With the cost of getting married in the UK increasing, wedding planner Kerry Jackson-Rider shares her top tips on destination weddings.
With the recently announced 40% rise in fees for Church of England weddings from January 2013, many couples must be wondering if there is a cheaper option. This is the basic cost of getting married in church and covers the reading of the banns and a certificate. Extras, many of which most couples will want, including the verger, heating, the choir, organ, bells and flowers will bring the cost up to £1000 plus. Civil wedding costs can be even higher!
Given that the average cost of a wedding in the UK is currently £21,500 and a lavish wedding costs in the region of £100,000, it’s not a venture to be entered into financially lightly.
This is why more and more couples – 26% last year alone – are choosing a destination wedding. You can have an amazing time abroad for this amount of money and I will tell you why… choice and affordability!
Cutting costs
- Weddings at home mean many couples end up having to invite everyone because they can. The fact is that guests = expense. The more guests you invite the more expensive your wedding will become. Couples who choose to have a destination wedding often actually do so because they want to go on their own or have a small, intimate affair with just their closest friends and family.
- If you decide to go on your own, two witnesses can easily be provided for you, and you can arrange a special celebration party when you get back. Then you get the best of both worlds!
- If you decide to invite lots of guests you can turn your wedding into a holiday of seven-fourteen days or a long weekend, depending on location, and enjoy at least three-four special days with family and friends.
Delightful destinations
- There are so many amazing choices of venue for your wedding ceremony and reception overseas – beaches, vineyards, castles, mountain retreats, jungle hideaways, game lodges etc.
- The weather is sure to make for an idyllic celebration. Naturally some destinations are more suitable than others at different times of the year.
- Many of the best loved choices may be too hot or too wet at the time you would like to get married. If possible, choose your destination first then tie in your date or, if you choose a special date first, be sure to check out prices and climate to find the best destination for you at that time.
Here’s an overview of three of my favourite overseas destinations which will certainly provide you with better value for money, more choice and an even more romantic and memorable wedding experience than you dreamed possible.
South Africa
It’s not only very romantic, but it’s also very affordable! You can get married in a beautiful ceremony then go on honeymoon for two weeks and the cost will still be much lower than just getting married in the UK.
Unlike many other popular overseas destinations, in South Africa there is no legal requirement for residency prior to the wedding, although arrival a few days before is advisable. You can get married outside and on the beach (although signing of the register must take place inside after the ceremony), and there is no restriction on day or time.
When: The weather is glorious all year round but two beautiful months to visit South Africa are April, when Autumn starts and the heat of Summer is bearable, and September, when Spring brings the first greenery and amazing cloud formations while the cold Winter weather is over.
Cost: A civil ceremony will cost in the region of £1000 although £6000 should be enough for a wonderful celebration with family and friends.
Zanzibar
You can also combine your wedding in Zanzibar with a mini Safari in Tanzania or Kenya, choosing from a selection of safari locations and accommodation types.
Weddings on Zanzibar are legally recognised and you can enjoy either a religious ceremony in a church or a civil ceremony on the beach, in a garden or at a hotel, usually around 4/5pm when it is cooler. Your ceremony can also include a romantic sunset dhow cruise. Legal requirements are quite straightforward in that you must be on Zanzibar for four working days before your ceremony.
When: Zanzibar’s rainy season falls mainly between November and May, with the worst of the weather being from February to early-May so avoid this time if you can, unless of course, you like the rain!
Cost: All the little extras, which will make your Wedding on Zanzibar special and unique are often included or else very affordable.The cost of an officiant is £270 but is included in one resort’s inclusive pricing, which ranges from £1461 – 1618, or within another’s pricing of £32 per head (£3200 for a fully catered reception for 100 guests) which also includes everything else you could possibly need to make your celebration amazing. Where would you get all that in the UK?
Marrakech
Being only a three-hour flight away from the UK, this is a great choice for a destination wedding. It’s ideal both for a small, intimate wedding or for larger celebrations with family and friends. Morocco is one of the destinations where it is not currently possible to have a legally recognised Civil wedding, so this would take place in the UK with a blessing, religious wedding or a traditional Moroccan wedding ceremony taking place in Marrakech.
When: It has all-year round sunshine – although March to May and September to November are the optimum times for your wedding.
Cost: What makes a wedding in Marrakech extra special are the romantic extras readily available and affordable, such as camels, Berber tents, rose petals, palm trees, fountains, dancers, musicians and much more! A lavish, fully catered, three-day affair in a beautiful and exclusive venue in La Palmeraie, including accommodation, entertainment and everything you could wish for can be achieved for £45,000, while a more low-key celebration, again for three days, in a riad or boutique property can cost as little as £4000.
Kerry Jackson-Rider Luxury Wedding Planning offers planning assistance, bespoke design and full co-ordination of luxury exclusive Destination Weddings and Honeymoons anywhere in the world.
*All prices given are for comparison only and are correct at today’s conversion rates
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