Swiss Alps Wedding Venues: My Favourites

It’s been six years since my family and I moved to Wengen… a tiny traffic-free village nestled in the Jungfrau Region of the Swiss Alps.

From this very central location, I have travelled throughout Switzerland filming proposals, weddings and elopements.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog that shared my ten reasons to get married in Switzerland, focussing on some amazing venues and locations.

Now, through my years of exploring, I have even more Swiss Alp wedding venues to share with you – situated up mountains, alongside lakes and many more wonderful places.

Oh, and I’ve also thrown in some tips on finding the perfect venue for you!

AWESOME SWISS CASTLE WEDDING VENUES

Remember, Switzerland is made up of no less than four linguistic regions… Italian, French, German and Romantsche.

A castle in the German region is called a Schloss, in the French part a Chateau and it’s referred to as a Castillo in some parts of the Italian areas.  The look and feel of these can be very different depending on where you are in Switzerland.

I recently filmed the wedding of Ian and Brandon, who took advantage of the mountains, lakes and cities in the Jungfrau Region. As well as taking a trip to Jungfraujoch the day before their wedding, which is a fabulous proposal and elopement location in itself, their wedding day consisted of a trip on a private boat across the beautiful Lake Thun to their final destination of Schloss Oberhofen.

In case you’re wondering, the couples ‘First Look’ was held at the Schweizerhof Hotel & Spa in Bern … you can read more about this lower down in the blog.

Another castle I love is the fairytale venue, Chateau de Chillon, a medieval island fortress located on Lake Geneva between Montreux and Villeneuve. Or there is the magical Morcote Castle in the southernmost region of Switzerland – originally built to guard and control commerce on the Lake Lugano.

If you’re looking for something really old then there’s Schloss Tarasp in the Engadine or Romantsche region.  The best way to arrange a wedding here would be to contact Switzerland Tourism

If  you fancy a trip over the border into Italy then check out Castello dal Pozzo for one of the most luxurious and romantic venues you’ll find on Lake Maggiore.

And staying with lakes  …

SPECTACULAR SWISS LAKE WEDDING VENUES

You’ve seen a snippet from Ian and Brandon’s beautiful boat journey across Thunersee … it really IS that blue… even on dreary raining days.

Take my word for it.  In fact you don’t need to because Devon and Sven were married earlier this year at the stunning Grandhotel Giessbach near Interlaken.

As is often the case in Switzerland, the weather can be a little unpredictable… Choosing a venue that can cater for outdoor ceremonies, as well as having a back-up plan for if it rains, is always a good idea.

On the morning of their wedding it was a little rainy and dull, but Devon and Sven were determined to wait until the final moment before moving their outdoor ceremony indoors.  It was a gamble that paid off…

‘Out of this world’ would be one way I would describe this next Swiss wedding location – Villa Emden on the idyllic Isola di Brissago makes the most perfect backdrop for an exquisite wedding.

The Brissago Islands are two islands in the Swiss part of Lake Maggiore.

What makes Villa Emden the hidden dream of many Italian and international couples is its fairy-tale, almost mysterious aura. 

Staying in the Italian part of Switzerland then a wedding venue I am super-excited to be filming at in 2022 is at the Hotel Splendide Royal in Lugano Switzerland.  It sits on the shores of Lake Ceresio in the cosmopolitan and elegant city of Lugano.  The traditional 5-star hotel preserves the splendor of bygone days.

Another Swiss lake wedding venue I would recommend is the Fairmont Palace in Montreux. A few hours drive from where I live is Montreux, known as the ‘Pearl of the Swiss Riviera’.

This fabulous town sits on the shores of Lake Geneva with a backdrop of beautiful vineyards and nestled below a stunning vista of both the Swiss and French Alps.

Shahad and Abdullah travelled all the way from Qatar for their beautiful wedding here. As well as visiting the gorgeous nearby vineyards for a picnic they also hired a boat on the morning of their wedding to relax before the big event.

Of course, if you’re having a smaller, more intimate wedding or even an elopement then I have the perfect lake for you. Lake Blausee is a small but absolutely beautiful turquoise blue lake, surrounded by forests in the Bernese Oberland.

Jess and Cory brought their family and close friends over from Australia and stayed in the beautiful village of Lauterbrunnen (in the valley below Wengen),

As it’s quite a busy tourist spot in the summer, it’s a good idea to work with suppliers who know the area well to choose where to set up for a small ceremony without being too disturbed by onlookers. It is definitely not a ‘private’ venue but if you don’t mind that, then it’s really worth it.

Your can read their full story and watch their film trailer here.

And finally, but no means least, let’s get into those mountains and some amazing Swiss Alps wedding venues..

SWISS MOUNTAIN WEDDING VENUES AND ADVENTURE WEDDING LOCATIONS

In my first winter here I was lucky enough to film an exclusive wedding at Suvretta House in St. Mortiz. And, just 10km from the bustling resort of St Moritz, in an unspoiled alpine village nestled on a hill in the forest high above Lake Sils, is the Hotel Waldhaus.

If you’re looking for an intimate wedding venue, then the Waldhaus in Sils Maria might be the perfect place for you. This gorgeous family-run hotel is in the Engadine region of Switzerland. The grand hotel was opened in 1908 and has remained in the same family for five generations and is steeped in character and warmth.

It sits above peaceful Sils Maria like a fairy tale castle, surrounded by gorgeous views of gleaming lakes and impressive mountains.

I am the recommended videographer for both these amazing venues but if you’re looking at a more adventurous location, how about the Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl – only reached by funicular… or foot!

That is definitely on my bucket list for the perfect Swiss elopement and wedding.

The mountains are also perfect for proposals, elopement and adventure weddings.

