As a wedding planner based in the South of Spain, Heather Sadtler director of FiestaSol Weddings, has heard countless bride�s and groom�s worries and questions about taking the plunge of a wedding abroad, here she helps you decide if a going abroad is right for your nuptials.
What do you envisage when imagining a wedding abroad? A sun-drenched evening surrounded by your closest family and friends sipping cocktails by the sea? Or an unknown tourist trap where you are out of your depth and anything could go wrong?
The obvious advantage for a wedding abroad for many couples is to escape the enormous, budget-busting weddings back home. Often there are obligations to guests who would be invited to a local wedding, but who probably won�t travel as far to another country. This way, you can keep things intimate and invite only the people you really want sharing your special day with you.
This leads onto to another vital advantage - pricing. You tend to get a lot more for your money with a destination wedding. An increasingly popular option now is the private villa wedding. Couples hire a beautiful villa for a few days or a week, which they fill with their nearest and dearest. They hire in caterers who usually operate at a fraction of the cost of the bigger hotels and restaurants, and alcohol can be bought by the couples themselves: a huge money-saver at your average Irish wedding!
Then there is the obvious advantage and one that mustn’t be overlooked: the weather. There is nothing like a bit of sunshine to put a smile on people’s faces and cause them to get into holiday mode, creating a vibe that just can’t be captured at home.
Of course there are also the negatives. Many couples feel there will be a loss of control when organizing their wedding in a different country and where they can�t speak to people face-to-face and keep a close and personal eye on things. The first obvious piece of advice here is to make sure you get a good wedding planner. You then have a direct link to a voice of experience who will hopefully be able to recommend reliable suppliers and be your ‘man on the ground’ for all your questions and concerns.
After an initial meeting or day of site visits, we generally advise the couple to visit the area at least one more time before the big day. A morning of supplier meetings and a menu tasting will be arranged, so the couple has met everyone and feels comfortable with everything in advance of their wedding. We have brides who email us every day, and some that only get in touch every few weeks, either way is absolutely fine and we aim to make each couple feel completely in control and involved with the whole exciting process.
Transport links are excellent now and getting a plane to most destinations is just like getting on a bus. Hotels and hired cars can be booked with ease online and guests tend to be completely self-sufficient to look after themselves. Many decide to turn the trip into a holiday and book into hotels or apartments for a week or more. Again, a good planner should be able to help advise on different accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes.
Spain is a particularly popular destination for Irish couples due to the ease of arranging a legitimate Catholic ceremony. A word of warning, there is a lot of misinformation online about the legalities involved with a wedding abroad. It is always worth speaking to an expert such as a planner or embassy official, as rules and regulations can vary from town-to-town as well as from country to country. At present in Spain, there are no residency requirements for holding a full Catholic wedding, and the paperwork process is relatively simple.
These days a bride has so much information at her fingertips, she can go online to any of the huge forums like www.weddingsonline.ieand discuss previous wedding experiences with other brides and compare notes on suppliers. There really isn�t anything like a personal recommendation. Your planner should be able to provide references and put the bride in touch with former clients.
All in all, a wedding abroad should not be risky or stressful venture. With the right support and advice, it can be an opportunity to create your dream day with the added bonus of (almost) guaranteed sunshine!
Situations where a wedding abroad may not work for you:
Do you have an elderly or sick close relative who might not be able to travel or may need medical attention?
Do you have a bridesmaid/maid of honour/member of wedding party who will be in advanced pregnancy at the wedding and may be unable to fly at the last minute?
Do you react badly to the heat/sun?
Do you have very young children/babies who may not tolerate high temperatures?
For more information contact:
Heather Sadtler, director of FiestaSol Weddings based in Marbella, Spain. www.fiestasol.com
Photo by Corbin Gurkin, www.corbingurkin.com
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