Once upon a time, eloping meant slipping off quietly to the nearest city hall with nothing but a witness and a celebratory glass of bubbles. But today? Couples are swapping registry offices for palatial gardens in Jaipur, beachfront villas in Phuket and clifftop convents on the Amalfi Coast.
Welcome to the golden age of destination weddings, where saying ‘I do’ is an opportunity to give your loved ones (and yourself) an overseas holiday of a lifetime.
Different as Phuket and Positano may be, the best destination weddings share a few key ingredients – seamless accessibility, an air of mystique and a touch of cinematic grandeur. Our guide takes on the enviable challenge of selecting the top three locales in both Asia and Europe for a wedding that hits the sweet spot between exotic and accessible.
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Destination Wedding Planning: Getting Started
Planning a destination wedding is no small feat – it’s a balancing act of logistics, clashing traditions and intentional spontaneity. From navigating foreign legal requirements to ensuring the charming cliffside chapel you fell in love with is available on the right date, the process can quickly become overwhelming.
That’s why working with a seasoned wedding planner is essential. They’re your eyes, ears and problem-solvers, ensuring everything flows effortlessly, so you can focus on the celebration rather than last-minute changes to the seating plan.
Common mistakes? Underestimating travel logistics (not everyone looks forward to the task of flagging down a tuk-tuk at the airport), miscalculating guest accommodations, overlooking local customs or forgetting to secure backup plans for unpredictable weather.
A professional planner ensures none of these become last-minute disasters. They’ll streamline permits, coordinate vendors and craft a timeline so tight that nothing falls through the cracks
Asia Weddings: Regal Palaces and Tropical Escapes
Asia has long been the starting point for once-in-a-lifetime weddings, and with so many pristine venues, it’s easy to see why. Stately ballrooms in Bangkok, Phuket’s frangipani-strewn sugar-loaf shores and the magic of walking down the aisle on a private Maldivian island all set the stage for unforgettable nuptials.
But lately, India – traditionally the birthplace of destination wedding couples – has been flipping the script, stealing the spotlight from more established regional hubs in an unexpected reversal of trends.
Jaipur, India: A Royal Affair
If your dream wedding is steeped in opulence and regal splendour, Jaipur is where fairytales come to life. The Pink City is a visual feast for architecture enthusiasts, blending Rajput and Mughal grandeur across its palaces, forts and temples.
Between dinners and receptions, your food-motivated guests can hit Jaipur’s vibrant street food scene, trying traditional Rajasthani thalis and modern takes on royal cuisine. As for the wellness-seekers in your wedding party, the city’s deep-rooted traditions in Ayurveda and yoga ensure plenty of soul-soothing experiences. Keeping your guests entertained here? Effortless.
But before your big Indian wedding starts taking shape, you’ll need a team of local experts to navigate everything from sourcing an elephant for your grand entrance to ensuring room allocations keep everyone happy (hard but doable). Enter Memories by Minor Hotels, a game-changing online tool that takes the guesswork out of planning. Whether it’s buyout options, pre-wedding spa indulgences or catering menus designed by master chefs, everything you need is right at your fingertips.
Nestled in a lush southern suburb of Jaipur, the newly opened Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur Hotel is palatial, grand and unapologetically opulent — this is not the place for understated ceremonies.
With two expansive water features, verdant landscaping and a façade that channels ancestral palace elegance, the venue makes you feel like you’ve stepped into the world of Rajasthan’s illustrious dynasties.
There are five landscaped gardens to choose from, with the largest, Amer Bagh, accommodating up to 1,000 guests, while poolside Bawdi Bagh and the charming emerald lawn of Mor Bagh are ideal for more intimate ceremonies. For indoor celebrations, options range from the pillarless Kohinoor Mahal ballroom to Rang Mahal – a jewel box of stunning hand-painted walls.
Thai-ing the knot: celebrating love on Thailand's southern coast
Thailand's southern coast has become one of the world's best destination weddings, and it's not hard to see why. Whether you're after a Netflix-worthy celebration with a little help from Hollywood’s magic dust, or an intimate multi-day affair, this sun-soaked region delivers on every front.
Start with inclusivity: Thailand's historic Marriage Equality Act made it the first country in Southeast Asia to recognise same-sex marriage, cementing its reputation as a destination that welcomes all love stories. Then there's the star power – the region's film-friendly policies have turned it into a set-jetting hotspot. Netflix's "Mother of the Bride", starring Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove and Benjamin Bratt, was filmed at Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, giving couples a taste of that Hollywood-meets-tropical glamour.
But beyond the screen appeal, Thailand has evolved into something deeper. Vidur Sarin, who orchestrates numerous weddings at Avani+ Khao Lak Resort especially Indian celebrations, has witnessed this transformation firsthand. "Thailand has really matured as a wedding destination", he explains. "The market has expanded into islands and lesser-known coastal destinations like Khao Lak, where couples get more exclusivity and natural beauty".
For Indian couples in particular, Thailand's beaches offer something city venues simply cannot. "A beachfront venue gives them privacy, stunning photos and versatility for functions – Haldi by the pool, pheras at sunset, sangeet under the stars", says Vidur. "It brings families together in a resort-style environment where everyone stays close, making it feel like a proper destination celebration". Thailand's hospitality scene has evolved to meet these cultural needs, with hotels now understanding everything from vegetarian kitchens to the flow of multi-day celebrations.
