Destination Wedding: Say 'I Do' with breathtaking views

As destination weddings become more popular than ever, venues are raising the bar with halal menus, gender-sensitive spaces and flawless planning services for the picky GCC bridezilla. Friday Bride shortlists some sophisticated spaces, from sun-drenched islands to historic urban retreats.

Getting married abroad can tick many different boxes. Tying the knot overseas can add a new dimension to your personal love story, unless travel stresses you out. The high cost involved in attending a destination wedding can help keep numbers down, but visa issues may mean your nearest and dearest can’t attend.And a foreign setting ensures your photos stand out, but the remote planning can be a challenge for all but the most tenacious bridezillas.

Enough reason, then, your you to think hard about whether the dream destination is worth the drama. But with the growing market for destination weddings set to reach $68.2 billion (about Dh230.6bn) by 2035, venues increasingly help solve many of these logistical issues. While only very few offer visa support, hotels catering to overseas couples usually offer planning support, either onsite or through local third-party partners who are connected to the local wedding market.

This curated guide pulls together just such a selection of exceptional venues around the world that go beyond merely selling space. Besides planning services, they can also cater to multicultural weddings and offer personalised add-ons that result in one-of-a-kind experiences.

That’s the promise of Shangri-La Bosphorus. Istanbul is where Europe and Asia collide, and the hotel is where luxury, romance and storytelling come together. Each couple has a dedicated Wedding Fairy who oversees every detail, from curated décor to tailored tastings with the hotel’s executive chef. Couples can choose to marry under a 350-year-old plane tree, dedicated to Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage. That’s in addition to handcrafted show-cakes, spa rituals, family preparation rooms, cultural celebrations such as henna nights or Turkish hammam treatments, and five hours of Rolls-Royce chauffeured service.

And afterwards, the journey continues with a Bosphorus-view honeymoon suite and a complimentary anniversary night. Fairies have previously organised ballroom buyouts, rose-themed royal-style celebrations, after-party options, Arabic-speaking staff, female-only spa services, halal Indian and international food and honeymoons at brand properties in Paris, Mauritius, Borocay and elsewhere. Packages start from €200 (approximately Dh830) per person, excluding VAT, and vary based on guest count, occupancy, and season. Shangri-La.com

If the walls of the London’s Langham Hotel could speak, they’d spill more tea than you could handle. That’s because everyone from Emperor Haile Selassie and Princess Di to Oscar Wilde and Charles de Gaulle have passed through its storied doors. That makes the 160-year-old hotel perfect for a wedding heavy on hold-school glamour – as GCC visitors know and expect. With two Michelin Keys, the property is familiar turf for Khaleeji clients and can handle halal menus, multi-generational groups, gender-separate seating, bridal couples on horseback (not just angels!) or whatever else you can throw at it. And with celebrity chef Michel Roux as the property’s de facto culinary director, every event features multicultural Michelin-worthy menus steeped in culinary history. Full buyouts are possible, and include all 380 bedrooms, various dining outlets and 12 private dining spaces. Its wedding team works closely with each couple to ensure the package is customised to their needs and budget, with options for additional upgrades such as personalised décor, live entertainment and luxury transport.

Wedding packages start at GBP250 (approximately Dh1,232) per person and include ballroom hire, a seasonal three-course menu, canapés, a sparkling toast, dancefloor, unlimited WiFi and a suite for the couple. Dry-hire (venue-only) options begin at GBP16,000. Langhamhotels.com

Located within a protected natural archipelago reserve, Hawar Resort by Mantis offers barefoot luxury with an environmental backbone. Now owned by Accor (hello, loyalty points!), the conservation-forward brand was founded by South African conservationist Adrian Gardiner, making the venue a perfect fit for sustainably minded brides with a penchant for water sports. The property offers four wedding packages with pricing beginning at $111 (approximately Dh407) per person.

