The dreamy, sunshine island of St. Lucia has moved ahead of Barbados and Mauritius as the top choice for British weddings overseas, according to a new survey.

An American Express Travel Weddings & Honeymoons report shows that overall, the large Caribbean islands dominate the weddings market for romantic Brits.

This year, more money-conscious couples chose to marry abroad, to take advantage of lower costs.

However, American Express Travel says that increasing numbers of wedding couples are now heading off the beaten track to 'adventure' destinations including Iceland, Borneo and Bhutan.

There has been strong climb back to popularity by the four large Caribbean islands - St. Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica and Antigua.

This is attributed to the strength of sterling against the US dollar currency which has fallen through the sidewalk.

And shrewd tour operators have come up with a spate of highly competitive packages to tempt them into spending on a romantic spree.

St. Lucia takes pole position in the weddings top ten, edging out Barbados.

But the biggest jump comes from Antigua, which has moved four places up the top ten, to overtake strong performers Las Vegas and Cyprus.

The Seychelles and Sri Lanka are new entrants, replacing Mexico and Florida.

And the survey highlights Sri Lanka, which has recovered well post-tsunami and is appealing to couples on a budget, because of its highly competitive pricing and romantic image.

Katrina Harrison, the company's vice president for Europe, says: "Sri Lanka sits alongside Cyprus as a wedding destination.

"It's affordably priced, and has all the key ingredients - great beaches, guaranteed sun and a beautiful location.

"Cyprus also wins out for its shorter flight durations and easy wedding regulations."

She added: "Cost continues to be a crucial factor in choosing a wedding overseas.

"Our offices report spends of between £3,000-£6,000, well under half the figure for a UK ceremony.

"And for younger couples, finding a destination that combines a great wedding experience with low costs is a priority.

"That's why themed wedding trips to Las Vegas remain so popular."

According to the survey, Las Vegas, at number six in this year's list of top places for weddings, is the destination perceived by wedding couples to offer the best value.

Among competing city destinations, New York, Dubai and Cape Town have all grown in popularity over the past 12 months.

Top Wedding Destinations for 2006:

1. St Lucia

2. Barbados

3. Mauritius

4. Antigua

5. Cyprus

6. Las Vegas

7. Jamaica

8. Seychelles

9. Sri Lanka

10. Maldives