Australia, Queensland - Hayman, Great Barrier Reef

The Hayman story began in 1866, when it was named in honour of the navigator Thomas Hayman. Several incarnations later, in 1947 the island lease was bought for £10,000 by Sir Reginald Ansett, a pioneer of Australian aviation who had fallen in love with the place. The Royal Hayman Hotel, build in 1950, was opened by the then deputy prime minister of Australia, Sir Arthur Fadden, and quickly became established as one of Australia's favourite honeymoon playgrounds. In the mid-1980's a massive refurbishment programme was undertaken, which involved bringing more than 1,000 palms from the North Queensland coast. Each of the 22 date palms that now form the spectacular avenue of the Formal Garden was transported on a semi-trailer from a vineyard in Swan Hill, Victoria. More than a hectare of marble was used in the flooring of the resort, and antiques, hand crafted furniture and a superb art collection all went into making this one of the world's top island resorts.

Before couples travel to Australia, they must obtain a Notice of Intention to Marry from the Australian High Commission in their country of residence. The document must be signed and witnessed by one of the following: an Australian-registered barrister or solicitor; an Australian-registered, legally qualified medical practitioner; an authorized celebrant in Australia; an Australian diplomatic officer; or an Australian consular officer. Couples must take their passports or another form of identification to the High Commission, and pay a fee of the equivalent of A$10 for each signature witnessed. Once witnessed, the Notice form can be sent direct to the marriage celebrant recommended by Hayman in Australia. The marriage celebrant must receive the Notice at least one month and a day, and not more than six months, before the date of the wedding. Once couples have decided to wed ad Hayman, the Event Services team will contact a celebrant to conduct the ceremony and begin making all the wedding day arrangements. A nonrefundable deposit of A$500 and a signed contract are required to confirm a wedding. The choice of civil or religious ceremony (Catholic, Anglican or Uniting) is made by the couple at the time of booking.

Haymen does not normally allow day visitors on the island, but an exception is made for weddings, with guests being ferried from Shute Harbour, the closest mainland port to the island. There are two boat transfer daily.

The most popular sites for exchanging vows include the Lagoon Lanai, a lush tropical garden backdrop paved by sandstone with a pond and a crystal waterfall near by. The Formal Gardens offer manicured gardens, elegant fountains and magnificent date palms. Coconut Grove is a tropical garden location overlooking Hayman Beach, or couples may choose to marry on the beach itself or on board the resort's white luxury launches or yachts. In addition to the outdoor settings, the beautiful Stella Maris Chapel nestles in the hills with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and expansive verandas to take full advantage of the panoramic views over the resort and Whitsunday passage. The chapel seats up to 40 guests but is also ideal for smaller weddings. Couples are advised to choose their wedding setting with the help of a wedding coordinator once they have arrived at the resort.

Wedding coordinators will push the boat out for couples and their guests. Couples can be transported to their ceremony in Hayman's elegant 1963 Silver Cloud Rolls-Royce with sumptuous leather interior. A professional photographer can be arranged for the big day, and couples are able to meet him or her before the wedding to discuss any particular wishes. A videomaker is also available. An in-house florist, meanwhile, will create anything from a simple posy to a long-wired bouquet, buttonholes, corsages, headpieces and table arrangements. A picture of the kind of floral requirements desired is appreciated and a minimum of three weeks' notice is necessary, as flowers are ordered from the mainland. Music at the ceremony and reception can be provided by island musicians and bands. There are also sound systems for those who wish to bring their own music. Hayman's Hair and Beauty Salon offers a variety of beauty treatments and hair styling for men and women. Early booking is recommended for bridal parties and their guests. The Retreat Spa is not to be missed, with many couples' treatments available. For those who do not want a tailormade wedding, Hayman also offers a choice of wedding packages, with a list of optional extras from rosepetal cups to live musicians. The most basic package, 'Essential Wedding', includes a coordination service, ceremony location and set-up, a celebrant or representative and toasting wine.

Wedding receptions can be held at any of the resort's restaurants, including the French-inspired La Fontaine, amid Louis XVI-style furnishings and Waterford crystal chandeliers. Adjoining la Fontaine is a private dining room seating 14, with a domed ceiling painted in 23 carat gold and a 17th-century marble fireplace. The intimate Oriental restaurant features exotic Asian menus and overlooks exquisite Japanese gardens, a ceremonial teahouse and gentle waterfalls, while the lively Italian restaurant, La Trattoria, has rustic timbers and hanging vines. For something more at one with nature, there is the beachfront restaurant Azure, or a small candlelit reception can be arranged, with a menu to suit. The most popular choices are the spacious Lagoon Lanai or the Formal Gardens, where a single long table is elaborately decorated with candelabras and spectacular formal centrepieces, set with the finest glass and silverware, and lined with chairs covered in white fabric with decorative bows.

For a feet-in-the-sand reception, Hayman Beach or Coconut Beach are favoured. A sumptuous candlelit banquet is served on tables laid with pristine white tablecloths, and for lucky couples the Milky Way will sparkle above. Hayman's pastry chefs will create pretty much any variety of wedding cake desired, be it a traditional fruitcake, croquembouche or mud cake - a dense, rich chocolate cake decorated with white fondant icing and fresh flowers to complement the bridal bouquet.

For accommodation, couples have the choice of 244 rooms, suites, penthouses and a villa, situated in the pool, palm, lagoon and beach wings. Of these, the penthouses are among the most romantic. Each comes with a butler and is themed around a national style, such as French, English, Italian or Greek. Perhaps the most appropriate is the Queensland Penthouse, which reflects the ease of life in the tropics with handmade timber furniture, the vibrant colours of the Great Barrier Reef, colonial collector pieces and a specially commissioned painting by the leading Australian artist Patrick Hockey. The Beach Villa on Hayman Beach, meanwhile, overlooks the Coral Sea and has its own plunge infinity pool, 42" plasma screen television and outdoor rockery shower.

Brides and grooms-to-be find a chilled bottle of French Champagne and chocolates waiting in their room, and have a choice of pleasures to while away the days. On land there is a bush walking, tennis or the celebrated Hayman Pool, a vast expanse of salt water seven times Olympic size. The island's two Blue Pearl bay beaches are ideal for snorkeling before enjoying a private picnic lunch. Honeymooners can treat themselves to a memorable Sunset Escape speedboat ride to a nearby heart-shaped reef. The romantic Hayman Experience is another option, which starts with a breathtaking cruise, helicopter or seaplane journey from the Great Barrier Reef airport on Hamilton Island across the Whitsunday Passage.

Hayman Island is the perfect spot for couples looking for a relaxed tropical wedding with great Australian hospitality. This is a beautiful resort where calm and crystal-clear waters spill into tropical palm-fringed beaches, which in turn roll into untouched Australian bushland. Be assured, the five-star experience is never far away.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GO
Any day of the year except Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

CEREMONIES
Civil or religious (Catholic, Anglican or Uniting).

PRE-WEDDING RESIDENCY
None required, so if all documents are in order couples can marry as soon as they step off the plane