Perfect Proposal

IMAGINE proposing to the one you love on a tiny, remote island surrounded by a circle of white sandy beach, in the middle of the picturesque Yasawa Islands in #Fiji. This romantic scenario could be reality with the release of Captain Cook Cruises Fiji, Tivua Island Proposal Package. 

The #romantic adventure begins as soon as you set sail on the magnificent tall ship Ra Marama or the luxurious sleek sailing catamaran Fiji One which will take you on a 90-minute cruise to the tiny tranquil island of Tivua. Enjoy some Fijian entertainment and morning tea along the way. Once arriving at Tivua experience a traditional welcoming Kava ceremony before being whisked away to a deserted part of the beach where your loved one will discover a “message in a bottle”, lying at the water’s edge and containing a personalised proposal message. Then celebrate your engagement over a delicious tropical buffet lunch and a bottle of sparkling wine in a private romantic bure on the beach. 

Spend the rest of the day on cloud nine, simply laying on a comfy beanbag under a beach hut, taking a leisurely swim, feeding the fish, sleeping on a hammock, go on a guided herbal medicine nature walk, snorkel or go glass bottom boating over the magnificent reefs and clam gardens escorted by a Marine biologist or try a romantic kayak or paddle board around the island.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Boom in beach brides as Brits opt for overseas weddings

TRAVEL agents are seeing increased demand for #beach #wedding locations, according to research by Post Office International Payments. 

The research, which involved telephone interviews with 115 travel agents, has shown that Cyprus was the number one overseas wedding destination over the course of the last 12 months and travel agents predict this will continue over the next year. There is confidence that international weddings market is set to grow over the coming year, with 58 percent expecting budgets for overseas weddings to increase by an average of 12 percent, compared to just five percent who think budgets will get smaller.

The top five destinations for overseas weddings all offer a high chance of sunshine, with the Caribbean Islands the second most popular destination followed by Greece, Italy and Mexico. 

Between June and September, traditionally the busiest months for weddings, Post Office International Payments sees a 40 percent increase in the average value of payments sent abroad for wedding-related expenses compared to the rest of the year.

Rob Scott, MoneyGram® manager Post Office, said: ‘With the risk of rain ruining wedding photos in the UK, it is easy to see the attraction of getting married on a beach in the sun. It is no longer a case of eloping abroad; with cheap flights and hotels people increasingly hold the full scale celebrations for large numbers of guests overseas.

‘Organizing an international wedding inevitably involves a lot of high value payments to overseas suppliers. But the cost of these payments can really mount up if you automatically use a High Street bank, which often charges around £25 per transaction. Specialist international payments providers are an easy way to reduce these costs, offering peace of mind as couples can lock in an exchange rate for up to a year saving themselves money if the pound weakens in that time.’

Although beach locations were the type of destination showing the biggest growth in popularity, one in three travel agents also reported growth in demand for countryside locations, and 28 percent for city locations. Others reported increased demand for getting married near historical monuments, in mountain or jungle locations, or on cruise ships.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Timeless Love via photopin.com

Waiting for the wedding …

GETTING married abroad can be romantic but also a bureaucratic nightmare. You have go through legal processes of one sort or another everywhere, but in these countries it’s little less of a headache than in many others … 

Cyprus
All paperwork is in English and couples don’t have to spend a certain period of time on the island before they get married, so they can have the wedding and honeymoon within a week.

Rhodes, Greece
Getting married in Greece is relatively straightforward, although the couple do have to be in the country for a full week before the wedding so they will need to book a fortnight holiday and get married in the second week. Santorini is another big wedding island in the Aegean.

Barbados
The Caribbean has long been one of the most popular overseas wedding destinations for British couples and Barbados, arguably the most ‘British’ of all the islands in the region, is a safe bet. Couples need to register only 48 hours before getting married, so it is easy to organize.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is popular because it’s good value and has unusual wedding options – few places allow the bride and groom to ride off into the sunset on the back of an elephant, or marry on a moonlit beach to the hypnotic sound of drums. On a practical note, the couple need to be in Sri Lanka at least five working days before the wedding. Good flight connections from the capital Colombo mean it is easy to combine a Sri Lankan wedding with a honeymoon in the Maldives.

