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Where is the money now? In Europe or elsewhere?

A quick google shows the average 130 guest wedding cost over there is 20,000 Mickey Mouse Money.

Your 30 k is something short of 26 grand in real money.

That number, is about how much buying a 300 grand house will cost you in fees, including with the usual rip off lawyers and so on.

Unless you happen to be very well off, I would rethink the whole thing.

If she/he/they/them is pushing you to spend that sort of cash, rethink seriously.

If you are rich enough not to give a flying rat's buttock about the cost, please PM me and I'll marry you.

Carrying that much cash over a border is mad at best. I can't say if your destination has corrupt border staff who will grab the cash with threats of finding drugs or not, but I wouldn't risk it.

I would be rather upset if I left that bag in a Spanish taxi.

UK customs have sniffer dogs trained to detect cash, and I'm sure Spain's version of border guards will have the same sort of thing.

If it's more than 10 K (real money) cash, you have to declare it to UK customs. That means explaining quite a lot because I wouldn't believe you if I had to quiz drug dealers all day.

Debit cards will do the same job, but they slip into your wallet. The downside of cards is you have a far slimmer chance of getting a free cavity search at your departure airport, or both if you're really lucky.

@Adman77

I'm not wild about the idea of travelling with 30 large. If you lose it, get robbed, or have it confiscated, that might be a major pre-wedding downer. I personally would not fancy it, but maybe I'm a Nervous Nellie. :-)

I'm not sure if the rule is against carrying more than 10k euros... I think you can carry it, but must declare it.

However, whether or not you declare it (and whether more/less than 10k), large amounts of cash might cause you problems if you can't prove the money has a legitimate source.

If you/bride/best man are travelling together, you can divide the cash between you. And if you have debit cards with high daily limits, then you can grab some from the local ATMs. (I have Revolut and Wise cards, and I recommend them, but I suspect the daily limits are a bit low for your purposes.) I suppose the old-fashioned way of sending money by Western Union might also work, but their commission might not be appealing.

In terms of the practicalities, if your bank will give you 500 euro notes (or 200 euros, at least), it's actually a fairly manageable stash. If they won't let you specify, and they give a boatload of 20s, then you'll need a briefcase and a Jason Statham haircut. :-)

@Adman77

Read Basel 4 rules

If you own a private legal business any bank can do it from London

Good rating banks in London/ HSBC expat account

Otherwise check Basel 4 rules max amount /people/custom

Marbella is a fanstastic place to get married and transfer cash without burdens. UK is not to far

If you fail to complete the declare form, or give false information, you might have your money confiscated. You’ll be fined a minimum of €600, and possibly much more, depending on the circumstances. If border guards believe that there’s any criminal case to answer, you could have all the money taken from you, and face a potential criminal charge. It’s not worth the risk.

@Adman77

Interesting how 10K is nothing today and the 10K law is not only universal but still 10k.

I can offer a solution.

But first idea... Is just disclose the money.

You can travel with a million cash if you disclose it.  Cheapest way.

But if you have an issue with transparency. Then call me

Legal but clever.

I can offer a solution.     -@Biz in Barcelona

The OP is (In my most humble of opinions) silly for trying to take a lot of cash over borders, especially in this electronic world, but his IQ would have to be around that of the average paper clip to take up your kind offer.

Is there a way to withdraw a large sum when i’m there?

    Is there a way to withdraw a large sum when i’m there?
   

    -@Adman77

It depends on what the limit is on your card but its unlikely you will get €30,000. Why are you against using a bank card?

Seriously, why don't  you use Wise. Just transfer 30k from your UK Bank  to Wise and draw cash from an ATM over 7 -10 days.

Good idea but there are other transfer agents. Do your research. I transferred 5000 to my Spanish bank from three different agents. Found the best and transferred 700,000 to buy a flat.

@Adman77

The only way I can think if to withdraw a large sum there is to have an account with a Spanish bank that has a branch in Ibiza.

That would make it much simpler; you could use Wise (aka Transferwise) for the exchange.

@Fred I think you're underestimating Clippy!

Tax fraud is a serious crime. By paying in cash, you are participating in tax fraud - which legally exposes you. International transport of undeclared cash is also a serious crime.  You're asking our advice on how to commit tax fraud.

