FAQs | Perfect Weddings Abroad

Frequently Asked Questions

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I want to book a Wedding or Honeymoon Abroad, Where do I start?

Call us on 0844 770 8270, send an email to info@perfectweddingsabroad.co.uk, or speak to your local Perfect Weddings Abroad independent travel agent and ask them to give us a call… One of our experienced Weddings Abroad Specialists will be delighted to discuss your plans with you. We have the UK's widest variety of overseas wedding locations, and as an independent travel company we are impartial and can advise of the best location for your wedding.

How far in advance do I need to book?

It is always best to allow as much time as possible for planning your wedding. We generally require a minimum of 12 weeks in advance due to legal paperwork (depending on the destination), but for peak holiday periods we recommend you book 12 months in advance to maximise the chance of getting the date you require.

We would like to invite family and friends, is this possible?

Yes, our experienced Wedding Coordinators can book travel arrangements for your family and guests – all our holidays are fully ABTA and ATOL protected, covering you in the event of supplier failure. We also offering neighbouring accommodation for guests whose budget doesn't quite match that of the wedding couple.

I would like to book my whole wedding group at the time we book our wedding, is this OK?

Absolutely, we will not go ahead and confirm the holiday and travel arranagements until we have your wedding confirmed, as this is of utmost importance. Once this is taken care of we can book yourselves and your wedding guests. For large groups (10 adults or more) we will offer group booking discounts where possible, please ask if this is an option at the time of booking.

All of our guests have booked with you but we don’t want the hassle of coordinating their payments - Can you handle this for me?

Yes, no problem at all. Simply provide us with the contact details of your wedding guests or get them to call into us with them and then we can do the rest. We can invoice the individual guests and handle their payments and tickets.

It's just the two of us travelling, is this too small for you?

Certainly not, we offer wedding and holiday services to simply the couple, up to groups of over 100. Each wedding party is unique and we treat equally, regardless of the size. Plus we have some fabulous intimate locations for small weddings.

Do you operate a gift list service?

We certainly do - to help stop you receiving 10 toasters or yet more bales of towels! Your wedding guests can contribute a donation towards your wedding and honeymoon costs as you prefer. They may wish to pay for excursions or spa treatments, special meals etc. We can send you details of how our service operates so that you can send this to all your guests with their wedding invitation. We also work closely with a number of other gift list services, including charities, so if you'd prefer something different please talk to us about the options available.

Where and when does the wedding ceremony take place?

In most destinations, your wedding ceremony will be conducted on a weekday, excluding local holidays (Saturdays are possible in some locations). Ceremonies will take place in the grounds of the hotel/villa where you are staying, town hall, beach or even on top of mountain! In many areas, the resort's (or hotel's) Wedding Coordinator will show you the possible locations and help you pick the one that is perfect for you.

Can I choose the time of my ceremony?

Yes, in most cases you can, and we will have the time confirmed in advance. However, you will be advised if this is not possible - in this case, your wedding ceremony time will be requested and confirmed when you arrive in resort.

Who will perform our ceremony?

Our weddings are conducted by a marriage officer whose title varies depending upon the resort and your requests. It may be a Celebrant, Registrar, Priest, Minister or Reverend.

Will our marriage be legally recognised in the UK?

Absolutely! When you choose to have a legal wedding ceremony, it is registered in the country where the ceremony takes place and legally recognised in the UK. Blessing or Commitment Ceremonies are not legally recognised in the host country or in the UK. If you aren't British, however, we recommend you contact your relevant Consulate or Embassy to establish the requirements of your marriage abroad.

What documents do I need to take?

The required documents vary between countries and these will be explained to you at the time of booking (via your confirmation wedding pack). Generally you will need to take your passport (10 year and valid for at least 6 months after your return to the UK) and birth certificate (Full length birth certificates, showing both your parents full names are required). If you have previously been married you will also need to provide legal evidence of your single status. We will help you step by step with these documents. However it is the couples responsibility to ensure that all paperwork is fully prepared within the correct timescales.

What day of the week will our wedding take place?

The majority of resorts require a 3 working day residency period before the ceremony can take place (Once again, please reconfirm this at the time of booking as each country varies). Most wedding ceremonies take place Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays). Once the date of your wedding ceremony has been confirmed by the resort, we will then confirm this to you in writing. In very exceptional circumstances, the date of your wedding may have to be rescheduled – this is beyond our control and we cannot be held responsible for amendments to wedding times and dates. Generally speaking this is down to registrar or venue changes.

What should we wear for our wedding?

If you're heading for the sun, we recommend clothes to keep you cool! During mid-afternoon, when the sun is at its hottest, traditional UK dress may be unbearable, so brides may want to opt for a light, cotton-weight dress instead. For grooms, a lightweight, light-coloured suit is ideal.

