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Thread: Anyone got married abroad?

  1. #1
    Master
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    Anyone got married abroad?

    Whereabouts and how did it go?

    We have been talking about it, second time round for me and I don't want a big wedding. Partner she would prefer something quieter as well and as we love travelling, we're considering this.

    So far we've thought about Italy (Lake Garda perhaps), Venice maybe, or even one of the Greek Islands like Santorini, or even the Caribbean. Could be more hassle than its worth, might not be practical with my eldest just starting University, my second doing his A levels and my youngest being 1, however we like the idea.

  2. #2
    Master senwar's Avatar
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    Yes, I got married at Cypress Grove in Florida (not Cypress Gardens) in 2003.

    We both never really wanted the big deal and it worked out significantly cheaper for us overall - one week in Orlando, flew to Mexico for a 'honeymoon' week, then back for a couple of nights before flying home. Probably a quarter of the cost a normal wedding would have been.

    Both sets of parents came along with a few friends. We did offer to all friends but the distance/cost wasn't easy for all obviously. We had a joint ceremony with our best friends who also got married (sadly, they divorced a few years later).

    Only regret is not having a do when we got back but to be fair that wouldn't have been the same without the wedding day anyway.

    other reason was that we'd always be away on our anniversary as we go away at the same time each year. That bit worked out great and we've had some great anniversaries across the globe.

  3. #3
    Currently planning to go abroad(Florida) , as said it's cheaper(not the sole reason, but just happens to help) than this country and then have a party that everyone gets invited too when we get back.. it actually solves a lot of problems with guest lists and weeds out the people who just want a free slap up meal!!

  4. #4
    Master PipPip's Avatar
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    Got married at an amazing castle in Czech Republic. Bit of a different situation though as my wife is Czech so her mother organised the whole thing. It was fantastic with the British family and friends making a long weekend of it in Prague. Fairytale wedding really and total cost was well under £5k. This was 15 years ago though!

  5. #5
    Master raringtogo's Avatar
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    Yep. Did the second marriage in Appalachicola just off the Panhandle of Florida in 2001.

    Easy to do, cost about $85 from memory and was very relaxed. Only PIA was having to go to Tallahassee to get signed "Apostles" as required by The Hague Convention.

    Si.

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  6. #6
    Master Wolfie's Avatar
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    France - had the civil ceremony here (no fuss - can't even remember the date) and then had the big do there…

    Sorts out the wheat from the chaff…. 90 close friends and family

    Helped that one of my mums best friends owned the chateau where we had the bash and we had the use of a 13th century Romanesque Abbey for the short service…

    Wonderful day…. Truly memorable and unique as nobody previously got married at the chateau and there has been a wedding there since

    A group of my mums mates did all the catering and I employed a bunch of local village kids to be waiters for the day…

    All in for about £6k and many people commented on the fact that it was the best wedding they'd ever been too…. Partied in a large marquee and supplied eaux de vie de mirabelle supplied by a local farmer!

    Avoid corporate places…. The idea of a sandy beach with 'looks like we made it' playing gently on the background fills me with dread personality

    Loved our day!

    Edit -

    This thread needs pics

    The Abbaye - Tournus Burgundy



    Chateau Balleure



    Plenty of space for the kids to run around



    Wonderful food - canapés for the vin d'honeeur



    The wedding party



    The lucky lady!!!

    Last edited by Wolfie; 12th September 2017 at 11:40.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by raringtogo View Post
    Yep. Did the second marriage in Appalachicola just off the Panhandle of Florida in 2001.

    Easy to do, cost about $85 from memory and was very relaxed. Only PIA was having to go to Tallahassee to get signed "Apostles" as required by The Hague Convention.

    Si.

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    Apostilles!

  8. #8
    Master tiny73's Avatar
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    Hawaii, on Sunset Beach (yes, I know...). Just me and the wife due to family issues and not wanting the stress of dealing with them in addition to the wedding day stress. It was fantastic, just me, the wife, the minister, his wife as witness and a photographer.

