Condé Nasts's Top 10 Wedding Destination Locations

Lake Como, Italy

Lake Como’s shores are magnificently lined in lavish villas, with landscaped gardens unfurling toward their own jetties, decadent hotels and stretches of lake-shore restaurants,  greenery and private residences.

The ancient glacial lake spans back to Roman times, where its balmy microclimate and easy glamour have made it a honey pot for the rich and famous ever since.

Weddings here come with a natural prestige, with waterfront locations to fit all budgets, and the rare opportunity for both you and your guests to arrive and leave atop the glittering waters themselves.

Read: Top Villas to Rent for a Destination Wedding at Lake Como

Santorini, Greece

One of the world’s natural wonders, Santorini draws honeymooners from all over the world, lured in by the white-washed villages that string themselves around the edge of the volcanic caldera that first created the island.

This destination has romance in its very air, with breathtaking views, sunsets that set the sky ablaze and historic richness that weaves together both natural and manmade marvels.

And when it comes to weddings, couples  can choose from lowkey retreats concealed at the end of dirt tracks, cliffside villas that gaze out to the Aegean Sea, and hotels shrouded in  bougainville that bloom year-round.

Ceremonies in Santorini are sun-soaked, melting into sunset-backed receptions and dancing long into the night out in the open air.

The village of Pyrgos, Condé Nast Traveler reveals, is a lesser crowded sibling of Fira and Oia, nestles in the foothills of Mount Profitis and never fails to enchant those who come to visit its surrounding vineyards and steep, medieval alleyways.

And for those who need that extra nudge, ancient legends also say that the strongest and happiest marriages are made in Santorini!

Read: 10 Best Things to do in Santorini

Scottish Highlands, Scotland

Beloved by the British Royal Family, this vastly wild and untamed area of Scotland can be harsh and unrelenting, yet also unrestrainedly romantic and atmospheric, with its seemingly boundless swathes of forest, undulating cliff tops, and twisting rivers.

The Scottish Highlands' diversity gives couples the opportunity to fulfill even the most specific of wedding visions. The historic, tapestry-clad ballrooms at the heart of the Highland’s many, magnificent castles, some even offering unexpectedly intimate affairs, to windswept clifftop ruins and luxury hotels on the banks of rivers or clad in thick forest.

Ibiza, Spain

For years, Ibiza was thought of by many as off-limits to anyone who didn’t want to spend their days languishing at celebrity-saturated beach clubs and their evenings in the island’s clubs and bars. However, over the last 10 years, the island’s countryside, which embodies a distinctly calmer, tranquil feel, has ushered visitors, and newly-engaged lovers, to enjoy the fruits of its landscape in the mild year-round climate.

This Mediterranean destination is a practical choice too, with balmy weather almost guaranteed, and plenty to entertain guests outside of the big day itself.

In addition, the rural retreats dotted around the mountainsides and encircled by greenery make sourcing accommodation for those attending not only easy but effortlessly enchanting. From a sunset beach BBQ or a boutique rural hotel setting to an intimate hilltop chapel, the options span much further than simply beach clubs.

Cape Winelands, South Africa

South Africa manages to coax those looking for a destination wedding location across the seas and towards its unique brand of hospitality.

There are a myriad more obvious options for nuptials to take place here, from the bright lights of the V&A waterfront, fronted by the impressive facade of Table Mountain, in Cape Town, to the provincial capital of Johannesburg, though for many, none stand up to the verdant vineyards and sweeping mountain landscapes of the Cape Winelands. Just an hour’s drive from Cape Town itself, the thread of towns that make up the region is strung together by sprawling private wine estates and the most breathtaking scenery.

Each estate boasts its own, unique feel, weaving together the rich heritage of the area and its own contemporary touches. 

Provence, France

Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and Pablo Picasso are all known to have had a deep and long-sustaining love affair with the sun-soaked region of Provence, and it’s not hard to see why: the chocolate box villages, the rolling olive groves, and the amethyst glow of the lavender fields all add to the beauty of the unique tapestry that makes up this area of southeastern France.

Here, the ever-enduring appeal of the château wedding is stepped up, with contrasting, though equally as romantic, backdrops of either endless, rolling hills or picture-perfect coastline all within a short drive of each other, and of course, its premium food and wine. And the time is right (early July), and the purple wash of the lavender fields creates a fittingly ethereal setting for your eternal promises to one another.

