Your Guide to Weddings Abroad

After the summers fleeting appearance, we wanted to celebrate the sunshine with today’s blog, and our fabulous intern Elese took the chance to write a blog about weddings abroad. ( We are all busy doing sun dances here at the boutique!)

A wedding abroad sounds like a great way to celebrate such a joyous occasion, and a perfect way to escape the famous rain here in Britain, but where to start?

You can get married in many different countries, and with so many different venues to choose from… and weddings abroad can be a little overwhelming.

A beach wedding, or a scenic backdrop of the Icelandic volcanoes or geothermic pools sound perfect for that summer wedding. For a magical winter wonderland celebration you could opt for the snow covered woodland in Lapland.  Perhaps you would prefer a more traditional church wedding, but with a different setting. No matter what you would prefer there is a country that can cater for your every need.

It can be a little daunting at first, but it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Once you have chosen where you would like to go, you need to get in contact with the local authorities in your chosen destination to find out the process you need to take. If you’re a British national, you will need to provide some documentation such as your passports (10 year and valid for at least 6 months after your return to the UK), your full length birth certificates – showing both your parents full names, if you have previously been married you will need to provide the legal evidence of your single status, such as decree absolute, and if applicable adoption and/or deed poll certificates.

And don’t worry if you think your marriage won’t be valid in the UK, so long as you follow the correct procedure you won’t need to re-register. However you’re certificate may be issued in the main language of the country, in which case you will need to get it translated (at a slight cost); we suggest you use a certified translation company.

Depending on the country you decide on, your wedding ceremony may have to be performed in the local language, there will then be a translator to translate to English for you, so don’t panic!If you would like a catholic wedding abroad you will have to make sure of the following:

• Neither bride or groom may be divorced
• You must be regular church-goers
• At least one partner (sometimes both) must have been christened a catholic
• You must have spoken to you local priest to ensure that he/she is happy for you to have a catholic ceremony abroad
• Your catholic priest is required to write to the priest overseas to confirm that he/she is happy for you to have a catholic wedding abroad
• The paperwork is then done between your catholic priest here in the UK and the one overseas
• You must regularly visit your church to discuss your wedding with your priest

A wedding planner local to that area would be invaluable, whether to speak the local language or to recommend great venues and caterers, there are some things you just can’t do yourself! Choose a professional wedding planner who knows the area that you are thinking of going, the UK alliance of wedding planners are a fabulous association and have a few reputable wedding planners based throughout the world.

Think carefully about numbers, who would travel and who wouldn’t. It can be quite a panic and a hassle to get everyone on your guest list to your chosen country, if you’re struggling to cut down on your list I’d recommend having another get together with everyone else when you return to the UK.

If you chose to get married abroad, consider the venue, climate and wedding style when choosing your wedding dress. Did you know that a column, A-line or princess wedding dress is sometimes cooler than a fishtail? Here at Caroline Clark Bridal Boutique, along with helping you create your perfect wedding day look, we can also help package your dress to ensure it arrives safely.

So there you have it, not as much of a hassle as you first thought? All in all weddings abroad are a perfect way to celebrate your special day, so if you’re looking for you or someone else, then congratulations, and enjoy the day!

Elese x