Welcome to Bali, where mesmerizing clifftop panoramas meet turquoise waves crashing against white-sand beaches. It's a place where lush jungles meet rice paddies, Hindu temples abound, and there is no shortage of sublime food and dreamy resorts and villas. In short, it’s a stunning place to say “I do.”
It’s also ideal in that guests get to enjoy a bucket-list vacation as they witness the start of a new marriage. “Bali is the island of the Gods—spirituality is a common theme,” says Ria Kentjono, director of Luxury Weddings Indonesia. “And the Balinese are very friendly and accommodating,” she adds.
Kentjono specializes in the very highest-end affairs, which typically cost between $75,000 and $85,000 for 100 guests (not including guest accommodations). But that’s not the only price point on the island. Kentjono’s company, Luxury Weddings Bali, offers a lower entry price point with a set package that includes access to the company's Rolodex of local, luxe vendors—and there is always the option to upgrade and customize the event with a la carte add-ons. The starting quote for 100 guests is around $22,200—not including villa venue rental. Furthermore, some resorts, such as the clifftop Uluwatu Surf Villas, offer options for full- or half-property buyouts that include three nights of accommodations (more on that below) and begin at $12,390 for 46 villa guests.
“Uluwatu is famous for clifftop weddings; it’s our most popular choice,” says Kentjono, adding that Nusa Dua is another beautiful spot known for its white sands. “But we actually don’t have many inquiries for beach weddings—everyone wants a clifftop!”
And despite the richness of Balinese Hindu traditions, most of her clients opt for what is known as a blessing ceremony, and legally wed in their own country. Occasionally she organizes Catholic, Christian, or Buddhist ceremonies. Oftentimes, however, couples incorporate local traditions in the form of a Kecak dance performance. “It is based on the story of Ramayana, and it’s very popular with our clients—it involves lots of topless men chanting. We start the performance after sunset when it gets dark, and the performers lead guests to the dining area while spinning various objects on fire.”
For the best weather—ideal for fire spinning shows, fireworks, or simply capturing spectacular sunsets—Kentjono recommends booking venues in June through October, as the remaining months tend to have a much higher potential for rain. And one last thing to consider: Most resorts have a curfew of 10 p.m. for amplified music. Having a buyout is an exception, but not always possible at the larger resorts (some get around it by moving guests to a ballroom, a private villa, or a communal area with a Bluetooth speaker).
Whether you keep it small and invite only a few of your nearest and dearest to this slice of paradise, or go big—like the waves at Uluwatu—here are the top Bali wedding venues to consider.
01. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay
This gorgeous Four Seasons beach resort is so ready for lovers that it has a WeddingMoon package available. From $6,710 for 30 people (and options to scale for more guests), the experience includes the venue, pre-ceremony canapes, a welcome drink, a live-cooking buffet or four-course set dinner, and included wedding night accommodations of three pool villas. The happy couple also gets a romantic private dinner for two and a 90-minute Balinese massage, plus a honeymoon voucher for two nights at Jimbaran Bay or Sayan resorts, good for one year.
02. Alila Villas Uluwatu
If taking over an entire property sounds appealing, this iconic clifftop resort with jaw-dropping ocean panoramas is well suited for it, with 84 villas that all have private pools. “If you buy out the resort, you can use the central swimming pool as a floating aisle and stage,” says Kentjono. And it’s a stunner. The contemporary Balinese–style resort is quite an exclusive feeling and restricts the number of guests so even without a buyout, she adds, it never feels busy.
03. Jumeirah Bali
Bali’s freshest resort venue is undoubtedly the magnificent Jumeirah Bali, which takes inspiration from the Majapahit kingdom of Indonesia and feels royal from the outset. Located right on Dreamland Beach, the grand white and blue property—made up entirely of all pool villas—features stately outdoor venues, picturesque photo settings, and a ballroom that holds up to 200 for imperial affairs.
