Indoors or out? It’s one of those questions brides planning a destination wedding often have difficulty making up their mind about. Outdoors means you can have a venue set against views of the ocean or mountains, on a hillside overlooking a vineyard, perhaps, or in a sunny glade surrounded by the trees of the forest. Indoors means much of your day doesn’t have to be ruled by fear of what the weather might do, or that your grandmother might wilt in the sun. An elegant solution is the glass-walled chapel. Here, from around the world, are five of our favorites:
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Our Lady of Guadeloupe Oceanfront Chapel at the Gran Caribe Real Cancun.
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The folks at the Gran Caribe Real claim that the Catholic Our Lady of Guadeloupe oceanfront chapel has the best view of the Caribbean in all of Cancun. And while everyone will have their eyes only on you, of course, they may be right. With three floor-to ceiling walls of glass, and an open back, the only thing that could make you feel closer to the water here is if the priest arrived with fishing gear.
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Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
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Designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, the 48-foot high Thorncrown Chapel, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was recognized by the American Institute of Architects, as one of the top ten buildings of the 20th century. Although inspired by Sainte Chapelle, a gothic cathedral in Paris, you’ll feel as if you are in the Ozark woods, which except for a bit of glass and timber (actually lots of glass, as there are 425 windows) you are. Thorncrown Chapel is not part of a resort, but you’ll find plenty of places to stay in the area, including the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, which, we are just saying, is purported to be haunted.
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Turtle Bay Resort, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
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Turtle Bay Resort, on Oahu’s North Shore, has a handful of good venue sites, from on the beach to on a golf course. But a favorite is the glass-walled wedding pavilion, where it is rumored a bride with a strong arm could sail her boquet into the Pacific.
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For a nearly unique experience, Bali’s Ayana Resort and Spa is one of the few in the world (Bora Bora’s Intercontinental Thalasso Resort is another) that takes the glass-walled chapel one step further with a glass-floored aisle, this one above a flowing, stone-lined river. There’s air-conditioned seating for 50, but if that isn’t quite enough, the resort has a second glass-walled chapel that will hold 80, and is adjacent to its own bridal villa.
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Wedding pavilion at Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
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Modeled after a grand Victorian summer house, Disney’s wedding pavilion at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a combination of glass-walled and more traditional chapel. It’s the only one you’ll find, though, with views of Cinderella’s Castle. On its own private island, the pavilion has room for up to 300 guests.
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Want to know more about planning destination wedding travel to any of the resorts mentioned in this post? Our travel partners at Coastline Travel Advisors, a Virtuoso agency, are ready to help.
