With Valentine’s Day having just passed by, some loved up couples may be planning a wedding or honeymoon, or both! If you’ve decided to get away from it all and get married abroad, our guide is a great place to start. We’ll tell you our favourite places for a destination wedding, and all the legal stuff you need to know to make sure your wedding runs smoothly. If you’re just looking for a tropical honeymoon getaway, we’ll help you with this too.
Wedding Destinations
Aruba, Caribbean
Aruba is the perfect place for a beach wedding. Year round, the weather is great and there are lots of professionals around to help you plan your day. You have to have a legal ceremony in the charming town hall, located in Oranjestad. You can then move on to your hotel for an informal blessing.
How to get there: You can fly to Aruba with KLM, via a short stopover in Amsterdam.
Newlywed’s Tip: “Estimate how many people you anticipate, and negotiate a contract with a resort to help your guests get a good rate. You can get contract rates for more than one place, but it usually makes sense to only get a contract at the resort that you plan to stay and expect a majority of your guests to also stay.”
California, USA
Heading to picturesque California, you’re sure to have a memorable wedding. Choose from the beaches of Orange County, the mountains of Big Sur or the vineyards of Napa Valley. It’s a relatively straightforward process to marry here, you have to go to the County Clerk’s office to obtain a marriage licence and both partners must go together with ID. Thanks to California’s laid back nature, it’s also ideal for same sex marriages.
How to get there: Fly to LA with Thomas Cook.
Newlywed’s Tip: If you’re planning a wedding in Napa Valley, the wineries themselves don’t often allow big events.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic, particularly Punta Cana, is ideal for a destination wedding. This is because lots of the all inclusive resorts offer free wedding packages, complete with a planner and officiant. You’ll need your birth certificates and a statutory single status declaration stamped by a secretary, declaring your ability to marry. If you have been previously married, you’ll need your Decree Absolute.
How to get there: Fly to Punta Cana with Delta via a short stopover in the USA.
Newlywed’s Tip: “We take $100 in ones for the week, give a dollar per drink, leave a couple of dollars after a meal, and give the housekeeper a couple of dollars a day. A U.S. dollar goes a long way in the D.R.”
Greece
Greece is perhaps the most popular destination for a European wedding. There’s so many places to choose from: the idyllic islands or the mainland. Expect cute little churches straight out of a romance novel. You’ll need to prepare in advance, as you’ll need a copy of your birth certificate translated into Greek and a certificate of no impediment, completed in English and Greek.
How to get there: Fly to Greece with Monarch.
Newlywed’s Tip: On Greece as a destination: “It is the single most beautiful place I have ever visited in my life. The breath-taking scenery, the vivid range of colours, and the contrast between the magnificent lush greens of the mountains on one side, and the glistening shades of the blue Aegean waters on the other. It was pure, simple perfection, and left us in no doubt that we had chosen the right place to get married.”
Italy
Another European country ideal for a wedding is Italy. You could choose the ancient ruins of Rome, the bridges of Venice or the lush countryside. When you arrive in Italy, you must go to the British Consular office to obtain the Nulla Osta, bringing your passport and birth certificate with you.
How to get there: Fly to Italy with Ryanair.
Newlywed’s Tip: “Picking a venue can be difficult, especially if you have never been to the Amalfi coast before. Some brides and grooms plan a weekend trip over to Italy.”
Las Vegas, USA
Obviously, the city of drive through chapels was going to make it to our destination weddings list. You don’t have to have Elvis as your officiant, but it sure adds to the fun! In Vegas, you can get your marriage licence and be married within the hour.
How to get there: Fly to Vegas with Virgin Atlantic.
Newlywed’s Tip: “Remember that Vegas is in the desert, so avoid having your ceremony outside in summer.”
Honeymoon Destinations
Bora Bora
Bora Bora is one of the best islands in the world- a truly tropical paradise. There are so many resorts, by world famous providers such as Hilton Hotels and the Four Seasons. Your every need will be attended to, ensuring that you have a truly relaxing time.
How to get there: You’ll have to stopover twice, but it will be worth it when you get there! Try Air France to get your journey started.
Paris
This city is synonymous with romance, and for good reason. Take a stroll under the Eiffel Tower, a canal boat down the Seine and finish up with a delicious meal at a cosy bistro.
How to get there: Take the Eurostar from London for convenience.
Cape Town
For a glamorous getaway, you can’t beat Cape Town. Surround yourself with some of the best scenery in Africa and mix big city pleasures with the countryside.
How to get there: Fly directly to Cape Town with British Airways.
St. Lucia
This Caribbean island has something incredibly unique for honeymooners. At one hotel, you can arrange for the headboard of your bed to be hand carved with your names, and you can take it home with you as a souvenir! How amazing is that? Not to mention it’s a beautiful island with lots to see and do.
How to get there: Fly directly with British Airways.
Scotland
See Burns’ love poems brought to life across Scotland. Visit bustling Edinburgh, or head to the quietness of the Isle of Skye. Ideal for British couples looking for an inexpensive honeymoon after an expensive wedding, Scotland is a great choice.
How to get there: Get the train with National Rail.
Are you planning a wedding abroad? Let us know in the comments.
@holiday_numbers Yes! Make sure they can pronounce your name properly 😉 I laughed through my ceremony due to the mispronunciation of mine
— Lesa (@iheartbuttonsuk) February 15, 2016