If you’re going this route, then the Lavender Domaine to the north of Marseilles has erected two large nomad tents in the lavender fields themselves, with indoor event spaces to incorporate as well. Meanwhile, across the summer, Château Sainte Roseline can host up to 1,000 people and boasts its own chapel, 12th-century cloister, and homemade vin from the winery estate itself.

Read: 5 Gorgeous Places to Get Married at in France

Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Anyone who has ever visited Marrakech will tell you that it is a place you can’t help but experience with every single one of your senses. From the multi-colored spices to the husstle and bustle of the markets and the blue and green hues of Jardin Majorelle-Yves Saint Laurent Mansion and its surrounding gardens that reflect the vibrancy of the wider city, the former imperial city abounds with life.

From the traditional houses built around central courtyards to luxury mansions and resorts, each has something unique to offer couples celebrating love.

Hotels such as La Mamounia and Royal Mansour, owned by the King of Morocco, also spin the rich tapestry of life in their own way, with great banqueting halls, myriad outdoor terraces, and manicured gardens overlooking the city or the mountains and the opportunity for guests to languish in the sun in utter extravagance.

Then there are the surrounding Atlas Mountains. They’re calmer, embodying a slower pace of life and a history that weaves its way up and down the winding dirt tracks, roads, and paths that connect the villages and landscapes. Here too though, private estates and venues offer those keen to head off the beaten track, a perfect sanctuary in which to encase their special day.

Check out: Your Honeymoon Destination: Morocco

Split, Croatia

Croatia is fast becoming one of the most popular countries to host a destination wedding: glittering coastline, and historic quarters with old, honey-hued stone centers and spirited culture. And though you can find magical matrimony spots dotted across the islands and mainland, Split is inching its head above the parapet as one of the more standout wedding destinations in the cluster here, and it’s easy to see why.

The lively coastal town, stretching for miles along the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, has long been attracting well-heeled visitors thanks to globally-acclaimed events – think Yacht Week, among others – but those looking to marry in Split are after a flavor of its larger-than-life personality, zest for living and atmospheric architecture that anchors it to tradition. 

Mestrovic Gallery Terrace on the southern padimama Marjan Hill looks out across the sea and the central Dalmatian islands of Solta, Brac, Hvar, and Vis. Numerous churches are embedded into the surrounding landscape and post-nuptial dining is taken at tables dotted around the perfectly-manicured lawns.

You’ll also find tons of boutique hotels within the city’s parameters ideal for smaller ceremonies, though those in search of larger venues can exclusively hire the Marvie Hotel, with its rooftop infinity pool and terrace.

See: Croatia for Your Magical Destination Wedding

Bali, Indonesia

Destination weddings in Bali tend to be more intimate, beach ceremonies populated with only the closest family and friends, small cliff-top nuptials or meaningful blessings, and traditional purification ceremonies within temples and Buddhist Viharas under the watchful eyes of a clutch of loved ones.

Although, that being said, the province is also home to large, luxury hotels that can – if called upon – host much larger gatherings, like the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, which rises from the paddy fields of Ubud or Amandari, a high-end hotel modeled on a traditional Balinese settlement, looking out over the sacred Ayung Valley.

Read: Discover 6 of The Best Resorts in Bali for Your Honeymoon

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Perhaps a wild card into the mix of best destination wedding locations, Lake Bled in Slovenia nestles in the center of the Julian Alps and is a medieval marvel, dotted around its dramatic setting, from the tips of the mountains to the first ripples of the ice-blue waters, castles, ruins, and monuments command their place within the landscape of modern times.

And in the middle of the lake itself is home to a single Gothic church, dating back to the 1400s, setting the tone for the area’s connection to the symbolism of marriage, and available for couples wishing to get married there.

There is a sense of grandeur beyond glamour in Bled, perhaps the pinnacle of which is Bled Castle, the most popular wedding venue, with an almost birds-eye-view down over the lake and forest-clad mountains surrounding it. 

Villa Bled, occupying a much lower plot just a minute walk from the shores of the lake, offers a slightly more contemporary affair. Once President Tito’s summer residence, the villa and its parkland beyond have been meticulously kept, to enchant newlyweds and their guests. Read: Unforgettable Fairytale Weddings at Bled Rose Hotel in Slovenia