Getting married abroad has increasing appeal to modern couples, partly to avoid the stress associated with the build-up towards the Big Day, partly to avoid potential family dramas that could erupt due to the prevalence of divorce, re-marriage and extended families. The other reason is cost – and your average all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas or some other luxurious location is likely to compare quite favourably to a traditional wedding at home that could cost as much as $20,000 or more, not to mention the cost of the honeymoon.
However, for those couples to whom money is absolutely no object, luxury destinations to getting married abroad are invariably chosen to get away from the hoi polloi and intrusions from the paparazzi. For those couples who can afford any location in the world, here are some luxury destinations for getting married abroad.
Reethi Rah Resort
An island measuring just 109 acres is a great place to get married away from the crowds. You can stay at the Reethi Rah Resort, by One & Only, for three days, renting the whole island for £1.2 million. This will enable 200 guests the run of the island of North Male’ Atoll in the Maldives. The Reethi Rah Resort provides 130 villas, some of which are duplex, others perched above shallow waters whilst others are situated on the beach. Certainly, if you have the money, this is an ideal luxury destination for getting married abroad. Of course, you could economise and take advantage of the Legendary Sunset Wedding Package at Reethi Rah, at a more affordable $2,480.
Sandy Lane Resort
You could, of course, choose to marry in Barbados at the exclusively sumptuous Sandy Lane resort, for a basic fee of $2,500. However, if you are going to include catering for up to 50 people you can add on $6,250 to this basic fee: alcohol is additional. The price of a local band will cost you a further $5,000 so, all-in-all, this Sandy Lane Resort wedding will cost you a total of $13,750, plus the cost of any drinks your guests will be ordering – and that could easily double that final figure!
Necker Island
Sir Richard Branson who generally needs no introduction, founder of the Virgin Group of companies, owns Necker Island, consisting of 74 acres within the province of the British Virgin Islands. You can hold your wedding on this island, where 28 guests can be housed in one of the five Bali houses on the island or in the Great House with its eight bedrooms, and rent the whole island for a 5-day stay at a cost of $47,000.
Turtle Island and Bora Bora
Another South Sea Island paradise includes wedding packages on Turtle Island, in Fiji where 500-current the whole 500-acre island with its 14 beaches for a mere $300,000, totally inclusive. As far as luxury destinations to getting married abroad go, getting married at the exclusive beach of the Blue Lagoon on Turtle Island is probably an experience that will last you a lifetime. Then, of course, there is Bora Bora which is situated off French Polynesia – a location carefully chosen as the spot for Eddie Murphy when he married Tracey Edmonds on New Year’s Day 2008.