However, if your heading for a Winter wedding in one of our ski or snow locations you may want to plan accordingly! We've had feedback from our winter brides and grooms that recommend you wear a warm stole, and remember to pack some thermal socks! ...some couples even choose skiwear for skiing back down the slopes when having a mountain-top blessing.

Do we have any additional baggage allowance for our wedding clothes?

Generally speaking, no unfortunately - airline baggage limits remain the same for wedding couples and are the same as all other travellers. Many airlines stipulate that wedding attire must be carried as part of your hold baggage allowance.

We will check baggage allowance with the airline you will be travelling with. Please note that airlines are forbidden from hanging garments in the cabin as the CAA state that this would impede an emergency exit.

For brides who wish to carry their dress onboard the aircraft for piece of mind, why not check out DressInABox.co.uk and buy a wedding dress travel case. Once again the sizes vary and depend on which airline you're flying with, so remember to check this before you travel.

Can we have our wedding outfits pressed?

Usually this is not a problem and your hotel will be happy to oblige.

Are hair and beauty services available?

Hair and beauty services will be available at your hotel, in a neighbouring hotel or local beauty salon. Some of our packages already include those services. To avoid disappointment though, book your appointment as soon as possible after arrival. In some locations mobile-salons will even come and visit you at your hotel.

What about the sun?

However strong the temptation may be, try not to burn yourself pre-wedding (or after for that matter!). Use a high-factor sun cream and if you plan to wear an off-the-shoulder number, choose a swimming costume with removable straps to avoid white lines in your photos.

Can you help with our wedding flowers?

Local flowers for the bridal bouquet and groom's buttonhole vary from season to season. Where possible, we suggest you make your choice in resort and, if more elaborate styles and content are required, you could always send us the details in advance to make sure we can provide those.

Can you help with music for our wedding?

We can help you with music, if you wish to have a live band (such as a DJ, steel band, greek music...). However if you want to bring your favourite tunes along to commemorate your special day please do so as most hotels hire CD players or have access to facilities for i-pods and USB memory sticks – if you have something in particular please check with us in advance.

Can you help with photographs and DVD?

Most of our packages already include photographs and videos. We have worked closely with our photographers for many years and whilst they work to the highest standards, it is worth bearing in mind that their equipment and facilities may not compare to UK standards.

Can we invite guests to our wedding?

Of course you can invite your guests but please advise of how many guests will be present, as some Wedding Venue reception may be too small for your Wedding Party due to the security reasons. And also there may be an additional charges for your guests.

Guests aren't obliged to book with us, however we recommend that all wedding guests book with us in case there are last minute changes to your plans (particularly in areas prone to adverse weather conditions). Also to ensure that the hotel can accommodate your party on the day. We cannot be held responsible for hotels turning away wedding guests who have not booked with us, due to hotel occupancy rates and insufficient dining facilities being available.

Do we need Travel Insurance?

As everybody knows, this is VERY, VERY important and travel insurance must be taken at the time of booking and advised to our office, if you haven't booked it through one of our recommended suppliers. We provide special wedding insurance to couples for extra peace of mind, again this is compulsory, and is your responsibility to ensure that it covers your overseas wedding and the premiums cover your items sufficiently.

Will our insurance cover our guests too?

It depends on the insurance you have taken out. All our hotels have a basic insurance policy to cover guests in the hotel. However, outside the hotel is a different matter. All guests should ensure that they are insured either individually or as a group.

Can you provide me with details of a special insurance policy that will cover my wedding?

Yes, certainly, we can advise you of the best wedding insurance policies. Please speak to one of our wedding support coordinators in the office or visit our Wedding Relation Products page of our website for more information.

Will we need to do any paperwork in resort?

You will indeed, so allow at least half a day prior to your wedding day to deal with legal stuff. In most of resorts, you will meet our Wedding co-ordinator who will explain you all the different stages. Transfers from the hotel to relevant office may already be included in some of package.

When will we receive our marriage certificate?

In some resorts your marriage certificate is issued straight away. In others, it could take up to 4 months to be processed and mailed to you. So if you are planning a marriage blessing when you get back to the UK, please bear this in mind. If you want more than 1 certificate, request this in resort or your solicitor can duplicate a copy when you return to the UK.

What is included in a Perfect Wedding Package?

Each resorts packages vary, but generally speaking you receive full planning and coordination from our experienced coordinators in the UK. This is honest advice and we will advise you of what we feel is the best location for you and your party, however large or small. All of the air-inclusive holidays are covered by ABTA and ATOL bonding for your full piece of mind. Once in resort you will have the support of one of our local in-resort wedding coordinators or hotel-wedding coordinators; these people are not simply holiday reps, they are professional people and used to dealing with the last minute stresses and strains! So don’t worry... you are in safe hands!

Award Winning UK Weddings Abroad Specialists

0844 770 8270

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