Couples go the distance for that trip up the aisle
Irish weddings abroad to double in effort to avoid rip-off at home
The number of Irish people choosing to marry abroad is set to double this year as they turn their backs on 'rip-off Ireland' in favour of more affordable luxury in sunnier climes.
Places like Sorrento and Rome in Italy, the Algarve, Cyprus and Malta have all become destinations of choice for young Irish couples wanting their special day in total splendour at a fraction of the price of a wedding at home.
For example, the small town of Alvor on the Algarve in Portugal has become a major hub of Irish weddings in recent years and the church there will handle at least 100 weddings this year, double the number in 2007.
Many of those going abroad are choosing to get married in a church, which means they have to be married at home first. However, increasingly step-by-step assistance is available to help the couples avoid any potential pitfalls.
Deirdre Grant, of Donegal-based company Irish Weddings Abroad, said there has been a large increase in numbers looking to have their special day overseas.
She has seen a three-fold increase in her bookings in the space of a year. And with the recession and the cost of having a traditional wedding in Ireland, she expects those numbers to increase further.
According to Ms Grant, the primary concern for many is budget. She said a luxury wedding in Sorrento, Italy, or in the Algarve would cost about €10,000 to €12,000, roughly one-third of what a big Irish wedding now costs.
Speaking this weekend from Italy, where they are busy sorting out details for their big day next July, Dublin couple Roberta McCrossan and David McLoughlin said going abroad will enable them to have a "totally relaxed" affair with their close family and friends.
"Too often at home, weddings are just one day, which puts a lot of pressure on to see everyone. Going away, means we will have all our family and friends together for a weekend, and we can have a really relaxed wedding," Roberta said.
The pair also said another major consideration was the weather, given the recent poor summers.
Roberta and David found an Italian-based organiser to arrange their affairs, and said having such a resource has made the preparations much easier.
Also, an overseas wedding can help avoid stressful family politics, as some relations choose not to travel.
"One of the key reasons is to avoid major family rows or confrontations. Going abroad takes a huge amount of the hassle out of it. Some people are genuinely afraid of having to deal with a big thing on their special day involving their families," Ms Grant added.
There is, in addition to the numbers going through wedding planners, an increasing number of couples choosing to handle the arrangements themselves.
One such couple, Mark Gallagher and Lisa Hennigan, from Terenure, Dublin, who are to marry next June in Cyprus, said the avoidance of hassle and budgetary concerns played a big part in not holding their ceremony here in Ireland.
Mark said: "We are doing it ourselves because we know the area, and we know what we want. The local priest has made life very easy for us and the hotel we're using is perfect.
"Being honest as well, going overseas means we now don't have to invite 300 people we don't necessarily want. We can do it exactly the way we want to, at a much lower cost."
All of which is bad news for the domestic wedding business and the already suffering Irish hotel industry, which stands accused of overcharging couples and offering an inferior service.
- DANIEL McCONNELL
