Destination wedding in Italy = a bargain!

A new study by Travelex shows that a record number of British couples are heading abroad to get married in a bid to avoid the spiralling costs of UK weddings. They found an increase of 15% of british couples decided on a destination wedding. That means  as many as 80,000 Brits will shun the UK in favour of a foreign wedding over the next 12 months.

The average cost of a UK wedding has topped more than £18,500 and a rate rise from the Church of England will see 40 per cent added to the cost of church weddings from January next year.

Yesterday Elvin Eldi, from foreign exchange provider Travelex, which conducted the research, said: 'It seems that the increasing costs associated with weddings these days, combined with the unpredictable British weather is driving many Brits to celebrate their nuptials abroad. 

'With the pound at a 22 month high against the Euro and Italy boasting less than half the average rainfall of the UK, it's little wonder British couples are saying 'I do' overseas.'

The study asked 500 engaged couples why they will ditch UK shores to get hitched. 

It found three in ten said 'saving money' was one of the biggest reasons behind the trend.

Being able to invite fewer guests and combining the wedding with a hen and stag do, were also cited as further helping to drive the cost of an overseas weddings down.

One in three couples said a ceremony away from home was a great excuse for avoiding unwanted guests. 

When asked how much they thought they could save by heading abroad, 30 per cent of couples predicted that they would be up to £5,000 better off.

One in three of the couples getting married abroad revealed they had deliberately cancelled UK wedding plans as a result of the increase in costs. It is expected that the number of weddings in the UK will fall to an all-time low next year.

Savings: With the average UK wedding costing £18,500, couples say they can shave £5,000 from that price - and still have their dream wedding - by travelling to foreign climes

Italy was cited as the most popular destination, with more than one in five (22 %) of the couples questioned revealing they have booked a wedding venue in the country.

It comes as a recent rise in the value of the Pound has knocked nearly nine per cent off the cost of a wedding in the Eurozone. 

It means that couples getting hitched in Italy, less than two hours flight away from London, could save nearly £1,000 off the cost of a £10,000 wedding in the UK. 

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to see how we can help you plan your wedding in Italy!