Making your marriage vows in a fairytale setting has never been more popular, and many couples choose to combine their wedding with a holiday cruise. What could be more romantic, and easier to arrange? The transport, ceremony, reception and honeymoon are all taken care of in one booking. Friends and relatives can book their holiday cruises at the same time, and voila! No panic, no fuss, no worry.

Since 2007 P&O Cruises have taken advantage of Bermudan registration laws, and all their captains are officially recognised as marriage registrars.

In that first year 200 weddings were held on P&O cruise ships, and the figures have been steadily increasing ever since.

Given that the average price of a wedding in the UK is around £18,000 there are clear financial reasons as to why you might think of choosing a wedding at sea.

For £1,000 P&O will organise your day. This includes a full wedding planning service with your own wedding coordinator, personalised invitations delivered well in advance of your big day, a private on board venue with floral arrangements and music, a commemorative marriage certificate and champagne, and the services of the captain who will perform the actual ceremony and act as host for the afternoon.

As well as all that your P&O wedding planner can provide bouquets, corsages, buttonholes, a wedding cake, and a reception - from a finger buffet to a private wedding banquet. Your wedding can be large and formal, or a small and intimate affair if you so wish.

These additional services can all be discussed and booked well in advance, relieving the bride and groom of all that stress before the big day arrives; the P&O wedding organiser will take the strain. And should you have any worries or last minutes changes your planner is on board with you; no frantic phone calls or panicky emails.

All sounds great, you may say, but what about the cost of the cruise itself? Well, the average cost of a honeymoon to somewhere romantic will be about £4,000; the same as a P&O cruise to a whole host of romantic places, without having to worry about planes, hire cars and hotels.

You can also book all your guests in a block booking and qualify for a discount, or they can book their own cruise deals independently. Many wedding parties choose Mediterranean cruises as they will find something to appeal to all ages and tastes without having to experience a lengthy sea voyage.

If you are already happily married and the idea of a romantic wedding is making you wish you could get married all over again, P&O Cruises have though of that. They offer a similar package for marriage vow renewals, and this has proved to be a real winner. What better way is there to show your ongoing commitment to each other than a dream celebration on a romantic cruise?