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Down the Isle: The Best Resorts for a Destination Wedding
Written by Sarah Wilkes
Stay or go, spend or save, elope or throw a soiree – these are the best resorts for a destination wedding.
Destination weddings are on the rise – and may not be as expensive as you think. We spoke with Darcy Allen, Senior Wedding Planner at Easy Weddings, who said the pandemic’s rise and fall sparked a surge in tourism, bringing destination weddings along for the ride.
Does getting married in one of the world’s most spectacular destinations have a certain ring to it? From all-inclusive Bali resorts to New Zealand alpine chalets, discover our pick of the world’s best destination wedding resorts.
How to Pick Your Destination Wedding Resort
The Easy Weddings Industry 2025 Report sheds light on why destination weddings are seeing an increase in popularity – and what considerations are at play when organising the big day.
“People don’t want to do just a five-hour reception anymore, they want to spend quality time with their friends and family over a weekend – or week – away,” says Darcy. According to the Easy Weddings Industry 2025 Report, $29,391 is the average cost of a destination wedding, compared to the $35,315 average spend for domestic weddings. An increase in local costs has led to more couples saying ‘I do’ to destination weddings.
Choose an all-inclusive resort
The Easy Weddings 2025 Industry Report finds that keeping up with tasks, finding reliable suppliers and dealing with family arrangements are three of the five top stressors for couples planning a wedding (alongside guest lists and budgeting concerns). At resorts like Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives or AYANA Segara Bali, there’s no need to fuss over your guests – they’ll have their every whim catered for, with breakfast, lunch and dinner included and unlimited free-flow drinks.
Pick a destination that’s right for your family…
Based in Australia, Darcy has seen a spike in multicultural couples searching for a wedding destination between their home countries. “A lot of Australians originally from the UK get married in Bali or Thailand because it’s sort of the perfect middle ground,” she says.
“Out of the destinations we currently cover at Easy Weddings, Thailand is the only one that has legalised same-sex marriage,” says Darcy. This recent development, coupled with Thailand’s legendary hospitality, makes it attractive to couples wishing to get hitched abroad.
Far more than just Bintangs and beaches, Bali boasts some of the best wedding destination resorts in the world, just a few hours from Australia; for couples juggling families spread across the world, jaw-droppingly spectacular destinations like Hawaii make for the perfect middle-ground.
… or for you
The Easy Weddings 2025 Industry Report finds that couples opting for smaller weddings find that an intimate destination wedding is the perfect solution. “International travel naturally keeps guest numbers and invite expectations lower,” the report claims. Not too fond of your Aunt Wendy? A trip to Australian destination favourites like New Zealand, USA, Bali, Italy or Fiji might make for the easiest way to keep things a small affair.
Be creative
New Zealand still reigns supreme as Australia’s most-desired wedding destination. Darcy says this is partly due to many Australians having New Zealand heritage, but also because it offers second-to-none scenery only a short flight away. “The drawcard with New Zealand is the beautiful untapped destinations, while it’s similar to Australia with the same language and similar time zone.” New Zealand’s alpine hotels offer plenty of European chalet charm, without the travel time (and expense) of destinations like Switzerland and France.
The Best Resorts for a Destination Wedding in the Maldives
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives
Make your wedding planning a breeze with a Grand All-Inclusive package at Centara Grand Island Resort. With beachfront ceremonies fringed by lush frangipani trees, traditional Maldivian flourishes and a restaurant specialising in lavish Thai banquets, the resort offers everything you need to tie the knot in style.
Nothing sets the tone for a truly remarkable wedding like included roundtrip seaplane transfers from Malé International Airport. Every guest will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they soar high above the archipelago’s islands, little droplets of gold surrounded by the vast blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives
This all-villa private island resort inhabits an entire island in the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. From a dedicated event coordinator and private buggy to whisk you to the ceremony to the cake, live entertainment and groom’s boutonniere (floral decoration traditionally worn on the jacket), this resort offers the ultimate bundled wedding package and ties it with a perfect knot.
Celebrate your arrival with treatments at one of the best spas in the Maldives. Fehi Spa’s The Wellbeing Journey is a holistic three-day treatment designed to help guests break away from daily life and slip into the Maldivian way, with guided meditations, steam baths, body scrubs, massages and hot and cold therapies guaranteeing you’ll feel utterly renewed before the big day. When it’s finally time to walk down the isle, hairstyling, skincare and makeup services make getting ready a breeze.
The Best Resorts for a Destination Wedding in Bali
AYANA Segara Bali
Another cliffside oasis playing cupid is AYANA Segara Bali. Nestled amid 90 hectares of tropical forest above Jimbaran Bay, this all-inclusive resort is home to one of Bali’s most iconic bars, which can double as a wedding venue: the iconic Rock Bar. Carved into the rockface high above the crashing ocean below, it provides an extraordinary setting for pre-wedding events, intimate vow exchanges or after-party soirees.
The ultimate all-inclusive Bali destination wedding venue, AYANA Segara Bali gives you a free pass to skip logistical hurdles. Instead, jump straight into two-course feasts, nightly cocktails, thalassotherapy (mineral therapy) pool access and unlimited rounds of golf between festivities.
Ready to book the ultimate all-inclusive destination wedding? Get in touch with our weddings concierge.
Alila Uluwatu
Walking down the aisle at Alila Uluwatu is like something plucked from a dream. Set atop dramatic clifftops with sweeping views over the Indian Ocean, the 50-metre infinity pool at the resort’s heart is home to a floating runway that makes for an unrivalled wedding processional, surrounded by water features and flawless gardens.
The quintessential reception awaits at Cliff Edge Cabana, a geometric indoor-outdoor pavilion that adds a dash of futurism to the resort’s timeless terrains. Sitting on the edge of the precipice, there’s no finer seat in the house to enjoy the resort’s celebratory fireworks display.
The Best Resorts for Destination Weddings in Thailand
The Slate
With its ornamental gardens, avant-garde sculptures and sleek design inspired by Phuket’s tin mining history, The Slate is made with the most stylish couples in mind. A reception at Black Ginger promises a reception unlike anything else: set within a traditional Thai mansion suspended over a glowing lagoon, the restaurant celebrates ancient local recipes with no shortage of modern flair.
The Slate expert staff ensure every detail – from floral arrangements, photography and makeup to the selection of suites and private pool villas – will be expertly handled, offering a seamless process even when you’re far from home.
The Naka
An architectural masterpiece perched tucked in an ancient valley between Kamala Bay and Patong Beach – and arguably most likely to be featured in a modern-day James Bond film – The Naka is a wedding retreat for the elite.
A defining feature of this Thailand wedding destination is that guests can curate their own drinks list to their heart’s desire, bringing their own spirits, champagnes and wines. Paired with onsite restaurant The WIWA’s tailored Thai banquet, it’s the recipe for a magical celebration.
The Best Resorts for a Destination Wedding in New Zealand
Stoneridge Estate
Boasting Lake Hayes on one side and a patchwork of vineyards on the other, Stoneridge is the fairytale alpine wedding destination. From chalet-style alpine lodges steeped in old-world European luxury to the estate’s grand stone entrance and rambling vineyards, there’s a hint of magic around every corner.
Naturally, with its location just outside of Queenstown, a touch of adrenaline doesn’t go astray. Stoneridge Estate is renowned for its Heli-Weddings: whisking the bride and groom to uncharted territory by helicopter to the summit of a snow-capped mountain to exchange vows in solitude. Afterwards, a magnificent five-course degustation menu, spectacular reception rooms and a bubbling hot tub await.
Discover New Zealand
This article was produced in collaboration with Easy Weddings.
