The collective knowledge from our wedding specialists is priceless or at very least worth its weight in gold so it's a good job we give it away for free! Here's what they had to say.
How can couples best get a sense of the local suppliers and venues?
We like our couples to come over if possible before their wedding although this is not always financially affordable, if you have tour videos and show your couples good photos then they can easily get a clear idea of what you can get them and most importantly is the trust between you and your couple, Advise has no price!
What specific knowledge can you impart?
Rules and regulations of the municipality that will be performing the ceremony, whether they need to re-register back in the UK or Scotland? It is a must about the weather, times of darkness etc as weddings abroad are usually outside.
How often should a couple visit to get a handle on the situation?
Do they have to relinquish the ‘trial and error’ approach as you can’t always be the eyes and ears on the ground – i.e. not attending cake or menu tastings? What can you do to reassure the couple? It is not necessary to come before to see anything if they cannot, everything can be shown through videos, photos, etc. If you are professional and reliable and have plenty of reviews that say how good you are then, it is not necessary at all as you as the wedding planner will take full control, it is your responsibility to do so.
What are the legalities involved with getting married abroad?
What should couples know beforehand and what sort of timeline should they expect to adhere to? What about the paperwork, what’s to be expected? All legalities should be displayed on everyone’s website for the couple to understand. They need to know that in Cyprus you need to be here 3 working days prior to the wedding day, all paperwork required should be on the website for them to see and go through.
How does getting married abroad change your approach to your guest list? What are the expectations, for instance, in terms of family members? Should their travel and accommodation be paid for, so that they may attend?
Marrying abroad can change the list of guests due to the fact of school terms and guest being able to afford to come. If you let your family know in time then that will give them time to save and book up their annual holiday to come to your wedding. I have very few circumstances when the couple are expected to pay for the family holidays.
What sort of budget should couples allocate to marrying abroad?
What kind of unexpected costs should couples learn to expect? Usually this is very dependent on how you portray this , as weddings can be €2k depending on what you want exactly or can go up to usually €15k depending on numbers.
What do you wish couples knew about planning a wedding from afar before they begin?
I do not wish the couples to know anything, as it is our jobs to go through everything with them with a fine “toothcomb”, so they completely understand everything before deciding to go abroad, but with full confidence.
The pictures in this post are from weddings at our beautiful venues, click here to take a look at all our amazing venues!
