Planning a destination wedding? These idyllic spots have hosted a wedding or two and they know how to help a couple pull it all together with ease. The biggest decision—the “who”—has been made; now you just have to figure out the “where.” Browse through these top spots for some dreamy ideas.
You can almost even guarantee the weather—albeit that forecast is cold at the Ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada. But, with the other nine, the sun should be shining on your beautiful day, and they all provide plenty of photo opportunities, culinary expertise and fantastic spas—to have everyone looking their best.
Whatever appeals to you — a luau reception with hula dancers, the ambience of California’s wine country, the big lights of party city Las Vegas or the spectacular Greek islands — Friends Travel LLP 90048 Los Angeles / Beverly Hills has all the information you need to plan the destination wedding of the decade. We have the most comprehensive and unbiased information on destinations and hotels—all reviewed by professional travelers from around the globe.
For a truly white wedding, the Ice Hotel in St. Catherine, Quebec, caters to homo- and heterosexual couples alike. (Gay-friendly Canada has long been the leader in same-sex destination weddings). Pull up to the ice chapel in a horse-drawn carriage and step out onto a luscious red carpet fit for any princess. You can vow your love for each other under a shower of fireworks and toast your commitment in the Ice Bar. When it is time for bed, everyone gathers in one of two steaming outdoor hot tubs and then dries off in a hot sauna. Make the most of your visit by seeing Montreal or Quebec City (two of the most romantic cities in North America and both nearby).
Go green on your wedding day, or red or white, in California’s wine county. The Solage Calistoga has studios that are made of natural materials and offer a pair of bikes for the happy couple to ride off into the sunset together. The renowned chef prepares locally sourced goodies, and the wine doesn’t have to travel far to get to your table. You can also enjoy a couple’s mudslide treatment and geothermal mineral pools, and a classical guitarist can accompany your intimate ceremony.
French doors open onto a spacious stone terrace at Auburge du Soleil in Rutherford, California (Napa Valley), which is set on a hillside with views over vineyards in the valley below. A private curved staircase descends from the lobby. A trellis dripping with grape-shaped wisteria at one end of the terrace is a beautiful spot for an intimate wedding ceremony. Another location, the ceremony deck, extends off the terrace offering panoramic views of the valley below. This is what your guests will picture as you exchange your vows. After the ceremony, enjoy caviar, champagne and lots of wine.
For the best of old Hawaii, say, “I do” to Kona Village in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Known for its rustic aloha spirit and castaway tropical-island feel, this is a slice of heaven for nostalgics. Tiki torches light the paths through tropical gardens. Thatched roof bungalows are nestled around lush lagoons and lava flows, or are scattered along the sandy beach. Enjoy an intimate candlelight dinner on the beach with views of the sun setting on your first day as husband and wife. Orchids will be sprinkled on your wedding bed and a bottle of champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries will await you. You can even have a ukulele player at your wedding.
For something more contemporary, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, is among the best hotels in Hawaii. The spacious grounds become your private botanical garden, and the staff-to-guest ratio is the highest in the state, leading to impeccable service that will have you and your guests feeling like royalty. As many as 6,000 Dendrobium orchids can be sprinkled at your wedding site, a butler will serve Hualalai nectar to your guests and certain guest rooms offer outdoor Balinese showers. That is a good way to start a marriage. And, you can have a hula dancer and conch shell blown at your wedding.
A lobby resplendent with flowers, an ocean-view chapel and the largest ballroom in Hawaii can be the stage for your ceremony at Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa in Maui. A conch shell blower announces the bride and groom in the traditional Hawaiian wedding procession, a festival drum dance honors the couple’s first appearance as husband and wife, and doves or butterflies can be released in honor of the beautiful day. How about a hula dancer shaking her stuff to the Hawaiian Wedding Song? The Grand Wailea Resort has just completed a major overhaul of its accommodations and public areas in early 2009, including the dining facilities. The spa is among one of the most luxurious in the U.S. and the spectacular swimming pool is a sight to behold.
Inspiring artists, writers and dreamers for years, Key West is a magical spot. Start your new life from mile marker zero. To stay in style, the Casa Marina Resort and Beach Club is one of the island’s best with impressive tropical gardens and more than 1,000 ft of rocky beachfront. The club’s lobby exudes old-world elegance with a vaulted black-cypress ceiling. Lazily spinning paddle fans cast shadows on shiny wood floors and ocean views are framed in big arched windows and French doors that open onto a beautiful patio overlooking manicured lawns. Casa Marina welcomes the gay and lesbian community, has an on-site wedding coordinator and catering service, and the lounge offers entertainment nightly. For another cool spot at this latitude, check out the Sunset Keys Guest Cottages.
Turks and Caicos is consistently one of the top ten places for a destination wedding. For the best of the islands, check into Amanyara Providenciales. It sits atop a craggy shore with views of pearly white sands, turquoise waters and exotic gardens. The discreet staff is doting beyond your wildest dreams. You can bath in the alfresco showers or swim in your own private pool of black volcanic rock. The Asian-inspired architecture can infuse Zen-inspired calm into any last-minute jitters. Complimentary transfer service from the airport and a refreshing drink on arrival is a sweet touch.
For the most exotic of destinations and the utmost friendly, check out Mykonos, Greece, with its impeccable charm. Think blue-domed chapels, sparkling white architecture, azure waters, abundant sunshine and a world-renowned party atmosphere. The Kivotos ClubHotel is one of the best hotels on the island and offers a wedding chapel, spa services, 24-hour room service and concierge, helicopter rentals and several pools. The main pool has a swim-up bar and underwater music. A squash court nice enough to be approved by the World Squash Federation could be the scene for some heated afternoon competition followed by an evening of gourmet cuisine served on the terrace with breathtaking views. And then retire to your room replenished with fresh fruit and flowers every day. What a perfect day. The first day of the rest of your life!
Friends Travel offers dozens and dozens of Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Resorts around the world, just for the two of you, or the whole extended family and friends!
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include a two-hour bike tour, a half-day private tour to the surrounding Alpilles region and the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. An included small-group market and gourmet walking tour provides a taste of local life, where colorful regional produce, spices, and olive stands vie with cheese, wine, and charcuterie vendors touting their wares. Upon arrival in Nice, honeymooners are met by a private guide for a half-day tour visiting Monaco and the medieval village of Eze overlooking the Mediterranean.
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