St Lucia
Another favourite Caribbean option, a special licence allows couples to be married within 24 hours of arrival and the choice of venues ranges from a deserted beach to a botanical garden, church, or yacht.

Las Vegas, US
Getting married here isn’t quite as uncomplicated as popular myth has it; there is paperwork. Both parties must appear in person at a Clark County Marriage Bureau location and present identification with ages and names. It, though, almost instant. There's no waiting period; couples will get their marriage licence on the day they apply for it … and the marriage bureau is open from 8 a.m. to midnight daily. Divorce in the state of Nevada, of course, takes somewhat longer.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28113499@N08/5526299075">"Endless love"</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124348109@N01/150969285">Runaway Bride</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Marrying abroad? Don’t forget these …

DESTINATION wedding experts MarryAbroad.co.uk have listed the things UK couples typically forget when planning to tie the knot overseas.

Leave enough time for the paperwork: Couples should make sure they allow plenty of time to sort out the marriage paperwork, which can take between three to six months to complete, depending on the country.

Most countries require the following legal documents:

• Passports 
• Full birth certificates showing both parents' names 
• If divorced, original final divorce papers 
• If widowed, death certificate of former spouse 
• If your bride/groom has changed their name(s), legal proof of the change 
• If marrying in a non-English speaking country, documents might need to be translated by an official translator and stamped with an Apostille. In the UK, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can legalize documents for a small fee 
• Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (required by some countries). This can be obtained from a local department of foreign affairs, registrar, or embassy in the chosen country 
• Some countries require UK legal documents to be stamped with an Apostille Stamp, which then makes them legal documents in that country 
• Certificate of Single Status/ Sworn Affidavit that you are free to marry. These are similar to a Certificate of No Impediment, but instead you have to swear you are single in front of a legal representative, i.e. a solicitor or notary 

Check and compare currencies: When choosing a destination, couples should check and compare currency exchange rates to save on costs. The pound is currently extremely strong against the euro. This in turn makes European weddings much cheaper than last year – approximately 23% cheaper in May 2015 compared to December 2014. Couples should secure quotes from a selection of foreign exchange companies to obtain the best rates to transfer money to their wedding provider … and not forget that rates will usually vary, depending on the amount of money being transferred.

Look out for free ceremonies: Caribbean and North American resorts often offer a free wedding ceremony if couples stay for a certain number of nights or bring a certain number of guests.

Send save the dates: Couples should post save-the-date cards well in advance of the wedding day if they want guests to attend an overseas wedding. The more notice given, the more likely friends and family will be able to fly. Lots of notice also gives them plenty of time to start saving for the trip.

Listen to the weatherman: When choosing a dress, brides should have the weather of the country in mind, at the particular time of year they plan to marry. A heavy wedding dress on a tropical beach might make brides look uncomfortable and overheated in the photos. Hurricane or rainy seasons might not be an ideal time of year for outdoor weddings, which is particularly true of the Caribbean and South- East Asia.

Book in maiden name: Brides who plan to take their husband’s surname (and that’s not mandatory in Britain and the US) should remember to book airline tickets in their maiden name, unless they change their name legally before they fly.

Talk to the airline: Most airlines will allow brides to bring their wedding dress as hand luggage; however brides would need to contact the airline directly prior to booking. Also, while speaking to the airline, if a family is travelling together, the whole party should ask for a group travel rate.

Don’t forget the extras: Apart from settling the balance of the actual wedding abroad, couples shouldn't forget the little extras that need to be budgeted for in the UK, such as travel and wedding insurance, getting documents translated (if required), and getting the correct documents legalised.

www.marryabroad.co.uk is a free information portal for engaged couples, providing marriage legalities, information, and advice on marrying overseas.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/125992663@N02/16380743505">beach wedding</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)