If you're sick of having your wedding in some over-priced hotel ballroom, a nondescript function room, or saying your vows in a church that anyone can recognize from miles away, take the time to consider that we've been blessed with over 7000 islands and countless destinations for a spectacular wedding day. Come on, if this is the day you'll be leaving your beloved single-hood for life, might as well do it with a bang!
1. Marinduque
In between Luzon and Mindoro lies a provincial group of islands known for its historical backdrop and rich cultural heritage. A sacred land, Marinduque's islands date back to our colonial past, and one of these is home to the white washed walls of the Bellarocca resort.
Basically untouched by the storms that rage our Capital, Marinduque and its surrounding isles are sunny all year-round, so Bellarocca's Santorini-inspired villas will give you a summer seaside wedding for any month of the year! The entire resort, which resides on its own island just a boat ride away from the provincial capital is the perfect destination wedding if you're just looking to lap in an infinity pool of luxury-- or perhaps stay indoors for the rest of your honeymoon once all the festivities are over.
2. Batanes
On the very tip of our country lies the smallest province in the Philippines- Batanes. A group of ten idyllic islands, it is a haven of cliffs, wind-battered stone and coral houses and scenery so immense its a paradise on its own. Visit the historic Tukon church, after its recent rehabilitation by the Fundacion Pacita, and the beautiful Naidi Hill lighthouse where a soaring view of the entire Batanes from end to end, Sabtang island in the south of Basco and Itbayat can be seen.
The Fundacion Pacita Nature Lodge is also one of the Philippines most unique boutique hotels, being nestled in this far-off province. Possibly the most romantic of destination weddings, Batanes is a gem on its own- peaceful, remote and picturesque!
3. Palawan
For a beach wedding to be envied and remembered for the rest of your life, El Nido in Palawan will definitely make your big day dreams come true. Whether it be Miniloc, Lagen or the Apulit island resorts, the hidden lagoons, lime stone cliffs, pure white sand and clear blue waters of Palawan are enough to make the "till death do us part" bit stay true. The El Nido chapel near the town proper is likewise a quaint little spot to hold your ceremony, and the endless island activities will give you and your guests fond memories for the decades to come.
4. Catanduanes
If grabbing a surfboard right after saying your vows is your type of thing, then maybe getting married in the province of Catanduanes in the Bicol region is right up your wedding alley! Known primarily as one of Luzon's best surf spots, Catanduanes' pristine Puraran beach definitely won't have you and your wedding party tripping over sand-castles and families (just like in good old crowded Boracay) for all the wedding festivities. Catanduanes' oldest colonial resident, Bato church, is also a charming reminder of our Spanish heritage. Built over a span of 53 years, its construction began in 1830 and was finally completed in 1883, just to hold momentous ceremonies like yours.
(Find a place to stay in Catanduanes.)
5. Guimaras
In the land of sugar, Guimaras island is both a tropical paradise and a historical land mine waiting to be explored. The hilly tops of this tiny island, along with its numerous beaches, are home to pristine waters, dense foliage, quaint fishing communities and a rural landscape that wont ever make you want to come back to the city. Just a thirty-minute boat ride away from Iloilo, Guimaras is also home to two historic churches that are as beautiful as they are famed. At the top of the island lies the Trappist Monastery, whose newly rehabilitated Church by Oscar Ledesma and family keeps the traditions of the guava-jam making monks alive. The Navalas church, another beauty, can be found at the foothills of the island and was built in 1880 entirely out of corals-- and yes, it is one of the Philippines' oldest churches. Have a seaside reception at this lovely town, maybe under a coconut tree or two!
(Find a place to stay in Guimaras.)
RELATED LINKS
Travel.EYP.ph
Juice Out of Town
Wedding service providers on EYP
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