THE ‘EMERALD ISLE’ BREAKS INTO TOP FIVE DESTINATIONS FOR BRITISH COUPLES GETTING MARRIED ABROAD

– John Lewis International Payments reveals the top ten destinations for Britons marrying abroad in 2015
– An estimated 2,400 couples will get married abroad this year, approximately 28 per cent more than in 2014
– Italy retains the top spot, while Britons enjoy a ‘WeddinG’Day’ as Australia becomes a top international wedding venue
Ireland has rocketed into the top five most popular destinations for Britons planning to marry abroad this year. According to the latest findings from John Lewis International Payments, the ‘Emerald Isle’ pushed out the United States which slipped down to the seventh most popular destination.(1)
Italy, France and Spain retained the top three spots for the second year running, while 2015 also saw a surprise new entrant in the form of Australia, which squeezed its way into joint tenth place alongside Croatia.
According to the international payments provider, an estimated 2,400 couples will get married abroad this year, approximately 28 per cent more than in 2014.(2)
Top 10 most popular destinations for Britons getting married abroad
2015
1. Italy
2. France
3. Spain
4. Greece
5, Ireland
6. Cyprus
7. USA
8. Portugal
9. South Africa
10. Australia / Croatia
2014
1. Italy
2. France
3. Spain
4. USA
5. Greece
6. Cyprus
7. Portugal
8. South Africa
9. Croatia
10. Mexico / Poland
Dino Marcangelo, spokesman for John Lewis International Payments, said: “Britain is having a love affair with Ireland. With its historic castles, hospitable culture and stunning countryside, Ireland has it all. It also has the advantage of being located just across the water from the British mainland.
“Unsurprisingly, Italy has retained the top spot. The country simply oozes romance and the clement weather and picturesque scenery makes it the top choice for many couples.
“Australia has been the surprise new entrant into the top ten. Its distance from the UK would not make it an obvious choice for most couples, but nobody can question the brilliance of its landscape and the love that so many people in the UK hold for the country.”
On average, an overseas wedding costs around £6,500(2) – a third of the cost of doing it in the UK – but while people are keen to save money, John Lewis International Payments warns that costs can still add up if you do not manage the transfer of money from the UK efficiently.
Marcangelo, continued: “Arranging a wedding abroad can seem cheap, but can quickly become very costly if you are not careful. The venue, accommodation, ceremony, flowers, dress, cake and entertainment costs are the main focus for most couples, but the cost of transferring your money could easily blow your budget.
“Money does not always travel well and couples could see costs rise by as much as three per cent if they simply use their bank to transfer funds abroad rather than use a specialist international payments provider.”
John Lewis International Payments offers international payments online and over the telephone and can be used worldwide.
People can find out more about the service by visiting www.johnlewis.com/internationalpayments or by calling 0330 123 3396.
– Ends –
Notes to Editors:
1. Top 10 destinations denoted by people insured for weddings abroad. Source: John Lewis Wedding Insurance
2. Grossed up figures based on market share and using data sourced from John Lewis Wedding Insurance.
3. Source: Thompson weddings, 2014
For further information please contact MRM:
• David Stewart on 020 3326 9910/ 07971 182 813 / david.stewart@mrm-london.com
About John Lewis International Payments
John Lewis International Payments offers bank-to-bank transfers through HiFX and is available online (www.johnlewis.com/internationalpayments) or over the telephone (0330 123 3396).
Key features include:
Any charges made by a customer’s receiving bank will be refunded
No transfer fees on amounts over £3,000, a flat rate of just £9 is charged for sums below that amount
Competitive exchange rates – updated every six seconds
Forward contracts allowing customers the opportunity to lock-in the best rates
About John Lewis
John Lewis operates 42 John Lewis shops across the UK (31 department stores, 10 John Lewis at home and a shop at Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership where all 30,000 staff are Partners in the business.
John Lewis, ‘Multichannel Retailer of the Year 2014’¹, ‘Best Overall Retailer’² and ‘Best Retailer 2014’³, typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. (www.johnlewis.com). John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand. (www.johnlewis.com/insurance)
¹ Oracle Retail Week Awards 2014
² Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2014
³ Which? Awards 2014
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