Travel to Southern Africa Southern Africa: Weddings & honeymoons on the wild …

Weddings and honeymoons in the Southern Africa region have been gaining in popularity ever since Prince William asked Kate Middleton to marry him while the couple were on holiday in Kenya on a 10-day safari. And then when they returned to honeymoon in Seychelles that cinched the deal that made Southern Africa THE place to go for a wedding, a honeymoon, or both.

For Prince William, there is a deep love for this continent – a place that will now forever hold some of his fondest memories. In an interview he said when he arrives in Africa, he feels like he is back home – well, his second home anyway, and he relishes the fact that most locals do not know who he is, giving him the perfect place to enjoy some personal freedom.

The Southern Africa region is the ultimate destination for those seeking an exciting wedding and a truly unique honeymoon. A wedding is one of the most celebrated and special occasions of a couple’s lifetime. It marks the beginning of the journey together, and it should be memorable, romantic, and fun. Whether a couple is dreaming of a wedding on the beach, in the mountains, on a luxury yacht, in a hot-air balloon, or with a safari theme, Southern Africa is definitely one of the most spectacular places for that special day and/or that memorable honeymoon.

Southern Africa consists of 15 countries: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and all of them offer weddings and honeymoons that are sure to please. From powder white beaches on the islands of Mozambique to spectacular wilderness areas in the heart of the African wilderness in Zambia, from off the beaten track hideaways to luxurious destinations like the royal couple’s honeymoon in Seychelles, Africa provides the spectacular backdrop to memories that will last a lifetime.

Seychelles

If you are like the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Seychelles is the ideal place for a private honeymoon. Sensual Seychelles, home to the unique Vallée de Mai, is claimed by some to be the original site of the Garden of Eden, and has long been dubbed the “islands of love.” It is a place where romance is as natural as the waves caressing the shores of a secret cove at midnight. Seychelles is a place of safety and serenity, where an astonishingly surreal beauty and a languid pace of life conspire with an enviable tropical climate and welcoming people to provide a unique backdrop for those tender romantic experiences.

The newly-married couple may enjoy all the diversity in accommodation that Seychelles has to offer, from charming Creole guesthouses, intimate hotels both large and small, to the magical experience of sumptuous five-star resorts and exquisite island hideaways. Whether for a wedding, honeymoon or an anniversary, unforgettable Seychelles holds the key to a couple’s dreams of romance in paradise.

Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Or what better place to start out a new life together than spectacular Victoria Falls? Imagine celebrating a wedding, renewing vows, honeymooning, or commemorating an anniversary on the very edge of the falls, whether it be from the Zambia or the Zimbabwe side. Whether planning a spectacularly large wedding or small intimate affair, couples will be spoiled for choice at Victoria Falls.

Many hotels and lodges offer their gardens or secluded spots in the bush for ceremonies and receptions but, if preferred, more formal venues are available. Many of the Victoria Falls hotels and lodges offer conference-size function rooms, exclusive private rooms, or the option of holding a wedding and/or reception outdoors under the skies and in the bush with wildlife as a backdrop. There ae also idyllic riverside spots and secluded islands on the Zambezi River or the manicured perfection of hotel or lodge gardens.

One of the biggest attractions about Victoria Falls is the vast variety of romantic and fun activities that can be arranged before or after the wedding. First and foremost is a trip to the falls themselves. One special vantage point is across the knife-edge bridge where visitors can enjoy the finest view of the eastern cataract and the Main Falls as well as the boiling pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka gorge – all making for a memorable event and honeymoon holiday.

South Africa

South Africa is also a popular choice for an international wedding due to its wide variety of venues from safari weddings to beach weddings. There are so many amazing places for a South African wedding, all of them cannot be named, but we can look some of the different options to choose from.

A safari or a bush wedding is something so special, that it cannot be held in just any country around the world. This type of wedding will have guests remembering that special day just as the blissful couple will – for years to come. For something truly different, a cultural wedding can fill in all the blanks on a dream wedding day where the couple will get married at a cultural village. Everyone will know the wedding is about to begin the sounds of African drums mark the beginning of the romantic event. These types of weddings can follow the culture of a traditional African wedding or a European wedding can be arranged with an African cultural theme.

If a beach wedding is what a couple fancies, South Africa has some amazing beach wedding locations, including the beautiful Boulders Beach, and for those looking for dramatic backdrops to their special day, the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town offers amazing scenic views.

About Retosa

The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. In part, the aims of RETOSA are to increase tourist arrivals to the region through sustainable development initiatives, improved regional competitiveness, and effective destination marketing. The organization works together with Member States’ tourism ministries, tourism boards, and private sector partners. For more information about RETOSA, go to www.retosa.co.za