What's the point in this?

Does seem a lot of unnecessary expense all round for what is essentially "a dream".

I had friends do this a few years ago - they got "married" here with parents then 100 of us went to Majorca for the "wedding" the following week.

You cannot legally get married in Spain or the Maldives... prob many more but these are 2 I know of!

I wonder which date they would have as their anniversary?

You can get married in Spain.....providing you property there, or you have a Roman Catholic Wedding (as long as you are Roman Catholic!)

We debated the Maldives, but when I read that you have to either get married in Sri Lanka or in the UK beforehand and just have a blessing then I gave up on that plan!

We had that many plans of places to get married, but for some of them the paperwork was intense!

My friends consider the ceremony abroad as the date they got married. The registry office was just paperwork.

I agree with you Panjita! Wouldn't semm as bad if it was just them on their own. I probably wouldn't go if I was invited. Doesn't seem real!

They are having a huge reception when they get back too. So why not just do the ceremony and reception in one day then go on your honeymoon, the abroad wedding just seems completely unnecessary.

My oh's brother did the same thing but in France, they had a registry office wedding here first with minimal guests and a month later we all flew to France about 90 of us and they had another ceremony there, if I was heart set on getting married abroad I dont think I would be bothered about alreayd being married I know that my sister in law didnt class the registry office as her wedding it was formality and thats how she looked at it. I know what you are saying about it being a bit of a waste of time but everyone has there own reasoning why they choose to do it that way but I have to say as a guest it was the nicest wedding I've ever been to.

My friend at work did this in Spain.. She had a large wedding 150 guests in Spain (both her parents live out there) but she officially got married just before on the quiet in the UK.. They didn't tell anyone about it tho and most guests believed it was a real wedding!

They celebrate on the date they got 'married' in Spain.. This is actually the main reason we cancelled looking in Spain and chose the UK! ?

Maybe they just always dreamed of getting married abroad? Whether they're actually getting married or not prob doesnt matter to them as long as they get their wedding abroad?

Each to their own, if they have the money why not? !

I am not sure I really understand the problem with people deciding to do this.

If they choose to celebrate their wedding by "getting married" abroad and that has always been their dream - what's the difference if they have to, for legal reasons, get legally married here from apaperwork persepctive and then have the ceremony and celebration abroad.

We all say our wedding our way - this is just the same thing. I think it is a shame if people decide they know better than the Bride and Groom and decide not to go, especially if the ceremony overseas was a legal wedding as well as a ceremony they would go.

My cousin did this. She got 'married' in Spain but obviously she had to have the legal ceremony in england first. She didn't tell anyone so everyone thinks the real wedding day was Spain. I don't know if anyone else has worked it out but I know because we also looked at getting married in spain but decided it was stupid when you'd be having two weddings. She just did it because it was her dream to have a wedding abroad, partly because her dad unfortunately passed away in 2007 and she felt if it was in spain it wouldnt be so hard to deal with. As it was she has said it was still the most difficult thing so i don't really get it.

I've got no problem with anyone doing anything for their wedding, it's none of my business, I just don't really understand the point in it.

Me neither- if they are not getting married there then why invite loads of people over 9at great expense) to watch?

If you want to get married abroad, pick a country where you can actually legally get marrried!

It's more like they've just invited everyone is on their honeymoon with them.