Discover Your Wedding Destination

Villas, castle estates, palazzi and grand hotels, from the lakes of the north to Sicily. Every venue has been checked against its own official sources.

Aeolian IslandsA volcanic archipelago off the north coast of Sicily, reached by hydrofoil and ferry. The guide→ Amalfi CoastCliff-face towns, terraced gardens and boat transfers on the Tyrrhenian Sea. 8 venues→ BellagioA lake town on the promontory where Lake Como divides. The guide→ CalabriaCliff towns, Greek ruins and undeveloped coast at the toe of Italy. 1 venue→ CampaniaCoast, volcano, islands and farming estates around the Bay of Naples. The guide→ Cinque TerreFive cliff villages on the Ligurian coast, reached by train, boat or foot. The guide→ DolomitesLimestone peaks, alpine meadows and mountain lakes in north-east Italy. The guide→ IschiaA volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples, with thermal springs and a castle on a rock. The guide→ ItalyLakes, coasts, hill towns, islands and cities. 123 venues→ Lake ComoHistoric villas, garden terraces and boat arrivals on an Alpine lake. 2 venues→ LecceA baroque city of golden stone at the heart of the Salento peninsula. The guide→ LiguriaCliff villages, terraced gardens and a rail-linked coast on the Ligurian Sea. The guide→ LombardyLakeside villas, wine estates and walled towns in northern Italy. 3 venues→ PiedmontWine hills, royal palaces and truffle country in north-west Italy. 2 venues→ PortofinoA harbour village and coastal promontory on the Italian Riviera. The guide→ PugliaMasserie, trulli and baroque towns in the heel of Italy. 7 venues→ RomePalazzi, villas and rooftop terraces in the Italian capital. 8 venues→ SardiniaGranite coast, turquoise water and ancient stone towers in the western Mediterranean. 3 venues→ SicilyBaroque towns, volcanic coast and farm estates on a large Mediterranean island. 5 venues→ TaorminaA Greek theatre facing Etna, on a ridge above the Ionian Sea. The guide→ TuscanyVillas, castles and farm estates in the hills of central Italy. 38 venues→ UmbriaGreen hills, hilltop towns and olive groves in central Italy. 11 venues→ Venice and the VenetoPalladian villas and wine hills in the north-east of Italy. 9 venues→ VenicePalazzi, guildhalls and lagoon islands reached by water. The guide→

The United Kingdom collection begins in London, from the ballrooms of Mayfair and Park Lane to the livery halls of the City of London. Every venue has been checked against its own official sources.

CornwallAtlantic cliffs, sub-tropical gardens and a long coast in the far west. 3 venues→ CotswoldsHoney-coloured limestone villages, walled gardens and country estates. The guide→ GloucestershireCheltenham, the Cotswold limestone and the Forest of Dean. 10 venues→ HertfordshireCountry houses and parkland estates in the county north of London. 6 venues→ KentOast houses, medieval castles and vineyards in the Garden of England. 5 venues→ Lake DistrictLakes, fells and lakeside estates in the north-west of England. The guide→ LondonA capital city of livery halls, royal parks and riverside venues. 61 venues→ OxfordshireOxford colleges, Blenheim Palace and the Thames Valley. 5 venues→ Scottish HighlandsCastles, lochs and glens across the north of Scotland. 1 venue→ SurreyThe Surrey Hills and country house estates inside the M25. 8 venues→ United KingdomCastles, cliffs, country houses and a capital city. 221 venues→ YorkshireDales, moors, abbeys and country houses in England's largest county. 6 venues→

The United Arab Emirates is seven emirates along the Arabian Gulf. For a foreign couple the legal marriage and the celebration are two separate decisions: the civil ceremony takes place at the Civil Family Court in Abu Dhabi, which marries visiting couples with no residency requirement, and the celebration can follow in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah or the desert. The winter months are warm and dry; the summer heat is severe.

Abu DhabiThe capital of the UAE, with a more formal and institutional character than Dubai. The guide→ Dubai DesertDunes, stars and silence in a protected desert reserve outside Dubai. The guide→ Dubai DowntownThe Burj Khalifa as backdrop, in a dense district of towers. 2 venues→ Fujairah & East CoastThe Gulf of Oman and the Hajar Mountains, on the UAE's eastern coast. The guide→ Jumeirah & MadinatA resort built as an Arabian souk on waterways, facing the Burj Al Arab on the Jumeirah coast. 1 venue→ Palm JumeirahA man-made island in the Arabian Gulf, shaped like a palm tree. 1 venue→ Ras Al KhaimahMountains that meet the sea, in the northernmost emirate of the UAE. 1 venue→ Saadiyat IslandWhite-sand beach and a major museum on Abu Dhabi's cultural island. The guide→ Sir Bani Yas IslandA private island reserve in the Arabian Gulf, with wild giraffe and oryx. The guide→ United Arab EmiratesA civil ceremony in Abu Dhabi, then the celebration wherever the Emirates' coast or desert suits you. 9 venues→

France runs from Paris to Provence and the Riviera. France has wedding film-makers in Paris and Provence and a destination planner who works across France, Portugal and Italy. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