    When we got back we had a big party for friends and family in a casino in Manchester which was significantly less stressful and way more enjoyable.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by senwar View Post
    Yes, I got married at Cypress Grove in Florida (not Cypress Gardens) in 2003.

    We both never really wanted the big deal and it worked out significantly cheaper for us overall - one week in Orlando, flew to Mexico for a 'honeymoon' week, then back for a couple of nights before flying home. Probably a quarter of the cost a normal wedding would have been.

    Both sets of parents came along with a few friends. We did offer to all friends but the distance/cost wasn't easy for all obviously. We had a joint ceremony with our best friends who also got married (sadly, they divorced a few years later).

    Only regret is not having a do when we got back but to be fair that wouldn't have been the same without the wedding day anyway.

    other reason was that we'd always be away on our anniversary as we go away at the same time each year. That bit worked out great and we've had some great anniversaries across the globe.
    We also go married at Cypress Grove. Very nice and well managed.


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  10. #10
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Baan Rak municipal district office in Bangkok. Cost 55 baht which at the time was £1.04! No point spanking £30k+ on a party to commemorate something that statistically ends in divorce half the time and these parties are all the same anyway.



    Mrs B was sensible and understood having a huge party wasn’t the best way of spending money and instead that money paid for the deposit on a flat in London which earnt more than we did J





  11. #11
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    We did it 12 years ago, both our second marriages, we spent a week at Sandels in the Bahamas ( the wedding ceremony was 'free' / included) and a second week on a dive boat livaboard, the Aquacat, we hadn't told a soul and it was perfect. Zero stress, half the cost.
    Cheers..
    Jase

  12. #12
    Master raringtogo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Apostilles!
    Who knew!

  13. #13
    Master senwar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rincewind View Post
    We also go married at Cypress Grove. Very nice and well managed.


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    We arranged ours all through Virgin holidays at the time (in the days before I started arranging things myself). Virgin were fantastic as well, we got a wedding planner in the UK as part of the cost.

    Don't suppose (long shot) Doris married you did she? Bizarrely a friend of my wife got married there a few years later and when they connected on facebook again she saw their pics. Doris married them too.

  14. #14
    Master dejjl's Avatar
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    Montego Bay, Jamaica, 20+ years ago. The two of us and six friends and family members went and we had a great time. No dad to help pay the wedding bill on either side of the family, so it was this or don't get married. Still married now...

  15. #15
    Got married 6 years ago in Greece.

    Had a big reception here for 310 people . ( Asian weddings tend to be big and 310 is considered small) and had the registry in Greece with 32 friends. We all flew out on a Sunday, wedding was on the Friday and most flew back on the Sunday.

    Got married at Amatheus Rhodes. Was incredible. Had a great time. The hotel took care of all wedding arrangements. Nothing was too much to ask .

    The reception, food etc.

    Was very, very reasonable too.
    Last edited by eagletower; 12th September 2017 at 14:31.

  16. #16
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    My son got married in the US without telling anyone.

    No fuss, no big do.

    Best way IMO.
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by senwar View Post
    We arranged ours all through Virgin holidays at the time (in the days before I started arranging things myself). Virgin were fantastic as well, we got a wedding planner in the UK as part of the cost.

    Don't suppose (long shot) Doris married you did she? Bizarrely a friend of my wife got married there a few years later and when they connected on facebook again she saw their pics. Doris married them too.
    I'd have to check with my wife to find out the name but the woman who married us was a tiny little grey haired lady in a black trouser suit. We arranged ours direct with cypress grove themselves and paid for their pro photographer. Just checked the invoice now and we paid £1094 all in. I'm such a cheapskate


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  18. #18
    We were married in Ravello Italy on the Amalfi coast. Incredible place, but not cheap.