The premium Royal Package, for example, includes a bespoke beachfront wedding, a customised buffet with two live stations, a three-layer wedding cake, two nights’ accommodation for the bridal couple in a two-bedroom beach villa, 24-hour butler service, complimentary boat transfers, a free photoshoot across the resort – and a romantic dinner on the couple’s first anniversary. Customisable options include full buyouts and private island experiences for intimate receptions or ceremonies of up to 50 guests. Mantiscollection.com

Few cities wear their history as effortlessly as Cairo. For couples drawn to legacy and celebration with a sense of place, Dusit Thani LakeView delivers all of that – with an additional touch of foolproof Thai-style hospitality. A popular wedding venue, the property offers a unified wedding package, priced according to menu selection. It includes full catering service, banquet staff, table settings and food from its in-house Tao restaurant, with Indian and Asian menu options available.

The couple receives a complimentary suite stay with dinner and breakfast. Guests are offered a 10 per cent discount on accommodations. Dusit.com

France remains a top choice for destination weddings, especially when it comes to chateau affairs along the country’s southern coast. Off the beaten track sits Castel Bay in Hyères, part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Built in the early 1900s, this Belle Epoque-style building offers panoramic Mediterranean views and pared-down elegance in an almost infinitely customisable space. Its stone courtyards and intimate terraces have hosted several weddings since it reopened in 2021, its management team told this journalist during a recent Roaring Twenties themed event.

The culinary programme leans toward seasonal finesse: think heirloom tomatoes, sea bream, fine French beef. But the menu, like everything else here, is customisable, making it the ideal venue for couples who know what they want. Castelbay.com

The Nofa Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Resort, was originally built for the wedding of a Saudi princess and continues to host the country’s most high-profile celebrations. Built around two freshwater lakes surrounded by sand dunes and mountains, the property can accommodate 750 guests in each of its ballrooms and an additional thousand outdoors, but it can also scale down to more intimate gatherings. Onsite teams can help plan and design farm-style weddings, horseback and safari park outings or golf-themed events at one of the country’s best-rated courses.

Current wedding packages include venue access, customised menus, a private bridal suite, and a stay in a terrace villa, complete with honeymoon setup. Radissonhotels.com

The Maldives consistently ranks among the most romantic destinations, but getting married at the Heritance Aarah on scenic Raa Atoll comes with a dose of local culture – exactly what destination weddings should be about. Wedding packages start at USD 3,200 for intimate ceremonies and scale up based on guest count and customisation. The resort delivers a structured itinerary, beginning with pre-wedding coordination months in advance, so that everything is flown in and ready for the day. After a night of pre-gaming at the overwater Sky Bar, the nuptials themselves take place on the beach, with the couple entering to the sound of the coconut drums, played to ‘vibrate the island’ in local tradition. Floral arrangements, symbolic certificate, two-tiered cake and guest transport by buggy are all available.

Post-wedding, couples return to their villa for champagne, chocolate, and a hand-drawn portrait. Optional extras include a seven-course dinner, spa treatments, and a floating breakfast, as well as GCC-tailored services such as Arabic-speaking staff, halal cuisine, female-only spa options and SHe Travel Certified safety protocols. Heritancehotels.com

Rabat is one of those under-the-radar gems on the destination-wedding menu – but the charming Moroccan capital also makes for an accessible option. Properties such as Story Rabat are well suited to buyouts, with hotel accommodation and catering available for up to 76 guests. The hotel does not offer inhouse planning services, but couples are connected to partner destination management companies that can assist with everything from local logistics to legal formalities and the integration of cultural or religious elements, Friday Bride was told. Arabic-speaking staff and halal dining are standard, while Indian and other cuisines are available through external arrangements.

Exclusive use of the property for two nights costs upwards of MAD160,000 (approximately Dh64,000) for up to 76 guests, and includes accommodation and a customised wedding dinner. Beverages and planning services are extra. Story-rabat.com

Whether it’s a palace in Rajasthan, a vineyard in Europe or a beach in Southeast Asia, the company offers end-to-end planning and production, he says. “We bring together the scale of a corporation, the soul of a boutique and the detail-orientation of a hospitality-first team,” he says, “in weddings that honour tradition, embrace innovation and stay deeply personal – because that’s what celebrations should be.”

Here, he shares his tips for couples planning destination weddings abroad, drawn from years of hands-on experience, both in India and internationally.