Argyll and Bute grows in popularity as wedding venue

Figures obtained by the Advertiser show that the number of weddings attended by council registrars in the first six months of 2018 are increased on the previous year.

These include the number of weddings during the month of May – the same month as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married – increasing by a third.

A total of 76 couples were married by Argyll and Bute registrars in May, compared to 57 for the same month in 2017.

A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We offer an excellent, welcoming registration service and our team works with a range of businesses across Argyll and Bute to promote the area as a wonderful place to hold and celebrate a momentous occasion such as a wedding or civil partnership.

“We look forward to helping many more people celebrate their big day.”

As of June, the running total of weddings attended by Argyll and Bute registrars stood at 224 for 2018, compared to 212 last year. In 2017, the final total was 505.

Late winter and early spring weddings are also proving more popular, with February and March showing increases in 2018.

The council does not keep records of weddings by area, but it is understood that two areas will see an increase over the rest of the year.

Oban, Lorne and the Isles, and Mull, Kintyre and Islay, are both said to have a higher number of weddings coming up this year.

The figures for Helensburgh and Lomond, and Bute and Cowal, are each expected to remain roughly the same.

The council’s dedicated wedding website offers several selling points for Argyll and Bute as a prime destination to celebrate a marriage.

It states: “Situated on the Scottish west coast, Argyll and Bute is one of the most stunning and diverse areas in the country. We have 3,000 miles of coastline, six main towns and 25 inhabited islands.

“Each area has its own unique character and culture and all offer a wealth of beautiful locations and venues for your perfect day.”