My fiancé and I are planning to get married abroad next year. It will be only the two of us, so we would like to combine the wedding and the honeymoon and are interested in Mauritius or the Seychelles. We are quite flexible as to when we can get married since it depends which country we choose. We are in our mid-forties and enjoy sun, sea, sand, good food, mixed in with some sightseeing. Any ideas? Caroline Dancey, via e-mail

Times travel expert, Julia Brookes, responds: Both destinations are ideal for weddings, and if you book through a tour operator such as Beachcomber (01483 445 690, www.beachcomber tours.co.uk), they will handle all the red tape. One of the great things about going to the Seychelles is island-hopping and with Beachcomber you could split your stay between resorts on two islands – Sainte Anne Resort & Spa and Denis Island.

A ten-minute boat ride from Mahé, Sainte Anne Resort & Spa would be ideal for the wedding because all the legal procedures and ease of getting a registrar across to the (private) island are much simpler than getting married on one of the outer islands. Sainte Anne also guarantees only one wedding a day – there’s nothing sadder than a wedding production line – and has a wedding planner on hand to help you decide where in the resort you want to get married.

For the honeymoon, Denis Island is tiny and there’s little to explore, but the snorkelling, swimming, diving and romantic cottages should appeal. The package costs from £3,609pp and includes six nights in each resort, half and then full board, flights and transfers and wedding fee.

In Mauritius, Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa would be a good option if you want a wedding and honeymoon in the same place. It has a glorious setting, with Le Morne mountain as a backdrop, and also guarantees only one wedding a day and the services of a wedding planner. It’s an all-suite hotel with one of the best spas on the island and has an 18-hole golf course on its doorstep. Prices from £2,880pp, including flights, transfers, wedding fee and 12 nights’ half-board.

Times recommends

• The world's 10 weirdest things to eat
• Correspondents: hoteliers revenge for Tripadvisor
• A slow, ponderous journey up the Mekong