Dreaming of combining your wedding with your wanderlust? These five-star destinations around the world are the perfect place to say ‘I do’.
You’re engaged! Congrats… Now it’s time for the ‘wedmin’, and one of the first things to crack is where the big day will happen. The location is obviously down to the wedding you want. Whether you’re dreaming of a grand traditional affair or a more intimate, boho vibe, hotels are the ultimate one-stop shop. Plus, not only can family and friends make a weekend of it, but with stellar chefs, attentive staff and a glut of event spaces, all you’ll need to bring is the romance.
From fairytale nuptials in a centuries-old castle to walking barefoot down a seafront aisle, here are 10 dream-come-true locales for your big day.
The Lanesborough, London
@the_lanesborough
Best for: the Regency wedding 
(Image: Jack Hardy)
If you picture yourself pledging your love against a Bridgerton-esque backdrop of trompe l’oeil walls, exquisite wood marquetry and cut-crystal chandeliers, The Lanesborough in Knightsbridge is for you. Each Regency-style room is more sparkling than the next, from the stately splendour of The Belgravia, a licensed venue for civil ceremonies, to The Great Hall. With all this classic elegance comes contemporary excellence – menus are overseen by executive chef Shay Cooper, there’s a team of in-house florists and you can even arrive by horse-drawn carriage. But there’s more… Designer Bruce Oldfield (who’s dressed the likes of Sienna Miller, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Diana Ross) is the hotel’s exclusive couturier, offering personalised services to brides and their guests.
Amangiri, Utah
@aman
Best for: the wedding in a desert
For an other-worldly venue, make it Amangiri: a modernist 34-suite hotel on the Colorado Plateau in the Utah desert. The architectural masterpiece, designed to blend in with the surrounding scenery, is a place of serenity and softly spoken luxury. Just down the road, its sister property Camp Sarika is a touch more rustic – the perfect jumping off point for hiking or horse-riding across craggy mesas and beneath towering rock formations. A buyout of either promises your own private wedding retreat, with the resort hosting up to 110 guests and the camp accommodating 30. Make your vows as the sun sets on this ancient rust-coloured landscape, before gathering loved ones for a Southwest American-inspired feast under a blanket of stars.
Islas Secas
@islas_secas
Best for: the island paradise wedding
If Robinson Crusoe were to wed, he would make a beeline for Islas Secas, a private tropical island off the coast of Panama in the Pacific Ocean. The archipelagic reserve teems with wildlife – one day you could be snorkelling among manta rays and leatherback turtles, the next spotting iguanas on a forest hike. You can book this eco sanctuary in its entirety – guests stay in Casitas, while the bridal party can spread out in the four-bedroom private villa Casa Cavada. Though the resort doesn’t arrange weddings per se, bring your own planner to work alongside the team to turn your vision into reality, whether it’s a seafood banquet at the open-air restaurant, a champagne sunset cruise, dancing on the beach, or all of the above.
Ashford Castle, County Mayo
@ashfordcastle
Best for: the fairytale wedding
Getting married in a real-life castle is surely the ultimate in romance and when you sweep up the drive of the 800-year-old Ashford Castle, you’ll feel like royalty. Once the home of the Guinness family, it has hosted regal guests from the Prince of Wales (later King George V) to Grace Kelly. The Irish property has since undergone a no-expense-spared transformation into an 83-room and suite hotel, its 350-acre estate offering riding, fishing, falconry and golf. You could go all-out lavish and make it exclusively yours, but if you prefer something a little more understated, The Connaught and Inglenook rooms are perfect for up to 40 guests.
Maroma, Quintana Roo
@belmondmaroma
Best for: the jungle wedding
This secluded hideaway will bring the fiesta to your marriage celebrations. Set between low-lying jungle and a palm-fringed shore, the Mayan Riviera resort, recently reimagined and renovated, is ideal if you’re after somewhere that’s romantic yet relaxed. Commit to your betrothed on the pristine white sand or why not swap rings surrounded by giant fronds, exotic flowers and birdsong at one of the hotel’s four jungly venues. Will it be Palapa Tolok with its floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor deck, the Mayan-inspired courtyard, verdant Jardín Ka’ax or the atmospheric Acuarios pool? Add into the mix authentic food, frozen margaritas and plenty of Mexican flair for a truly unforgettable day.