04. Amankila
The showpiece of this frangipani-scented resort on Bali’s East Coast—with its own private black-sand beach—is its trio of infinity pools cascading down the hill, an epic setting for a wedding. Kentjono calls Amankila “a reasonably priced buyout,” adding that it offers “modern luxury with a hint of Balinese architecture.” Though it has 34 villas, the resort considers booking 28 of them—for up to 56 guests—as a full buyout, and has a plethora of romantic options for ceremony, reception, and after-party (think beach club!).
05. Andaz Bali
Debuted in spring 2021, this beachfront resort in Sanur is wonderfully quiet and lush, perfect for capturing fabulously tropical wedding photos. The options range from ceremonies on the sand to twinkling dinners and dance parties under the stars in the Village Square or verdant courtyards.
06. Desa Potato Head
For something a bit different, there’s the OMA-designed Desa Potato Head in Seminyak, home to several inspired settings including the vast ocean-view rooftop called Sunset Park. The venue can accommodate weddings of up to 200 guests, while the sustainable creative village’s one-of-a-kind hotels, Potato Head Studios and Potato Head Suites, sleep at least as many.
07. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
Though not as popular as clifftop weddings in Bali, the ultra-lush area around Ubud captivates nature and architecture lovers. For an intimate yet dramatic setting, consider making it official in the middle of this award-winning resort’s Rooftop Lotus Pond, a lily pad–strewn circular infinity-edge pool that’s suspended over the treetops. Twenty guests can join you for the pure magic of saying “I do” and dining in this singular spot.
08. Uluwatu Surf Villas
Surfers will already have this renowned resort on their radar since it's perched above some of the world’s best waves. The 44 total bedrooms across 16 villas make a moderately sized wedding buyout for 88 guests, starting at $31,830 and including three nights of accommodation and an expert planner. Half buyouts are also an option, with either more traditional Balinese architecture or tropical modern villas, though both promise legendary Indian Ocean sunsets.
09. Ayana Bali
Suitable for both large and more intimate weddings, this resort overlooking Jimbaran Bay has quite a few breathtaking options for wedding venues. Kentjono, once director of weddings here, loves the SKY venue, a platform that seems to float atop the Indian Ocean for ceremonies of up to 80. “My favorite is the ceremony amphitheater, with well-landscaped gardens and trees,” she says, which accommodates 200 guests. Pro tip: don't miss out on cocktail hour at the world-famous Rock Bar.
10. Bulgari Resort Bali
Hugging the high cliffside in Uluwatu, couples can be married in one of five venues across this luxurious resort. They’re each special, but perhaps the most unique is the stone Bulgari Chapel, with floor-to-ceiling glass that allows for panoramic ocean views. Another stunning option is the Water Wedding, in which the couple says “I do” on an altar that sits atop a transparent carpet that floats on a pond.
11. The Mulia
Two ballrooms, three wedding chapels, and eight different dining venues are all within the realm of possibility for nuptials at one of Nusa Dua’s largest beach resorts, which comes with a dedicated planning team who customizes every occasion, big or small.
12. The Apurva Kempinski
Kentjono describes this luxury resort in Nusa Dua as “the new kid in town.” The property's uniquely designed beachfront chapel is “really impressive; it’s almost on the sand, facing the ocean,” she says. With 475 rooms, suites, and villas, the resort has more than enough space to entertain and sleep guests in five-star style.
13. Khayangan Estate
“This is the most beautiful private villa in Bali, hands down,” says Kentjono, who also offers it as a venue for Luxury Weddings Bali events. With cascading gardens, lots of stone, and a traditional joglo feature, the deluxe villa complex leads down to a cliff-edge ocean view, she describes, which feels super special for one-of-a-kind nuptials.
14. Raffles Bali
Opened in 2021, this resort on Jimbaran Bay offers everything from small beachfront “I do's” and opulent 30-person celebrations in the Presidential Villa to lavish ceremonies and receptions for larger wedding parties. There’s also the Raffles Wellbeing Wedding, which is an elopement ceremony that takes place in a secret cave and includes a private meditation and spa treatment, starlit dinner, and the opportunity to plant a ‘Tree of Love’ in the resort garden.
Source :
https://www.brides.com/best-wedding-venues-bali-indonesia-5714705