From swapping vows under the sea to getting hitched on a roller coaster, these wedding packages are upping the unique factor in ceremonies.
Underwater in Bali
Prove just how deep your love is with an underwater ceremony. The Alila Manggis on Bali hosts scuba ceremonies for those mermaids and mermen looking to really make a splash when they wed. The underwater wedding package starts with a mega — and wet — photo shoot, conducted either in the ocean or the resort pool. Then it’s a rehearsal in the pool with the aquatic officiant. A decorated jukung (an Indonesian outrigger canoe) delivers the entire party to spectacular dive sites off the island’s east coast. Here the ceremony deep dives for a wet, yet not so wild, exchange of vows. The package, which includes accommodations for the couple and two guests, also comes with dive gear and instruction for the unfamiliar (wedding packages start at $7,000 and include officiant, rehearsal, photos, some transportation, gear, a celebratory meal and two nights accommodations, among other amenities).
Photo courtesy of Alila Hotels and Resorts
Ziplining in Herradura
Satisfy a need for speed while taking your love to new heights in coastal Costa Rica. Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Herradura on the Pacific Coast hosts guests at a nearby adventure park nestled in a 1,100-acre rainforest to become king and queen of the jungle for a day. The nearly 3-mile zipline course has 12 platforms and 10 cables, one of which is 2,400 feet — the longest in the region. Here, you can race down to “I Do” under the canopy and capture the whole thing on the resort’s GoPro Hero4 cameras. Bonus: The venue comes with built-in and oh-so-natural florals and greenery and may even provide a sloth sighting. Add-on adventures include a three-hour ATV tour rolling through mud and river, horseback riding and a hike through the jungle-thick environment. Lelevate the experience with dinner à deux from the overlook or enjoy a festive reception with a feast of local favorites like casada — the name means “married” in Spanish — a dish of beans, rice, fried plantain, veggies and meat (wedding reception packages start at $1,500 and include food and venue fees. Ziplining is $70 per person).
Photo courtesy of Los Sueños Marriott
Mountaintop Trek in St. Lucia
If your boutonnieres are made for walking, the Rainforest Wedding Experience coordinated by Rendezvous Resort on the island of St. Lucia is the adventure for you. This guided ceremonial Caribbean climb up Mount Gimie, the tallest peak in the West Indies at 3,117 feet, is best for very experienced hikers. Those who can manage the arduous trek through thick, sticky rainforest, up volcanic slopes and past vertigo-inducing views while skirting razor grass are rewarded with a summit with panoramas all the way to Pigeon Island, Vieux Fort and the Pitons. It's important to note that the descent is the hard part, but the ceremony and climb can conclude with a refreshing waterfall dip (wedding package starts at $3,800 and includes ceremony, some transportation, owers, a celebratory meal, owers and champagne toast).
RllPhoto courtesy of The Body Holiday
Roller Coaster in Las Vegas
Sure, there are still quickie weddings in Las Vegas, but these days, ceremonies here are totally bespoke. And you can really have your heart soar as you take the plunge! At the classic Vegas hotel New York, New York, couples can marry on the property’s epic roller coaster. Pick your pleasure — get hitched on the loading platform before sealing it with a kiss on the coaster or swap vows in the front seat with your guests/passengers looking on. Either way, you’ll swoop, swirl and, yes, take the plunge high above Las Vegas’s infamous Strip (the Take the Plunge package starts at $600).
Photo courtesy of MGM Resorts International
Scuba Diving in Thailand
The Underwater Romance experience at this sumptuous property on the Thai coastal spot of Krabi is seriously splashy. Aboard a speedboat, couples and their guests are whisked among the towering limestone islands and picturesque rock formations of the Adman Sea. Then it’s time to dive in — literally. Wearing scuba gear, you’ll swap vows under the water amid colorful sea life that teems around the sea’s endless coral formations. Then a school of energetic clownfish is released in a symbol of new beginnings. Photo sessions, champagne toasts and celebratory meals happen aboard the boat before setting sail to island hop around the translucent sea (the Underwater Romance package starts at about $12,000; ritzcarlton.com).
Photo courtesy of Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Hot Air Baloon in Vermont
Even in the most Americana-esque places, brides and grooms can customize ceremonies with some unexpected and high-flying experiences. At Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, an intimate, family-run property in Vermont, couples can soar above the green mountains in a hot air balloon during or post wedding ceremony. If you’d like to get your guests in on the fun ask about the balloon tethers. Set up during cocktail hour, the balloon is roped to the ground, which allows folks to climb in, float up about 80 feet and then return to the earth to enjoy the reception (post-ceremony balloon rides start at $750. Reception balloon tethers start at $1,500).
Photo courtesy of Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa
Safari in Tanzania
Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest caldera (a cauldron-like crater formed by a collapsed volcanic eruption). Its ultra-rich soil makes it an A-plus grazing (or hunting) area for the planet’s most exotic animals including hyena, lions, leopards, hard-to-spot black rhinos and endless flocks of flamingos. And that’s what makes this national park one of the natural wonders of the world. Located on the rim of the crater with endless views of its awesome expanse sits the ultra-luxe andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, offering a variety of wedding packages that take full advantage of the jaw-dropping natural landscape. Some include endless displays of rose petals and the assistance of local Maasai warriors. Receptions can be held either at the lodge or alfresco on the crater floor (wedding packages start at $600).
Photo courtesy of andBeyond