  19. #19
    Master
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    we got married in dubrovnik, it was brilliant

  20. #20
    Master village's Avatar
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    We got married in a castle outside of Florence. Flew both sets of parents and brothers/sisters over and that was that. All sorted through a specialist Italian wedding agency and went with very little hassle and the family made a holiday out of it whilst we buggered of to Positano for our honeymoon.
    We had a party later on back home for other friends and family.

  21. #21
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    We were married in Geneva, as any true WIS would

    There were around 20 guests during the day, all close family and friends. We hired a luxury coach (in Geneva these really are something) to shuttle them between locations and none of our guests knew what to expect of the day.

    It commenced with a dual-language legal ceremony in the magnificent rooms of the Service de l’état civil, followed by a blessing at the English Church. Then a short tour across the city in the coach spotting landmarks like the flower clock, finishing at the grounds of the fabulous Musée d'Histoire des Sciences for photographs, champagne and the entertainment of the exhibits. A privately chartered boat collected us at the La Perle du Lac jetty for a cruise around the lake, culminating at the auberge at Port-Gitana for a leisurely late lunch. Happily the weather was very kind and the Jet d'Eau was in full flow.

    In the evening we held a party for around 80 friends and family at the Domaine du Château de Collex, for a set price they provided a huge barbeque and free flow of wine which was well taken advantage of. This proves conclusively that I can organise a piss-up in a vineyard, if not a brewery.

  22. #22
    Master raysablade's Avatar
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    My brother and sister in law got married when they were upgraded to a bridal suite on a trip to Vegas. It was the 1st April so they might have had trouble convincing their mothers. However it was one of the first "internet" weddings and was available for download.

    Perfect IMHO.

  23. #23
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rincewind View Post
    I'd have to check with my wife to find out the name but the woman who married us was a tiny little grey haired lady in a black trouser suit. We arranged ours direct with cypress grove themselves and paid for their pro photographer. Just checked the invoice now and we paid £1094 all in. I'm such a cheapskate


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I can out cheapskate that, we wanted photos at ours, (see above post of mine) the lad who took them was great fun and laid back and we got quite matey with him, we bought a couple of photos through the books and bunged him $50 and he copied the rest of the 100s of photos onto a memory stick.
    Cheers..
    Jase

  24. #24
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    No, but should have gone abroad instead of getting married 😕

  25. #25
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by senwar View Post
    We arranged ours all through Virgin holidays at the time (in the days before I started arranging things myself). Virgin were fantastic as well, we got a wedding planner in the UK as part of the cost.

    Don't suppose (long shot) Doris married you did she? Bizarrely a friend of my wife got married there a few years later and when they connected on facebook again she saw their pics. Doris married them too.
    Just asked and Valerie Tucker performed our ceremony.


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  26. #26
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    My daughter married in Kos this May gone, all went well and it was great, also the sun shone.





    With all the kids (only one is hers)


  27. #27
    Craftsman
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    Barbados 2008, it cost 1000 USD for the priest, cake, documentation, professional photographer and all planning through the hotel. The hotel arranged a driver to bring us to get our marriage licence, he parked up for a couple of hours while we went shopping.

    Just the two of us travelled because my mother was too ill, wife's family in the US didn't travel because none of mine were going to.

    Wedding ceremony on hotel boardwalk over looking the beach. Absolutely stunning, better still the hotel had free cocktails on the beach on Tuesday's. Really nice to go for a walk on the beach with your new bride while the sun sets.

  28. #28
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    Some great ideas and lovely pictures (thanks all), be very happy to do a lot of these. Only thing that rules some out are having a 1 year old. For example, Having just come back from Vegas for the 8th time I love the place but I wouldn't subject myself to an 11 hour flight (and 8 hour time difference ) with my little one.

  29. #29
    Master smalleyboy1's Avatar
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    Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 2004. Just the wife and I and it was the best thing I've ever done. Got a wedding photographer and video guy to record the whole thing for the folks at home. Spent nearly 4 weeks out there traveling about.

