Weddings and honeymoons overview: News, features and selling tips

It’s a great time to sell weddings abroad. One out of six British couples got married overseas in 2008 – which equates to around 51,300 ceremonies.

Even if a couple wants a British wedding, the relative cost of marrying overseas could sway them. According to research firm Mintel, You & Your Wedding magazine found that the average cost of a wedding in the UK is as much as £20,000, compared with just £6,500 abroad.

A successful wedding can win travel agents a customer for life, and the happy couple are likely to recommend you to family and friends. Weddings are also an ideal opportunity to book groups and see your commission soaring. Many suppliers offer special group deals.

On this page you’ll find links to wedding and honeymoon features from Travel Weekly and elsewhere, plus selling tips from Sandals’ wedding experts.

Weddings and Honeymoons on Travel Weekly 

• Moneymoons: great ideas for a luxury honeymoon [Feature, August 2010]
  
• Greece: Scintillating Santorini [Feature, May 2010]
  
• Mystery Shopper: Liverpool travel agents sell the Caribbean [Feature, April 2010]
  
• Easy weddings abroad: 6 no-hassle destinations [Feature, April 2010]
  
• US: Weddings with a difference [Feature, May 2010]
  
• Weddings abroad: Five package deals for 2010 [Feature, January 2010]
  
• Selling a Sandals wedding? Check our weddings FAQ on TWacademy [TWacademy]
  
• Senior sales manager Leah Marshall on selling luxury all-inclusives  [Feature, February 2009]

Weddings and honeymoons: articles from the web

• Aisle of dreams: our guide to weddings abroad [Telegraph]
  
• Marrying abroad [Brides Magazine]
  
• Advice on marrying abroad [Foreign Office]

Tips: Family weddings and group weddings

Halifax claims that 1.4 million Brits will attend at least one wedding abroad this year and more than 4 million have been to one the past three years.

But a family wedding can be a complicated booking. Here we look at how to deal with three common problems, with details of how our sponsor Sandals can help.
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Issue: According to Halifax Travel Insurance, guests attending weddings abroad will spend on average £1,300 – £1,000 more than they would spend in the UK.

Solution: Many resorts offer extra benefits to group parties. And emphasise that all-inclusive resorts can help guests keep control of their budget.

Sandals Solution: Sandals resorts are all-inclusive, down to premium-brand drinks and transfers. Sandals offers a group WeddingMoon® package for bookings of five rooms or more for a minimum of seven nights.
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Issue: Family members have different budget restrictions, accommodation needs and general holiday preferences.

Solution: Offer accommodation in other nearby resorts, or offer a resort with a wide variety of accommodation options and enough activities to satisfy everyone’s needs.

Sandals solution: Sandals and Beaches Resorts offers wide range of activities and accommodation that can satisfy all tastes and budgetary needs.
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Issue: Keeping children occupied during a family wedding.

Solution: A number of resorts include facilities for children that allow parents to spend some time alone and enjoy adult social events.

Beaches solution: Beaches resorts feature a wide range of children’s facilities, that will keep kids of all ages busy, from Kids Camps with certified nannies, to XBOX 360® Game Garages featuring XBOX 360® consoles.

Tips: Selling weddings and honeymoons

Improve your wedding and honeymoon sales with this step-by-step guide from a Sandals expert

• Make the couple feel comfortable. Congratulate them on their engagement first; you can even ask how they met to create a friendly atmosphere.
  
• Find out what kind of wedding the couple wants; is it a romantic private wedding or a big family one? Some resorts are adults only, some can accommodate families.
  
• Every couple wants an unforgettable wedding that provides good value for money. Start with the best options, and look for alternative ideas if the couple brings the money issue up.
  
• Suggest a few special touches, such as spa treatments for the bride and groom, a personal dressing assistant for the bride or a candlelight dinner.
  
• If your couple wants to organise a honeymoon, why not suggest they combine the two and book a destination wedding?
  
• Finally, suggest they book their anniversary or a renewal of vows now and keep them coming back.

Sandals offers all the above, as well as exclusive wedding packages to make the ceremony extra special. Find out more below…