The lure of having a destination wedding in Indonesia is immensely compelling, from all-inclusive wedding packages for that effortless experience, to locations with stunning vistas of the Indian Ocean. We’ve picked our top choices of Bali and Java resorts that cater for intimate weddings (just for two) to something on a grand-scale.
14. Spoilt for Choice: LV 8 Resort Hotel
Over at Lv8 Resort Hotel, situated on the renowned Batubelig Brawa Canggu surfing beach, have your wedding (price upon request) celebrated all over the resort. We recommend starting first with the beach for the actual ceremony, which can be adorned with glorious floral arches twined around surfboards that acknowledge the location’s reputation as a surfer’s dream, and lauded worldwide as one of the best.
Next, the infinity pool that overlooks the beach marked by the twisted tower can serve as an excellent cocktail reception before the decadent dinner. Couples wishing to dine by the pool can also opt for a fully catered alfresco dining experience. Otherwise, your large party of guests (up to 250 diners) can converge on the Eight Restaurant for an international fine dining experience. The menus are rife with the best local ingredients that are used to recreate the rich and varied flavours of the Mediterranean. Your party will be seated either in the brasserie-style dining room or at the informal dining area with a three-tiered terrace that overlooks the Indian Ocean. The decadent dinner menu can include dishes like foie gras, scallops served with avruga caviar, miso glazed black cod or even 18oz steaks served on the bone.
For more intimate dinners, gather 50 of your nearest and dearest and invite them to the crown jewel of accommodations at Lv8, the three-bedroom, 360sqm ocean-facing Penthouse for a standing buffet and cocktail reception in absolute seclusion and privacy. The Penthouse also offers guests an outdoor venue to mingle in – a deck with its own private infinity pool.
Start the after-party in the happening Vue Beach Club, which once hosted Australian ambassador of Hed Kandi and Ministry of Sound, DJ Jack Accord, who played on the decks to usher in the New Year. A combination of stellar international DJs, exotic cocktails and dazzling entertainment will ensure the day ends off on a high note.
13. Spoilt for Choice: AYANA Resort and Spa
Another location that can accommodate a range of event sizes is the AYANA Resort and Spa. The venues here run the gamut from an intimate size at the Kisik Jetty right up to the 20,000sqm Champa Garden and also include glorious chapels, gardens and a villa. For guests dreaming of a destination wedding for just the two of them, Bali’s only private pier at Kisik Jetty is perhaps the most suitable. The venue is accessible via an inclinator descent to sea level, and will be marked with the traditional Balinese decorations and accompanied by music from the Balinese xylophones.
Alternatively, the 3,000sqm AYANA Villa also conceals a private cliff-edge gazebo for couples to wed in the utmost privacy. It’s said that this gazebo destination is currently the most sought-after venue for weddings in Bali. Exchange your vows to the serenading acapella choralists during the ceremony and treat your guests to special homemade canapés and tropical welcome drinks.
This package also includes special treats for the couple like getting a bespoke perfume at the L’atelier Perfume studio and a reserved table at the Rock Bar with two glasses of sparkling wine. For a truly effortless storybook wedding, avail of the resort’s expert service that includes rental of gowns from the latest collections, hair and makeup (about US$778) as well as 350 shots of fireworks that can be released the moment you’re pronounced husband and wife.
12. Spoilt for Choice: Ametis Villa
Even an intimate place like Ametis Villa offers a number of venues to hold your wedding. One such space is the Grand Villa, a private haven that has traditionally accommodated no more than six travellers. Its amenities include a spacious landscaped compound, a swimming pool and some of the latest technologies essential for travellers. Here, the versatile venue is great for wedding ceremonies and receptions for up to 16 guests, with the Saphire Wedding Experience (about US$2,830). The package will cover all the flower arrangements needed, makeup and hairdo for the couple, champagne toast, and an Ametis original wedding certificate.
Other stellar locations for the wedding ceremony include, quite surprisingly, the Lobby Lounge, with a capacity for 10 persons. Guests can adjourn to the Eternal Restaurant for a home-style dining reception (US$35 per person), or have a seafood barbecue on the beach (US$120 per person). Ametis is also able to arrange a photographer for three to four hours (about US$585) to commemorate the occasion.