    My wife and I took the kids there last Christmas for 3 weeks to show them it and tour NZ again.

  30. #30
    Craftsman
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    Yes.... In Thailand.... In my wife's home at her village right up in the north-east...

    Buddhist ceremony with most of the village in attendance.... Inc dogs, chickens, screaming kids etc...

    Quite interesting really, especially the part where the village elders Bless you by blowing Lao whisky over us whilst we were holding lighted candles...

    Lasted almost 2 days, then we had to go to the local council office to get all the paperwork done.

    Overall a good time was had.

    Regards

    V

  31. #31
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    My Australian now wife and I got married in Santorini with only a handful of people, for a wedding anyway, at a very reasonable cost, in gorgeous weather and we wouldn't change a thing. We were living in London at the time and didn't want a big day or the silly pricing and wanted the insurance of good weather. I think the local meal for 16 people cost me about 500 Euro!!! Haha, so reasonable, and that included a local chocolate mud cake that was devoured as well. No crappy fruit cake with concrete icing for us

    Go for it

  32. #32
    Master Wolfie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smalleyboy1 View Post
    Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, 2004. Just the wife and I and it was the best thing I've ever done. Got a wedding photographer and video guy to record the whole thing for the folks at home. Spent nearly 4 weeks out there traveling about.

    My wife and I took the kids there last Christmas for 3 weeks to show them it and tour NZ again.
    Wow... I was best man in that very church back in 2008.

    Went to a lovely place with Mt. Cook as the backdrop afterwards for the reception...

    Such a beautiful part of the world

    Took my mate on a boat ride and for a game of crazy golf in the morning...

  33. #33
    Grand Master RustyBin5's Avatar
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    I got married in Vegas. I'm also in deep trouble if my wife ever finds out about it....


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  34. #34
    Master senwar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rincewind View Post
    Just asked and Valerie Tucker performed our ceremony.


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    Ah right, not Doris then - your description initially even made it sound like Doris.

  35. #35
    loads of folk get married here in Gibraltar, but that is the quickie marriage kind ala John Lennon, as the prerequisite is that you have to spend the night before the wedding on the Rock and that's all

    best place to do it :- right at the top of course... http://www.monscalpesuite.com/weddings/ though there are plenty of churches and other places to tie the knot too (Botanical Gardens, Registry office etc...) and hotels etc..




  36. #36
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    Got married in Rhodes, St Pauls Bay outside the Capel, had a Greek wedding planner not the one provided by the holiday company so had a few extras and really came in handy when there was one set of stamps missing on our certificates for marriage.

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  37. #37
    Master woodacre1983's Avatar
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    Anyone got married abroad?

    We got married in Spain a small village and in a large campsite was a lovely wedding low key and yet made to feel very special by the locals and camp staff.

    Spain though is very difficult to do I found due to the strict Catholic beliefs.














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    Last edited by woodacre1983; 14th September 2017 at 11:40.

  38. #38
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    We got married in Santorini 5 years ago.

    Our concern was expecting people to spend so much money travelling out to see it. We gave everybody plenty of notice so luckily everyone came and most people made a holiday of it.

    We used a company based in Twickenham who specialised in arranging Greek weddings from the UK. Everything was arranged for us bar accommodation and we had a wedding planner there from the company as part of the package. Bar a couple of little hiccups it was an amazing wedding and holiday.

    45 people came and it was a fraction of the cost of what it would have been here in the UK, guaranteed weather and a free bar.

    Looking back we wouldn't do it any other way.

  39. #39
    Apprentice moorery2001's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xantiagib View Post
    loads of folk get married here in Gibraltar, but that is the quickie marriage kind ala John Lennon, as the prerequisite is that you have to spend the night before the wedding on the Rock and that's all

    best place to do it :- right at the top of course... http://www.monscalpesuite.com/weddings/ though there are plenty of churches and other places to tie the knot too (Botanical Gardens, Registry office etc...) and hotels etc..




