How to Get Married Abroad: Destination Wedding Guide

How to Get Married Abroad: Destination Wedding Guide

A wedding abroad is an exciting and unforgettable way to celebrate your love story. Whether it’s a sun‑soaked ceremony in Santorini, a clifftop vow exchange in Italy, a beach wedding in Portugal, or a romantic elopement in France, destination weddings have become increasingly popular for UK couples—especially those in the South West counties of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. With breathtaking venues, warm climates, and stunning scenery, destination weddings often cost less than a traditional UK wedding while offering a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience.

But planning a wedding overseas comes with questions: legal requirements, travel logistics, hiring suppliers, budgeting, and ensuring your wedding day is captured beautifully. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Why Choose a Destination Wedding?

Destination weddings offer a unique blend of intimacy, adventure, and luxury. Whether you’re dreaming of a coastal ceremony on the Amalfi Coast or a medieval villa in Tuscany, getting married abroad combines your wedding and honeymoon in one unforgettable experience.

Stunning Scenery for Your Wedding Film

Dramatic landscapes, crystal‑blue water, white sandy beaches, and historic architecture create the perfect backdrop for cinematic wedding videography. When paired with drone footage, your wedding film becomes visually spectacular.

Cost Savings

Many couples find that getting married abroad is more affordable than hosting a large UK wedding—especially if you opt for a smaller guest list.

A More Intimate Guest List

Destination weddings naturally attract close family and friends, reducing pressure and helping you focus on a meaningful celebration.

Legal Requirements for Getting Married Abroad

Before choosing a location, it’s essential to understand the legal process.

Most countries require:

• Passports valid for at least 6 months
• Birth certificates
• Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)
• Residency requirements (varies by country)
• Marriage license application

Popular Destination Legalities

Greece – Requires a CNI and documents translated into Greek.
Italy – Straightforward process; civil or church ceremonies available.
Cyprus – One of the simplest countries to marry legally abroad.
Spain – Often requires residency; symbolic ceremonies are common.

Tip: Many couples choose a UK legal ceremony followed by a symbolic ceremony abroad.

Choosing the Perfect Destination Wedding Location

Your destination sets the tone for your entire wedding. Consider the style, climate, accessibility, and the type of scenery you want in your wedding film.

Mediterranean Locations

• Italy – Elegant villas, clifftops, lakeside settings
• Greece – Iconic white buildings, ocean views
• Portugal – Algarve beaches, historic castles
• Malta – Golden stone architecture, dramatic sea views

Tropical Islands

• Bali
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Caribbean islands

These locations create warm, cinematic visuals—perfect for drone footage and sunset ceremonies.

UK‑Friendly Short‑Haul Destinations

For couples in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, airports like Bristol and Exeter offer flights to:

• France
• Italy
• Greece
• Spain
• Croatia
• Portugal

This minimises travel for guests and simplifies logistics.

Should You Bring Your Own UK Wedding Videographer?

The short answer: Yes—absolutely.

Consistency in Style and Quality

Many couples regret booking local videographers abroad because:

• Communication barriers cause misunderstandings
• Local styles differ from UK cinematic storytelling
• Editing quality varies drastically
• You cannot meet the team beforehand
• No guarantee of backup systems

Hiring Diamond Film Wedding Videography ensures you receive a consistent, premium, UK‑style cinematic film no matter where you marry.

Pre‑Wedding Consultations

Zoom calls, planning chats, venue walk‑throughs (if possible), and detailed timeline reviews are far easier with a UK‑based videographer.

South West Departure Convenience

With easy access to Bristol, Exeter, and Newquay airports, South West videographers can quickly travel worldwide.

Ability to Bring Professional Gear

UK videographers travel with:

• Drones
• Cinema cameras
• High‑end audio equipment
• Backup cameras
• Hard‑drive redundancy

You receive the same standard as a UK wedding—just in a spectacular international location.

Budgeting a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings vary widely in cost depending on your country and guest list.

Key Budget Areas

• Venue & ceremony fees
• Travel & accommodation
• UK videographer flights & hotel
• Food & drink
• Legal fees
• Excursions (popular with guests)
• Decor & styling
• Wedding dress transport
• Insurance

Couples often spend 20–40% less on a destination wedding compared to a traditional UK wedding for 80–120 guests.

Creating a Smooth Destination Wedding Timeline

Travel introduces logistical layers.

The Ideal Structure

• Day 1: Welcome dinner
• Day 2: Wedding day
• Day 3: Beach day / pool party / excursions
• Optional: Post‑wedding shoot (sunset or sunrise)

A next‑day shoot is perfect for drone footage and relaxed portraits.

Why Videography Is Essential for Destination Weddings

You’re choosing a location for its beauty—make sure it lives forever in motion.

Key Benefits

• Once‑in‑a‑lifetime scenery
• Drone views of beaches, cliffs & villas
• Emotional storytelling
• Capturing guests’ travel and celebrations
• A wedding film you’ll never stop watching

Destination weddings create moments worth preserving in cinema‑quality visuals.

Final Tips for a Perfect Wedding Abroad

• Visit your destination at least once
• Hire a local planner
• Bring a UK videographer you trust
• Plan travel early
• Coordinate guest accommodation
• Check the local climate
• Schedule sunset wisely
• Keep your ceremony short (heat!)