11. Spoilt for Choice: Ayodya Resort Bali
For a quintessentially Balinese environment to get married in, choose the Ayodya Resort Bali, which is set on 11ha of landscaped gardens adorned with glorious Balinese architecture and accents. These include stone statues, fountains, carved reliefs and mythical characters depicting the epic Ramayana love story of true commitment even under adverse circumstances. Moved by such a story, the team at Ayodya Resort has created a package named after the couple – Rama Shinta – in hopes that the newlyweds too would be able to experience this same kind of love.
Capture the precious moments and details, like the private beach garden adorned with Balinese decorations and a three-tier champagne fountain, with photography and videography services (part of the package at about US$2,270). The venue in the idyllic beach garden can accommodate up to 1,500 persons for both your wedding ceremony and your reception. Feast on the sumptuous international buffet menu featuring the classic tom yum goong, a braised shoulder of lamb atop Ratatouille and Rosemarie potatoes. Enjoy the other inclusions in the Ramayana Bridge of Love package (US$75 per person) such as an indulgent 50min massage at the Mandara Spa for the couple. Alternatively, try the 145min Ultimate Indulgence treatment (US$145) featuring an Aromatherapy Floral Bath, a Mandara Massage, foot massage and an Elemis Taster Facial.
The resort’s Balinese Theatre is another venue to consider if you prefer a more intimate setting. With a capacity of 180 persons, the pièce de résistance here is the Javanese temple that serves as a truly traditional backdrop for your ceremony. The accompanying cultural performances will certainly enhance the Balinese theme of your wedding.
Book the exclusive 79-room Ayodya Palace for your guests, tucked away in a corner of the resort that also enjoys close proximity to the beach. Your guests will be pampered with the best of Balinese service, with complimentary afternoon teas, snacks and beverages during their stay. For a truly regal destination wedding, we recommend instead booking the Kausalya Suite (about US$1,030) for yourselves, which has beachfront access, a large private tropical garden and plunge pool. Its impressive amenities further include a walk-in wardrobe, marble bathtub and a sauna.
10. Through the Glass: The Seminyak Beach Resort and Spa
Winner of the country award for the Luxury Beach Resort in the World Luxury Hotel Awards in 2013,The Seminyak Beach Resort and Spa boasts a spectacular chapel which can seat up to 150 guests. Guests will be facing the floor-to-ceiling glass windows punctuated with artfully decorated arrangements against the white pillars. The view is stupendous, looking out to the scenery of the Seminyak Beach and if timed perfectly, a backdrop of multicoloured hues when the sun sets will be the perfect backdrop for all your wedding photos during the ceremony.
The all-inclusive Ultimate Wedding Package (starting from US$5,500) will encompass all the details, such as the flower arrangements and decorations, the provision of a choir accompaniment or the more traditional ‘Rindik’ Balinese music, a photography package for three hours and even a champagne breakfast. The multi-purpose chapel can easily be transformed into the dinner venue, where your guests can feast on the resort’s best delights from the ‘Blue and White Extravaganza’ menu (about US$130 per person). Try starters like crabmeat aioli in a purse, a selection of meats on a grill, Peking duck and a range of sweet treats that might include vanilla crème brulee.
9. Through the Glass: Conrad Bali
Equally spectacular is the iconic Infinity Chapel suitable for 60 persons at Conrad Bali, shaped like an offset triangle shape pointing towards heaven. Reach the chapel via the marble walkway, flanked by the reflecting pools that seemingly reach out to sea. Your walk down the aisle will be accompanied by a keyboardist and singer. The exchanging of vows will be followed by a firework display (as part of the Splendor Wedding package at US$5,000) to commemorate the event. The celebrated day continues in the grand ballroom (for up to 100 guests) and you can keep your guests enthralled with a contemporary dance performance, as they dine on the three-course menu and canapés (about US$98 per person for the wedding reception package).
