We talk to Steph Bishop From Marryabroad.co.uk for tips on getting married if your ceremony is not in the country!
Weddings on Female First
To what extent can getting married abroad be a struggle if you don’t know what you want or are looking for?
There's so much choice available, that if you don't have a specific idea in mind when deciding to get married abroad, then it can be quite difficult to decide where is best for you. It's very easy to find a location you like, then see another one that you like just as much later on! So, we recommend that you try to narrow down what parts of your wedding you definitely want before you start looking as it makes it less confusing. If you know, for example, that you'd like to marry on a beach at sunset, and don't want lots of family there, or, that you'd like a big ceremony in a chateau with your loved ones around you, then you can search for those type of ceremonies and not be distracted by the other choices out there. If you really don't know what sort of ceremony you'd like, but do know your budget, then you can search on budget too, and narrow the choice down that way.
How difficult is it to find a wedding photographer and catering etc. when you are not in the UK?
It depends on whether you want to organise the wedding yourself from the UK, or find a wedding planner in location to help you. We'd always recommend finding a planner, as they are experts and know the local market, so ultimately can save you money. You can find photographers and caterers online, but a local planner can also recommend ones she's used and show examples of their work, and venues also usually have a selection of suppliers which they'll recommend as well.
Why is it important to have expert help even if you feel that you have covered everything?
Local planners know the local market better than you, as they live there full time and they should always be able to get you the best deal. Remember, they do lots of weddings a year, but this is your first (or second!) time arranging a wedding and you won't know the best places to go or what's a fair price for a service, even if you do spend hours on internet research. We always say a wedding planner is like an accountant – she or he should save you more money than she costs!
Why is budgeting more prominent now than ever before for new couples getting married?
Getting value for money is always important in any wedding, but it's also a time when you can splurge if you want to. Many couples have saved hard for their wedding, and making sure that that budget gets you the magical day you want is the wedding planner or venue's primary aim. A good planner will make suggestions to make the most of your budget while making sure everything comes in at the right price.
Why are more couples opting to get married abroad now?
Getting married abroad can be very simple and many couples don't want the same wedding as their friends' have had, or would like to escape the UK weather, or their relatives! It's also much easier these days to include everyone even if you aren't at home, with live streaming of weddings becoming popular so friends and family back home can see the ceremony.
What is the best piece of advice you could give to a couple who are just starting their wedding plans?
Sit down and agree what type of ceremony you'd like to have, and agree your budget, before you start looking. That gives you something to look for online and will help narrow down the choices available.
Please tell us how you came to found the site in the first place.
We worked in the travel industry at the time, and a friend of ours wanted to get married in Hawaii. We arranged her wedding through the tour operator we worked for, but when she asked if she could stay in different hotels than the ones we offered, we realised that she could easily have booked her holiday and wedding separately. So we created the website to give brides like her somewhere to find wedding planners and venues, so they had the choice to book the wedding directly if they wanted to.
Why was working in the wedding industry so important to you?
We just love helping couples find the right destination for their wedding. It's nice to go to work and do something that gives happiness to people, (especially when it's raining outside!)
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