Help and Advice for Organising a Wedding Abroad

Getting hitched overseas can seem a slightly daunting prospect, leaving you wondering how you are ever going to organise everything from a distance. But the reality is that it should be no more complicated than getting wed in the UK and it could end up being cheaper.

Once you have decided that marrying abroad is right for you, you need to think about which country and destination would suit you best, and which time of year would be best for that location.

Guests are another consideration. Do you want an intimate occasion for the two of you, or to have family and friends with you?

If you want to share your special day with those who are closest to you, think who you want to be there, how much it will cost them, and what help you can offer, either in helping cover some of their expenses or organising travel arrangements.

You will also have to get together all the necessary documents. Some countries ask you to provide a Certificate of No Impediment, which the Foreign Office issues. Others ask those getting married to have a blood test and medical examination before tying the knot.

Talk to your host country’s British-based embassy to find out what is needed, and give yourself plenty of time to sort out all the formalities. That’s especially true if you’ve been married before: different rules may apply if you are divorced or widowed.

Some countries do not recognise church weddings, so you would also need a civil ceremony to make your marriage legally valid.

You won’t be able to get a British marriage certificate if you marry overseas, but you have the option of depositing your foreign certification with the General Records Office.

Generally, Britain recognises foreign marriages provided the ceremony was legally valid wherever it took place, and those who married could have legally wed in the UK. But if you’re planning to live outside the UK and the country of your marriage, check whether your marriage will be recognised where you want to live.

Getting married overseas doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. And if you have a wedding planner to help, they can take care of all the arrangements, making life even easier.