Paying your wedding expenses from the UK

Tips for paying Spanish bank accounts from the UK

Avoid the nasty charges the banks are making, UK and International!

This article applies to those making bank transfers from the UK, and some International destinations, to Spain! Generally, it does not apply to those situated in the European Union, as, of course, the UK once was! Yes, since Brexit the banks are making extra charges when you transfer money from the UK to Spain and sometimes those charges are quite shocking! A recent transaction that springs to mind involved a UK client sending 120 Euros to our bank account in Spain using First Direct (to Santander Bank), our bang in Spain took 20 Euros and the UK bank took a whopping 56 Euros, making the total charged 76 Euros and the total received here in Spain Just 44 Euros! It's really random too, it depends on the bank used as to the charge deducted!

It can happen with other international transfers too, so how do you get around the extortionate charges the banks steal from you? Credit and debit cards are not a valid payment method in Spain, unless you are there in person! They cannot be taken over the phone, so bank transfers are the normal way to pay your wedding venue, caterers and service providers from home, but we recommend using a payment service instead of transferring directly from your bank. 

Some of the best services for transferring money from the UK to Spain are: 

• Wise: A transfer service that is very economical, easy to use and safe, charges are a lot lower than your bank and the receiver gets the right amount into their account. You are told the charges before you send anything, so no nasty surprises! 
• Revolut: An online bank account that lets you send in Euros as if you were in Europe, thus avoiding most of the charges. If you have a Revolut account and the receiver does too, it's totally free and instant too! It is well worth setting up a Revolut account if you are planning your wedding in Spain!
• PayPal: Paypal charges a set fee of around 4%, but it's quick, easy and instant! Ideal for making smaller payments like deposits, especially if you both have a Paypal account. There are also securities with PayPal and if there are any problems that are on your side!
• Currencies direct: A great transfer service for bank transfers from the UK to Spain, very low rates and easy to use, a representative will contact you and help you through the process.