I’ve had the pleasure of filming two proposals – one with the backdrop of the Jungfrau and the other even closer to my home on the Männlichen in the shadow of the north face of the Eiger.

This one was great fun because the couple were up for fun – think about how you too can bring some narrative into your wedding film as I’m happy to go along with all your ideas and even give you some of my own.

And, from the summer to the winter in the very same spot, Elaine and Alexander exchanged their wedding vows here.

They’d actually got married in Zollikon the day before but it had rained all day so I brought the happy couple here in the sunshine with the beautiful views over Wengen and into the Grindelwald Valley to share their vows privately the very next day. My tip is always be open for plan B!

And, also for the very adventurous, and I have to say I’ve covered this fab venue in other blogs because it’s just so great.. but how about how about getting married or even spending your honeymoon in an igloo?

There are five igloo villages in Switzerland – situated in Davos-Klosters, in Engelberg near Trübsee Lake, in Gstaad, on Stockhorn and also near the Matterhorn. I love the one near Zermatt as you can also enjoy views of the iconic Matterhorn.

For obvious reasons, this isn’t a venue that’s available all year round but if you’re getting married in the winter months then it’s a really original idea.

The Huus, Gstaad.  

I am very much looking forward to many more seasons filming wintery weddings, especially ones where I can ski, sledge or generally get to film lots of winter outdoor pursuits during wedding celebrations.

In winter season 2022 I’ll be doing just that, with my clients who are getting married at the Huus in Gstaad who are combining their wedding nuptials with a weekend of celebrations and excursions for their guests. 

The venue itself really lends itself to this type of wedding … Come In fact come winter or summer, HUUS provides the perfect backdrop to the Alpine wedding you’ve been dreaming of. Exchange vows amid the green of rolling hills or soft white blankets of snow.

LUXURY SWISS WEDDING HOTELS

Victoria Jungfrau in Interlaken

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa is one of the most luxurious hotels in Switzerland, nestled in the beautiful town of Interlaken in the Berner Oberland, which is also a stone’s throw away from where I live in Wengen.

A winter wedding with the snow-capped Jungfrau as a backdrop?
A celebration in the heritage-protected Salon Napoléon under the historic Murano chandelier, one of the largest in Europe?
Or maybe a summer wedding featuring hundreds of lanterns in the garden?

You also don’t have to worry about anything as their experienced team of event planners is there for you and will handle everything from start to finish.

Badrutts Palace, St Moritz

The Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz is simply spell-binding.  When it comes to luxury and high end … look no further for an exquisite unforgettable event. This five star hotel has it all … as well as being in the center of the glitziest of Swiss Alpine resorts, it also overlooks Lake St Moritz and is surrounded by the most beautiful nature … 

I was recently given the honour of becoming a Badrutt’s Palace exclusive supplier as their videographer and I was given a fabulous tour of the hotel allowing me to make a full recce of the venue.  I was simply speechless and I cannot wait to share more details about this venue with you. 

The Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne

The thing about Switzerland that I love is the huge offer on luxury venues for your wedding and event. And the Bellevue in Lucerne is among that awesome selection.

With this venue you have the beauty of choosing to get married on ‘land or water’ … let me explain… 

The wedding ceremony itself can be held in the four hectare park, and drinks can be served outside, too, allowing everyone to enjoy the romantic view of Lake Geneva and the Alps in the background. But also for every guest, Le Montreux, the hotel’s Belle-Époque paddle steamer, is also available as a quaint drinks venue or even for the civil ceremony, which is recognised by the Lausanne registry office.

Burgenstock resort

This summer I had the pleasure of filming the most elegant and exclusive weddings of my career and it was at the Bürgenstock Resort high above Lake Lucerne.  

From the lavish to the intimate, the classic to the contemporary, everything is possible in the Bürgenstock Resort. 

The cuisine is simply ‘to die for’ and the resort’s wedding planners are a cream to work with.  What I really love about this venue is the fact that there’s so many options for your wedding here, from small intimate spaces and restaurants, which you can book for exclusive use, as well as fabulous ballrooms.

In fact you will be blown away before you even arrive; enchanted by the half hour journey aboard the sleek MS Bürgenstock boat, followed by a vertiginous ride up to the cliff- tip resort on the venue’s exclusive funicular.

The Swiss town of Interlaken (literally translated as ‘between two lakes’) is nestled between Thunersee and Brienzersee.  There’s two very glamorous wedding venues at each end of the town.  The Lindner Grand Hotel Beau Rivage and the stunning Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel.

Combining cities and lakes is something the Swiss do so well.

And finally but by no means least – The Schweizerhof Hotel & Spa in Bern.  While I am yet to film a wedding at this beautiful city hotel… I did have the honour of filming Ian and Brandon’s ‘First Look’ here before they got married.

I absolutely love Bern – it is my favorite city in the world, let alone Switzerland. It’s totally underestimated in my view … just look at these images I snapped when I was last there visiting…

In terms of the The Schweizerhof Hotel & Spa … well it’s an out of this world city wedding venue location and by sharing your vows on its rooftop terrace you can enjoy the back drop of the Swiss Alps in the distance … just perfect.

Some weddings that I have covered I’m just not so sure if it’s a town or wedding in nature because it’s all thrown in. But just because I love this wedding and this story I want to share it with you… It’s a modern love story of a bride from Texas following in the footsteps of her grandmother, who married her true love in a beautiful church just outside Davos, in Switzerland in 1946.

A true love story

A guide to towns and cities in the Swiss Alps:

♥ Interlaken
♥ Lucerne
♥ Montreux
♥ Zermatt
♥ St. Moritz
♥ Davos
♥ Bern
♥ Zurich
♥ Thun
♥ Wengen Grindelwald

Alpine|Elopements|LGBTQ+|Ski & Adventure|Swiss