array(138) { ["_edit_lock"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(12) "1700422350:4" } ["_edit_last"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "4" } ["_yoast_wpseo_content_score"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(2) "90" } ["_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "1" } ["_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(0) "" } ["flexible_content_0_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "4" } ["_flexible_content_0_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_1_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(2575) "BRIDE & GROOM: Caroline and Otto THE DATE: Saturday 1st July 2023 THE LOCATION: Castaway Island, Fiji THE NUMBER OF GUESTS: 16 wedding guests plus our family of 4 making us a perfect 20. We always said if we ever got married it would be on a beach on a tropical island. We’d been to Fiji a few times before and loved it for the spectacular location and the happy vibe created by the Fijian people. Fiji is very near to Australia and so we’d heard great things from people we knew who’d got married there. We had been to Fiji before and had a clear vision of the wedding we wanted. Choosing the location seemed the most important first step for us. We knew we wanted an Island resort in the Mamanucas in June/July. Finding the ‘Fiji Weddings Bride's forum’ Facebook page run by Bula Bride was a turning point, it’s a great resource to do research with other Fiji brides and it’s where I found my wedding planner Mandi Forrester-Jones from Viva Weddings. I found there weren’t too many recent Castaway Brides on there, so I also joined the ‘We Love Castaway Island’ Facebook page but there’s now a 'Castaway Island, Fiji – Wedding Brides & Grooms’ Facebook page. I didn’t know that wedding travel agents existed before. Mandi from Viva is a travel agent based in Australia with heaps of experience organizing weddings in Fiji and is also a celebrant herself. It made a huge difference having Mandi’s help and expertise. She has all the relationships with the suppliers and is with you every step of the way. The best piece of advice she gave me was to focus on the wedding that my partner and I really wanted and the people that are meant to be there will be. I found it really helpful to read the feature stories from real Fiji brides on the Bula Bride website and learn more about the suppliers too. I noticed there weren’t many Castaway weddings featured and that’s why I’m sharing my story. We’d been to Castaway Island a few years ago on a day trip and were really impressed by it. We knew we wanted a small intimate island wedding that was unique to us. We were looking for a 5-star resort where you could take kids and we needed it to be fun for teenagers too. Having an authentic Fijian experience was also important to us. We’d heard Castaway was exceptional and it really delivered." } ["_flexible_content_1_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_2_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26734" } ["_flexible_content_2_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_2_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "7" } ["_flexible_content_2_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_3_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1047) "

GETTING READY:

Our wedding ceremony was at 3pm so we had lots of time to get ready. I said goodbye to my partner and our sons after breakfast as they were getting ready with friends and family. I met my Aunt at the spa to get our nails done first, before going back to our bure for hair and make-up with my bridesmaid and mum. We had so much fun getting pampered and drinking champagne, then suddenly it was time for the ceremony. Hair and make up was by Totoka Hair & Make Up. Stephanie and Palavi were both so lovely and really knew what they were doing. We all looked amazing and whatever they did with our hair and make-up was magic because it stayed like that all day! My dress was from: Tania Olsen, Australian designer, purchased from South Coast Brides in NSW. My Matron of Honour’s bridesmaid dress was also from South Coast Brides. The groom and our two sons wore matching white linen shirts and beige shorts from Country Road Australia.  " } ["_flexible_content_3_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_4_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "7" } ["_flexible_content_4_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_5_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1807) "

THE CEREMONY:

LOCATION: On the beach at Monkey Rock Castaway Island Resort. Castaway Island looked after all of the decor for the ceremony set up. We used everything in our package and added some extras such as the arbor, seating and flowers. I shared my inspiration photos with Laisa, our wedding coordinator at Castaway, and she really did her best to create my dream wedding. I chose a beautiful arbor with white fabric drapes and flowers plus timber bench seating with lots of flowers. I wanted it to look styled and semi-formal but suitable for a beach wedding. The flowers were mostly white with a hint of pink. I wore white, my bridesmaid wore a pale sage green, the groom and our boys wore white shirts with sand coloured shorts. Our wedding guests wore shades of blue and green which is remarkable because we didn’t ask them to do that, but it does look amazing in the photos. Castaway provided the bride and bridesmaid bouquets plus buttonholes for the groom and our boys. We also had pastel-colored biodegradable confetti from Australia. We chose a simple non-religious ceremony relevant to our island location and wrote our own vows. It was so special and emotional to hear each other’s vows for the first time in front of our family and friends. Other highlights included our youngest son being the ring bearer, something he requested and did so beautifully, along with our older son walking me down the aisle and then perfectly delivering a surprise speech from my brother on behalf of our family that was both heartfelt and funny. Our Fijian warriors were awesome and were already known to our boys from the kids club. The choir sang beautifully. We had the most spectacular blue sky and sunshine day. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.  " } ["_flexible_content_5_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_6_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26824" } ["_flexible_content_6_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_6_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "4" } ["_flexible_content_6_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_7_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(951) "

