DESTINATIONS SAME-SEX WEDDINGS WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS LEFT:


The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Ireland


RIGHT: Secrets


Silversands Riviera


Cancun, Mexico


scenery. Prices start at €85 per head in winter including a drinks reception, five-course meal, half-bottle of wine and evening buffet. The hotel can also be exclusively hired for €5,000, if all 64 rooms are booked. ashfordcastle.com


5


SANTORINI Why: Santorini is a hotspot for LGBT travellers and the most popular destination in


Greece for gay ceremonies, according to Ionian Weddings, and with its whitewashed villas and caldera-carved cliffs, it’s not hard to see why. The small print: Same-sex weddings aren’t legally recognised in Greece, meaning couples will need to do the official marriage in another country, but symbolic ceremonies are common and hassle-free. Book it: Ionian Weddings says its most popular venue is Santorini Sunset Beach Bar, above Eros beach. “It offers privacy and exclusivity along with the opportunity for a beach wedding, sunset photos and plenty of partying into the early hours!” says managing director Jane Palikira. Couples can say their vows either on a terrace or right on the beach. Prices are from £6,300 and include a barbecue buffet, five-hour drinks package, wedding coordinator, local fees, photography, DJ, cake and hotel transfers for up to 20 guests. ionianweddings.co.uk


6


MALTA Why: Malta has topped the European Rainbow Index for three years running, with


marriage equality established in 2017 and gender-neutral passports introduced earlier this year as part of the destination’s ongoing efforts to attract LGBTQ+ travellers. The small print: Wedding ceremonies and documents including marriage certificates are in English and there’s no minimum residency required, making it hassle-free. Couples just need to visit the Marriage Registry in Valletta or Gozo prior to the wedding to finalise legalities. Book it: For an opulent, atmospheric venue, suggest Palazzo Parisio, an 18th-century palace once owned by Maltese nobility. Wedding ceremonies can be performed in either the gilded ballroom or in the ivy-clad baroque gardens – the only gardens outside Italy to be awarded the prestigious Grand Gardini Italiani – with a reception at fine dining spot Luna The Restaurant afterwards. Thomas Cook offers a wedding package in Malta from £1,300 including return taxis, single-tier cake and all legal documents. The operator suggests couples and guests stay at the nearby five-star Radisson Blu St Julian’s Hotel afterwards to keep the celebrations going. thomascook.com


54travelweekly.co.uk6 December 2018


Best of the rest


Celebrity Cruises: For couples wanting to wed at sea, suggest Celebrity Cruises, which offers legally recognised same- sex weddings in various locations on board.


South Africa: Progressive attitudes (it was the fifth country to recognise same- sex marriage back in 2005) and stunning landscapes make South Africa a


no-brainer. One&Only Cape Town and 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa are both popular venues for weddings.


Sweden: Marriage equality has been established here since 2009. For a wedding they won’t forget, suggest the Icehotel (pictured) in the Arctic, where couples can marry in the Ice Church, surrounded by ice chandeliers and sculptures.


PICTURE: ICEHOTEL/PAULINA HOLMGREN; TOURISM IRELAND/ERIC KELLEY; KOSTA SAVVA PHOTOGRAPHY; SHUTTERSTOCK


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