Credit crunch wedding couples elope to Greece

With UK consumers cutting back on spending in almost every area of their lives, it might seem surprising that weddings abroad are on the increase, with a huge increase in demand for Greek weddings. However, a wedding in Greece provides the perfect solution for many UK couples for a variety of reasons. With the average UK wedding now costing in excess of £18,500*, couples are increasingly looking at alternatives.

For example, for just over £2,500, couples can enjoy a Greek island wedding consisting of a memorable beach ceremony and 3-course reception for 20 guests on a terrazza overlooking the Ionian Sea.

This price includes all the necessary extras such as champagne, photographer, flowers, wedding cake and arrival by horse and carriage. When you factor in the glorious Greek summer weather and the huge choice of scenic wedding venues including beaches, chapels, gardens, cruise boats and private islands, then a wedding in Greece seems like a dream come true.

Andreas Palikiras, Marketing Director of Ionian Weddings, the London-based Greek islands wedding specialists, describes how the company has witnessed a 60% increase in wedding bookings for the Greek islands in the last 6 months. “Initially, we were concerned that the credit crunch might adversely affect travel and weddings abroad,” he said, “but we soon noticed that couples were seeing more and more advantages of marrying in Greece”.

“Many couples, who had originally planned to marry in the UK, are now coming to us because they’ve witnessed yet another washout British summer, and the cost of a UK wedding spiral out of control. More and more husbands-and-wives-to-be choose to take advantage of the glorious Greek weather and warm hospitality and the prospect of marrying in a choice of beautiful outdoor locations for a fraction of the cost of a UK wedding”.

The Greek islands are a low-cost destination for holidays, meaning that couples’ friends and family can easily join them and enjoy a holiday at the same time – and the newlyweds get to spend more time with them in idyllic surroundings. Greece also benefits from simpler legal wedding paperwork than other European countries, and English is widely spoken.

For more information, log on to Ionianweddings.co.uk.

* Thisismoney.co.uk, June 2008