World's Ultra-Exclusive Destination Wedding Spots
For the right price, you too can have a one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony.
Jan. 9, 2008 Special to ABCNEWS.com — -- You may not lay claim to Google co-founder Larry Page's fortune, but if you're willing to open your wallet, you can say "I do" like the 34-year-old tech titan.
Just head to Necker Island, where Page last month married 27-year-old Stanford Ph.D. candidate Lucy Southworth. The 74-acre island in the British Virgin Islands is owned by billionaire Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group.
Guests can stay in the eight-bedroom Great House or in one of the five smaller Bali houses that dot the island; together they sleep 28 guests. The entire island can be reserved for about $47,000 a day, with a five-day minimum stay. You may choose between an informal beachfront wedding or a more formal ceremony in the main lounge. Included in the package are such amenities as a couple's massage, access to water sports, lessons with a professional tennis pro, all meals and drinks, and boat transfers from Virgin Gorda or Beef Island (Tortola) airports.
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Necker Island is one of a handful of spots worldwide that offer soon-to-be-weds pricey, one-of-a-kind ceremonies. Other spots include Turtle Island in Fiji and Ireland's Ashford Castle. All feature luxurious lodging, ultimate privacy and top-notch amenities.
Destination weddings are filling a need among the world's affianced. One out of every six couples getting married for the first time choose a destination wedding, according to www.destinationweddings.com, a wedding planning site. That number rises to 61% for couples getting remarried. For most folks, destination weddings offer a chance to celebrate in style. For high-profile brides and grooms such as Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds, who wed last weekend on a private island off French Polynesia's Bora Bora (they plan to legally wed in the U.S. when they return), or those seeking seclusion, destination weddings are the best way to guarantee privacy on the big day.
"If you want to have an incredible wedding, you can't beat a destination wedding," says Marilyn Oliveira, senior editor at WeddingChannel.com. "They are definitely a trend and growing every second."
