AisleDash

England is a country with a rich and elegant history, a culture of tradition, and settings that are stunningly beautiful. It seems perfect for a romantic wedding.

I love English wedding traditions. They tend to be formal and the dress code is elegant and sophisticated. I adore morning dress for men, the hats that women wear (and believe me, this is de rigeur in the UK), the beautiful venues and settings...just the sumptuous pageantry of it all.

England has a fairly mild climate, so it is suitable for weddings all year round, and there are a wide range of venue options, some traditional and some quite funky.

• Renovated barns and other rustic options
• Cathedrals, churches, chapels, temples, and other religious buildings
• Estate homes, mansions, and villas
• Museums
• Luxury restaurants
• Country clubs and resorts
• Zoos
• Formal halls
• Castles

However, planning a ceremony in England can be quite challenging.

The wedding ceremony itself must take place in an approved location.

Whether you want to have a civil ceremony (and right now getting married in the Chelsea registry office in London is very trendy) or a traditional church wedding, there are some basic residency requirements. You need to give between 7 days and 21 days notice of your intent to marry and once notice is given, then you have a further 12 months within which to hold your wedding. (This doesn't mean you have to live in the UK for that year, though, so don't be put off by that).

I'd recommend using a local wedding planning service to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

One United States dollar is worth slightly less than half of a British pound, which can make planning a wedding in England much more expensive than a similar celebration in the United States. But oh my, if you can afford to splash out, I'd say an English wedding is really worth considering.

With some very careful planning (and who doesn't plan their wedding carefully) you could have a truly memorable wedding in England.