8. Garden Weddings: The Legian
The ceremony begins at the top of The Stairs of Heaven, a stunning outdoor stairway inspired by the iconic Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta, Central Java. It is decorated with Balinese accents like thepenjor, umbul-umbul (a tall, curved bamboo pole decorated with coconut leaves with an offering at its base and ritual flags respectively), eight baskets of tuberoses and white parasols. The bride descends 28 steps down this spectacular feature followed by eight flower girls in Balinese costume, arriving at the garden where the ceremony will take place. Such is the allure of a wedding at The Legian Bali.
Continue down the path, marked by a stream of petals, till you reach the tent, artfully draped in white flowing cloth and adorned with a flowery crown. This is the site where you’ll exchange your vows witnessed by a crowd seated on white Tiffany chairs. Have a celebratory cocktail or a seated dinner (about US$165 for seven courses) in the garden and feast on delights whipped up by Chef Luke MacLeod. Wedding packages start from US$4,500 and can include a five-piece jazz band (US$1,800).
7. Garden Weddings: Four Seasons Resort, Bali at Jimbaran Bay
For truly awe-inspiring Instagram-worthy pictures, choose the ultimate centerpiece – a waterfall in the midst of the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. It’s framed by an intimate garden with gorgeous bougainvillea trees and lush tropical plants, with a pool grotto for an Eden-like experience. This location can accommodate up to 100 guests for a reception and 50 for a banquet. With the Ultimate Splendour Wedding package (US$3,699), all the nitty-gritty such as decoration, Balinese flower girls, ceremonial wedding certificate and the celebrant will be taken care off by the staff. In fact, you will also be provided with much-needed honeymoon treats. These would include a couple’s massage, a special wedding gift, a romantic sunset gazebo dinner for two and a honeymoon bath accompanied by a sweet treat of chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Steal away some time for yourselves and book a Lobster Candlelight Dinner in the shore side bales. The five-course menu could include dishes like creamy lobster bisque paired with green asparagus and lobster ravioli or a gratinated lobster with fresh tomato, zucchini, potato ragout, baby spinach and truffle hollandaise.
6. Garden Weddings: The Samaya Ubud
The green grass landscapes extend far out into the horizon, with beautifully tended rice hills and verdant hillsides of the Ayung valley. It forms a perfect backdrop for a wedding when adorned with elegant Balinese decorations like a white canopy and standing flower arrangements. Such a location can only be found at The Samaya Bali, Ubud. The Full Legal Wedding Package (price starts from US$2,775) will take care of all the necessary amenities for your wedding, including the issuance of a certification of marriage from both the Protestant church and the government registry office. Other treats include two glasses of sparkling wine for toasting, a villa turndown with a honeymoon decoration and a 3h ceremony photoshoot.
This all-inclusive package also covers luxurious pre and post-wedding pampering, offering the couple three nights’ stay in a Hill Side Villa and a 150min Ultimate Romantic Spa treatment. Toast to your new marital status with a four-course in-villa dinner with a bottle of sparkling wine.
5. Balinese Honeymoons: The Kayana Bali
Besides being a fantastic locale to get married in, Bali is also a honeymooners’ haven. Hide away after the wedding festivities in the comfort of your two-bedroom pool villa at The Kayana Bali. Be lavished with a Journey of Love package (about US$1,026 for three nights in a Pool Villa) and enjoy a full-day tour of your choice, a romantic dinner with a glass of house wine, round-the-clock attentive butler service and complimentary entry to Mozaic Beachclub. What we especially love is the 150min Romantic Retreat Spa Package that includes a gift, a floral foot bath, citrus body wash, a traditional Balinese massage and scrub and time to unwind and relax in the Jacuzzi for complete de-stressing post-wedding rejuvenation. Couples can also opt for the Kayana Signature Blessing (about US$2,230 for three nights in a Pool Villa), dressed in traditional attire, and receive blessings from a local priest, followed by a sumptuous Balinese feast.
4. Balinese Honeymoons: Horison Seminyak
Horison Seminyak allows honeymooners to enjoy the best of both worlds – an idyllic retreat to rest in that’s also a short walk to the vibrant boutiques, cafes, fine dining and shops that earmark the centre of Seminyak. It’s just five minutes away from the famous Double Six beach packed with restaurants, bars and nightclubs
Be greeted with the traditional tunes of the Rindik and percussion instruments and a welcome drink tailored according to your blood type. Guests opting for The Honeymoon package will enjoy special decorations in their 52sqm Horison Suite, and a romantic dinner that’s followed by releasing wishing lanterns. Receive a unique photograph of yourselves in Balinese costume, as well as a souvenir of a Balinese indigenous script. For more local immersion, take part in either a Balinese dance or a Rindik lesson. The package can cost up to US$315 for three days and two nights.
