Overseas weddings can come at a price
Over three quarters (78 per cent) of people would ditch getting hitched in their local town in favour of their dream wedding abroad, according to new research from Post Office International Payments.
However, those expecting an overseas wedding to be cheaper could be in for a shock - four fifths of people (80 per cent) expect the marrying couple to offer a financial helping hand towards the costs for guests to attend the ceremony. Newlyweds wanting romantic time alone after the event may also have some unwanted company with one in ten (11 per cent) people said the marrying couple should let guests stay for the honeymoon.
Couples planning an overseas wedding - but who aren't prepared to help their guests financially - could be forced to choose between their dream destination and their guests. 37 per cent of people would be less willing to go to an overseas wedding where the couple didn't make a contribution to the cost of food, travel or accommodation. This rises to nearly half for 18 to 24 year olds.
Top five financial contributions guests ‘expect' from the marrying couple:
1 Provide free food and drink
2 Help with travel costs
3 Help with accommodation costs
4 Provide a free bar
5 Let the guests stay for the honeymoon
Nearly a quarter of couples (23 per cent) would opt for the Caribbean as their top wedding destination of choice, with Mauritius, Australia and New Zealand also in the top five. With one in five weddings now taking place abroad - an increase of 27 per cent over the last five years - it's clear that more and more couples are making this dream a reality.
Top ten ‘dream' wedding destinations:
1 Caribbean
2 UK
3 Mauritius
4 Australia
5 New Zealand
6 Italy
7 America
8 Canada
9 Thailand
10 Cyprus
Rather than simply eloping just to save money on a traditional white wedding, the main reason to get married abroad is to have a more unusual celebration (20 per cent), or to combine a wedding and a honeymoon (18 per cent). Seventeen per cent want to get married abroad to avoid having to invite friends and family and a further 17 per cent would get married abroad to escape the fuss and politics of tying the knot at home.
While a beach wedding was the most popular choice for those who'd like to get married outside the UK, one in ten (10 per cent) would like their overseas wedding to be in a fairytale castle and a similar number would opt for a country house. For 12 per cent of 55 to 64 year olds a cruise was their ideal wedding setting. A handful of respondents opted for more adventurous settings, including safari parks, rainforests and mountains.
Sarah Munro from Post Office International Payments said: "With more people deciding to marry overseas, the cost to friends and family is increasing, and for over a third the costs have become too high, without a contribution from the marrying couple. So couples planning to get married overseas could end up with a bigger bill than expected once they've factored in extra costs towards ensuring their loved ones can join the celebrations.
"When planning a wedding overseas, costs can easily spiral out of control, whether it's the venue and ceremony or the catering for guests. The Post Office International Payments service offers fee-free international money transfers with competitive exchange rates which will help with managing the costs for everything from accommodation to paying the bar tab"
Stephanie Bishop, Director at MarryAbroad.co.uk said: "There was a 120 per cent increase during 2010 in the numbers of people visiting MarryAbroad.co.uk seeking information on getting married abroad. As the Post Office research has shown, people are looking for a unique celebration, and we are seeing increasing numbers of couples choosing bespoke weddings over ‘off the shelf' packages.
"When it comes to inviting friends and family, this can be a difficult decision, particularly if you're getting married a long way from home. The majority of couples invite guests join them at their own expense, or to celebrate with them separately when they return from honeymoon - which helps cut down the guest list and continue the celebrations for even longer!"
The Post Office International Payments service can be used to send money between UK and overseas bank accounts for a wide range of purposes such as sending money to family and friends, paying bills, managing an overseas property, pension income or school fees.
Find out more about Post Office International Payments by visiting postoffice.co.uk/internationalpayments. The minimum transfer amount is just £250 and those under £20,000 should be made online. Payments over £70,000 are handled by our telephone service where a specialist team member will offer clear guidance and quotes tailored to the customer's specific needs.