Getting wed in the Med

Increasing numbers of British couples are choosing to tie the knot in Gibraltar, guaranteeing them a rock solid start to their marriage.

Offering a Mediterranean climate, Gibraltar was always going to be popular with those marrying in the sun, but its status as a British Crown Colony offers extra benefits to Britons seeking a convenient marriage abroad.

"For the UK market, it's appealing because it's on British soil and everything is in English," Peter Canessa, head of the tourist board, told the BBC. "People are familiar with the legal terms because the Gibraltarian law is based on UK law."

Moreover, the rock is just two and a half hours from Britain and for couples planning to tie the knot there is the extra benefit that you only have to be in Gibraltar for 24 hours first.

More than 820 weddings took place on the tiny island last year, of which 641 contained two "outsiders", the majority of whom were Britons from the UK or their homes in Spain.

Notably popular with those looking for a low key ceremony, three in five couples are older romantics, tying the knot for the second or third time.

At present, most weddings take place in hotels or the registrar office, although a cable car company is applying for a licence to allow people to get married right on the rock itself.

Gibraltar's most famous married couple is undoubtedly John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who tied the knot in front of the rock in March 1969.