In recent years, it’s been all about the great British staycation. The Covid-19 pandemic has made travelling overseas for our usual holidays a real minefield, with traffic light systems, the cost of additional testing and country-specific restrictions making it difficult and potentially unsafe to enjoy our favourite destinations abroad.
The very same reasons could mean you’ve had to rethink your options when tying the knot overseas too. But instead of escaping the country to find your own version of wedding day bliss, why not journey outside of your local area to one of the UK’s top staycation destinations?
Opting for a ‘local destination wedding’ is the way forward for brides and grooms looking for a destination wedding without the plane travel, here’s why!
You can make life easier logistically for you and your guests
Logistically, getting married in a wedding venue in the UK makes perfect sense for you and your wedding guests.
There are many challenges guests have to overcome to attend an overseas wedding. This can turn a reasonably priced wedding abroad into a hugely expensive affair for the happy couple, and the friends and family celebrating with them, as Hitched details:
“For the sake of your guests, check if there are reasonably priced flight connections to the country you want to marry and how far it is from the airport once you arrive. You may want to reduce some of their costs by providing airport transfers and making sure their food and drink are taken care of… If not all your guests are on a UK passport, they may have different visa requirements to visit the country.”
There are no such concerns when you host a local destination wedding. Guests can travel affordably by car or public transport without the need for additional paperwork, as well as find suitable accommodation more simply.
Elderly family members and those who don’t like travelling overseas (or don’t feel comfortable doing so at the moment) are also more likely to attend.
There’s no language barrier or cultural differences to contend with
Getting married overseas is a lot different than tying the knot in the UK. Depending on the country you intend to marry within, you’ll have to fulfil several legal requirements to make it official, which is made even more difficult by the language barrier and cultural differences.
Many countries also don’t permit visitors to marry legally and obtain the necessary marriage licence unless they have residential status.
With a local destination wedding, you’ll simply follow the national rules for getting married or forming a civil partnership. These differ from those abroad and even vary to the requirements in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Working with wedding venues and suppliers is simpler
When organising a traditional destination wedding, much of your planning will take place over the phone or via email. With a local destination wedding, you can be more proactive in your approach and make the entire process less stressful.
By choosing a wedding venue in one of the UK’s beautiful staycation destinations, you’ll be able to visit your venue more often and meet directly with suppliers to finalise those all-important details.
You’ll also get the opportunity to support wedding vendors, who need your business more than ever to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
There are so many beautiful venues and destinations to explore
The UK is full of stunning wedding venues and even more captivating destinations. In fact, you don’t have to search too far to discover a local destination wedding setting that has it all.
Set in some ten acres of beautiful, manicured grounds, Holmewood Hall is an 18th century Tudor Gothic style mansion that has history and elegance in abundance. It’s the perfect local destination wedding spot to host your wedding ceremony and reception.
Nearby, the city of Cambridge is the ideal place to kick-start married life with a British mini-moon that’s just as unforgettable as your wedding day.
Start planning your dream destination wedding, book a viewing at Holmewood Hall today.