Getting married abroad

M

MsPBL

Registered User
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Hi all,
I am completating getting married abroad. One of the main reasons is that I dont want to spend 20-30k on 12 hrs and I want something a little different. I love Italy and we have recently retured there to suss a spot out. However, I have been doing a spot of web research I'm in too minds about the 'hassle' of orgainsing a foregin wedding. Has anyone done this and would they recommend it or is a small as in 50 -60 guests here easier. I would just like to add that it is not all abot the 'big day' to me and that I have not lost sight of the most important aspect- a marriage.
Thanks.
 
MsPBL said:
One of the main reasons is that I dont want to spend 20-30k on 12 hrs and I want something a little different.
Click to expand...
Bear in mind that you don't have to go abroad to do that. You just have to do whatever suits your preferences and your finances best.
 
I just posted this in reply to another question a minute ago. I'm beginning to sound like an advertisement for the Right Hook show.

"George Hook already covered Edinburgh with Fionn Davenport in the travel section of his show. Just email the station and they will send you the details.

[broken link removed]

The thing I like about this part of the show is that you get the destination warts and all."



As far as I remember Hooks daughter had her wedding in Italy and the fact sheet is available from the same address.


Murt
 
We got married in Rome August before last. My sister and husband were the only people who travelled to the wedding. It was their choice. We had a beautiful cermony in the Irish College and had Irish students singing for us. We spent two weeks in Italy on honeymoon. When we returned we had a party in Clontarf Castle for 90 people ......... Thoroughly recommend, and we had something to look forward to when we got back. Two of my friends have done similar since.

CMK
 
You dont want to spend x money in Ireland on a wedding but what about your guests going to your wedding abroad maybe they dont want to have to fork out for flights/hotel - time off work to travel etc.
You will need a wedding planner approx 2,000 plus the average wedding
abroad coast 12,000 with an average of 40 people going.
A wedding in Ireland cost around 20K for 130 guests, which is better
value for the amont of guests ? plus you have 130 people to give you presents rather than 40 and cash is the norm these days as most people have their house already.
Weddings in Ireland are not as expensive if you shop around for the best prices.
 
Haven't been there or done that thing yet but would definately go away. Give an open invitation to the people you would like to be there and in plenty of time and they can decide themselves.Two of my cousins got married in rome and said it was the best thing they did.
 
Was looking into doing the same thing myself recently as the hassle and expensive of an Irish wedding is more than I can deal with. I found the following website

www.thetraveldepartment.ie

The have a wedding package based in Lake Garda in Italy. They do everything for you including booking the flights and accommodation for your guests. Might be worth a look particularly if you like Italy.
 
What about a family and close friends only wedding here. Go for a nice meal afterwards. No need to pay 20/30k to invite all your 2nd cousins!
 
I have been to two seperate weddings abroad recently where friends decided to head off and get married they would do it all over again. Having been at both weddings I think I would do the same myself if the day ever arrives, here are a couple of my observations.

1. Having talked to the grooms it is far cheaper and you get more bang for your buck (depending on where you go), one wedding reception was in very upmarket 5 star beach resort in Portugal with a free bar all day I couldn't believe what it cost when told (very cheap) in comparison to how far the money would stretch in Ireland.

2. If you go down this route don't expect much in the way of presents from the people that make the effort/expense to actually travel to the wedding so a lot of the expense will come out of your own pocket. Having said that if you have a wedding in Ireland your going to have to foot some of the bill anyway as you won't get it all back in cash presents.

3. Get a good wedding planner very very important!!!

4. Give people LOTS of notice if your going to go abroad.

5. You may actually have to marry in Ireland in a registry office before you go and the church ceremony abroad will just be a blessing depending on the laws of the country you go to as happened my friends. This will in no one diminish the tears of joy shed on the day or make it any less special on the day :)

6. There is a great build up to the wedding as more than likely everyone gets to spend a few days together beforehand and gets to know each other as in most cases not all the family and friends from both sides of the bridal party will know each other. By the day of the wedding everyone is on a first name basis and the craic is great.

