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Whether you voted to remain in Europe or leave, the result of the EU referendum will affect everyone “for better or for worse”. Suppose you’re planning to marry in Europe or thinking about having a destination wedding. In that case, you may wonder how the British exit from the European Union will affect your decision.
Here’s how Brexit could affect your marriage abroad:
Your Marriage Will Still Be Valid
Don’t worry that your upcoming union will be made invalid. Thankfully, the UK recognises all marriages held abroad regardless of EU status. The only requirements are that your marriage was legal in the country of your ceremony and that it doesn’t go against any UK legislation, neither of which will be affected by Brexit. It would be best if you still underwent the same processes to legalise your wedding.
You May Need to Raise Your Budget
While it is too early to tell how Brexit will change the value of the Pound Sterling in the long run, initial results show that it has already fallen dramatically. This means your money will be worth less in another currency than it was. Where flights are concerned, one of the benefits of EU membership was the policy of “open skies”, which allowed any EU airline to fly freely within Europe.
This led to the rise of budget airlines and decreased fares from premium airlines. At this point, it is undecided whether the open skies policy will remain in place. If it doesn’t, there is a good chance that the cost of your flights will rise noticeably. Only time will tell how these decisions will affect your budget, but make sure you have a contingency plan in place just in case you need more money later.
You May Need to Change Your Dates
If money is a big concern, you may have to prepare to change your dates. If the open skies arrangement is revoked and countries remaining in the EU get more say over which airlines they allow into the country, there is every chance they’ll favour their own (more expensive) airlines. There are hundreds of cheap flights to European destinations every day.
If your chosen destination gives more expensive airlines preference, fewer flights will be available from these budget airlines. This may mean you must be more flexible about dates to get the best price.
You May Need to Limit Alcoholic Gifts
Picture the scene: it’s your wedding reception, and some of your friends and family have chosen to present you with expensive bottles of wine as wedding gifts. You want to make these gifts last, so pack them away to drink at home. However, when you arrive at customs, you are told that you are only allowed to bring 4 litres of wine into the UK, and you must pour hundreds of pounds worth of gifts down the drain or face extra charges.
This scenario could arise if Britain loses its right to abide by EU customs limits. You may find that it’s better to accept gifts when you’re back on home soil if you’re expecting to receive a lot of fine wine, regional spirits, craft beers, or even tobacco products.
However, accepting such gifts overseas could be more cost-effective if you only expect to receive a few bottles. The UK is expected to revert to the non-EU duty-free allowance. A few bottles of champagne purchased at the airport could be cheaper. Just ensure your guests know there might be a limit on what you can bring home.
You May Need to Wait to Share Wedding Photos
By 2017, the “roaming” charges that phone companies hit their customers with when they travel abroad are to be abolished entirely in the EU. Now the UK is leaving the EU. There is a possibility that mobile phone companies will continue to hit consumers with excessive charges. If this does happen, you may want to hold off on uploading your smartphone wedding snaps to Facebook. If not, you could find yourself paying more for the upload than you did for the photographer.
You May Need More Paperwork
Understanding all the nuances of what could happen regarding visas is impossible. Changes will vary depending on what each country sees as fair. But some countries may impose new visa regulations that require you to have more paperwork (and pay more money) to enter their country. Make sure you keep an eye out for information from your destination’s relevant embassy as negotiations progress.
You May Need to Rush Things
Many people choose a destination wedding because they or their partner were born and raised in that country. If you’re one of those brides or grooms, you may want to bring your wedding date forward. While heads of the Leave campaign indicated that those already in the country would not be kicked out, this isn’t set in stone. The only people whose futures are genuinely secure are those entitled to permanent residence after being in the country for five years or more. There is no guarantee that the resident and rights of newer migrants will remain unaffected. If either you or your partner would gain UK citizenship through your marriage, you may want to get hitched sooner for peace of mind.
Feeling Overwhelmed?
With all this in mind, hiring a destination wedding planner is now more critical than ever. Planners are keeping up to speed with all the information brides will need in the coming months and years so that they can help you with all the random, confusing bits and organisational struggles. You’ll be able to consult with them on budgeting and contingency, legal requirements and paperwork, dates, flight arrangements and more, giving you the wedding of your dreams without the Brexit stress.
Tell us how Brexit could affect you and if you will change your wedding plans.
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