
We have a guest blog today from the lovely Phil who wrote us a blog last year on Proposal Rings. He’s back to give you his Groom’s perspective on wedding planning, including getting married abroad, stag do planning and Coronavirus. Enjoy!
It’s been a year since my first (ever) blog on Proposal Rings. Facebook reminded me a few days ago and I thought it would be a good time for an update! Since getting engaged, we’ve been to Cyprus to scout out a wedding venue, to the local bars to plan a stag do, and closely following how recent events could impact our wedding.
Feature photo by Pudding and Plum Photography
Getting Married Abroad- Scouting out the venue
After a couple of months of shopping around, attending wedding fares, internet research and panicking about costs, we settled on getting married abroad in Cyprus. We’re going through a popular Yacht Wedding provider, who offered a great package at reasonable cost. I’ve always fancied getting married abroad and it sounded ideal. There’s a much better chance of sunshine than a wedding in Blighty!
I’m always one that likes planning ahead so we decided to visit Cyprus to suss out the lay of the land before the wedding. We loved the place! The wedding provider took us to the wedding venue that Kirsty had set her heart on after looking on the internet and it blew her away. We also went on a tour of the yacht where the wedding reception will be held. The trip gave us an opportunity to see the area and the hotels, not just for ourselves but for the wedding guests. I’d certainly recommend checking out the location if you’re getting married abroad. It’s a great excuse for a holiday, if nothing else!
The wedding package we’ve booked means that a lot of the arrangements are done for us. I’m not one to shirk my responsibilities but Kirsty is disabled and it takes a lot of pressure off her. We do know a great wedding planner though, that black & white cat weddings, who’s always happy to give us a hand. The finer details are still up for us to choose, although I’m sure Kirsty (and the guests) wouldn’t be too impressed if I got my way and had Simple Minds hits playing all night!
Planning the all important stag do...
With wedding invitations issued and the wedding website created, the next thing to sort is the stag do! I wanted to get a date in the diaries well ahead of time, although the wedding isn’t until Autumn. This is just as well, as one of the weekends I had in mind has a concert by some modern pop star I’d never heard of playing at the local arena and the hotel prices were through the roof.
I’m always up for a good night out, these days more as a couple or in small groups than a big group of lads. I wanted to keep it simple, having been to many stag dos over the years. Many a time we’ve been turned away from bars for being in a big single sex group and had to split up just to get in (not easy to do once a bouncer’s clocked you). I decided to keep it local as the city we live in is lively and we know it well. A reconnaissance mission with the best man is planned in the next few months to confirm the best places to go. Hang on a minute though, didn’t we do that last time we were out as well just before Christmas?
Getting married abroad and coronavirus
Amongst all this excitement though, is the big thing on everyone’s minds, Coronavirus or COVID 19. At the start, like many people, I knew it was out there but seemed millions of miles away. It felt like one of those things that wouldn’t affect me. As time went on, it was obvious that it was getting more and more widespread. When flights and events started to get cancelled, I started to realise this could have an affect on us getting married abroad. Even my beloved Simple Minds have cancelled several European concerts this week!
Kirsty and I are doing what we can to mitigate any risk. There is still hope that it might all blow over by our wedding in October, but it really makes you stop and think. Our wedding supplier has been very reassuring that they’ll postpone the date free of charge as a result of any government-imposed travel ban or quarantine. This helps put our minds at ease to some extent.
At the time of writing, several European countries including Cyprus are now on lock-down. The world is certainly in uncharted waters. Whether getting married abroad or in the UK, I feel for those couples whose wedding day has been moved or cancelled, not forgetting those directly impacted by this virus.
To be continued…
Big thanks to our awesome photographers: Pudding and Plum Photography, Nathan Walker Photography, Katherine And Her Camera and Vicki Clayson Photography.
Over on the blog - more unique wedding ideas

Magical Underground Wedding at The Caves, Edinburgh
underground weddingat the caves Hayleigh and Scott waited 4 whole years for their showstopping underground wedding afterparty! After legally tying the knott during Covid, they decided that 2023 was the year to finally have a big celebration at The Caves in Edinburgh. Their big day was filled with mood lighting,

Shannon & Mark’s Gothic Micro Wedding
gothic micro wedding We’re keeping things simple today with Shannon and Mark’s Gothic micro wedding. When the pandemic changed their plans, they took things back to basics and celebrated with their closest family and friends. Not only that, but they did it with STYLE. Their dark wedding decor is absolutely

Black & White Wedding Inspiration in Tuscany
black & white wedding Discover this chic black and white wedding inspiration that strikes the perfect balance between classy and edgy. Located in the stunning Tuscany, Deni Weddings & Events crafted an intimate elopement shoot, blending classic wedding elements with a touch of intriguing darkness. Dive into the details and

Modern Gothic Wedding Ideas
modern gothic wedding This modern Gothic wedding is an absolute beauty! This gem was sent into us by Foxglove & Black and we ADORE the rich burgundy, skull details and subtle pagan influences. If you’re looking for a wedding that’s equally sophisticated and elegant as it is dark and moody,

Rainbow Barn Wedding at The Wellbeing Farm
RAINBOW BARN WEDDING Get ready to smile because this rainbow barn wedding is SO full of joy! Rachael and Kev tied the knot at The Wellbeing Farm in Bolton, and they filled their day with colour and personal touches. Kirsty Rockett Photography took these colourful wedding photos and we can’t

Ashleigh & Daniel’s Autumnal Wiccan Wedding
Autumnal WiccanWedding Spirituality meets celebration in this gorgeous autumnal Wiccan wedding. Ashleigh and Daniel combined the badass spirit of halloween with a rustic, bohemian softness – the result was a gorgeous, whimsical wedding with a killer autumn colour palette. From pumpkins galore to fire pits and broomsticks, keep reading to