Also i read that although the proceedings would be legal in the UK, we wouldnt be able to register the marriage in the UK, dont like the sounds of that!

But you wouldn't need to - if the process is as the weddings organiser says, you would have already been married in the UK first and your marriage would already have been registered in the UK. There would be no need to register whatever ceremony took place in Portugal if you'd previously had a registry office wedding in the UK first.

I knew someone who was getting married to a guy from Malta and in order to ensure he could stay in the UK - and to make sure that they could make the most of the then Married Man's tax Allowance - they had basic civil ceremony here in late March with just 2 witnesses and no party etc. They still lived apart - his parents were VERY traditional! - until they went to Malta later that summer and had the full works with the nuptial mass and everything. They're the only people I know who have 2 wedding anniversaries per year! They 've always chosen to regard the religious ceremony in Malta as the real start to their marriage but officially and under British law they've actually been married for 5 months longer.

SM