It’s the most special day of your life, so why not say your vows in the most special location you can find? Here are a few suggestions, in no particular order of enchantment:
1. Tobago
If you see yourselves tying the knot in the glorious sunshine of a tropical paradise, with crystal turquoise waters lapping an opulently golden beach strewn with palm trees, it’s going to be hard to beat Plantation Beach in Tobago. Quieter and less populous than its big brother Trinidad, Tobago is an idyllic little jewel of an island. Plantation Beach lines the gorgeously scenic Stevenage Bay, where you can stay in air-conditioned comfort at the classy Plantation Beach Villas, each boasting three bedrooms and as many bathrooms. And if swimming in the warm sea gets too tedious for you, try taking a plunge in the Villa’s lovely pool.
2. New York
If the excitement and vibrancy of a world renowned city appeals, a wedding stay in the imposing grandeur of New York’s Four Seasons Hotel – the tallest in Manhattan – is not to be missed. You’ll look out from your complimentary executive suite over spectacular views of Central Park and then sink into a luxurious bath tub for two, sipping a glass or three of Veuve Clicquot as you bite into your chocolate-covered strawberries. Ceremonies take palace in the splendid Metropolitan Suite and are followed by cocktails and dancing.
3. China
Why not celebrate your great day on one of the most stupendous structures ever built by human hands by getting hitched on China’s Great Wall? Well, just alongside it to be precise, on the rooftop of ‘The Commune’ – a complex of ultra-modern villas designed by 12 Asian architects and situated on the Shiguan section of the wall (50 km from Beijing). Gaze at the majestic wall winding away into the mountains as you take your vows. If you’ve got a large number of guests, you can have your reception in the Commune’s Club House, which holds up to 500 people. Smaller gatherings can be held in a villa or chalet, and you’ll be served modern Chinese food by a butler.
4. New Zealand
New Zealand boasts many different climates all the year around, but one of the most spectacular and bewitchingly beautiful locations is the stunning Liebig Dome Snowfield. You’ll be ferried there by helicopter, exchanging rings in a World Heritage location right in the heart of the breathtaking Southern Alps. This place boasts some of New Zealand’s highest mountains and most gargantuan glaciers and it brings a whole new twist to the term ‘white wedding.’ The best place to stay is the Hermitage Hotel on Mount Cook, South Island.
5. Quebec
While we’re on the subject of ice-frosted white weddings, another fabulous location has to be the astonishingly beautiful Ice Hotel in Quebec. It gets its name not because it’s next to a ski slope but, literally, because it’s made of ice. When the ceremony’s over, you can sip cocktails in the Ice Bar and dine on a delicious meal (the food’s hot, by the way, despite the iced building structure). You can even take a warm plunge in the Ice Hotel Sauna before retiring to bed. The one restriction here is the timing of your wedding – the Hotel is only open between January and April each year (a melting building wouldn’t be the best place to spend your wedding night in).
6. Tuscany, Italy
You might want to add a touch of culture and history to your wedding experience, and if the idea of a romantic ancient hamlet bathed in warm Tuscan sunshine pushes your buttons, you won’t be disappointed by Torre Palazzone, Italy. This is an exquisitely beautiful medieval hamlet dating from AD 1000 and set behind fortified walls. The cuisine is outstanding – you can dine on anything from authentic Italian pizza to a full scale medieval banquet – and despite the ancient history, there is no shortage of modern luxury and attractions, from the hot tub to the swimming pool, wine-tasting to factory-outlet shopping, horse-trekking to ballooning. Or you can stay in and have a wonderful massage.
7. London Eye
One doesn’t necessarily have to be in an exotic location to have a romantic time. To many, a registry office wedding seems a rather dour and functional option. But you don’t have to hold the ceremony in the office building itself so long as the authorised officers conduct the ceremony. And if you decide to take your vows in London’s famous ‘London Eye’ this is exactly what will happen. Lambeth Registry Office provides the service, but you’ll be saying your vows in a beautiful glass pod, ascending gracefully above the capital along with up to twenty guests, enjoying fabulously panoramic views of the city below. By the time you reach the top of the arc, you’ll be married. And you’ll come back to earth sipping champagne.
8. Edinburgh, Scotland
How about tying the knot with magnificent views of Edinburgh Castle in the background? This is what you’ll get if you book your ceremony an the majestic Balmoral Hotel. When you’ve been pronounced man and wife, slip along to the Bollinger Bar and sip champagne whilst a piper plays his Highland heart out. As you might expect, the rooms are sumptuous and classically elegant, and you’ll even get rose petals on your bed. Oh, and you’ll have a champagne breakfast the following morning.
9. Ayrshire, Scotland
Another spectacular Scottish location, at once imposing and genteel, can be found at Blairquhan Castle in Maybole. Built in the 1800s, this regency castle is set in the splendour of fabulous parklands with lavish gardens and exquisitely landscaped grounds, all of which you and your guests will have access to. There’s a seating capacity of 100 for the ceremony and the castle sleeps up to 26 people.
10. Baja Peninsula, Mexico
If you still hanker for spectacular beaches, exotic heat and ultra-modern luxury in your accommodation, you must consider the five-star ‘One & Only’ resort in Palmilla on Mexico’s Baja peninsula. Magical vistas of white surf crashing on the aqua-blue sea water, which then gently laps the stunning sands, will make your heart soar. As will the whitewashed arched doorways and windows of the beautiful old chapel you’ll be married in, with its delightful views of the resort’s grounds and beaches.