Georgina Clatworthy

Following on from my previous article about the world’s best wedding destinations, here are five more fabulous destination wedding locations to help you find the perfect place to say your vows!

1. Sun, Sand and Sea in Cyprus: this little island is known as the island of love and retains a feel of its British colonial history. It is also an economical choice if your budget is tight and all the legal stuff is in English so less chance of misunderstandings! You will need to be on the island for a minimum of three working days before you can legally marry. This island has 340 days of sunshine throughout the year so you can choose a date at just about anytime of year, however May, June, September and October are the busiest months.
2. A Wedding Party in Ibiza: famed as the place where anything goes, Ibiza is a lively place and perfect if you want to party on into the night. You can marry on the beach or in one of pretty whitewashed chapels in a Catholic ceremony. However, it is not so easy to marry here as you will need to be either a Catholic or a legal Spanish resident. Consider instead having your legal ceremony at home and then a blessing in Ibiza at a later date. Avoid July and August as it is extremely hot and prices sky rocket. May, June, September and October are popular whilst the winter months are much quieter.
3. The Italian Affair: Italy has proven itself a popular choice as a destination wedding location in recent years and with its vineyards, pretty towns, sublime food and fabulous climate it is easy to see why. Tuscany is the most popular region but other options include Umbria, Marche, Abruzzi and Puglia. There are no minimum residency requirements but you will need to publish your banns at home and produce a certificate of no impediment to your consulate in Italy. Do allow three to four days before your wedding so the Town Clerk can process your paperwork. Italy can offer perfect locations for a wedding throughout the year depending on the type of wedding you want – beach, rural or mountain, lakeside.
4. A Tropical Wedding in Mexico: here you will find a wealth of choices for your wedding, from the amazing hotels in the Gulf to the Caribbean side for perfect white sandy beaches. The legal requirements to marry in Mexico are high so a blessing may be an easier choice and book to go between the end of November and early June.
5. Idyllic Locations in the Indian Ocean: this area offers many people their idea of paradise and destination weddings here are definitely more couple focused than family weddings in the Caribbean. Mauritius is the most popular but Sri Lanka is quickly proving itself as a destination wedding location too. The Seychelles is gorgeous but can be difficult to get to. Depending on where you want to go the legal requirements can vary. Mauritius has just a three day residency whilst Sir Lanka requires five days and a Certificate of No Impediment. Bear in mind that the Maldives only conducts Muslim ceremonies so you should perhaps choose a blessing here. For some exotic winter sun travel in the months of October to April.