Things to consider when getting married abroad

Before I found my love of millinery I was a travel agent for 13 years. Over the years I booked many Bride and Grooms their weddings abroad, along with their friends and families. One of my favourite bookings was for a couple who I booked on a P&O cruise to the Caribbean, along with 16 wedding guests. Over the 18 months we became friends and I saw them through the excitement and stresses of arranging a wedding. They had never cruised before, so not only were they getting married, it was a brand new holiday experience for them and many of their guests. 

When marrying abroad there are many of things to consider:

Firstly deciding what type of wedding you would like, whether it’s a beach wedding in Mauritius, a church wedding in Cyprus, a hotel wedding in Greece, or winter wedding in the ice hotel. The time of year is crucial as you don’t want to travel when its monsoon season, it maybe cheaper but is it worth the risk!

There are so many places in the world to get married, but one thing to double check is whether your marriage will be legal and the legal documents that are required. For many destinations you also need to be in the country for a certain amount of time before the ceremony, this is to finalise all legal requirements. It also gives you time to finalise the finishing touches with your wedding coordinator and get over any jetlag that you may have.

Consider your guests? Do you really want that certain person to be there? Will they travel to the destination? Is it an easy destination to get to?

Take out wedding insurance, you never know what may happen, volcanic ash, air strikes, loss of wedding dress etc.

Baggage allowance can vary from one airline to another, so always check how much you are allowed to take. If you require more, many airlines will give you the opportunity to pay extra to upgrade. Do this before you travel as it will be more expensive at check in. You will probably be taking extra luggage than normal and you don’t want to be caught out.

If you or your guests are taking a hat or fascinator make sure you purchase a good sturdy hat box to store it in. To keep it safe it will be best to take it on as hand luggage. Airlines stipulate a hand baggage size, so check that this fits within the required size.

Like a wedding in the UK the weather will determine what you will wear. If the weather is going to be hot you will not want to wear anything to thick or vice versa if your going to a colder destination don’t wear anything to thin. This will also determine what type of headpiece you or your guests will wear. If you are going to colder climates then it maybe worth thinking about felt hats.

Lastly, for those friends and family that are unable to make it set up a live stream of the ceremony, This will help to make everybody feel like they are part of your special day.