Tie the Knot in Style at These Epic Destination Wedding Locales

Getting hitched atop the Great Wall of China is an utterly unforgettable experience. (Photo: Alamy)

While a destination wedding isn’t everyone’s ideal, for those who wish to say their “I Dos” in a special place, the sky is the limit for unique options. We’ve toured the world and found seven truly remarkable destination wedding locations and ways to commit your lives to each other.

Great Wall of China

Spanning approximately 5,500 miles, the Great Wall of China offers a series of unique fortifications that are ideal for an offbeat destination wedding. Choose to marry right along the wall with the mountains as your backdrop, or invite up to 300 guests to join you at The Home of the Great Wall, a picturesque fortification about 60 meters before the Mutianyu roundabout. After your ceremony, join the thousands of couples before you and “lock your love” with a padlock along the wall and throw the key over the wall, uniting your love forever.

Under a Divi-Divi Tree in Aruba

Iconic of Aruba’s picturesque landscape, the famous Divi-Divi tree serves as a natural compass on the island, always pointing in a southwesterly direction due to the trade winds that blow across the land. Exchange your vows under these trees that can grow as tall as 30 feet high and share a moment that can only be celebrated on this island.

Wat Chalong, Phuket, Thailand

Known as Phuket’s biggest, most ornate, and most important Buddhist temple, Wat Chalong is ideal for couples that seek out the intimacy and solemnity of a Buddhist ceremony. Wat Chalong’s ornate architecture offers an impressive backdrop for photos while their revered monks preside over a very unique blessing ceremony, resulting in an experience that is simply unforgettable. Keep in mind that you must remove your shoes before entering the temple building and women must cover their shoulders for the monks’ blessing ceremony.

Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida

For an unforgettable experience state-side, the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida offers a unique backdrop for a wedding ceremony – a 500,000 gallon tank home to over 2,000 Coral Reef fish. The aquarium recently was awarded the 2014 couples’ choice award by WeddingWire.com and offers outdoor wedding venue in addition to its spectacular indoor venue. Beaches to temples, rainforests to caves, destination wedding locations aren’t just held on pristine beaches. There is a perfect destination out there for every couple. To learn more about planning your unique day, visit The Knot for helpful timelines, locations and checklists.

Rio Camuy Caves, Puerto Rico

Known for its lush rainforests and scenic beaches, this destination wedding location isn’t what you’d expect from Puerto Rico. Rio Camuy Caves is an intriguing wedding location that is unlike any location you could imagine. Surprisingly, the caves have large chambers up to 200 feet high, which make for an ideal space for your friends and family to join you for a one-of-a-kind wedding experience.

Customs House, Brisbane, Australia

Behind its grand Corinthian columns and high-arching dome, The Customs House in Brisbane, Australia is a breathtaking example of Victorian Free Classical Style architecture. Built in 1886 and recently restored, this location is ideal for those seeking out a destination wedding location in Australia rich with history and heritage.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens of Costa Rica

This location is the epitome of Costa Rico’s rich ecosystem with over 100 species of animals and several of the most famous waterfalls in Costa Rica. La Paz Waterfall Gardens allows couples to exchange vows in a variety of locations including in the Garden’s butterfly sanctuary surrounded by thousands of butterflies or next to a waterfall in a lush natural landscape.

---