3. Balinese Honeymoons: Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua
The luxurious Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua, part of the MGallery brand by Accor Hotels that is represented by celebrity ambassador Kristin Scott Thomas, is situated near to the Nusa Dua beach. Its advantageous location within walking distance to shops, restaurants and a championship golf course at Bali National Golf Club, combined with five-star service delivers a quintessentially Balinese experience for honeymooners. Recharge with an indulgent Balinese ‘Urut’ Massage, a treatment that combines deep tissue massages with myofascial release and trigger points to relieve pains and accelerate healing. The Amarterra Spa prides itself on using only natural products, mostly from the coconut tree as it has many benefits for the body.
Such a massage treatment is just one part of the comprehensive Romantic Escape package that Amarterra has for couples. The other elements include staying at the one-bedroom villa with its own private pool, indulging in a three-course set menu and having one romantic dinner in your own villa. Each is furnished with technologically advanced entertainment systems, well-equipped kitchens, while adorned also with Balinese artifacts.
2. Javanese Weddings: Hotel Santika Premiere Bintaro
Those wishing to go further afield in Indonesia, to a quieter retreat away from the island paradise of Bali can opt to hold their nuptials in the Hotel Santika Premiere Bintaro. The hotel, just half a year old since its opening in January, is located in the Central Business District of Bintaro near the Jakarta Outer Ring Road toll gate, providing easy access to Jakarta. Its location has close proximity to high-end malls, banks and various services and amenities.
Have your pre-wedding shoot at the distinctive yacht-shaped façade, before adjourning to the spectacular Edelweiss Grand Ballroom for your banquet dinner. Its ballroom, adorned regally in golden hues with traditional green accents, spans a total of 544sqm by 7m and can accommodate up to 1,000 guests. Sample the best cuisine from around the archipelago infused with traditional flavours. These can be personalised to suit your dietary preferences.
Couples can choose from the Platinum, Gold or Silver wedding packages, depending on the size of their party. The Platinum Package for 1,000 guests (about US$23,715) includes a wedding reception buffet, a blessing room, four food stalls and two bottles of sparkling juice to pour into the champagne glass fountain. Feast on delectable treats such as a 2.5kg roast New Zealand sirloin that serves 40 persons (about US$102) or a 14kg Kambing Guling for 70 persons (about US$298) from the food stalls. End the buffet on a sweet note with your choice of three French pastries, two puddings and sliced fruits.
The comprehensive package also includes a night’s stay in the most luxurious Premiere Suite with airport pick up. Thoughtfully, Hotel Santika Premiere Bintaro has also taken into account the family of the couple, offering them two deluxe rooms for a night’s stay. A delectable memento might include your Honeymoon cake or indulge in a post-wedding rejuvenating massage at the hotel’s Alaya Spa
1. Javanese Weddings: Royal Hospitality
Be spoilt for choice with two hotels to choose from the Royal Hospitality Group in Java. The first, Royal Orchids Garden Hotel & Condominium resides in Batu and has sweeping panoramic views of the Batu foothills. Hold your wedding in the Panderman Ballrooms, which can accommodate banquets for up to 1,000 guests in its 577sqm premises. The 247sqm Arjuna Hall would better suit smaller weddings of up to 200 guests.
On the other hand, the Royal Trawas Hotel & Cottages offers guests yet another thrilling landscape for dreamy and remarkable photographs. The hotel sits in a pristine mountainous area surrounded by pine forests and with a backdrop of the staggering Mount Penanggungan at 1,653m above sea level. Its location ensures your wedding will be blissfully cool and picturesque even when taking outdoor pre-wedding photographs. This hotel also offers a range of wedding venues, such as outdoor terraces, gardens or ballrooms that can accommodate 500 to 1,000 guests.
Featured Image: Amarterra Villas. All images used with permission.