The practice of getting married overseas is a good way for Britons to beat the recession, it has been stated.

Managing director at Weddings & Honeymoons Abroad Nick Gropper commented that the cost of nuptials abroad compares very favourably with the expense involved in being married in the UK.

He stated: "Getting married in the UK costs round about GBP20,000 whereas when you get married abroad, the average cost is about GBP4,000."

Such a situation could be beneficial for those investing in Spanish property, as rental accommodation could be let out to honeymooning couples or those attending the ceremony and reception.

A recent study by marryabroad.co.uk found that Spain is one of the two most popular locations for overseas weddings, along with Greece.

Its research also revealed that the number of visits to its website was up by 29 per cent on a year-on-year basis for the first two months of 2009.