7. Invitations seem to be nightmare trying not to put noses out of joint and getting badgered into an invite for great aunt Bridie and the 2nd cousins that you haven't seen in 20 years when you only have room for a specific number of people. If you go abroad the people you most want at the wedding will make the effort to be there which makes it more enjoyable.

Whatever you decide good luck.
 
Been to 2 family weddings abroad in the recent years. From a guests point of view, all were agreed that people like to spend a night out with family and friends, but not a week or 2.
Have another one this summer in lanzarote but this time booked our hotel in a different resort then the other 50 plus wedding guests, we'll be there on the wedding day and maybe 1 or 2 other nights, but wont have to sit down at breakfast with the same people. Just something to be aware of.
Also, the wedding days themselves were very hot, and you nearly feel obliged to wear shirt & tie so make the dress code clear, not nice sweating for the day.
Overall, the days themselves were ok but Ive been at better weddings here. And as posted above, you can get weddings at the right price in Ireland by doing your homework.
 
We went to Italy last September to get married...couldn't recommend it highly enough ! We went through a company called Slow Dreams. We had it in the San Michele hotel in Cetraro. Gorgeous setting and our guests (a dozen or so family) all waxed lyrical about it ever since.
 
Alot of people in my job are getting married abroad next year. But for some there is not alot in the price difference for the amount of people going to spain etc compared to the price for a wedding here. Plus when you are deciding where to get married a reasonable place to get to and stay is the best option. I girl in work is getting married in Mijas in Spain which is cheap to get to with Ryanair and Aer Lingus which means you could go for the weekend or 1 week more flexible, and the hotels are cheap and she is getting married in September not in high season. Compared to another one which is in Cyprus which is dear to get to and stay plus the Cypriot pound means you lose alot when you change it. Then this girl is staying in the top of the range hotel in Cyprus and having a top Honeymoon. So one minute they are saying they cannot afford it, but i say they perfer to spend it on themselves and not think about how much it would cost their guests to go.
 
You don't need to spend E2,000 on a wedding planner. We did it all ourselves. All you need is time, the internet and a spreadsheet and you can do it yourself!

Book people into larger hotels; that way people won't be on top of each other all of the time.

Book a bus from the hotel to the church/registry office and back; it's not fair to make people find their own way.

Don't forget you will need a good hairdresser and salon for the chicks.

You won't regret it; the craic is mighty.
 
The organisation is as much hassle as you make it.
Personally, I believe the expense of weddings in Ireland, regardless of the size, is ridiculous.
As for the perceived ‘hassle’ for guests to travel, well you made the point that the main aim of the day is to get married, not to keep distant relations happy.
When my day comes I’ll be off to Italy with the people that really matter.
And the people that really matter certainly won’t be whinging about being there!
 
We got married in St. Lucia. We went over just the 2 of us had 2 weeks there all inclusive including the wedding on the beach. It was a dream come true. We went through www.tropicalplaces.ie and stayed in the Rendezvous Hotel (which is a couples only hotel) their website is the www.romanticholiday.com. We saved a fortune and when we came home we had the sit down meal for all the family and they still got their day out and we didnt spend half the amount money if we had the whole traditional irish wedding... check out the websites i cant reccommend it enough....
 
I got married in Rome in the Chiesa San Silvestro - a very historic Church in Rome. The parish priest there is Irish. My sister also got married in Rome a few years before me. We had our 30th anniversary last October! We didn't bring any family but things weren't done like that in those days. Having said that I still would do it with just ourselves again and maybe have a 'do' at home. While we have been back in Rome a few times including for our anniversary last October, when we were married we got a train to Naples and a ferry to Capri and spent our honeymoon there. The whole lot cost little more than a holiday would have then.
 
Thanks to you all for all the advice, I know it personal but could anyone give me any figures on what they spent?? and did it make it close enough to the price of an Irish wedding when the meal for guests who couldnt make it was done at home? I'm so undecided.
 
Perhaps you might (if you haven't done so already), check out the discussion boards and infomation on www.weddingsonline.ie
It's a very informative website and I am sure that you will find a good deal of information on budget and ideas of places to go.
 
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