AlsaceHalf-timbered wine villages along the Route des Vins, below the Vosges. The guide→ BordeauxWine estates and medieval stone, reached from London by a short flight. The guide→ BurgundyThe Cote d'Or in autumn, a wine landscape of named vineyard parcels. The guide→ Côte d'AzurThe Riviera in full sunlight, with a coastline that books years ahead. The guide→ DordogneCliff villages, river gorges and castles built into the rock of the Perigord. The guide→ FranceLavender, vineyards and the Riviera. 9 venues→ LanguedocProvencal landscape and wine country on the Mediterranean plain, with lower demand. The guide→ Loire ValleyRenaissance châteaux along the Loire, many privately owned and open to exclusive hire. 2 venues→ ProvenceLavender plateaus, limestone villages and bastide farmhouses in the south of France. 1 venue→

Spain begins with Torre Sever, a private wedding estate in Catalonia. It has been checked against its own official sources.

AndalusiaWhitewashed cortijos, Moorish cities and mountain villages across southern Spain. The guide→ BarcelonaA Catalan city of modernist buildings, with vineyards and coast within reach. The guide→ Costa BravaGirona, Catalan masies and a rugged coast north of Barcelona. The guide→ IbizaPrivate villas, white fincas and a fortified old town above the harbour. The guide→ MallorcaA mature Balearic wedding market of fincas, villas and direct UK flights. The guide→ MarbellaA coast that works in every season, beneath the Sierra Blanca. 1 venue→ MenorcaA protected Balearic island of stone fincas, quiet coves and a British-influenced capital. The guide→ SpainA country of regions: Moorish courtyards, a rugged northern coast and sheltered island coves. 27 venues→

Austria is Salzburg and its lakes, Vienna, and the mountains of the Tyrol and the Arlberg. Austria has a palace hotel in Kitzbühel, a hotel at St. Christoph am Arlberg, and planners in Salzburg and Vienna. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

AustriaPalaces, lakes and alpine meadows. 2 venues→ SalzburgA fortress above the Salzach, Mozart's birthplace and a baroque old town in the Alps. The guide→ SalzkammergutA district of 76 lakes below limestone ranges, with Hallstatt on its cliff. The guide→ Styria and GrazVineyard ridges, pumpkin oil and Baroque Graz in southern Austria. The guide→ TyrolAlpine meadows and mountain resorts, with Kitzbühel below the Hahnenkamm. 3 venues→ ViennaHabsburg palaces, the Ringstrasse and the State Opera in the Austrian capital. The guide→ Wachau ValleyThe Danube through a granite gorge, with terraced vineyards and old villages along the bank. The guide→

Croatia begins with a wedding planner in Istria and Kvarner and a wedding photographer working across the country. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

BračA large limestone island opposite Split, known for the white pebble headland of Zlatni Rat. The guide→ CroatiaWalled cities, islands and Venetian hill towns. 1 venue→ DubrovnikA walled limestone city above the Adriatic, with the sea on one side and old rooftops on the other. 1 venue→ HvarLavender fields above a Venetian harbour, on a Dalmatian island reached by sea. The guide→ IstriaVenetian hill towns, vineyard estates and truffle forest on Croatia's northern peninsula. The guide→ KorčulaA walled Venetian town on a peninsula, facing the Pelješac mountains across the channel. The guide→ Split & Dalmatian CoastA Roman emperor's palace turned living city, and the hub for the Dalmatian islands. The guide→

Portugal begins with Luz Houses in Fátima, Craveiral Farmhouse in the Alentejo, a Lisbon photographer and an Algarve planner, with more to follow. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

AlentejoA plain of cork oak, olive groves and wine estates in southern Portugal. 1 venue→ AlgarveA southern Portuguese coast of limestone cliffs, coves and quinta estates. 1 venue→ AzoresCrater lakes, hydrangea-lined roads and open Atlantic on Sao Miguel. The guide→ Douro ValleyVine terraces cut into schist and granite above a wide green river. The guide→ Lisbon & SintraRoyal palaces in the Sintra hills, a living capital, and the Atlantic coast. The guide→ MinhoGreen valleys, family-owned manor houses and the home of Vinho Verde. The guide→ PortugalOne national marriage process, and a choice between a capital, a southern coast, open farmland, a wine valley and two Atlantic island groups. 4 venues→

Switzerland is lakes and mountains within an hour or two of Zurich and Geneva. Switzerland has resorts above Lake Lucerne and at Engelberg and Melchsee-Frutt, a hotel in Davos, and planners on Lake Geneva and in the Bernese Oberland. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

BürgenstockA resort plateau above the southern shore of Lake Lucerne. The guide→ Interlaken & Bernese OberlandA valley town between two lakes, below the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The guide→ Lake GenevaA long alpine lake, with the Lavaux vineyard terraces on its northern shore. 1 venue→ LucerneA medieval lake city between Pilatus and Rigi, with a covered wooden bridge. The guide→ St. Moritz & EngadinAn Alpine resort on a high Engadin plateau, in summer and in winter. The guide→ SwitzerlandLakes, high mountains and grand hotels. 5 venues→ ZermattThe Matterhorn above a car-free village in the Valais. The guide→