    Wow, I didn't want to get married before this but this view convinced me i should! hahaha.

  40. #40
    Master
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    Thanks everyone for all the photos, much appreciated.

    Picked up the ring yesterday so it's all go thinking about where and when.

  41. #41
    Master SeanST150's Avatar
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    We're not married yet; after a few years of being engaged we decided a month or so ago it's about time to get it over and done with. Or something more romantically written.

    We had a budget, enough for a basic wedding in the UK. However not enough to then enjoy a honeymoon. So it was decided, honeymoon over wedding.

    We walked into a travel agent, told them our budget, our preferred location and apart from that we're flexible. They gave us a few ideas and brochures and said come back once you've had a chance to digest.

    A few hours later we were back. In April we will be spending 2 weeks in St Lucia. While there the hotel will marry us for free. We just need to make some friends there to be our witnesses.

    Simple! Easiest thing I've ever organised.

  42. #42
    Master Wolfie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SeanST150 View Post
    We're not married yet; after a few years of being engaged we decided a month or so ago it's about time to get it over and done with. Or something more romantically written.

    We had a budget, enough for a basic wedding in the UK. However not enough to then enjoy a honeymoon. So it was decided, honeymoon over wedding.

    We walked into a travel agent, told them our budget, our preferred location and apart from that we're flexible. They gave us a few ideas and brochures and said come back once you've had a chance to digest.

    A few hours later we were back. In April we will be spending 2 weeks in St Lucia. While there the hotel will marry us for free. We just need to make some friends there to be our witnesses.

    Simple! Easiest thing I've ever organised.
    Congratulations Sean... great news

    Delighted for you...

    Ben

  43. #43
    Master SeanST150's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wolfie View Post
    Congratulations Sean... great news

    Delighted for you...

    Ben
    Thanks Ben.

  44. #44
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by SeanST150 View Post
    A few hours later we were back. In April we will be spending 2 weeks in St Lucia. While there the hotel will marry us for free. We just need to make some friends there to be our witnesses.

    Simple! Easiest thing I've ever organised.
    Congrats.

    When we arrived in Barbados and waiting for the hotel transport to pick us up we had a chat with a few others who were also waiting on the coach. Explained we were there to get married and they asked if we would mind if they watched the ceremony, we agreed.

    We had drinks and dinner together over the next few nights, turns out they were all lovely people so we had six very willing witnesses. One husband and wife acted as our best man and bridesmaid and the other two couples as witnesses, it couldn't have worked out any better.

    I doubt you will have any trouble finding volunteers, it adds to a nice story to tell when you get back home.

    Best of luck.

  45. #45
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Married on a Caribbean cruise a couple of years ago. Captain ran the ceremony, lovely meal in a private part of one of the signature restaurants and a photo shoot in Grand Turk the following day. Wedding cert is a Bahamas one
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  46. #46

    Red face

    Got married about 3 years ago in Marsala, Western Sicily. Lovely, unspoilt town - not touristy at all. Civil ceremony in a converted 16th century Monastery in the town centre and then Reception at a lovely local winery/vineyard (Baglio Donna Franca).

    Small, intimate wedding - about 40 guests, all staying together for 3/4 nights. Food amazing!! :)

  47. #47
    Master
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    I got married in Kampala, Uganda. Those Africans know how to throw a party! Everything and everyone was late of course, but that's Africa. :0)

  48. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by moorery2001 View Post
    Wow, I didn't want to get married before this but this view convinced me i should! hahaha.
    No neeed to get married we could always pop there for a pint....

  49. #49
    Craftsman
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    Yes i got married in Turkey but it wasn't "abroad" for me -at least by then! :)

  50. #50
    Journeyman Paulie's Avatar
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    I got Married in Vegas and Honeymooned in LA for a week, no family, just me and the Wife! Then had a party on our return. Im really glad we did it the way we did. That was nealy 10 years ago. Plus all in it cost around the same as some of the UK venue charges alone!!

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