# Cost of Getting Married Abroad in 2026: Destination Weddings from the UK > A destination wedding can cost anywhere from £5,000 for an intimate ceremony in a European city to £30,000+ for a beach resort wedding with guests. Here is what couples from the UK actually spend in 2026. *Section: Travel — By Priya Anand (Lifestyle & Travel Editor) — Published June 29, 2026 — 5 min read* Canonical URL: https://dailyjunction.org/travel/cost-of-getting-married-abroad-uk-2026 Tags: destination wedding, wedding abroad, overseas wedding, travel, wedding costs, lifestyle, UK couples, holiday wedding ## Key takeaways - A destination wedding for a UK couple costs £8,000–£20,000 on average — often cheaper than a UK wedding because guest lists are smaller and package deals bundle venue, catering and coordination into a single price. - The legal requirements for marrying abroad vary enormously by country — some require residency periods, blood tests or document translations — and many couples opt for a legal UK registry-office ceremony before or after the destination event to simplify the process. - Popular destinations in 2026 include Italy (Tuscany/Amalfi), Greece (Santorini/Crete), Cyprus, Malta, Croatia and Mexico — with all-inclusive resort packages starting at £3,000–£6,000 for the couple. # Cost of Getting Married Abroad in 2026: Destination Weddings from the UK A wedding abroad was once the preserve of the wealthy — a statement of reach and resources. In 2026, the economics have shifted. For many UK couples, getting married overseas is now cheaper than a traditional UK wedding, thanks to smaller guest lists, all-inclusive packages that bundle venue, catering and coordination, and the fact that a destination wedding doubles as the honeymoon. The cost range is enormous — from a £5,000 elopement in a European city hall to a £35,000 beach resort wedding with 80 guests in the Caribbean — but the sweet spot for a mid-range destination wedding with 20–40 guests sits at £8,000–£18,000. This guide breaks down the real costs, the legal complexities and the destinations that offer the best value. --- ## The Cost Breakdown by Destination Type The table below shows typical all-in costs for a UK couple getting married abroad in 2026, including the wedding package, flights, accommodation for the couple, and legal/document costs. Guest travel and accommodation are excluded unless stated. | Destination type | Example locations | Wedding package | Couple's flights & hotel (7–10 nights) | Legal & admin | Total (couple only) | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | European city (intimate) | Prague, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Rome | £2,000–£5,000 | £1,200–£2,000 | £300–£500 | £3,500–£7,500 | | Mediterranean resort | Cyprus, Malta, Greek islands, Costa del Sol, Croatia | £4,000–£8,000 | £1,500–£2,500 | £400–£600 | £5,900–£11,100 | | Italian villa / countryside | Tuscany, Umbria, Amalfi Coast, Lake Como | £8,000–£18,000 | £2,000–£3,500 | £500–£800 | £10,500–£22,300 | | Caribbean / Mexico | Riviera Maya, Barbados, St Lucia, Jamaica | £6,000–£15,000 | £2,500–£4,500 | £300–£500 | £8,800–£20,000 | | Southeast Asia | Thailand, Bali, Vietnam | £3,000–£8,000 | £2,000–£3,500 | £400–£700 | £5,400–£12,200 | Wedding packages typically include: ceremony venue and setup, celebrant or officiant, bouquet and buttonhole, photographer for 1–3 hours, wedding cake, a meal or reception for a set number of guests (often 10–20 included, with a per-head supplement for additional guests), and a wedding coordinator. What is excluded varies by package — read the small print carefully for extras such as music, additional flowers, hair and makeup, and the marriage licence fee. --- ## The Legal Side: What You Actually Need to Do The legal requirements for marrying abroad vary enormously by country, and getting them wrong can mean the marriage is not legally valid. The GOV.UK website maintains country-by-country guidance, but the common requirements include: - **Residency period**: Many countries require you to be in the country for a set number of days before the ceremony — typically 1–7 days in European destinations, longer in some Caribbean and Asian countries. - **Documents**: A valid passport, full birth certificate, and a Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) — obtained from your local register office in the UK, typically costing £35–£50 — are the baseline. Some countries also require divorce decrees absolute (if previously married), death certificates (if widowed), and/or parental consent (if under 18). Documents may need to be translated into the local language and apostilled (legalised) by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (£30 per document). - **Blood tests or medical certificates**: Required in some countries (notably parts of Mexico and some Middle Eastern destinations). - **Witnesses**: Most countries require at least two