Hong Kong - The Peninsula

To arrange a wedding in Hong Kong, couples living overseas should write direct to the Hong Kong Marriage and Registration & Records Office for a copy of the Notice of Marriage form. The completed form should be returned to the office by registered airmail as soon as possible. The parties ' signatures on the form must be authenticated by a Notary Public of the country where they reside. Payment of the prescribed fee should be dispatched together with the completed Notice form. A request for the marriage ceremony date has to be made by letter. The marriage must take place within three months of the date of receipt of the notice. There is no residency requirement, and the couple may be of any nationality.

The Peninsula Hong Kong is one of those creative hotels where staff will come up with suggestions that make all the difference to a wedding day. Champagne cocktails can be served in the very hip 1930s aviation-inspired China Clipper Lounge, designed by Denton Corker Marshall, before the couple are whisked off in the twin-engined Aerospatiale Squirrel helicopter for breathtaking aerial views of Hongkong and its spectacular coastline. This could be followed by a gourmet beach picnic for two (plus personal waiter service) on Tai Long Wan, one of Hong Kong's most secluded and pristine beaches. Located on the northeastern side of Sai Kung at the New Territories, this area is famed for its natural beauty, with woodlands and mangrove habitats. It is accessible only on foot, from the sea or by air. If the mood takes you, you can take the hotel's 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II or one of its 14 Rolls-Royce Silver Spurs on a tour of the city. To add a Chinese touch, brides can have their wedding dress tailored by Shanghai Tang, which has a store in The Peninsula arcade along with the likes of Manolo Blahnik and Tiffany & Co. Local jeweller Dickson Yewn's Life of Circle pieces evoke Chinese philosophy and the mysticism of yin and yang, and are perfect for wedding rings or romantic gifts.

Newlyweds planning to spend their honeymoon at The Peninsula are advised to book one of the Deluxe Harbor View Suites (The Peninsula Suite is simply too vast). These are the cornice suites on the towers, with fabulous harbor views, even from the jacuzzi. Honeymooners are greeted by a pageboy bearing a big bouquet of flowers, Champagne on ice in the room and a petal-strewn bed. They might like to try out a couple of the Pen's short Academy courses (an hour here or there) in tai chi, dim sum-making, feng shui, reflexology, or even predicting their destiny in the style of ancient Chinese astrologers. If pampering is what they prefer, The Peninsula continues to keep pace with the rest of the world, opening a truly spectacular spa in conjunction with E'Spa in March 2006. Asian in style, it is designed with 14 treatment rooms and two VIP suites with harbor views.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GO
October to December, when the city is usually warm and sunny with low humidity. Over the festive period the Christmas lights on the harbor are spectacular.

CEREMONIES
Blessings only.

PRE-WEDDING RESIDENCY
None