Walk down the (tropical) isle

Perhaps it is the lure of spending the day of their lives in a dream setting.

Or maybe the thought of being able to tie the knot free from the worries of trying to keep all the in-laws happy appeals.

Whatever the reason, an increasing number of women want to marry abroad - preferably in a paradise beach resort.

One in ten Britons now weds overseas, with a survey finding a quarter of women prefer the idea of being a 'bikini bride' over the traditional white wedding.

Last year, 33,800 couples made their vows in sunnier climes, a 56 per cent rise on 1998. The figure is expected to rise again this year to around 35,000. The increase comes as the number of couples getting married continues to fall. Only 285,000 are expected to take their vows this year compared with 305,000 six years ago.

But brides' enthusiasm for foreign weddings was not always shared by grooms.

Men were found to be far more traditional - with 22 per cent wanting a white wedding, compared with just 15 per cent of women.

Jenny Catlin, of analysts Mintel, which carried out the survey, said: 'There are several reasons why people decide to get married abroad. Many see it as an easy option, because everything is included and organised by the travel agent.

'These weddings can also work out cheaper than UK weddings and the choice of destination has improved over the last few years.'

The most popular destinations are Mauritius, Cyprus and South Africa, although New York is also a favourite. Weddings and honeymoons abroad are now a £204million business, with each ceremony costing £5,825 on average.

This is still £ 10,000 cheaper than a church wedding in the UK, the survey found, with the average cost of a wedding here now just under £16,000, 50 per cent more than in 1998.

Miss Catlin said the trend to marry at an older age might be contributing to the rise in costs.

'More people are staying single longer and, of those who decide to get married, many are leaving it until later on in life,' she added. 'This means they are likely to have more money to spend on the wedding.'