Bournemouth Gears Up for Launch of 2012 Beach Weddings

It might not be the warmest or most exotic wedding destination in the world but Bournemouth in the United Kingdom is gearing up for the arrival of brides and grooms in 2012 after the town received permission to conduct beach hut weddings.

Earlier this year, the council gave the town permission to conduct beach weddings and couples have already started booking their romantic ceremonies for next year.

Many couples are choosing to book beach wedding ceremonies in the English coastal town rather than heading off abroad for destination weddings in tropical and more exotic locations, and this is good news for Bournemouth and its economy.

Image by : andym8y, on Flickr.

Bellissimo Wedding Planners has signed a contract with the council and they will offer a range of special wedding packages for couples planning beach weddings in Bournemouth between April and October 2012, with prices starting from £999.

The director of the company, Melani Kiani, was only expecting 14 bookings in the first year but the bookings are continuing to come through. The weddings that are already booked will be taking place throughout the year, and on weekdays as well as weekends.

She explained: "We have had 16 bookings for 2012 and two for 2013.

"It's been really successful. We have had a lot of interest both locally and nationally. The majority of people making enquiries are not local, which is great for Bournemouth.

"It means people are coming for a weekend, they bring their families, eat in restaurants and spend money."

Image by reecepacheco, on Flickr.

Couples who book the special package for weddings on the beach in Bournemouth can enjoy the services of a professional wedding planner, cliff lift arrival for the bride and bridesmaids, music for the arrival, a wedding arch, a ceremony in a special beach hut next to the West Cliff lift, a drinks reception, and stylish décor. Couples can also hire a marquee for an additional fee where they can invite up to 400 guests.

Melani added: "A lot of the people really want a beach wedding but they can't afford to go abroad or can't travel for family or health reasons."

The first Bournemouth beach weddings will take place in 2012 and the initiative will help encourage British couples to book weddings on home soil instead of postcard-perfect weddings abroad, while attracting brides and grooms from all over the UK and Europe to the golden sand beaches of Bournemouth.

Susan Crown - About the Author:

Born in Cuba and having lived and studied in London for over 5 years, Susana is a recent university graduate with a passion for travel who has taken much inspiration from the exotic destination she has visited throughout the years.

Upon graduating she has ultimately come to join an important UK tour operator specialised in Cuba holidays to share her love for travel with holidaymakers as the company's very own travel reporter and news editor. Her interest in the tourism industry was formed from a very early age, following her father's footsteps, a travel representative and manager, who worked for Cuba's national air carrier and whose travelling job was also the reason she found herself travelling from an early age and living in different parts of the world with her family.

Having travelled extensively herself, throughout her home country in Cuba, Europe and other faraway destinations in Asia and the Middle East, including exotic hot spots like China and Egypt, she continues to nourish and build upon her tourism knowledge to bring our travel readers with a fresh outlook on the latest happenings in the holiday industry.