While Mauritius was the number one hot spot for overseas weddings for UK couples in 2005, it seems the continent will be the destination for 2006, with more brides and grooms-to-be favouring European countries to exchange their vows. So what's the attraction?
Close to you
There's no need to head halfway across the world to find the sun. With the beautiful coastlines of Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, to name but a few, at your disposal, you could be reciting your vows while soaking up the sun and still only be a couple of hours from home.
Language of love
Organising a wedding is stressful enough - even when it's taking place in your own country - but dealing with a venue abroad can be twice as hard. With different languages to contend with, as well as the distance, it can often feel like a thankless task. Luckily most European countries speak English as a second language.
Sight for sore eyes
When you consider the classic romantic sights you realise how many of them are in Europe. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, The Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Alhambra Palace in Grenada... the list goes on. Now imagine being able to marry in a traditional Catalan chapel or leading your bridal procession through the cobbled streets of Genoa. Whether you fancy a white wintry wonderland, a romantic countryside celebration or a beautiful beach wedding, there's a European country to suit every style. And all a stone's throw away...
A family affair
While many couples have to forgo dreams of a sun-kissed beach wedding in the Far East because of the prohibitive expense of flying out families and friends, they can have the wedding of their dreams in Europe with all their loved ones there to share the occasion.
And relax!
The beauty of getting married abroad is that - aside from choosing the destination - you can sit back and relax while a wedding planner or tour operator worries over the finer details. And unlike a far-flung destination, it's still possible to fly over and check how the plans are coming along. Maximum input with minimum stress!
Money, money, money
Apart from the fact that it is usually much cheaper to get married abroad, in Europe the only currency you have to deal with is the Euro which is very easy to convert into pounds and means less chance of getting confused over budgets. An important consideration!
Celebs love it too
Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are regular visitors to Mallorca (Michael is even the ‘face' of the island), Jamie Oliver can't stop raving about Italy, Jade Jagger loves Ibiza, Johnny Depp adores the French countryside and Victoria and David are Madrid's biggest fans. What further persuasion do you need?
Wine and dine
Gordon Ramsay may not like to admit it, but the British are not renowned for their amazing cuisine and home-grown wine. However, many European countries are famed for theirs which means you can be sure to enjoy a sumptuous feast, prepared by local chefs, featuring fresh ingredients and local wine, that will be remembered by your guests for years to come (and fall well within your budget too!).
Photo lovegroveweddings.com
