Wedding planning: 5 reasons why Portugal is a great wedding destination

PHOTO BY Piteira Photography

My dear friend and wonderful wedding planner Olivia of Nulyweds specialises in planning gorgeous colourful weddings in Portugal. She wrote a blog post to tell you why is her beloved country a wonderful wedding destination.

PHOTO BY Piteira Photography

5 Reasons Why More and More Couples are Getting Hitched in Portugal

Let’s start this article by saying I am biased. As a destination wedding planner in Portugal, of course I want to share the merits of this gorgeous country and what it has to offer. However as 1 in 5 UK couples are now considering getting married abroad according to Destination Weddings Magazine, there is a clear reason why there has been an increase in interest in getting married in Europe and particularly in Portugal, which has seen a sharp spike in its wedding industry from the international market over the past 5 years. This is not by accident dear reader, and in this piece I’m going to share with you, what is tempting couples from all over the world to tie the knot in sunny Portugal. Speaking of which…

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The Climate

Probably stating the obvious here but bear with me, I might surprise you. Portugal is not a sun-all-round-winter-does-not-exist kind of place, so be mindful of anyone who sells it to you that way. Portugal is not all sunshine and rainbows and should never pretend to be. What it does offer is bright, temperate days in the Spring, hot, long days in the Summer and often warm, sunny days in the early Autumn too. For weddings, it’s the ideal evening soiree destination as the warm Summer evenings are great for late ceremonies and dancing into the early hours under the stars.

PHOTO BY Piteira Photography

The Talent

Internationally praised photographers, world renowned cake artists and high demand, editorial level florists are what you’ll find in unassuming little Portugal. The country may be understated but the talent certainly isn’t and the portuguese wedding industry is loud and proud about the beautiful things they can create for you. One of the fears when getting married abroad is the that possibilities are more limited than your home country when it comes to all the bells and whistles you want. If you have the means, most major trends either are already here or can be brought to Portugal with the help of the local creatives. If you have something in mind, share it with your wedding planner or venue and 9 times out of 10 they can make it happen.

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The Venues

Whether you’re looking for a beachfront location, a countryside idyll or a cosmopolitan grand hotel, you are spoilt for choice in Portugal. You can get married in castles, in wine cellars and of course, the great outdoors. Since I’m such a culture snob, I love the historical venues with chapels covered in azulejos like Pousada de Arraiolos, but there are also some cutting edge, modern luxe sites like Aqueduto Eventos or L’And Vineyards. Then there are the quirky, cool places like Areias do Seixo which can only be described as an amalgamation of what makes Portugal great – tranquility, the sea, uniqueness and modern luxury. The venues in Portugal are accessible, approachable and awesome.

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The Cost

So this is probably what you really wanted to know. Is it cheaper to get married in Portugal than it is to get married in the UK? The answer is a solid yes…and no. See when it comes to costs in a wedding context it really does depend on your final choices. You can spend £25k on a wedding but you can also spend £150k. Depends on what you really want and what is in your means. The rates are reasonable, and with some expert haggling by a wedding planner on your side, you can have a grand wedding for your budget. The takeaway here is that you’ll probably still spend that £25k but it may go further than it would at home.

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The Freedom

What I love most about Portugal is the freedom it brings you. The freedom to have a same-sex marriage. The freedom to have a celebrant blessing designed for you. The freedom to dance the night away. But I don’t just mean this in a wedding context. According to Freedom House, Portugal is one of the most free countries in all the world with an aggregate score 97/100. You can be who you are, allthat you are here. I think this is a vital piece of the puzzle when analysing why so many couples from all around the world are choosing to marry here. It’s not just the beauty and the sun, it’s the sense of complete freedom you get when you arrive here. You feel like you can be yourself and isn’t that what we all want on our wedding day?

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I hope you’ve found this article helpful on the 5 reasons why more and more couples are getting hitched in Portugal. If you want to find out more you can check out my blog on the ultimate guide to getting married in Portugal.

Ta ta for now,
Olivia

Nulyweds is an expert destination wedding planning service creating colourful, fun-fuelled, authentically Portuguese weddings for free-spirited millennial.