Sri Lanka pairs its coast with tea country and ancient cities inland. Sri Lanka begins with a wedding creative based in Colombo, with venues to follow. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

ColomboSri Lanka's capital and arrival point, where colonial streets meet a new waterfront. The guide→ Galle & South CoastA walled Portuguese and Dutch colonial city above the Indian Ocean, with the Sri Lankan south coast beyond. The guide→ Kandy & Hill CountryA hill-country royal capital in central Sri Lanka, set around a lake and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth. The guide→ Sri LankaTea hills, a walled fort and a royal lake city. The guide→ Tea Country & Nuwara EliyaTea estates, colonial planters' bungalows and hill station towns in the cool central hills of Sri Lanka. The guide→ Trincomalee & East CoastA deep-water harbour city and the clear beaches of Sri Lanka's east coast, at their best from May to September. The guide→

Indonesia begins with six resorts and villas in Bali, from Manggis and Uluwatu to Ubud. Each has been checked against its own official sources.

IndonesiaRice terraces, resort shores and island coves. 12 venues→ Nusa DuaA planned resort enclave on the Bukit Peninsula, with sheltered beaches and the shortest airport transfer in Bali. 2 venues→ Nusa IslandsThree small islands in the Badung Strait, reached only by fast boat from Bali. The guide→ Sidemen Valley & East BaliMount Agung above the rice terraces, on the quiet east coast of Bali. The guide→

Malta is three islands of limestone in the middle of the Mediterranean, an hour or so south of Sicily: Valletta's baroque churches and the palaces of its knights, the walled citadel of Mdina, the Grand Harbour and its gardens, and Gozo, the quieter sister island. A civil marriage may take place at the Marriage Registry or at any public place the Registrar has approved beforehand, which is why terraces, gardens and palazzi marry couples here. Apply at least three months ahead; there is no residency requirement.

GozoMalta's quieter sister island, with limestone cliffs, a hilltop citadel and Neolithic temples. The guide→ MaltaHoney-coloured stone, a harbour at every turn and a registry that marries anyone, anywhere approved. 1 venue→ Mdina and Central MaltaA walled medieval hilltop town in central Malta, quiet once the day visitors leave. 1 venue→ Valletta and Grand HarbourA Baroque capital of golden limestone, built by the Knights of St John around the Grand Harbour. The guide→

Montenegro begins with The Chedi Luštica Bay in the Bay of Kotor, with more to follow. Each venue has been checked against its own official sources.

Bay of KotorA drowned river valley on the Adriatic, enclosed by limestone mountains. 1 venue→ MontenegroSheltered bays, a superyacht marina and an island village. 3 venues→ Porto Montenegro and Herceg NoviA former naval arsenal at Tivat, rebuilt as a superyacht marina and waterfront resort. 1 venue→ Sveti Stefan and Budva RivieraA fifteenth-century island village joined to the Montenegrin coast by a causeway. 1 venue→

Cyprus is the easternmost island of the Mediterranean and the one with the longest summer: dry, sunny and warm from early April to late October, with no rain to speak of between May and October. Weddings are held on the beaches and in the resort hotels of Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Protaras, in the sea caves and at the rock of Aphrodite on the west coast, and in the small Byzantine chapels of the Troodos mountains. Civil marriage is performed by the municipality's marriage officer, at the town hall or at an approved venue, after fifteen days' notice or sooner on a special licence.

CyprusFour coasts and a mountain range on one Mediterranean island, with civil marriage at the town hall. 6 venues→

Malaysia is a wedding destination that works all year, provided the coast is chosen for the month: Langkawi and the west from November to April, the east-coast islands and Sabah's Borneo from March to October, and Kuala Lumpur's hotels whenever. A civil marriage for a non-Muslim couple is registered with the National Registration Department after a twenty-one-day notice; the beach or garden ceremony follows it.

MalaysiaTwo coasts, two monsoons, and the right island for every month of the year. 2 venues→

Romania is the castle country: Bran and Peleș in the Carpathians, the fortified Saxon towns of Brașov, Sibiu and Sighișoara, the forests and alpine villages of Transylvania, and a capital, Bucharest, of boulevards and belle-époque palaces. Only a civil marriage at the town hall is legally valid, concluded eleven to fourteen days after the declaration of marriage; a religious or symbolic ceremony at the castle or in the garden follows it. April to June and September to October are the months to marry here.

RomaniaCastles in the Carpathians, Saxon towns and a town hall that marries in a fortnight. 1 venue→

Turkey takes a wedding to the water: the Ottoman palaces and waterfront mansions of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, the marinas and beachfront resorts of the Bodrum peninsula, the Mediterranean beaches below Antalya, the yachting harbours of Fethiye and Göcek, the vineyards and olive groves of Urla behind Çeşme, and inland, the cave hotels and balloons of Cappadocia. Only a civil ceremony before the registrar is legally binding; a religious or symbolic ceremony is held beside it.

TurkeyBosphorus palaces, Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and the cave country of Cappadocia. 11 venues→