Resorts With Absolutely Gorgeous Wedding Chapels
We scoured the globe for wedding venues with chapels in popular wedding locations like Las Vegas, Jamaica, Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean.
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa – Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
This Big Island resort, set on its own point of land north of Kona, comprises 509 rooms and suites and overlooks dramatic black lava rocks, as well as the Pacific Ocean behind. Days are spent golfing, kayaking and diving with manta rays; you can also see the graceful marine animals from a viewing area set up by the aptly named Manta Ray Bar & Grill — the perfect vantage point from which to take in the Kona coast's famed sunsets as well. Hawaiian culture is showcased at the weekly luau, where entertainers tell stories of the island, many centered on King Kamehameha III, who was born at Keauhou Bay.
Chapel Details The resort's 75-seat Bayside Chapel epitomizes Hawaiian aloha: The classic New England-style structure, recalling Hawaii's whaling era, is set among tropical trees and blooms, while French doors along both sides open to the serene cerulean waters of Keauhou Bay. After the I do's, host a private reception luau on the Hawaii Lawn (seats 400).
Casa de Campo – La Romana, Dominican Republic
The balmy Caribbean meets an old-world backdrop at this elegant resort. Choose between the clean, contemporary lines of the 185 guest rooms and suites, or party it up with your attendants in one of the three- to seven-room villa homes, perfect for families and groups. The property's sprawling 7,000 acres are home to water sports galore, golf (the challenging Teeth of the Dog course was called top Caribbean course by Golf), an equestrian center and Altos de Chavon, a replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village with commanding views of the Chavon River. Magnífico!
Chapel Details The weathered stone walls of the 80-guest Church of St. Stanislaus, set in a cobblestone plaza in the heart of the Altos de Chavon village, exude bygone charm. This isn't just a picturesque stage set either: The working church hosts weekly Catholic masses and contains a holy statue from Krakow, Poland, gifted by Pope John Paul II.
Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club – St. Ann, Jamaica
Situated on Jamaica's northern coast near Ocho Rios, this all-inclusive 266-room resort brims with laid-back Caribbean allure. Upgrade to one of the specialty suites with a private plunge pool; guests won't miss you while they kick back with the resort's array of water-based temptations, which include three freshwater swimming pools, one with a swim-up bar.
Chapel Details With seating for up to 35, the sweet gingerbread-trimmed open-air Chapel on the Bay needs no embellishment other than its superlative natural setting: a sandy path flanked by swaying palm trees, the turquoise Caribbean Sea behind and the endless blue sky above.
Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa – Riviera Maya, Mexico
This 431-room all-inclusive beach resort has loads going for it, including seven restaurants, 24-hour room service and a swanky spa offering luxe Pevonia products. The location — five minutes from the ruins of Tulum, 20 from the shopping in Playa del Carmen — is icing on the cake.
Chapel Details The charming hacienda-style chapel seats up to 40 guests and boasts wooden pews and understated accents like glass lanterns and metal scrollwork. Follow with an alfresco surf-and-turf reception on the beach. Bonus: Wedding couples earn credit toward free-night anniversary stays.
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler – British Columbia, Canada
Prepare to be awe-struck by European-chateau-style grandeur when you settle into your cozy digs, complete with alpine comforts like down-filled duvets and deep soaking tubs. After days spent enjoying the great outdoors, the couples suite at the acclaimed Vida Spa will keep you both relaxed. And with the resort's 550 rooms, there's no need to leave anyone off the guest list.
Chapel Details Tying the knot in the Rooftop Chapel ensures your wedding will be filled with drama — the good kind. The backdrop: the breathtaking Coast Mountain range. Situated atop the panoramic Woodlands Terrace, the unique glass, steel and stone building holds just 18 people in winter; during summer, a 200-capacity marquee provides the setting for a memorable high-altitude reception.
