Milan Style

Let’s face it. Weddings are as much about planning and preparation as they are about love and togetherness. The day one gets married is one of the most important days in a person’s life, and most people hope to have only one such day.

Getting married and inviting 200 of your ‘closest’ friends to the wedding reception is one of the most important – and expensive – undertakings in the lives of young couples the world over.

Needless to say, the pressure to make it perfect can be unsurmountable and most people prefer to let someone else take the headache.

A customised destination wedding package should fit the style, needs and budget of your client. You as an expert will be there for the client every step along the way – before, during and after the wedding – handling all the details, so they can focus on the joyous occasion.

Some things you will need to consider are the group size and availability of hotels and flights on the dates, assistance with completing necessary legal requirements and paperwork, managing travel arrangements, entertainment and outings for the whole wedding party, and round-the-clock customer service for the client.

Pictures: red bridesmaid dresses

THAILAND

The international wedding and honeymoon market in Thailand is valued at around 30 billion baht ($89.1 million) per year or about three per cent of the overall tourism revenue.

Thailand as the wedding and honeymoon destination offers a variety of impressions either with a cultural or beach atmosphere. Thailand’s hotels in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and other destinations have the capability to arrange weddings of varying sizes and themes.

Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) acting governor and deputy governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas says, “TAT recognises the potential of the wedding tourism segment, as it helps generate revenue to the Thai economy, both directly to the tourism industry and to the grassroots level. In expanding the destination wedding market, we see the opportunity to increase income for various business sectors – transportation, accommodation, venues, food and beverages, local supplies, and so on.”

Thailand is one of the world’s popular wedding and honeymoon destinations, an acclaim that is backed by several awards and honours. Earlier this year, Thailand was named Asia’s Sexiest Romance/Honeymoon Destination by the US-based Recommend magazine’s readers, and one of the world’s Best Honeymoon Destinations for 2015 by Fordors.com. In addition, the paradise island of Samui was listed by Veryfirstto.com as one of the top ten romantic destinations in the world alongside cities; such as, Paris and Venice.

ITALY

Be it Tuscany, Amalfi Coast or Florence, you just cannot go wrong with a wedding in the country that invented la dolce vita (the sweet life). Art, ancient history, ethereal vistas, top-notch cuisine and abundant grape – what more can one ask for?

April through June, September, and October are the best times to explore Italy, mainly owing to the mild temperatures and smaller crowds. August can be quite hot, and many shops, hotels, and restaurants may be closed as it’s the time the Italians take off on a break. Winters in the north are cold and rainy, while the south stays on the warmer side.

The small village lining the Lake Como region to the big cities such as Milan packed with art, architecture, fine dining and fashion, northern Italy offers wedding destinations galore. There are ample shopping opportunities for the fashion-savvy wedding party in Milan. In Venice, there are the romantic gondola rides through the canals. Cruise around Lake Como and the guests may find themselves in the company of George Clooney or Richard Gere, as both have homes here.

Notable properties in the North of Italy are Fonte de’ Medici, a cluster of farmhouses tucked away in the Tuscan vineyards between Florence and Sienna; Hotel Principe di Savoia, a one-stop shop for couples looking to plan a sophisticated Italian weekend with a youthful edge; Villa d’Este, Cernobbia, a regal former sixteenth-century residence for European aristocrats; Grand Hotel et de Milan, and many more.

While the north has its ample charms, it’s hard to beat southern Italy’s natural beauty, with its majestic peaks, gentle valleys, and lovely coastline. Couples with a slightly adventurous and brave demeanour could tour the Catacombs of the Capuchins, which contain thousands of mummified bodies. Less macabre activities include the cathedral at San Giorgio dei Genovesi, where Sicily’s kings and queens are buried; a drive to Piazza Armerina, a town with a spectacular hilltop view; and a day at Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe.

Some hot wedding properties here are San Domenico Palace, offering sweeping views of Mount Etna; Massimo Plaza Hotel, the perfect setting for a princess bride; Grand Hotel Ortigia, and more.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa’s arid heartland, the Karoo, a vast, semi-desert area lying in the middle of the country and taking up 40 per cent of the country, is fast becoming a favoured wedding destination. Karoo weddings offer the whole romance package at much lower prices than regular urban venues.

Accommodating large numbers of guests in the Karoo is easy in the bigger centres like Graaff-Reinet, Beaufort-West, Oudtshoorn, Calvinia and Cradock. A team of hairdresser, photographer, make-up artist, flower arranger, caterer or décor specialist all come as part of the wedding package.

Cradock in the Eastern Cape, for instance, is a little river town with a church that’s a spitting image of St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square, London. It offers a heritage street of Victorian cottages that can accommodate more than 170 guests.

If the arid heartland of South Africa is too obscure, go for well-established resort properties instead. Located on the eastern head of Knysna on the exquisite western Cape coast, Conrad Pezula Resort & Spa is set on South Africa’s famous Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth; a haven of peace, privacy and luxury.

The resort boasts 76 exquisitely appointed junior suites and two grand suites, and has indoor and outdoor facilities to cater up to 140 guests. The resort offers wedding rewards such as complimentary overnight accommodation in a deluxe suite, exclusive accommodation rates for guests and the assistance of weddings specialists catering to personalised needs. The hotel also offers a variety of on-site activities for guests including archery, canoeing, golf, hiking and more.

SEYCHELLES

Seychelles, a breathtakingly beautiful archipelago of 115 islands is only a few hours away and there’s no need for a visa. The Seychelles islands have an immense diversity and variety with a wide range of unspoiled islands, some of the most beautiful and deserted beaches in the world, untouched forests and bird sanctuaries, facilities and accommodation to detailed insights into niche interests such as sailing, diving, fishing, romance, flora and fauna.

While it’s true that Seychelles is renowned for having some of the most gorgeous beaches on earth, framed by some of the world’s oldest and most magnificent granite boulders, a Seychelles weddings can be so much more than just sun, sea and sand. At the top end of the hospitality market are properties that offer ultimate luxury accommodation with personal butlers in exclusive and secluded villa-style accommodations with private swimming pools affording total privacy and exclusivity for the big-budget weddings.

With an increased focus on the needs of the Arabic traveller, key hotels and resorts now offer Arabic cuisine, Arabic-speaking staff as well as kids’ clubs and programmes for the family traveller. These hotels and resorts are flexible in their service offering and are able to meet the personalised service requirements of the discerning Middle East traveller.

Although the Seychelles is blessed with the perfect weather around the year, with temperatures ranging between 24° and 32° Celsius, the southeast trade winds from May until September, ensure a drier and cooler climate, perfect for an outdoor wedding. Unlike its Indian Ocean neighbours, the Seychelles lies beyond the cyclone belt.

MAURITIUS

Mauritius is among the top five best places to get married on our list, thanks to its stunning scenery, warm tropical climate and the natural hospitality of the Mauritian people. Most hotels offer extensive wedding and honeymoon packages and have their own experienced wedding coordinator who will organise every last detail making your job easier.

In Mauritius it is possible to say ‘I do’ many metres below the Indian Ocean in a glorious underwater wedding experience. For those couples searching for a more traditional location on the island, with a surface area of 2,040 square kilometres, however, there are several options available.

On a private island just off the coast of Mauritius such as the beautiful Île des Deux Cocos, a location so beautiful it will make the wedding extra special.

When in Mauritius, the wedding can be conducted in an old colonial house, where a friendly Creole mama will help prepare the bride for her big moment, following age-old traditions. Colourful Indian weddings are a common sight, as are services in one of the island’s ancient cathedrals.