What's driving this broader shift towards beachfront weddings? Couples today want an effortless backdrop, and Thailand's beaches provide exactly that – the combination of stunning scenery, excellent connectivity and resort-style convenience means the wedding and holiday roll into one. "There's also a strong shift towards sustainability, local décor and intimate family gatherings where quality matters more than scale", Vidur notes. For beachfront ceremonies, timing is everything. Plan for sunset vows, shaded afternoon celebrations and evening receptions with a sea breeze, and everything else falls into place.
The Maldives – say ‘I do’ overwater
Nothing says "we’ve made it" like exchanging vows with your feet dangling over crystal-clear waters or on a deck of a luxury yacht at sunset. Maldives is destination wedding perfection because it plays to its strengths so well.
Once you’re on the island, everything is taken care of. Entertainment that ranges from world-class diving in Kuda Rah to stargazing with a professional astronomer, Michelin-level dining, wellness from royal ballet-trained dancers – the Indian Ocean archipelago is in a league of its own when it comes to luxury travel.
In fact, the best hotels in the Maldives for weddings are adept at covering every chapter of your love story. From proposing under water in the tranquil lagoon and exchanging vows at sunset on the beach to setting sail for your honeymoon on a yacht and waking up to an incredible new dawn in an overwater villa with a glass floor.
Perhaps you’d like to infuse your wedding with a local flair? Say no more. Bodu beru drummers, Maldivian cuisine, indigenous flowers will all find their way to your remote slice of paradise, as will top-notch make-up and hair artists, photographers and DJs.
Just say the word.
Europe: Grand Ballrooms and Seaside Dreams
While Asia weddings embody barefoot chic and tropical backdrops, Europe offers
celebration straight out of a fairytale – where vows are exchanged in centuries-old monasteries and first dances unfold beneath grand chandeliers.
The cobblestoned streets of Prague and Vienna take on an enchanting glow when draped in Christmas lights and dusted with snow – perfect for couples dreaming of a winter wedding, wrapped in a fur stole, amid the joyful bustle of the holiday season.
Amalfi Coast, Italy: Romance on the Cliffs
Amalfi is, quite simply, one of Europe's best wedding destinations. Sunsets over the sea, historic monasteries and landscapes lifted from an Italian postcard – if your wedding dreams involve rolling coastlines and romantic ruins, Amalfi is your destination. The jewel of the coast, Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel, is set within a 13th-century Capuchin convent, dramatically perched on the cliffside.
Setting every bride’s heart aflutter are its exquisitely restored religious venues that welcome guests of all faiths. You can exchange vows in the Chapel of St. Francis or within the cloisters, toast with champagne under bougainvillea-draped terraces kissed by the sea breeze and hold a formal banquet under the stars, fireworks lighting up the night sky.
For a special touch, serve your guests the convent’s special – a unique amaro liquor called Amaro Dei Cappuccini made with wild fennel, myrtle, juniper, olive and basil, crafted in homage to the hotel's monastic heritage.
Amsterdam, Netherlands: A Fairytale in the City
For a wedding infused with old-world charm and contemporary flair, Amsterdam delivers. Think canalside soirées, grand chapels, chic cityscapes and – from late March to mid-May – a sea of tulips. While you can't legally marry in the tulip fields themselves, symbolic ceremonies and receptions can be hosted among the blooms, or you can incorporate the tulip theme into every detail of your celebration.
Tulip bulbs symbolise new beginnings, making them meaningful wedding favours – though perhaps not ideal for guests from famously customs-strict Australia. Some venues, like Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, have even partnered with local experts to cultivate a unique tulip variety found nowhere else.
In downtown Amsterdam, the most iconic venue of all is Olof’s Chapel, dating back to the 15th century. Built in honour of Saint Odulphus – patron saint of the Dutch dykes – this national historic monument is nestled in the heart of the city, steps away from the Central Station, another architectural masterpiece.
With a blend of classical and modern décor, the timeless Olof’s Chapel offers the perfect canvas for any wedding vision. And with seamless service from the NH Collection Barbizon Palace team, every detail is flawlessly executed – from intimate vows to lavish receptions.
Vienna, Austria: A Palace Fit for Royalty
European capitals excel in staging elaborate, grand-scale indoor celebrations. Centuries-old palaces that once hosted debutante balls and royal weddings give modern celebrations a timeless appeal. At Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna, designed by the famous Austrian architect Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen in 1873, the exquisite Neo-Renaissance decor was carefully preserved when the landmark reopened as a luxury hotel with Vienna’s grandest presidential suite.
Surrounded by history and splendour, what might feel extravagant elsewhere is perfectly at home at Palais Hansen. Arrive by horse-drawn carriage at the private entrance on the Ringstrasse, say "I do" beneath crystal chandeliers dripping with glittering prisms, then treat your nearest and dearest to a banquet at EDVARD, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, where Chef Paul Gamauf crafts seasonal delights in a setting worthy of royalty. The cherry on top of your Sachertorte? Morning coffee on the balcony of your presidential suite, naturally.
Asia vs Europe Weddings: The Scorecard
For most couples, choosing between Asia and Europe ultimately comes down to a beach or a city wedding. Yet the most reliable compass is staying true to what resonates with you as a couple – because at the heart of every dream wedding lies a love story, an expression of individuality, shared passions and a vision for the future.
Asia embodies barefoot elegance, tropical landscapes and intimate ceremonies beneath swaying palms. Europe commands grandeur, with castles, historic landmarks and ballrooms steeped in tradition. But as important as the venue may be, the best destination weddings are defined by the details that speak to your heart.
Ready to make those details a reality? Take a look at our space dedicated to weddings in hotels through Minor Pro and don't wait to begin planning your perfect day with us!
