On your special day, you want everything to be beautiful – and rightly so. However, couples planning on getting hitched are being urged by conservation experts to avoid using live butterflies in their nuptials.

A growing trend towards the use of live butterflies in wedding ceremonies has been recorded in recent months, in which brides and grooms buy boxes of butterflies for their guests to release part-way through the wedding ceremony, creating a stunning airborne display.

However, the Butterfly Conservation Society is requesting that couples avoid releasing what has been termed ‘butterfly confetti’, which presents a number of risks, including an increased likelihood of spreading disease.

According to the organisation, many butterflies bred in captivity are raised in high-density cages and, as such, are more susceptible to disease. Meanwhile, some butterflies heave specific dietary habits and will not find the food they need to survive in all destinations, especially if they are not native to the location into which they are being released.

Expressing its concerns, the organisation stated: “We feel that using butterflies as confetti may encourage a dangerous attitude to wild creatures that are boxed, transported and released into areas, whatever the suitability.”

Instead, why not add beautiful touches to your wedding in other ways? Consider other factors, such as the location and how to capitalise on its most striking features.

The beach can be the perfect wedding setting, with the gently lapping waves close – additional extras often only detract from the beauty of the location. Cyprus is an ideal place for a beautiful beach wedding – take a look at our Cyprus wedding packages here.

One of the biggest benefits of booking Cyprus wedding packages is that you’re on a ready made holiday so after the wedding, you’re in the perfect place to do a spot of exploring and sightseeing. What could be better?

If you are planning a beach wedding overseas at the moment and wondering what you could do after the big day is done and dusted, make sure that you make your way to Lara Beach in the Paphos district.

The beach is in a protected area and home to some incredible wildlife so if you and your other half love nothing more than checking out local flora and fauna, this is certainly the place to be.

It’s actually one of the best places in the whole of Cyprus to spot green and loggerhead turtles, with a local conservation centre situated not far away. To see turtles arriving on the beach to lay eggs, you need to visit between May and August – and the best bit is that this beach is really secluded and not a proper tourist trap so you could have it all to yourself.

It’s a bit of a bumpy ride down to the beach, however, so you might be better off hiring some quad bikes and charging down to the shore in serious style. Or you can walk from Agios Georgios, but bear in mind that it’s about ten miles… so put your proper walking boots on!

If you’re looking into Cyprus wedding packages at the moment and the idea of getting away from it all to get hitched overseas really appeals, make sure you do all the necessary research into your chosen destination first so you know what to expect.

If your wedding budget allows for it, try to get on a plane and visit your choice of country before deciding to get married there. That way you’ll know for certain that it’s the right one for you and you won’t have any nasty surprises when you arrive for your actual wedding.

What might be a wise idea if you are going to get married abroad is to hire a wedding planner. They’ll have the contacts and information required in your choice of country to really help you to plan the wedding of your dreams, which can be very stressful if you decide to go it alone and don’t have quite the same level of knowledge as a professional wedding planner.

Try to meet as many suppliers as you can while in the country since you probably won’t be taking your own hair stylist or makeup artist with you.

And don’t forget to take the necessary documents with you when you go over for your wedding, including your valid passports, birth certificates, parental consent if you’re under 18 and more. Always check what you need before organising your wedding to avoid bitter disappointment later down the line.

When it comes to the wedding itself, try to avoid touching down in the country a day before the wedding. You should give yourself at least three days so you have time to get everything sorted and deal with any last-minute problems that arise.