Forget castles or country manors, increasing numbers of couples are opting to get married on a cruise.
Travel agents and cruise lines are seeing a surge in interest from people looking to tie the knot while on board their favourite ship.
P&O Cruises reported a record number of bookings for weddings on the water last year, up 12 per cent.
Several other cruise brands offer wedding ceremonies at sea, including Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Virgin Voyages and Holland America Line.
Dave Mills, chief commercial officer at online travel agent Iglu, said weddings at sea are becoming an increasingly popular option, especially for couples aged 40-plus who are looking to combine their love of cruising with a good-value ceremony.
Mills said: “The beauty of a wedding at sea is that a single point of contact at the cruise line will take over the wedding planning and details, and everything is scalable from a small, intimate ceremony to a huge, lavish event.
“At the same time, of course, customers will have a built-in honeymoon and precious time to spend with loved ones. Each year we will be involved in many such events, increasing slowly but surely in line with overall growth in cruising and a better awareness of the opportunity to do such a romantic thing.
“Lines limit the number of weddings allowed to ensure each couple is rightly the centre of attention on the day. Cunard for example, allows one wedding per ship per day, so early booking is key.”
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Wedding packages typically range from £1,000 to £3,000, on top of the cruise fare.
Packages differ but may include a wedding cake, music, food, drinks and spa treatments.
In comparison, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is £20,822, according to Bridebook, so a cruise ceremony and party may work out cheaper – although you would have to convince your guests to pay to attend.
Phil Evans, managing director at Cruise Nation, said: “Couples have the same benefits as a normal wedding abroad, but with so much more.
“Incredible sunshine, relaxation and beautiful food across multiple destinations, and that’s not to mention the incredible range of activities on board, such as bars, classes, pools, restaurants and plenty of other things to keep your guests entertained during travel…
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