witnesses. If you are eloping, the venue or coordinator can usually provide witnesses for a small fee. Because of the complexity, many couples opt for a "symbolic" ceremony abroad — the celebrant-led event that looks and feels like a wedding — and complete the legal marriage at a UK registry office before or after the trip. A registry-office ceremony costs £57 for the notice of marriage plus £46 for the ceremony itself at a basic level, and it eliminates all the legal uncertainty of marrying abroad. --- ## The Guest Question The single biggest cost variable in a destination wedding is whether you pay for your guests. In the UK, couples typically cover the wedding-day costs (venue, food, drink) and guests cover their own accommodation and travel. At a destination wedding, the expectation is less clear. The most common approach in 2026 is that the couple covers the wedding-day costs (ceremony, reception, food and drink) and guests cover their own flights and accommodation. Some couples subsidise accommodation by negotiating a group rate at the venue hotel, which can cut the per-room cost by 20–40%. Paying for guests' flights is rare and, for a wedding with 30+ guests, prohibitively expensive — return flights to the Mediterranean average £150–£350 per person from UK airports, adding £4,500–£10,500 to the couple's bill. The guest list at a destination wedding is typically much smaller than a UK equivalent — 20–40 guests is normal, compared with 80–120 for a UK wedding — which is both a cost saving and a potential source of family tension if close relatives cannot or will not travel. --- ## Where to Save - **Get married on a weekday.** Resort wedding packages are often 20–30% cheaper Monday–Thursday than on weekends. - **Book in shoulder season.** May, June, September and early October offer good weather in most Mediterranean destinations at lower prices than July and August, and flights are cheaper. - **Use a UK-based wedding-abroad specialist.** Operators such as Kuoni, TUI, Jet2Weddings and Olympic Holidays package flights, accommodation and the wedding into a single ATOL-protected booking, which simplifies logistics and provides financial protection if the operator fails. - **Consider Cyprus or Malta.** Both have straightforward legal requirements for UK couples (no lengthy residency period, English widely spoken, documents accepted in English) and well-developed wedding-infrastructure with competitive package pricing. --- A wedding abroad is not automatically cheaper than a UK wedding, but for couples who want a smaller, more intimate event — and who are comfortable with the idea that not everyone they know will be able to attend — it can be both more affordable and more memorable. The key is to understand the legal requirements early, budget for the exchange-rate risk (most overseas venues quote in euros or US dollars), and decide upfront how much, if anything, you are contributing to guests' travel costs. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is it cheaper to get married abroad than in the UK? It can be. The average UK wedding costs around £21,800 (Hitched, 2026), while a destination wedding for 20–40 guests in a Mediterranean resort typically costs £8,000–£18,000 for the wedding itself. The saving comes from smaller guest lists and package deals that bundle venue, catering, flowers and coordination. However, if you pay for guests' flights and accommodation — which some couples do — the total cost can exceed a UK wedding. ### Is a wedding abroad legally recognised in the UK? Generally yes, provided the marriage is legally valid in the country where it took place and complies with that country's formal requirements. You cannot register the marriage in the UK, but it is recognised under UK law. Many couples simplify the process by having a legal registry-office ceremony in the UK before or after the destination event, treating the overseas celebration as the 'real' wedding for friends and family. ### What are the cheapest countries for a destination wedding from the UK? Cyprus, Malta and Croatia are among the most affordable European options, with wedding packages starting at £2,500–£4,500 for a basic ceremony, venue and reception for 20–30 guests. Greece (mainland or smaller islands) and parts of Spain (Costa del Sol, Canary Islands) are in the mid-range. Italy, France and the Caribbean are at the upper end. Mexico and Thailand offer good value but higher flight costs for UK guests. ## Sources - [GOV.UK: Getting Married Abroad](https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad) - [Hitched: Destination Wedding Guide](https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/honeymoon-and-travel/destination-weddings/) - [ABTA: Wedding Abroad Advice](https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/getting-married-abroad) --- Daily Junction — https://dailyjunction.org/travel/cost-of-getting-married-abroad-uk-2026