The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
@ritzcarltonhongkong
Best for: the sky-high wedding
Step into the lift of the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district and you’ll be whisked up to The Ritz-Carlton’s black marble lobby. The five-star hotel occupies the top floors of the soaring skyscraper, 490 metres above sea level, which means you’ll be getting hitched with electric views of Victoria Harbour and the city beyond. There are eight indoor and outdoor event spaces – go big in the Diamond Ballroom, seating over 400, or take your romance to dizzying heights at Ozone, the world’s highest rooftop bar. With efficient planners on hand to help with the specifics – the menu, florists, photographers and entertainment – brides, grooms and guests will have a high old time.
Babylonstoren, Franschhoek
@babylonstoren
Best for: the bucolic wedding
Getting married alfresco, amid nature’s sights, sounds and scents, is particularly magical at Babylonstoren. Set in a restored 17th-century Cape Dutch farm in the heart of South Africa’s Franschhoek wine valley, this farmhouse retreat is both steeped in history and stylishly contemporary. Exchange vows in the stunning eight-acre garden, either beneath majestic oaks by the stream or in the sun-dappled House of Shadows. The vibe here is rural-chic, with venues including the Old Cellar, which seats 100 down a long table, and the smaller White Studio and Wheat Barn, where guests can tuck into family-style feasts of salads, fresh fish and grilled meat before gathering around the fire pit – with a glass of estate rosé, of course.
The Gritti Palace, Venice
@thegrittipalace
Best for: the wedding with history
Few cities in the world have more stories than Venice. Built on a series of small islands and crisscrossed with canals, it is home to gothic palazzos and ornate basilicas, not to mention the gondoliers, who have been ferrying people along its waterways since the 11th century. It seems only fitting to embark on married life together at the Gritti Palace, which dates from 1475 and was once the home of the Doge. All seven of the hotel’s richly decorated event spaces overlook the Grand Canal, whether you’re on the iconic Gritti Terrace or the rooftop. Personalised menus, photography, flowers, the cake, the traditional Italian sugared almonds… Leave it all to the expert team for a bellissima big day.
Como Parrot Cay
@comoparrotcay
Best for: a barefoot beachy wedding
Imagine a toes-in-the-white-sand ceremony at sunset (and what a sunset), before walking hand-in-hand through the gently lapping crystalline sea to a wedding breakfast set up beneath a canopy of coconut palms. Welcome to paradise, aka Como Parrot Cay in the Turks & Caicos. You can rent the entire private island resort, which means you’ll have 1,000 acres and four miles of beach at your disposal. A little more low-key? Gather loved ones at the poolside Lotus restaurant or the Como Beach Club, an oceanfront space where up to 150 guests can toast your future. Or why not keep it even more casual with a bespoke event on the beach with a private chef? Either way, be sure to pay a visit to the Shambhala Retreat spa, with its soul-soothing treatment rooms, yoga pavilion and Jacuzzi garden.
Raffles Udaipur
@raffleshotels
Best for: the opulent wedding
Shimmering in the middle of the Udai Sagar Lake, Raffles Udaipur is an intoxicating blend of Rajasthani architecture and refined luxury, the flawless service making it a beacon of Indian hospitality. Let’s set the scene: 21 acres of manicured gardens that are home to myriad bird species, seven restaurants and bars, two pools, a superb spa and a fleet of butlers. As dusk falls and the lanterns are lit, a wedding ceremony in the atmospheric garden temple will have your heart, followed by glittering festivities in the ballroom. The hotel’s team will ensure no detail goes unturned, bringing their knowledge and expertise to your milestone day, whether they’re organising your bouquet or a Mughlai-inspired banquet.
Discover more fantastic restaurants, bars and hotels with 50 Best Discovery, and start planning your next adventure.
