To further investigate the holiday habits of younger engaged couples and the motivations behind choosing a ‘perfect wedding,' a leading independent cruise comparison website conducted a study of 2,183 soon-to-be-married couples aged 18-35, each of whom had a ‘perfect wedding’ in mind.

The study, conducted by CruiseCompare.co.uk, initially asked the respondents the multiple choice question ‘What is your idea of a perfect wedding?’ More than half, 53%, stated a ‘white wedding’ was their idea of perfection when it came to their big day, whilst a further fifth, 19%, admitted that their ideal wedding would be held on a ‘cruise ship.'

Furthermore, 23% of the respondents cited that their ‘perfect wedding’ would take place on an ‘exotic beach.' Only 2% of the engaged couples asked stated that getting married in a ‘registry office’ would be their idea of a ‘perfect wedding.'

The respondents to the study were asked to explain their reasons for choosing their ‘perfect wedding.' Of the 19% who stated that getting married on a cruise ship was their idea of a ‘perfect wedding’ the majority, 47%, said it was because of the ‘luxurious surroundings’ provided onboard a cruise ship.

A further tenth, 11%, of the respondents who admitted that getting wed on a cruise liner was their ‘perfect wedding’ stated that the ‘experience’ such a venue would offer was their reason for wanting to do so. 18% said the opportunity of ‘combining the wedding with a holiday’ was why they thought getting married on a cruise liner was the ‘perfect wedding.'

When asked ‘Do you think you will actually have your dream wedding?’ less than a tenth, 7%, of those who dreamt of getting wed on a cruise ship answered ‘yes,' whilst a further 16% admitted to being ‘hopeful’ of achieving their ‘perfect wedding’ on a cruise ship.

Danielle Fear, Managing Director of CruiseCompare.co.uk, had the following to say, “A wedding day is one of the most important days in a person’s life and most of us have dreamt about it for years and hold the perfect day in our minds. After previous research that revealed many engaged couples want to honeymoon on a cruise ship, I wasn’t surprised that a fifth dream of getting married onboard; it would certainly be luxurious and very different!”

She continued, “I am sure that more than 7% can achieve their dream wedding on a cruise ship, as it's certainly doable and fairly affordable. After the ceremony, newlyweds can simply relax and make the most of the experience. What is a better way to start married life than sailing into the sunset?”