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Getting married on the Costa del Sol is definitely de rigeur at the moment and in the last two years the number of foreign couples, especially Irish, deciding to tie the knot in warmer climes has multiplied. Making that special day different, prices, the weather or the opportunity to spend more time with families and friends during the trip are just some of the reasons for this surge in Costa weddings. Last year "Celebrations in Spain", a wedding organiser on the Costa del Sol, joined together with other suppliers to organise the "Costa del Sol Bride of the Year" competition which is set to become a yearly event and offers the opportunity to win a tailor-made wedding worth more than 12,000 euros.
This year's winner, Nicola Burton, visited Nerja last weekend to discuss her requirements for her dream day. Nicola, from Skerries, Co. Dublin, Ireland, plans to marry fiancé Eoghan McLaughlin on the 23rd of October at 5 p.m. in the parish church of El Salvador, Nerja.
The reasons for Nicola and Eoghan marrying in Nerja are explained in the heart-felt letter that won Nicola the competition: "I've learnt my Spanish by spending a summer in language school in Nerja and from many family holidays there over the years, especially in recent times. My family have a huge connection to this beautiful Andalucía pueblo and it would mean so much to us to have a wedding there. Just five months ago, my dad lost his courageous battle with a brain tumour. In a way Nerja always brings us closer together, it has been a sanctuary to us all through both happy and sad times. I would love the opportunity to have my wedding there so that maybe I might have a greater chance of feeling that connection to the one man, apart from the groom, who should be at my side on my wedding day."
Why do you think that so many couples are deciding to get married away from home?
It's definitely popular at the moment. I think that it's the chance to do something different and also it's a great opportunity to spend quality time with family. For most people their wedding day seems to go by in a bit of a whirl, you don't really get time to spend time with all your guests. If you all go away together it means that you have more days to talk to everyone and also means that the guests get to know each other better. I think price is also a very important factor, celebrations in Ireland cost more than double what they do in Spain and I think the service is better. With Irish hotels costing more than 200 euros a night, the friends, you've invited, can come out here to Spain for nearly the same price.
Why is it so popular with the Irish?
If you want a traditional church wedding, it's easier for a catholic to get married in a catholic church, whatever country it may be. We can work with the local Catholic church in Ireland and they can then pass on all the necessary paperwork to the Spanish church; with other denominations it can be a little more complicated. Civil weddings require that one of the couple is resident in Spain.
How many guests do you expect?
Everyone is jumping at the chance to come over. The prize includes a party for 80 people, and we will definitely have 80 guests but there will probably be 90 or 100 Irish flying out for the event. It's seen as something completely normal in Ireland, this year my fiancé and I have been to weddings in Spain and Italy.
What was your reaction when you found that you had won the prize?
When they called me I thought it was a wind-up. The person that rang had a Northern Irish accent and I have a friend from there, who's a bit of a comedian. They really had to convince me that it was for real. Once I was out of work I rang them to make sure that I'd really won, I couldn't believe it.
How do hope your wedding will be?
Relaxed, fun and with my family and friends around me. What more could you wish for!!
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