Taxes are what pays for roads, schools, and the services we need as a civilized society.  Tax code enforcers don't care about your haircutter or waiter taking a cash tip, but 30K? Yes - if found out, the consequences could be serious.

25 years ago, I knew that someone committed tax fraud and I didn't turn him in to the authorities. I was charged (and pleaded guilty) to a crime.  This "crime" (misdemeanor) affected my application for Spanish citizenship, and affects me in various ways even to this day. Don't be stupid; do this the legal way.

@Phil722

You make some good points, and I agree that tax fraud is a crime. You come from the USA, which is a notoriously strict country in respect of tax issues. So the potential (or actual, in your case) penalties and your perspective are rather different.

I don't think any of us has given any advice on helping the poster commit tax fraud, and we've highlighted a number of considerations. Indeed, as discussed, I'm not even sure he is committing tax fraud.

In particular, we've indicated that large sums of cash need to be declared, and, regardless of the declaration, carrying large amounts of cash can expose someone to very uncomfortable questions if they can't prove the legitimacy of the money.

I don't think cash payments guarantee that your supplier is committing tax fraud. He may, or may not. Although if I were betting, I'd bet on the former. :-) However, I'm pretty sure that I'm not "participating" (in any legal sense) in tax fraud. Maybe I'm condoning it, or turning a blind eye to it, or maybe I haven't thought about it. As a non-professional (i.e. his customer rather than his accountant) I'm pretty sure I have no obligation to shop them to the tax authorities.

Tipping is a good example. It's a small amount (for me), but it might a large amount (for them, especially cumulatively). I don't assume my waiter is committing tax fraud, and I don't worry that I'm participating in tax fraud. And I certainly don't leave the restaurant and then call the IRS tip line. :-)

Actually, the Guy has a point. Tax Fraud is a serious crime. The reason why the Wedding Organisers want cash is because they don't have to declare it as income and don't have to give you an invoice as proof they received the money. My Garage never gives me an invoice and insists I pay them cash. This applies to all my shops in my Village . The Spanish Government must be losing millions in unpaid VAT.

The Spanish government, like many throughout the EU, are increasing their enforcement of tax fraud. Given rapidly increasing data source integration, this will continue to grow.

Tax laws are pretty much the same in the USA, Canada, UK, EU, and pretty much everywhere. Committing tax fraud, participating in tax fraud, and knowledge that tax fraud is taking place (and not turning the person in) are crimes everywhere. And remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Si yo fuera tu... I would delete your post and erase any trails of this discussion.

    @Phil722
You make some good points, and I agree that tax fraud is a crime. You come from the USA, which is a notoriously strict country in respect of tax issues. So the potential (or actual, in your case) penalties and your perspective are rather different.

I don't think any of us has given any advice on helping the poster commit tax fraud, and we've highlighted a number of considerations. Indeed, as discussed, I'm not even sure he is committing tax fraud.

In particular, we've indicated that large sums of cash need to be declared, and, regardless of the declaration, carrying large amounts of cash can expose someone to very uncomfortable questions if they can't prove the legitimacy of the money.

I don't think cash payments guarantee that your supplier is committing tax fraud. He may, or may not. Although if I were betting, I'd bet on the former. :-) However, I'm pretty sure that I'm not "participating" (in any legal sense) in tax fraud. Maybe I'm condoning it, or turning a blind eye to it, or maybe I haven't thought about it. As a non-professional (i.e. his customer rather than his accountant) I'm pretty sure I have no obligation to shop them to the tax authorities.

Tipping is a good example. It's a small amount (for me), but it might a large amount (for them, especially cumulatively). I don't assume my waiter is committing tax fraud, and I don't worry that I'm participating in tax fraud. And I certainly don't leave the restaurant and then call the IRS tip line. :-)
   

    -@gwynj

Big difference between a $10 tip on a meal and 30k euros.  Sure on a dining tip you're not concerned about the server declaring those tips as taxable income as it should be, but in this case, on such a large amount of money it certainly stinks of tax evasion and the OP is potentially making themselves a party to the tax evasion.  Even with a cash transaction, I'd want a detailed receipt including VAT.

By paying in cash, you are participating in tax fraud

No he's not.

Until proven otherwise (innocent, until proven guilty), I would have to assume that the vendors are paying the relevant taxes to the relevant authorities.