A wedding abroad has to be perfect – so borrow some ideas from the rich and famous. Janine Kelso looks at where celebrities are tying the knot
With so much on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start with a wedding booking. Here we take some tips from film, music and sport stars – and take a closer look at some of their weddings courtesy of our Celebs on Holiday blog.
Canada: Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds
Who? Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds tied the knot in Vancouver in British Columbia in September.
Why? Canada is full of awe-inspiring landscapes that make a spectacular backdrop for a dream wedding.
Although operators can’t offer ceremonies in Vancouver, it’s possible to get married on Lake Louise or in Banff National Park. Hailed the Jewel of the Rockies, Lake Louise is surrounded by snow-peaked mountains. There is even an ice castle on the frozen lake.
Banff oozes romance with activities including sleigh rides, horse-drawn carriages, ice-skating and skiing. Gay and lesbian couples can also marry in Canada as it’s one of the few countries to offer civil partnerships.
Sample package: Kuoni offers a silver wedding package in Banff for £1,108 per couple, including outdoor location and permit, bridal bouquet and groom’s buttonhole and chilled sparkling wine (01306 747007).
- More:Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon DID marry in the Bahamas [Celebsonholiday.com]
Italy: Wayne Rooney wed Coleen McLoughlin
Who? Football ace Wayne Rooney wed Coleen McLoughlin at a £5 million ceremony at Villa Durazzo, a 17th century palace in the Italian Riviera resort of Santa Margherita Ligura in June. The reception was held at La Cervara, a medieval abbey near Portofino. And Rod Stewart married Penny Lancaster just outside Portofino in June last year.
Why? Italy has all the ingredients for a stylish and atmospheric wedding – beautiful medieval churches and abbeys, top nosh and fine wines. Choose from the romantic cities of Venice, Rome and Florence, or try the upmarket Amalfi Coast, flush with Michelin-starred restaurants and five-star luxury hotels.
Couples can follow in the footsteps of Wayne and Coleen by holding their reception at La Cervara, where there is also a church that can hold protestant weddings.
Sample package:Weddings Made in Italy offers a wedding package at La Cervara for £39,999, including the civil ceremony, English-speaking minister, car to pick up the bride, photography, three-course meal for 50 guests, flowers and 400 candles to illuminate the outside areas (01424 728901).
- More:Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin marry in Italy [Celebsonholiday.com]
Bahamas: Mariah Carey married TV actor Nick Cannon
Who? Diva Mariah Carey married TV actor Nick Cannon in the Bahamas after a whirlwind one month romance. They tied the knot on the seven-mile long Windermere Island, which sits off the mainland of Eleuthera. Golf legend Greg Norman and tennis star Chris Evert were also married on the islands in a sunset ceremony.
Why? Swim with the dolphins on Paradise Island or off Nassau and Grand Bahama Island, or recharge your batteries on the sleepy and secluded Out Islands. Snorkellers will love the fish-rich clear waters, while divers can explore wreck sites off the coasts of San Salvador.
Sample package: Virgin Holidays offers seven nights at the four-star Pelican Bay Hotel for £999 per person, including flights and transfers, in March 2009. The wedding package is £519, including the service of a wedding co-ordinator, a gazebo or poolside ceremony, witnesses if required, sparkling wine, breakfast and dinner for the wedding party at Ferry House restaurant (0844 557 3861).
New York: Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z
Who? RnB star Beyonce Knowles exchanged vows with rapper Jay-Z at his apartment in the Big Apple in April.
Why? New York wows tourists with its top shopping and lively nightlife plus top sights such as the shimmering Chrysler Building and the Statue of Liberty. Although you won’t be able to marry in Jay-Z’s cavernous flat, there are a huge number of wedding venues to choose from.
Think Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the iconic Grand Central Terminal or 55 floors up on the Empire State Building.
Sample package:Hayes and Jarvis offers a Central Park wedding package for £1,559 per person, including a ceremony at Shakespeare Garden, Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields or Wagner’s Cove; a gift from Tiffany and Co for the bride and groom, champagne and a romantic carriage ride in Central Park.
The operator offers three nights’ room-only at The Plaza Hotel for £999 per person, including flights in January 2009. The timeless landmark has been treated to a £200 million re-vamp, but it still has white-gloved butlers, perfect for a wedding party (0871 200 4422).
Las Vegas: Peaches Geldof and Max Drummey
Who? Peaches Geldof wed singer Max Drummey at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas in August after a one-month romance.
The young couple followed in the footsteps of other celebrity couples such as Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu, Bruce Willis and Peaches’ parents Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates even married there at the Little Chapel of the West in 1986.
Why? Neon-happy Las Vegas is the ultimate kitsch wedding destination. Couples can marry in a cutesy chapel while being serenaded by an Elvis look-a-like, in a helicopter as it flies over the strip or in the Grand Canyon. It’s even possible to exchange vows in a vintage pink Cadillac with Elvis as your chauffeur.
Sample package: North America Travel Service offer a deluxe wedding package to Las Vegas for £2,104 per person, including a seven-night stay at the Bellagio Hotel, flights, the ceremony, music for the service, flowers, chocolate and champagne, photography, DVD and a live broadcast of the wedding ceremony on the internet (0113 246 1466).
- This week’s Mystery Shopper tested Bromsgrove agents on a budget wedding booking…