GETTING PHOTOS:

I chose Videoticz for our photography because I liked their flexible package. We love candid photos and wanted to capture special moments from throughout our day. Some family portraits with our wedding guests were also important to us because it was a special bunch of people to have together in one place. We had a few ideas of our own for capturing the beauty of the location and we trusted our photographer to be creative too. We love the mix of candid photos, family photos, and artistic shots. Reenal was really generous with his time. We felt comfortable with him, so we could just relax and trust him to do his job which is important. He knew what he was looking for, whether that was covering all the different moving parts of our wedding day and evening or capturing those unique moments that we will treasure forever.  " } ["_flexible_content_7_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_8_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26833" } ["_flexible_content_8_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_8_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "6" } ["_flexible_content_8_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(359) 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THE RECEPTION:

RECEPTION LOCATION: Our reception was at 1808 restaurant with a long table on the beach, a buffet, pop up bar, and dance area. The Castaway team provided most of the set-up decor. I brought some wedding favors from Australia plus the welcome sign that they moved from ceremony to reception. I wanted to have dinner at a long table on the sand with lots of fairy lights overhead. On the day of our wedding, the Castaway team built a special structure for me based on a photo I’d provided - and they even built a wall to keep out the wind! They went above and beyond to deliver my vision. We had an amazing buffet with several entrees, mains and desserts to choose from. The fresh fish was a stand-out for me and the desserts were delicious! We also had a 3 hour drinks package. Castaway made our wedding cake. I chose chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and flowers. I provided a photo of what I wanted and brought the cake topper with me from Australia. For entertainment, we booked the Meke group from the island. Fire dancers are not allowed at Castaway but we didn’t miss this. We wanted our wedding guests to have this Fijian experience and it brought us so much happiness to have a private performance with the amazing Castaway staff singing and dancing on our wedding day. After the Fijian dancers, we had our playlist for more dancing with our guests to end the night. Dancing is a big part of Venezuelan culture too.    " } ["_flexible_content_10_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26906" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_1_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26839" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_1_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_2_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26845" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_2_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_3_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26846" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_3_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_4_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26837" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_4_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater_5_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26840" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater_5_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_11_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "6" } ["_flexible_content_11_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_12_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1668) "

YOUR ADVICE FOR BRIDES PLANNING A FIJI WEDDING:

It’s true what you’ve heard, you do need to trust that they know what they’re doing and when you get there it just gets done. This was our experience too. Our wedding coordinator had all my emails and photos and had a detailed run sheet ready when we arrived. Use a destination wedding planner/travel agent. They have established relationships in Fiji, and they are able to give you a perspective which helps manage any stress. And it helps to have someone looking after all your guests’ travel needs. Ask someone in your family to oversee everything for you on the day because you really can’t do this yourself, you will be too busy. Another reason I think our day was so successful was because we didn’t sweat the small stuff. There will always be little things that don’t go to plan. We kept our focus on the overall experience of the day and it was spectacular. We enjoyed every minute. It really was a dream wedding. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY: Between the ceremony and reception, after photos, we left our guests having drinks together whilst we went on a Champagne Cruise to Honeymoon Bay. As newly-weds we danced on a boat in the Pacific Ocean at sunset time with a serenader and champagne, our children enjoying it with us, and it was an absolutely amazing pinch-yourself moment. There were lots of little moments like this shared with our loved ones. We got so much joy from having our families and friends from all over the world come together with us to celebrate our wedding day and have a holiday of a lifetime that will live in all our hearts forever." } ["_flexible_content_12_add_content"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bda93306b" } ["flexible_content_13_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26843" } ["_flexible_content_13_image_repeater_0_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_13_image_repeater_1_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26844" } ["_flexible_content_13_image_repeater_1_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_13_image_repeater_2_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26842" } ["_flexible_content_13_image_repeater_2_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_13_image_repeater_3_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26841" } ["_flexible_content_13_image_repeater_3_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_13_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(1) "4" } ["_flexible_content_13_image_repeater"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc5633069" } ["flexible_content_2_image_repeater_4_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26935" } ["_flexible_content_2_image_repeater_4_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_2_image_repeater_5_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26936" } ["_flexible_content_2_image_repeater_5_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["flexible_content_2_image_repeater_6_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(5) "26937" } ["_flexible_content_2_image_repeater_6_add_image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5943bc9a3306a" } ["select_vendor_3_select_vendor_category"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(2) "11" } ["_select_vendor_3_select_vendor_category"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_5966139c6f821" } ["select_vendor_3_select_vendor_post"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(22) "a:1:{i:0;s:5:"20130";}" } ["_select_vendor_3_select_vendor_post"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(19) "field_596613ce6f822" } ["_wp_old_date"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(10) "2017-09-30" } }