Malta has earned its reputation as one of the most inclusive and welcoming destinations for LGBTQIA+ couples looking to get married abroad. These islands, full of charm, are consistently topping Europe’s Rainbow Index as a trailblazing champion of equal rights. With progressive policies, a bold spirit, and a singularly idyllic setting, Malta is the ideal place for an unforgettable celebration of love.
For those anticipating an overwhelming sea of logistical know-how (which can be part-and-parcel of a destination wedding), fear not. Tying the knot in Malta is seamless, thanks to English-speaking wedding planners, close proximity (just a three-hour hop across the continent), and, crucially, a legal framework that equally includes same-sex couples. Here, seasoned same-sex wedding planners are numerous, and the opportunity to support LGBTQIA+ owned businesses is everywhere, from your chosen boutique hotel to the yacht charter for your honeymoon adventures.
Weave your love story into the fabric of these ancient isles, exchanging vows under the eternal golden cast of the Mediterranean sun. Embrace the technicolour of the Maltese offering, from the proud éclat of former-aristo palazzos to the transcendent rusticism of Gozo’s rugged clifftop vista. With these fertile backdrops, there’s the possibility of every kind of celebration – from intimate elopements to blowout bashes for 1,000 – for every kind of couple. Malta is a destination to truly celebrate love in all its forms.
Barefoot and beachside
Free-spirited bohemians will feel the veritable pull of a waterside wedding on the four-by-nine-mile sister island of Gozo, only 45 minutes by ferry from the mainland. Gozo’s beauty, its untouched rurality, is so awe-inspiring that accomplished poet and painter Edward Lear minted adjectives ‘pomskizillious and gromphiberous’ in an attempt to describe its extraordinary landscape. Gather all of your loved ones around you for a barefoot ceremony against the white drapes of a breezy cabana, or escape – just you two – to the special reddish sands of Ramla Bay on the northeast coast. This tranquil isle is a fitting backdrop to make the most of the cloudless Maltese skies (thanks to 300 days of sunshine a year), or enjoy a lantern-lit ceremony against the pinky-red blanket of dusk, set to the rhythmic sound of lapping waves. Then, a veritable feast: platters of just-caught season’s best octopus, swordfish, and bluefin tuna, grilled and finished with island salt harvested mere miles away, followed by desserts drizzled in local honey, piled high on driftwood tables dotted with wildflowers.
Refined-rustic farmhouse
Malta’s farmhouses are havens in the rolling Mediterranean countryside, the gold standard for rustic elegance. Picture sun-soaked stone courtyards lined with fuchsia bougainvillaea, weathered wooden doors opening onto undulating hilltop views. Here you can enjoy the magic of an intimate setting that, without compromising on style, is relaxed enough to sow the seeds of an unforgettable party. At Razzett l-Abjad, a 200-year-old traditional Maltese farmhouse tucked away near the village of Naxxar, imagine vows exchanged amid two acres of verdant tropical garden, the sensorially splendid invigoration of zesty orange blossom drifting up from sloping, centuries-old citrus groves. Cocktail hour is poolside, in an area carved out of aged terracotta rock, illuminated by the soft glow of the balustrade terrace twined with amber fairy lights. Dinner unfolds under a grapevine canopy, where long tables buzz with conversation and laughter, fuelled by free-flowing glasses of Meridiana wine, the pioneering Maltese estate famed for their citrusy Isis Chardonnay and ripe Nexus Merlot (an ideal accompaniment to a balmy summer’s eve).
Dramatic clifftops
For those looking for simplicity in the sublime, Malta’s rugged coastline is a natural masterpiece. Sheer cliffs plunge into a boundless expanse of the Mediterranean blue, an otherworldly manifestation of geological grandeur made for telling epic stories – from The Count of Monte Cristo to Game of Thrones. Atop the untouched Dingli Cliffs, the St. Mary Magdalene chapel, or il-Kappella tal-Irdum, perches with quiet dignity, its 15th-century façade bleached by centuries of sun and sea salt. This, the highest point in Malta, is the ultimate stage for an intimate ceremony or elopement, set in the simple, elemental romance of an eternal horizon, punctuated only by the little rocky islet of Filfa (adorably named for the Arabic word for peppercorn). Proclamations of love will add to 400 years of living history here, a ceremonial backdrop that provides that essentially Maltese sense of rootedness.
Heritage romance
Malta has an ample supply of the loveliest swoon-worthy palazzos, formerly owned and lavished by a coterie of contessas gone by. Any of the enchanting fairytale villas provide a vividly romantic backdrop for your nuptials and, for the most theatrical couples, an apt stage for a dramatic entrance. One can even embrace local tradition and arrive by karrozin – a traditional 19th-century Maltese carriage – to set the tone for an unforgettable ceremony. And for the very best palatial gems, The Wedding Edition’s Travel Editor, Rosalyn Wikeley, has a bespoke list. There is the head-spinning romance and neoclassical opulence of 17th-century Villa Bighi, which offers a truly enviable cocktail hour set against the panoramic terrace views of Valletta’s Grand Harbour. Or perhaps, the inherited charm of Villa Bologna, complete with oasis-like citrus groves, lush Italianate gardens, and bags of baroque elegance? Elsewhere, the famed splendour of Palazzo Parisio brings Versailles-level extravagance and the old-world glamour of frescoed walls and gilded ballrooms for late-night twirling.
High-octane luxury
Choose from any of Valletta’s glittering grande-dame hotels for a celebration that indulges in the highest luxury opulence (and is never far from a Michelin-guide food favourite). Dial up the art-deco glamour at the iconic Phoenicia Malta, just beyond Valletta’s fortified walls. Here, there is truly standout planning expertise and seamless operational choreography for an event that will go off without a hitch, as affectionately recalled by former Phoenicia grooms Lydon and Chris. For the ceremony, choose from a range of indoor and outdoor spaces – perhaps the ballroom where Queen Elizabeth II danced with Prince Phillip or an abundant garden in seven manicured acres? Vows can be followed by an enviable in-the-round al-fresco reception on the pergola, set against the pinky-red hue of a singular Maltese sunset.
Discover more: https://www.visitmalta.com/en/weddings-in-malta/
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