Villa Cielo — clifftop wedding venue in Natai Beach, Thailand

The estate

A place to begin everything.

Villa Cielo occupies a cliff-front position near Natai Beach, in Phang Nga on the Andaman coast of Thailand. The land rises above the shore at this point and the house is built to use it: an open outlook over the sea, terraces on the seaward side, and sky taking up the greater part of the view. The villa holds up to 120 guests. Height gives the ceremony its setting, at the edge with the water below, and the terraced ground behind carries the rest of the evening, with drinks, dinner and what follows each on their own level. One party has the villa and its terraces to itself, which is what keeps a gathering of that size private at full numbers. No rate is published for Villa Cielo; it is quoted on request, which makes the date and the guest number the first things to put in writing. The villa hire and the cost of the day are separate matters, as food, styling, lighting, sound and crew are all quoted on their own. Accommodation for the party is worth settling in the same conversation as the rate.