(Courtesy of Ayana Resort and Spa Bali)

Forget ordinary weddings —some couples choose an intimate wedding surrounded by close relatives with Bali’s beautiful landscape as the backdrop.

Bride-to-be Indira Mahardhika set her mind on getting married on the unique 12-12-12 at Puri Bawana Villa in Canggu, Bali.

Indira, originally from Jakarta but based in Bali, fell in love with the island’s beaches.

 “I choose Bali because I wanted to have a wedding ceremony by the beach,” she said.

She and future husband, Danny, chose the date because it was easy to remember and also in the hope that the guests would remember too.

“Our wedding ceremony is on the 12th and the reception is three days later,” said Indira, who has been planning her wedding for seven months. The reception will take Venetian Masquerades Carnival as its theme. “I am nervous but I am also excited.”

Bali is a magical location for a wedding, where sacredness plays a very large part.

“Bali is unique. It has culture and nature. It is not just an island in the Indian Ocean,” said Yuka Koreyasu, founder and director of Tirtha Bridal.

The four top wedding venues in Bali are the chapel, beach, garden and villa.

According to Kevin, the operational manager of I Do I Do wedding planners, most couples go for the beach, something that Bali is famous for.

A wedding by the beach is a unique experience since couples can enjoy the feeling of their toes in the golden sand, the warm weather and cool sea breeze.

When selecting a chapel in Bali, many prefer one flanked by the spectacular locations, such as on the edge of a cliff overlooking the majestic Indian Ocean.

“Weddings are one of the biggest events that happen in someone’s life, so they want to make it very special,” Kevin says.

Many people prefer to get married in Bali because they can also have their honeymoon there.

Even for foreign couples, Kevin said, Bali is a popular wedding destination.

The tropical island does not only offer a beautiful ocean backdrop and exotic landscape but it also offers unique cultural experiences every step of the way — from beautiful shrines, mystical temples to the rich fragrance of burning incense.

Scent is also a very important to a wedding in Bali. If a couple want to create their own scent to remind them of their special day, Ayana Resort and Spa Bali offers a wedding package that is “something new” and allows couples to create their own scent to reflect their personality.

“The perfume experience is very unique, couples use their imagination to create a signature scent that will always remind them of their wedding day,” said Ria Kentjono, Ayana’s assistant director of sales for international wedding at Ayana Resort and Spa Bali.

At Ayana, traditional bale, pavilions or even a jetty’s that hover on the ocean are transformed to suit the mood of the service.

Gardens are also another favored wedding location as many have a sea view and can usually accommodate more visitors than a chapel.

At Tirtha, renowned as one of the most intimate wedding venues, guests are usually treated to a simple yet sumptuous picnic prepared by the professional chef at the garden.

The gardens at both Tirtha’s venues – Tirtha Uluwatu and Tirtha Luhur – are like no others. Set on the cliff, the garden offers a stunning backdrop, infinity swimming pool, bar and a specially designed chapel, and Tirtha Luhur comes with an exclusive three bedroom villa.

For the approaching 12-12-12, these venues have been booked up for over a year.

Tirtha, for example, will host five weddings, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at its two venues.

 “People do like beautiful numbers, so they book in advance for a number like 12-12-12. We have received many requests for that day but we can only take five. That doesn’t stop the inquiries from coming in,” said Prami Radcliffe, Tirtha’s public relations and marketing communications staff.

Memorable weddings often make couples, who tied the knot in Bali, want to return to relive the special moment.

“Once a couple who got married on the jetty at our resort came back and brought their children to show them where they got married,” recalled Tressabel Hutasoit, the public relation manager at Ayana Resort and Spa Bali. “It was really sweet.”

Popular

Padel courts rise in Jakarta to meet surging demand

Prince William's new home sows doubt over Buckingham Palace's future

People power in Pati