WITH 320 days of sunshine a year, you’re nearly guaranteed a nice day for a white wedding on the Costa del Sol. And that offer is open to everyone, gay or straight.

Enlightened Spain was the fourth country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005. Andalucia is in Spain’s top tier for weddings. It proved the third most popular spot in the country to get hitched in the first half of last year, coming just behind Madrid and its northern neighbour, Catalonia.

The almost 2,000 couples who have chosen the region to say ‘I do’ know what we know: that this area has a splendour that makes it a prime party location, especially for a celebration as important as ‘the big day’. You can always count on the weather to deliver, while its huge range of hotels, villas and budget-friendly establishments there’s an affordably honeymoon haunt for all.

The popularity of destination weddings has spread like confetti in the last few years, and with tourists already opting for Spain over less secure rival destinations, the country is really taking advantage of the booming €15 billion industry.

Marbella is the latest resort to set its sights on the marriage trade after ministers revealed a new scheme to promote the glitzy Costa del Sol resort as a global wedding location during Madrid’s FITUR tourism fair this year. Tourism chief Javier Porcuna said he hopes it will bring visitors during the winter season, as well as during the buzzing summer months. And you can guarantee a celeb or two will be included in the statistics. Playa in Marbella star Elliot Wright is to tie the knot with fiancée Sadie Stuart on the Costa del Sol this autumn.

They will join a host of stars who have chosen the coast, or neighbouring Gibraltar where you can marry with 48 hours notice, for their special day. Following in the footsteps of John Lennon and Yoko Ono who famously wed on the Rock, the late Status Quo rocker Rick Parfitt married wife Lyndsay in a nifty and thrifty €60 ceremony. Just seven years later, Rick Jnr. enjoyed an extravagant ceremony at Malaga’s stunning Castillo de Santa Catalina.

Much like the rest of us, celebs can’t help but be attracted by the romantic hot spots the region has to offer; gorgeous Granada, sultry Sevilla, romantic Ronda, charismatic Cadiz and of course the glitzy Costa del Sol. Don’t let the red tape for non-residents put you off. Most ‘destination wedding’ couples get the official part done at home before heading to Spain for the dream ceremony, be that a linen-clad affair on a beautiful beach or a posh gala dinner under the stars.

For same-sex couples, it is worth knowing that civil partnerships are only available if one member has been in the country for at least two years. However this rule does not apply to Roman Catholic ceremonies.

Blessings

Those who don’t want a religious hoorah and find registry office ceremonies too basic can opt for blessings, offered by several expat officiators and priests along the coast. Expats or Brits looking for a more traditional day can look no further than Gibraltar, where ceremonies can be performed quickly and conveniently, much like John and Yoko’s. Many do the legal bits and bobs on the Rock before returning to the Costa del Sol for the after party – made all that bit easier by budget travel companies, who are offering better deals than ever.

The coast offers a multitude of ways to dive into a life of married bliss. Relaxed poolside ceremonies at palatial private villas are proving increasingly popular, while others are opting for the full church monty and all the bells, incense and whistles that come with it.

A fancy hotel do is another option, and the coast offers up a bounty. The popular Sunset Beach Club in Benalmadena caters for hundreds of weddings a year, while the Rock Hotel in Gibraltar is historic and prestigious. The excellent well located La Bella Vista in Manilva can cater for up to 175 people right by the sea. While the average wedding budget is a whopping €30,000 – and you can spend more – you can equally opt for a low-key affair at a fraction of that price.

Spain’s wedding diversity, where same-sex marriage has been legal for 12 years, is the reason some 3,000 gay couples have tied the knot in the country, year on year, since 2006, But gay or straight, church or private villa, beach or banqueting suite, there has never been a better time to put a ring on it in Spain. It’s no wonder more than twice as many people come to Spain to wed as Spaniards go elsewhere.