which offer tailored ceremonies, and it's really easy to arrange a marriage licence.

Charlotte Hand from Marryabroad.co.uk says: “As we provide wedding information on a wide range of countries, we're obviously delighted that different destinations are being considered by couples choosing to marry abroad. We are continually searching for new and unique locations to show our visitors, so as we grow ourselves we'll be sure to include even more wedding destinations couples may not have thought of before.”

* source, Mintel