Hacienda San Angel – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
In the 1970s, actor Richard Burton gave one of the villas that now comprise this 20-suite gem as a valentine to wife Susan Hunt, and today it still lures romantics galore thanks to its hacienda-style antiques, leafy terraces abloom with vibrant bougainvillea and air of cloistered calm. Many rooms feature religious artifacts and original devotional oil paintings, along with luxurious amenities like claw-foot tubs and private terraces.
Chapel Details Few vistas in this Pacific-coast town can rival the outlook from the hotel's Puerta del Cielo chapel, overlooking the glowing gold dome of the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe cathedral, Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre mountains. Decorated with antique Mexican artifacts, ornate chandeliers, intricately carved wooden doors and hand-painted tile floors, the 100-seat chapel is the perfect marriage of old-world elegance and pared-down Mexican style.
Montelucia Resort & Spa – Scottsdale, Arizona
The ever-changing light on the face of Phoenix's Camelback Mountain is a spectacular backdrop, luring couples to wed at this elegant 293-room resort. Guests will love the four swimming pools, stellar Joya Spa (one of the best in town) and activities from golf and guided hikes to cocktail mixology at hip Mbar.
Chapel Details Set at the hotel entrance for easy access, the mission-style Castillo Lucena chapel comes complete with an 18-foot-high cathedral ceiling, antique mirrors, hand-laid parquet flooring and ceremony seating for up to 200 (reception seating for up to 100).
The Osprey at Beaver Creek – Beaver Creek, Colorado
This 47-room boutique resort boasts lots of obvious perks for guests: ski-in, ski-out access to killer slopes; an outdoor pool area with a heated deck, hot tub, fire pit and bar; a steam room and sauna; and extras like a boot-warming valet service. Bonus for you: It's also right next door to Beaver Creek's beloved chapel, a favorite for weddings in the village.
Chapel Details With walls fashioned from river stones and views of Beaver Creek Mountain, the Chapel at Beaver Creek (seats 200) is pure storybook romance. Inside are an organ and a grand piano, so you can walk down that 45-foot-long aisle to the classical soundtrack of your dreams. Afterward, host a memorable reception at Zach's Cabin restaurant, set in an aspen grove high on the mountain above Bachelor Gulch, available only in winter and reached via open-air sleigh.
Ashford Castle – County Mayo, Ireland
What could be dreamier than playing princess and marrying in a castle? Prepare to get swept off your feet in the old country at this grande dame, the former home of brewer Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness. Built in 1228 and set on 350 acres on the shores of Loch Corrib and the River Cong, the castle is a charming amalgam of romantic styles: part Gothic manse, part French chateau, part Irish country estate. (It even has a celebrity connection: The movie The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne, was filmed here in the 1950s, and James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan, wed here in 2001.)
Chapel Details The 110-capacity St. Mary's Church of Ireland is located right at the edge of the castle grounds, surrounded by fairy-tale-like woodland and countryside. Built in 1811, the gray-stone church — with its elegant steeple, weathered shingles and stained-glass windows — looks straight out of a movie set. Post-ceremony, take a carriage ride back to the castle for a reception in the opulent George V room.
The Venetian – Las Vegas, Nevada
The Venetian offers couples the best of both worlds: a traditional ceremony in an upscale setting, with all the let-your-hair-down fun of Sin City to follow — think sampling Flower Eclipse cocktails at Laguna Champagne Bar at sister resort The Palazzo or dancing the night away at Tao Nightclub. Even the standard rooms are plush, with high-roller features such as canopy-draped beds, remote-controlled curtains and TVs in the marble bathrooms — all offered with a generous room discount for wedding couples.
Chapel Details The hotel has multiple venues, but its chapels provide a Vegas rarity: access to outdoor space. Individually, the three rooms seat 40 to 50 guests, or they can be combined to accommodate 150. Doors open onto the Chapel Terrace, accented with columns and statuary. The decor — scalloped curtains, gilded chandeliers, frescoed ceilings — is in keeping with The Venetian's Italian Renaissance theme. Bonus: Packages make things easy and affordable, with extras such as musicians, limo service, a gondola ride — even a free honeymoon night.