If you’re a UK couple thinking about getting married abroad, you aren’t alone. According to recent research from Experian, over 37% of Brits have been invited to a wedding abroad in the past year, with more than one in five saying they have been invited to two or more.
Destination weddings give couples the chance to get married in more exotic settings and create memories that last a lifetime. Studies have shown that there are a significant number of destinations where it is less expensive than getting married in the UK.
But as the demand to get married abroad grows, the price of doing so is growing as well, making it crucial to understand how you can minimise any additional costs that might come from spending money abroad.
Below, we’ve explored how much it costs to get married abroad, what the key price factors to consider are and how you can budget for the big day – including considering the cost of making international payments to vendors abroad.
The cost of getting married abroad: Key factors
Travel agency SNTravel and airline Virgin Atlantic studied the costs of getting married across 22 countries (based on individual quotes in each region).
They found that on average, pricier weddings were the most common in Europe, with France (at £26,059), Italy (£24,738), the UK (£23,141), Greece (£22,755) and Spain (£19,832) seeing the highest average wedding prices across the study. However, some other popular wedding destinations – particularly in the Indian Ocean region – come in with significantly lower average wedding prices, according to the report.
Mauritius (£12,492), Sri Lanka (£12,857), the Maldives (£13,106) and Zanzibar (£13,260) were significantly cheaper than European weddings on average, coming in at under £14,000. Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, Antigua (£13,620) was the cheapest island to get married, followed by Saint Lucia (£15,164) and then the Dominican Republic (£15,240).
Though prices across different countries will vary based on a number of factors, there are always a number of costs to consider. These range from venue hire to catering and drinks, as well as any vendors that you will need to be there on the day – including photographers, florists, hair and makeup artists, musicians, DJs or other entertainment, cake designers, decorators or stylists.
When you are getting married abroad, various additional costs can come into play, including:
- Legalisation and documentation costs
- Travel and accommodation expenses
- Currency exchange and transfer costs
- Shipping and handling
- Local wedding planners
- Travel insurance and wedding
How to budget for a wedding abroad
Destination weddings can sometimes be more cost-effective than traditional weddings, but they can also come with additional costs to consider. That’s why it’s important to create a clear and realistic budget.
Start by setting the overall limit that you and your partner are comfortable with, ideally with a contingency buffer (i.e. 10-15%) to cover any unexpected costs that might crop up, whether that’s last minute travel plans, local taxes or changes in local currency rates.
Next, you can use a spreadsheet or planning tool to break the budget into key categories, which will help you identify where your priorities are and where you can cut costs – here’s a rough summary of the main ones below:
- Travel: Flights, airport transfers, luggage fees
- Accommodation: For yourselves and possibly contributing towards guest stays
- Venue costs
- Catering and drinks
- Local vendors (photographers, florists, officiant, musicians)
- Wedding planner (if using)
- Legal paperwork and translation services
- Entertainment/events around the wedding
- Travel insurance
- Gifts (if you are a relative of the people getting married)
Using a spreadsheet or budgeting tool can also allow you to input the costs of items in your home currency and your local currency, helping you compare quotes and plan money transfers.
Remember, when you are dealing with foreign currencies, they can rise or fall in value by the time you book services and when you pay for them. Many couples underestimate the impact of this, so tracking both currencies will help you avoid surprises.
How to pay for a wedding overseas
After you’ve set out your budget, you’ll be in a better place to start booking services. However, actually paying for different services might be done in various ways, and it might not always be possible to pay via simple credit card transactions.
Just like in the UK, overseas venues and wedding vendors might require deposits and final payments in their local currency, meaning you’ll have to send money internationally. While this will usually be possible via your bank, they typically charge high fees for international money transfers and often offer poor exchange rates, meaning you could lose hundreds of pounds over the course of several big transactions.
Instead, a smarter approach may be to use a specialist international money transfer provider, which offers bespoke services to help people move money across borders with lower fees, at faster rates and with competitive exchange rates. Not only that, but they often offer features that let you lock in a good exchange rate until a later date.
You can use FXcompared’s money transfer comparison tool to compare transfer providers and get a quote on currency transfers today.
Tips for saving money when planning a wedding abroad
With a budget in mind and a plan in place, you are in a better position to plan your wedding abroad. Here are some good tips to remember to help you save money.
- Think about inviting fewer guests
Bringing fewer guests can massively cut the costs of catering, transportation and accommodation. It can also allow you to have a more personal ceremony with your closest family and friends – you can always have a bigger party when you get back!
- Choose destinations where your currency goes further
Opt for countries with favourable exchange rates or lower local costs to stretch your budget without sacrificing quality. As of 2025, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Indonesia are all examples of places that offer high-quality wedding packages at a lower cost.
- Choose whether you want a legal or symbolic ceremony
Many couples choose to do their legal paperwork at home and have a symbolic ceremony abroad – this way you will avoid residency rules and expensive documentation fees.
- Use local planners or vendors who offer package deals
Aside from having a better knowledge of the destination country, local wedding planners can also offer bundles services with reliable vendors, which can be more affordable and less stressful than sourcing everything yourself.
- Consider travelling off-season
Venues and vendors often offer lower rates at this time and you’ll also see less competition for dates.
- Use cashback cards or loyalty programmes for flight/hotel costs
Use points, miles or rewards credit cards to pay for large wedding expenses – just be sure to pay them off to avoid interest.
- Confirm your payment timeline and required currencies
Knowing when payments are due and in which currency lets you plan transfers and avoid a last minute rush or poor exchange rates.
- Compare providers before making any transfers
Use comparison tools such as FXcompared’s to find the best rates and lowest fees for international money transfers. Small differences can mean big savings.
- Budget in your home currency, but pay in local curency
Track expenses in your native currency to stay on top of your spending, but always pay in the local currency to avoid dynamic currency conversion fees. And remember to keep your receipts in one place so you can track them.
Looking to pay wedding vendors abroad? Use FXcompared to save money today
When you’re planning a wedding abroad, it’s worth comparing providers before each payment to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Even a small difference in exchange rates can have a big impact when you're sending large sums for venue deposits or catering bills. FXcompared allows you to easily compare money transfer services side by side, so you can find the most cost-effective option for each transaction.
Ultimately, being smart about how you send money abroad is just as important as managing how much you spend. The right payment strategy could save you significant money, freeing up your budget for a few extra indulgences on your big day.
Try our free tool today and compare international money transfer deals in seconds.