Marriage, an outdated concept?

Every year, thousands of couples travel to Cyprus to tie the knot. The allure of combining a wedding and honeymoon with something different, including good weather, are key drivers in choosing a destination wedding. In fact, the foreign wedding industry in Cyprus is worth millions to the island’s economy, with a significant percentage of tourist arrivals attributing to its wedding tourism.

The wedding market is flourishing, and it may just be the tourism niche needed to revitalise the travel industry post-pandemic. Couples are hosting larger gatherings with more guests despite rising prices, which has an impact on all facets of the local economy. These larger wedding parties are beneficial to hotels, small businesses such as florists, taxis, car rentals, restaurants and banqueting venues.

As a destination, Cyprus is ideal for a wedding if you want to start your marriage on the right note. After all, this is the island of love. The omnipresent goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite left her gentle imprint over the entire island, from her birthplace in Paphos to the hidden grotto on the tip of the Akamas peninsula where she would meet her lover Adonis for a private romantic getaway.

It is also possible to hold royal nuptials on the island, like English King Richard the Lionheart did in the Middle Ages when he wed Berengaria of Navarre at Kolossi castle in Limassol. Raise a glass of Commandaria to your future with one of the oldest Cypriot wines, which Richard referred to as “the wine of kings and the king of wines” during his wedding.

Mythology and romanticism aside, the island is also the easiest place to visit if you want a civil ceremony instead of a religious one.

However, it is still unclear whether this million-euro industry is merely an old-fashioned institution.

When my wife and I were married in the late 1990s, our big fat Greek wedding reception in South Africa was the outcome of the societal pressure and expectations from relatives. Our lavish affair, however, was an opportunity to see both close and distant relatives, and old friends that you rarely get the chance to meet up with, while the occasion marked the beginning of our 25-year partnership.

Aside from the exorbitant cost of catering for over 700 guests and spending the reception moving from table to table trying to get a few minutes in with each one – simultaneously missing out on the meal and other reception details we had spent months planning so carefully – big weddings were extremely popular at the time, with the parental notion that having more witnesses at a wedding will strengthen marital quality.

Nowadays, intimate weddings can often mean a more personal celebration, giving the option to make guests part of the ceremony, and, more importantly, a smaller guest list is one of the best ways to whittle down the cost.

On the other hand, there are those who believe marriage comes with a lot of baggage. I had the opportunity to speak with several millennials and post-millennials who view marriage as an archaic institution and an “unnecessary expense.”

Although most agreed marriage to be a celebration of union, “marriage does not equal proof of love or long-term commitment,” said Savvas, an IT strategist based in Limassol. “Many married individuals treat their partners horribly, and some of the most committed and loving relationships in existence involve people who are not married, so why do we as a society keep pretending that marriage is the ultimate signifier of commitment and adoration?”

According to Helen, an accountant at one of Cyprus’ financial institutions, “marriage places constraints on a woman’s financial independence.

“In many western countries marriage is not necessary anymore given that partners can be granted similar rights and fiscal advantages by civil unions and other legal procedures,” she added. “For some people, marriage is outdated and a social imposition.”

Whether one is planning a laidback, casual beachside wedding in Cyprus, a refined and stylish soiree in one of the island’s luxury hotels, a grand affair at a historic site or a simple civil ceremony at one of the local municipalities, the wedding tourism business in Cyprus is thriving.

However, if you are someone who just marches to the beat of their own drum, and does not agree with social norms, perhaps marriage is not for you. You can still have a long and happy committed relationship, without needing to conform to societal expectations.