Wedding Abroad News

Alexander von Humboldt Compass Point Beach Resort Day 7. Grand Bahama and home. Our last day on the Bahamas started early as we went to the harbour for a sail on a tall ship, the Alexander von Humboldt. This 100-year-old ship recently arrived in its new home, Freeport, ready to start providing weddings with a difference. Originally based in Germany, the ship now takes guests on 2 hour sailing trips and makes a wonderfully unique ceremony location. Just imagine exchanging vows on deck (or at the prow, a la Kate & Leo), either in dock or while sailing the ocean? During our sail the crew clambered up and down the rigging without fear, and the higher they went, the more we were pleased that the sea was calm that day! With less and less of these tall ships in existence, having this kind of experience is becoming a rare occurrence, so it's well worth considering a wedding here, especially if you're dreaming of a romantic nautical ceremony. Grand Bahama is one of the l...

Carla & Dan exchanging vows Day 5. The Wedding! Hope Town, Abaco The day of Carla and Daniel's wedding dawned sunny and warm, but as the day progressed it clouded over and by midday the rain was pouring down. The wedding was supposed to take place at the Hope Town lighthouse, one of the last operational kerosene-fueled lighthouses in the world and one of only 3 manual lighthouses in the world. It was built in 1862, and the drummer from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers also got married there. Unfortunately, due to the rain, the venue was moved to the dock overlooking the lighthouse, which the wedding team decorated with flowers, conch shells and palm leaves, making it look very pretty despite the weather. Bride and groom arrived separately by van, the groom in a white linen shirt and light coloured trousers, and the bride in a more traditional wedding dress with train which had to be held up out of the rain. They exchanged vows on the dock with the lighthouse in the backgroun...

Harbour Island's pink sand beach Harbour Island Day 3. Harbour Island. Harbour Island is one of those islands that you may have heard about without realising it. Often voted as having one of the best beaches in the world, this 3 mile-wide island is a 3 hour ferry ride, or a 15 minute flight from Nassau, and makes a lovely island to visit for the day. The pink sand beach which covers the east side of the island is unusual, and as the turquoise sea laps the shore you really do feel as if you are on a deserted island (albeit one with luxury boutique hotels and smart restaurants!). Wander around the island by foot, or use one of the ubiquitous golf carts which act as the main form of transport here, and check out the gorgeous architecture of the colonial-style houses, all painted pretty pastel colours. Some of which were built back in the 1700s and have barely changed since. The couple who were marrying here, Laura and Richard, were staying at one of these historical house...

Sheraton Nassau The 16 Couples If you've ever dreamt of getting married under a tropical sun with the sea lapping at your feet, or exchanging vows on a catamaran, or tying the knot underwater, or even marrying at a lighthouse with the sun setting behind you, then perhaps you should have entered the Bahamas 16 Weddings competition last autumn? The prize for 16 lucky couples was to get married on one of 16 Bahamas islands. The winning couples were chosen by a panel earlier in the year, and on 16 May 2012 they all married on their respective islands at 16.00 (4pm). Here at Marry Abroad we were lucky enough to be invited to the wedding of Carla and Daniel at the lighthouse on Hope Island, part of the Abaco islands in the Bahamas. We travelled as a guest of the Bahamas Tourist Office to follow the competition winners and to discover the delights of this island chain. Here's what we discovered. Days 1 and 2. New Providence Island and Nassau . After taking the direct BA...

Two couples will take a short taxi ride, one staying in Nassau for their ‘Colour Me with Love’ ceremony and the other travelling over the connecting bridge to Paradise Island for their ’Royal Bliss’ wedding in the 14th century Cloister.  Inter-island flights lasting from just 15 to 90 minutes will take the 14 remaining couples to other main islands in this tropical archipelago.   Also joining them will be their 32 witnesses, two per couple, plus about fifty extra family and friends who have booked through joint sponsor Kuoni to join the couples’ once-in-a-lifetime Caribbean wedding experience. Not simply beach weddings, these are destination weddings with a difference. For example:  Jade & Mikhail have so many guests coming from around the world to The Berry Islands that the small CarrieEarl hotel cannot accommodate them all.  Berry Islands’ residents are opening their homes to put up the extra guests so that all can enjoy the wedding ceremony at sea....

Choosing where to get married can be almost impossible if you're undecided about what would make your ideal wedding day. The myriad choice of countries, beautiful locations and stunning venues can leave even the most dedicated couple confused as to what would work best for them. After all, you don't want the “wrong” choice for the “best day of your lives”. For couples wishing to marry in Europe consider Portugal for your wedding day – it boasts  many stunning palaces and historical venues, a multitude of national parks filled with the joys of nature, world renowned gastronomy, and beautifully deserted beaches. The north of the country, around the pretty town of Porto, famous for its fortified wine, possesses rolling countryside covered in vines, ancient manor houses and pousadas, miles of unspoilt coastline, and not forgetting the Douro Valley, a UNESCO world heritage site. When deciding on the perfect location to marry you may wish to take a cruise down the Douro river, its...

Follow In The Footsteps Of BBC’s Planet Earth Live Choosing a honeymoon location can be as difficult as deciding where to get married, but if you watch the BBC on Sunday you could see what it's like at Governors Camp, Kenya and decide if it would make the perfect honeymoon location for you! This new epic BBC project ‘Planet Earth Live’ starts to broadcast from the Kenyan outback on Sunday, and if you wish to follow in the wildlife documentary’s footsteps you can do so at Governors Camp in the Masai Mara.  The camp is hosting TV presenter Richard Hammond with the film crew and have so far captured some amazing footage for the Big Cats Of The Masai Mara section of the programme. Africa Odyssey (Tel 020 7471 8780) is offering your chance to stay at Governors Camp from £2,750 per person (saving £210). Available for travel from 1 July to 31 October, the price includes flights from Heathrow with Kenya Airways, internal transfers and five nights’ accommodation on a full-board basi...

Tour operator and honeymoon specialist, DialAFlight ( Tel 0844 556 6060) provides their top five honeymoon deals available in 2012.  From great-value luxury breaks in Cyprus, to the ultimate in extravagance in the Caribbean, there’s a honeymoon to suit every budget.  Suggestions include: The Budget Honeymoon – Cyprus For Under £1,000 Combining history and culture with luxury accommodation and a good helping of self indulgence, a honeymoon at the five-star Elysium hotel in Paphos, Cyprus has it all. This hotel boasts its own palatial architecture, lagoon-style pool and lavish spa right beside the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tomb of the Kings. Departing 26 May to 16 July, seven nights, bed and breakfast in a deluxe room starts from £969 per person (saving £50) and includes flights from London with British Airways. Honeymooners also receive a free room upgrade, flowers, a bottle of sparkling wine, a fruit display and petit fours. The Alternative Honeymoon - A California R...