Great beaches, plenty of sunshine and romantic rooms will always be essential honeymoon ingredients, but those in the know say couples are increasingly looking for a lot more besides.

With the average age of newlyweds now over 30, many couples have been-there-done-that when it comes to a sun and sand holiday and are seeking more unusual and adventurous places for their wedding abroad or honeymoon.

Around the world
The good news for next year is that ‘moons, of all varieties continue to be as popular as ever. Kuoni (kuoni.co.uk) has released its first ever Honeymoons & Weddings brochure due to the thriving market. "This area is booming," says Sarah Jackson, Kuoni’s honeymoon and wedding market manager, "two thirds of UK weddings are now followed by a honeymoon abroad, while one third of those marrying abroad go on to take a separate honeymoon in a new location." One of the highlights of the Kuoni brochure is a new round-the world itinerary with stops at top hotels in Singapore, Sydney, Australia’s Hamilton Island and Fiji.

Go East
Seventy per cent of Turquoise Holidays’ (turquoiseholidays.co.uk) clientele are now honeymooners according to marketing director James Bell, who says the market has stayed buoyant, "Our business boomed during the recession and bookings are up 25 per cent on last year."

"We are pushing some exciting destinations for 2012 such as gorgeous new eco resort Gayana in Borneo,’ says Bell, "direct flights to Vietnam are going to make this country’s top hotels like Six Senses Ninh Van Bay more accessible and Burma is creating another buzz among our clients."

Magical Maldives
Indian Ocean paradise the Maldives continues to be the number one destination for newlyweds say most honeymoon specialists, and it’s little wonder with over-water bungalows on private islands ringed by white sand and turquoise lagoons on offer. However couples are seeking new experiences in this classic destination, such as the glass walled undersea nightclub and 24-hour spa at just-opened Niyama Resort (niyama.com).

Grab a sandwich!
Twin or even triple centres are increasingly popular, particularly those with a new take on old favourites, such as Oman (rather than Dubai) and the Maldives. "A clear trend for honeymoons next year is what we call sandwich itineraries," says Amy Welfare, honeymoon specialist for Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com). "The trip starts and ends on a beach with unique cultural or off-the-beaten-track adventures in the middle, such as a safari with a night or two on the new open-air star beds at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (tswalu.com) in South Africa."

More for your money
As purse strings are increasingly tightened, honeymooners are looking for a lot more for their money in 2012. Deals such as 14 nights for the price of 10 or the bride stays free are in abundance in the Caribbean, where all-inclusive, couples-only resorts like Couples (couplesresorts.co.uk) and Sandals (sandals.co.uk) are seeing a leap in newlywed guest numbers. Anything that stretches the budget further is proving popular, such as free champagne, candle-lit dinners and spa treatments.

"During the recession, the all-inclusive sector fared better than most," says Karl Thompson, managing director of Sandals Resorts UK. "We’ve been finding ways to help honeymooners with affordability, with deals such as save up to 30 per cent plus one free night for 10 night stays and the uptake has been fantastic."

A sense of adventure
With couples marrying later in life many have already travelled extensively independent of each other, as a result they’re looking for new experiences in fresh destinations to share as newlyweds.

"There’s no doubt honeymoons are getting wackier as couples seek the ultimate travel adventure," says Krissy Roe, communications manager at responsibletravel.com. "It’s the pursuit of all things wilderness which we’re seeing emerge as the current trend, such as a new eco lodge on the edge of La Cienaga lagoon in Venezuela which can only be reached by boat. If it’s wild enough, our brides and grooms will be up for it."

Minimoons
Wedding ceremonies combined with a minimoon, a three or four day honeymoon for time-short couples is also big news for 2012, with Italy remaining top of the tree for this style of celebration. "Sorrento continues to be ever-popular," says Vanda Bauer, head of marketing for Classic Collection Holidays (classic-collection.co.uk), "such as a wedding in the medieval St Francis cloisters followed by a reception in the private gardens of The Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria."

Where to wed
When it comes to tying the knot overseas, couples are also seeking something extraordinary too. The Winter Wedding Company (winterweddingcompany.com) reveals it has seen a surge in bookings for ceremonies in the ice chapel at the Ice Hotel in Kakslauttanen, Finnish Lapland next year after NASA tipped 2012 will produce the best Northern Lights for 50 years.

As the cost of getting married in the UK continues to soar, destination weddings combined with a honeymoon are on the rise. The Sandals WeddingMoon, a combination of honeymoon and free wedding ceremony is an increasingly popular choice for couples looking for a cost effective sun, sand and ceremony experience. "We expect this trend to grow during 2012," says Karl Thompson, managing director of Sandals Resorts UK (sandals.co.uk).

Images (from top): Niyama Beach, the Maldives: Hotel Fort Canning, Singapore: Pulau Gaya beach, Borneo

By Amanda Statham