From the greatest private island in the world to the UK's best mini-'moon hideaway (hello, Cotswolds), we unveiled the most romantic places on the planet at our first-ever Honeymoon Awards.
Trust us, compiling the awards was no easy feat. The Brides team have personally visited and reviewed thousands of honeymoon hotspots over the past 10 years to come up with this ultimate list.
In the grand setting of Regent Street's Hotel Café Royal, Brides editor Jade Beer revealed what the Brides reader looks for in a honeymoon. 'Three things top her ultimate list of honeymoon must-haves,' Jade said. 'A romantic setting, an incredible beach and somewhere that will provide total relaxation after the madness of planning a wedding.'
'A Brides reader is not an easy woman to please,' Jade continued. 'She is more demanding than she has ever been about the level of service and luxury she requires.'
So it was quite a coup for the travel company that scooped the Readers' Choice Award. More than 2,000 of you voted and the prize went to… Kuoni! Why? Because you told us they made honeymoon-planning a stress-free experience, with a mass of wanderlust-inducing itineraries to boot.
Click here to see some highlights from our awards, and scroll down for the full list of winners.
So, what are you waiting for? On your marks, get set, BOOK!
A very special thank you to Hotel Café Royal for the most sensational of settings, Grey Goose for the irresistible Le Fizz cocktails, and Jamie Aston Flowers for the truly beautiful blooms.
IN PICTURES: THE AWARD CEREMONY
Brides Honeymoon Awards 2015: The Winners
BEST TOUR OPERATOR
Winner: Scott Dunn
It conquered the ski scene, it excelled in the family department, and today Scott Dunn is the undisputed ruler of the honeymoon kingdom.
Runner-up: Kuoni
BEST AIRLINE
Winner: British Airways
BA and its Oneworld alliance partners offer a global network of nearly 1000 destinations. Now that's impressive.
Runner-up: Air New Zealand
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN EUROPE
Winner: Palazzo Avino, Italy
It doesn't get more romantic than holing up with your beloved in this 12th-century palazzo on the Amalfi Coast!
Runner-up: Crillon Le Brave, France
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN THE AMERICAS
Winner: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
Chosen for its remarkable architecture, far-flung tropical location and designer good looks, Andaz Papagayo has taken luxury in Costa Rica to a whole new level.
Runner-up: The Setai, Miami
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN THE CARIBBEAN
Winner: Malliouhana, Anguilla
With its fashion-shoot ready backdrops and cool country club feel, it's got beauty <and> buzz. Pina coladas please!
Runner-up: Sandy Lane, Barbados
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Winner: Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
Basking in splendid isolation in the Al Jahar mountain range three hours south of Muscat, this Bond-style lair had us at 'hello'.
Runner-up: One&Only The Palm, Dubai
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
Winner: Velaa, Maldives
Rarely seen in the pages of magazines, it's a word-of-mouth type of place where the European elite come to de-stress and dream.
Runner-up: Cape Weligama, Sri Lanka
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN AFRICA
Winner: Cape View Clifton, Cape Town
The secret is in the name. The views from this ravishing property simply can't be beaten.
Runner-up: The Residence, Zanzibar
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN AUSTRALASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Winner: The Brando, French Polynesia
Marlon Brando fell in love with the atoll the moment he rolled up his trousers and stepped ashore to film Mutiny on the Bounty and ended up buying it! It's now a model for low-impact living.
Runner-up: Eagles Nest, New Zealand
BEST HONEYMOON HOTEL IN ASIA & INDIA
Winner: Soneva Kiri, Thailand
Few resorts can compete with its magical location on Koh Kood, an untamed island reached via the hotel's private plane.
Runner-up: The Oberoi Udaivilas, India
BEST PRIVATE ISLAND
Winner: Frégate Island Private, Seychelles
The Gwyneth Paltrow of private islands, Fregate is an all-singing, all-dancing example of natural perfection.
Runner-up: Petit St Vincent, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Caribbean
BEST UK & IRELAND MINI 'MOON
Winner: The Wild Rabbit, Cotswolds
This former pub, reimagined by the Hunter welly brigade's commander-in-chief, Lady Carole Bamford, is our all-time favourite British bolthole with its lashings of quintessentially British charm.
Runner-up: Ballyfin, Ireland
BEST DESTINATION SPA & WELLNESS 'MOON
Winner: COMO Shambhala, Bali
The mothership of the spa world, COMO Shambhala is our number one destination for honeymooners seeking to de-stress and reconnect with nature, with everything from Ayurvedic chanting to acupuncture available!
Runner-up: Song Saa, Cambodia
BEST SAFARI COMPANY
Winner: Wilderness Safaris
With its pioneering ecotourism ethos and breathtaking portfolio of lodges across remote parts of Africa, Wilderness Safaris is the creator of the most ambitious multi-stop safaris we've ever seen.
Runner-up: Africa Travel Centre
BEST ADVENTURE HONEYMOON
Winner: Awasi, Patagonia
They've got everything covered from thrashing around the vivid terrain in 4WDs, to kayaking round icebergs and horseriding with gauchos.
Runner-up: The Ion Hotel, Iceland
BEST HONEYMOON ON WATER
Winner: Aqua Expeditions
Operating in Vietnam, Cambodia and Peru, along some of the world's mightiest rivers, including the Mekong and the Amazon, it's adventure of the kind you dreamed of in your gap year.
Runner-up: Silversea
BEST VILLA RENTAL COMPANY
Winner: A&K Villas
When it comes to honeymoon self-catering, we expect certain standards - luxurious bedlinens, optional private chefs or nannies. It's in these departments that A&K comes into its own.
Runner-up: CV Villas
BEST CITY 'MOON
Winner: Paris
Paris - the most romantic of cities - has been immortalised in so many books and films, you may feel a touch 'been there, seen that.' But bear with us and look beyond the obvious: this wonderful palce always has something new to offer.
Runner up: New York
NEW DESTINATION TO WATCH
Winner: The Philippines
As one of the last untouched tropical archipelagos, it offers spellbinding diving and snorkelling in some of clearest waters on the planet, plus fascinating indigenous tribes and rare wildlife.
Runner-up: Bhutan
READERS' CHOICE AWARD
Winner: Kuoni
Offering inspirational itineraries to a multitude of dream locations, our readers felt that as well as making planning straightforward, Kuoni experts really 'know their destinations like the back of their hands.'
Runner-up: Turquoise Holidays
