Weaving a Story
Fashion designer Madhu Jain uses lots of natural fibres
Belize, Central America
If you haven’t heard of Belize then we are spot on. For a unique destination wedding, opt for this stunning little nation on the eastern coast of Central America, with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle to the west. It will be a memorable experience for the bride, groom and the guests. The Four Seasons Resort Nevis can be your venue. Get blown away by white sands, private boat transfers, azure blue waters, and the Great Blue Hole—the largest natural formation of its kind in the world and a major attraction for scuba divers and safe snorkelling.
Tuscany, Italy
Getting hitched under the Tuscan sun is in trend. How can we overlook the fact that the Indian cricket captain tied the knot here in a fairy tale wedding. Whether you are searching for a small, intimate farmhouse or a lovely casale surrounded by vineyards and a garden to get married in, every setting seems perfect. Medieval fortresses, standing on top of the villages, give you the opportunity to have an incredible panorama over vineyard valleys. You could opt for ceremony in a medieval fortress and dinner in a special village restaurant with a famous chef or choose from some
exclusive hotels such as Belmond Castello di Casole, Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Florence or the Belmond Hotel Caruso, Ravello.
Ireland, United Kingdom
Ireland is a country rich in history and you can’t go very far without seeing beautiful castles dotting the horizon. Some reports say that there 3,000 or so castles spread across the country’s lush green landscape. Exchange your vows on the shore of Lough Corrib, with a scattering of forested islands providing an ethereal backdrop, and Ashford Castle as the mindblowing destination. The castle painstakingly restored in 2013, showcases the best of traditional Irish craftsmanship and interior design. This 800-year-old castle has an incredible history, a fairy tale location and was recently voted the ‘Best Hotel in the World’. You can hire the entire estate so it’s exclusively yours.
Montenegro, Balkans
Whisk yourself and your partner away to a Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. Cut away from the world, as you lock yourself up in the romantic resort—the Aman Sveti Stefan—located on the fortified islet of Sveti Stefan, rising like a phoenix from the deep blue Adriatic Sea. The hideaway pairs cobbled lanes, shaded courtyards and 600-year-old red-tiled roofs with three pink-sand beaches and the 1930s Villa Milocer on the mainland which is now attached to a boutique retreat with a spa. The fortified island has 58 rooms, suites and cottages in renovated old-stone buildings and is open during summer only.
Bodrum, Turkey
Stretching from Turkey’s southwest coast into the Aegean Sea lies the city of Bodrum. Once a cosy fishing village of only a few thousand people, it has experienced a renaissance in the last half century that has transformed this once sleepy town into a hotspot. Here stands the Mandarin Oriental overlooking the Cennet (Paradise) Bay in the Aegean Sea, where yachts and gulets bob gently in clear blue waters. The wedding would be against the backdrop of an enigmatic elegance that pervades the town—from a crowning castle and glittering marina to its flowerfilled cafes and white-plastered backstreets. The hotel’s 20 or so olive-coloured geometric blocks are designed to blend in with the area’s indigenous olive trees and are arranged in tiers down a wooded hillside, covering 150 acres, towards two curved white sandy beaches. Wed in style Exchange your vows in Ireland with majestic castles as witness (left); let Montenegro’s blue shores and coastline mesmerise you and your guests (below); travel to Tuscany to make your day special (far below)