With planning, organisation, and the right wedding videographer, your destination wedding becomes a cinematic masterpiece.How to Get Married Abroad: Destination Wedding Guide

A wedding abroad is an exciting and unforgettable way to celebrate your love story. Whether it’s a sun‑soaked ceremony in Santorini, a clifftop vow exchange in Italy, a beach wedding in Portugal, or a romantic elopement in France, destination weddings have become increasingly popular for UK couples—especially those in the South West counties of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. With breathtaking venues, warm climates, and stunning scenery, destination weddings often cost less than a traditional UK wedding while offering a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience.

But planning a wedding overseas comes with questions: legal requirements, travel logistics, hiring suppliers, budgeting, and ensuring your wedding day is captured beautifully. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Why Choose a Destination Wedding?

Destination weddings offer a unique blend of intimacy, adventure, and luxury. Whether you’re dreaming of a coastal ceremony on the Amalfi Coast or a medieval villa in Tuscany, getting married abroad combines your wedding and honeymoon in one unforgettable experience.

Stunning Scenery for Your Wedding Film

Dramatic landscapes, crystal‑blue water, white sandy beaches, and historic architecture create the perfect backdrop for cinematic wedding videography. When paired with drone footage, your wedding film becomes visually spectacular.

Cost Savings

Many couples find that getting married abroad is more affordable than hosting a large UK wedding—especially if you opt for a smaller guest list.

A More Intimate Guest List

Destination weddings naturally attract close family and friends, reducing pressure and helping you focus on a meaningful celebration.

Legal Requirements for Getting Married Abroad

Before choosing a location, it’s essential to understand the legal process.

Most countries require:

• Passports valid for at least 6 months
• Birth certificates
• Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)
• Residency requirements (varies by country)
• Marriage license application

Popular Destination Legalities

Greece – Requires a CNI and documents translated into Greek.
Italy – Straightforward process; civil or church ceremonies available.
Cyprus – One of the simplest countries to marry legally abroad.
Spain – Often requires residency; symbolic ceremonies are common.

Tip: Many couples choose a UK legal ceremony followed by a symbolic ceremony abroad.

Choosing the Perfect Destination Wedding Location

Your destination sets the tone for your entire wedding. Consider the style, climate, accessibility, and the type of scenery you want in your wedding film.

Mediterranean Locations

• Italy – Elegant villas, clifftops, lakeside settings
• Greece – Iconic white buildings, ocean views
• Portugal – Algarve beaches, historic castles
• Malta – Golden stone architecture, dramatic sea views

Tropical Islands

• Bali
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Caribbean islands

These locations create warm, cinematic visuals—perfect for drone footage and sunset ceremonies.

UK‑Friendly Short‑Haul Destinations

For couples in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, airports like Bristol and Exeter offer flights to:

• France
• Italy
• Greece
• Spain
• Croatia
• Portugal

This minimises travel for guests and simplifies logistics.

Should You Bring Your Own UK Wedding Videographer?

The short answer: Yes—absolutely.

Consistency in Style and Quality

Many couples regret booking local videographers abroad because:

• Communication barriers cause misunderstandings
• Local styles differ from UK cinematic storytelling
• Editing quality varies drastically
• You cannot meet the team beforehand
• No guarantee of backup systems

Hiring Diamond Film Wedding Videography ensures you receive a consistent, premium, UK‑style cinematic film no matter where you marry.

Pre‑Wedding Consultations

Zoom calls, planning chats, venue walk‑throughs (if possible), and detailed timeline reviews are far easier with a UK‑based videographer.

South West Departure Convenience

With easy access to Bristol, Exeter, and Newquay airports, South West videographers can quickly travel worldwide.

Ability to Bring Professional Gear

UK videographers travel with:

• Drones
• Cinema cameras
• High‑end audio equipment
• Backup cameras
• Hard‑drive redundancy

You receive the same standard as a UK wedding—just in a spectacular international location.

Budgeting a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings vary widely in cost depending on your country and guest list.

Key Budget Areas

• Venue & ceremony fees
• Travel & accommodation
• UK videographer flights & hotel
• Food & drink
• Legal fees
• Excursions (popular with guests)
• Decor & styling
• Wedding dress transport
• Insurance

Couples often spend 20–40% less on a destination wedding compared to a traditional UK wedding for 80–120 guests.

Creating a Smooth Destination Wedding Timeline

Travel introduces logistical layers.

The Ideal Structure

• Day 1: Welcome dinner
• Day 2: Wedding day
• Day 3: Beach day / pool party / excursions
• Optional: Post‑wedding shoot (sunset or sunrise)

A next‑day shoot is perfect for drone footage and relaxed portraits.

Why Videography Is Essential for Destination Weddings

You’re choosing a location for its beauty—make sure it lives forever in motion.

Key Benefits

• Once‑in‑a‑lifetime scenery
• Drone views of beaches, cliffs & villas
• Emotional storytelling
• Capturing guests’ travel and celebrations
• A wedding film you’ll never stop watching

Destination weddings create moments worth preserving in cinema‑quality visuals.

Final Tips for a Perfect Wedding Abroad

• Visit your destination at least once
• Hire a local planner
• Bring a UK videographer you trust
• Plan travel early
• Coordinate guest accommodation
• Check the local climate
• Schedule sunset wisely
• Keep your ceremony short (heat!)

With planning, organisation, and the right wedding videographer, your destination wedding becomes a cinematic masterpiece.