Weddings and Honeymoons
AUSTRALIA’S wildlife and beaches lure travellers from across the globe, but the world is your oyster when it comes to tying the knot. With dozens of beachside destinations with luxury venues scattered across the globe, the options are endless, so travelbulletin spoke with a handful of operators to give your clients some inspiration.
MALAYSIA
Langkawi has been a longtime favourite with honeymooners over the past decade, but Tourism Malaysia’s Sydney director Roslan Abdullah says the weddings market is booming as Australians catch on to the destination’s diversity as a destination. “Previously we were best known as a honeymoon destination but increasingly couples are choosing to get married in Malaysia as well,” he told travelbulletin. And with a growing number of resorts offering wedding packages and the exchange rate faring well against the Malaysian Ringgit, he expects the trend to continue. The Pangkor Laut Resort organises ceremonies on the Emerald Bay, complete with a bridal bouquet, bottle of champagne and five course seafood dinner on the beach. Meanwhile, the Cameron Highlands Resort takes a slightly different spin, offering a classic colonial style wedding on the terrace with a cocktail reception and banquet in the grand ballroom.
THAILAND
With a surge in wedding packages hitting the market in recent years, more Australians are exchanging vows in Thailand. Viva! Holidays covers packages for all tastes and budgets, from three-star events to lavish ceremonies. Prices depend on the venue, but the crème of the crop is the SALA Sumui Resort and Spa ceremony package including celebrant, floral arrangements, wedding bouquet, photography and a couples’ treatment from $3315. Naka in Phuket opened its doors late last year, featuring floor to ceiling wrap around glass and its an outdoor wedding chapel overlooking the Andaman Coast. But for couples who want to combine Thai traditions with a hint of Western culture, the Sarojin Western Wedding Package includes a personal wedding planner, bouquet, wedding cake and ceremony, monks or celebrant and a private breakfast from $3095.
MALDIVES
With crystal blue seas and remote island retreats, the Maldives is the perfect cliche. While the 11 hour flight from Sydney is harder to swallow than slighter flight times for Bali and Thailand, the level of luxury makes up for it. It also provides the perfect excuse to tag a honeymoon on the trip. Club Med Finolhu Villas is the latest addition, slated to open later this month. Moving away from Club Med’s focus as an all-inclusive family resort, the adults-only property paves the way for a new direction for the company. The 22 beach villas and 30 lagoon villas have private pools and terraces, breakfast and afternoon tea served in villas, not to mention personalised butler service. Minor Hotel Group also has a handful of properties in the Maldives including the Huvafen Fushi Resort complete with glass bottom bungalows.
FIJI
Fijians epitomise laid back living, but they also know how to put on a good show. Many key resorts are now hosting more than 200 weddings a year with per event size figures also gaining momentum as the quality increases. Outrigger’s Castaway Island Fiji resort offers an Ultimate Fiji Beach Wedding Package including four nights’ island bure accommodation for the bride and groom, a banquet wedding reception for 20 people, a family choir and wedding celebrant and all the add ons for $6980.