i“Wife and I hate big social events and love traveling, so rather than a normal wedding, [we] traveled to Switzerland and did our vows in private,” said the groom on Reddit. And it begs the question: are big weddings even worth it when you can just fly first-class or startup your private or rented jet and head to your favorite luxury resort or preferred country? These five gorgeous destinations below will have you reconsidering your wedding extravaganza. Take a peak. You don’t have to “book” just yet *enter two winking emojis here*.
1. Lang’ata Suburb of Nairobi, Kenya
What? Are you telling me these two crazy kids aren’t invited to your wedding? They’d make the ideal ring bea…giraffes. Lang’ata Suburb of Nairobi, Kenya is home to the viral Giraffe Manor. It offers a one-of-a-kind experience whether it’s sharing breakfast with wild giraffes or feeding baby elephants. They create bespoke itineraries, which is ideal in your case. Since they cater to custom experiences, Giraffe Manor can surely and easily take care of your nuptials. And if they giraffes aren’t booked for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, they may even be able to carry your rings. The luxury lodge is part of The Safari Collection, founded by Tanya and Mikey Carr-Hartley, which also includes luxury camps. The lodge is located in East Africa.
2. Lake Hillier, Australia
Scientists speculate that the pink-coloured Lake Hillier on Middle Island “the largest of the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in the Goldfields-Esperance region, off the south coast of Western Australia,” according to Wikipedia is the islands that make up the Recherche Archipelago off the coast of Esperance, is due to the dye created by bacteria that lives in the salt crusts. Lake Hillier is a saline lake on the edge of Middle Island, the largest of the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in the Goldfields-Esperance region, off the south coast of Western Australia. Can you imagine the envy-worthy wedding pictures?
3. Sri Lanka, India
Sri Lanka, India is an island nation south of India in the Indian Ocean. It has everything you can possibly need form Buddhist ruins, sandy beaches, remarkable rainforests, and palaces. Wellness destinations are all the rage in 2018 and Sri Lanka caters to that as it’s known to travels as the place for healing and divine existence. We see this in their May full moon Poya Day (also known as Vesak) where Buddhists celebrate the nativity, enlightenment and passing away of Lord Buddha.
4. Aruba, Netherlands
Aruba, Netherlands, delivers more than its size will have you thinking with its incredibly clear water that looks good enough to drink. Oranjestad, the capital of the Dutch island, is a must-see location for its Historial Museum filled with the artifacts. And, it’s home to L.G. Smith Boulevard, the home of the colorful shopping plaza featuring local and high-end retail stores like Louis Vuitton. Plus, dinner on the beach, barefoot with the love of your life is something that beats out any traditional reception. There’s much more to explore and enjoy on this “One Happy Island” from their fresh marina catches of the day at the local eatery to their local crisp and thirst-quenching Balashi beer, and of course their kind and happy inhabitants. Who, by the way, impressively speak a minimum of four languages: Papiamento, the local language, Dutch, English, and Spanish. And I’m sure that if you ask the locals how to say “I do” in all four of those, they will help!
5. Angkor, Cambodia
You’d have to ask but I’m not sure you can get married at the Angkor Wat temple, but its the epitome of a sacred religious place. Angkor Wat the largest religious monument in the world still in impeccable since its arrival in the 12th century. Cambodia itself is such an otherworldly place for a wedding. The glorious and luxurious Sokha Angkor Resort Siem Reap is only 17 minutes away, so you can exchange vows at the resort and make a stroll in the temple as your reception.
