Jessica and Brendan’s story began with a Tinder swipe in 2017, but it was their friendship that laid the foundation for their relationship. After four years of shared adventures, long conversations, and becoming best friends, their connection naturally grew into love. Five years later, Brendan proposed with a romantic beachfront picnic at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, complete with champagne and a heartfelt surprise overlooking the ocean.
Wanting to continue their love story by the water, the couple decided on a destination wedding almost immediately after getting engaged. After exploring several options, they fell in love with the stunning beach at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. One look at the beautiful sands of Natadola Beach, and they knew it was the perfect place to say “I do.”
We catch up with Bride Jessica on planning their wedding in Fiji:
The Planning
I really enjoyed the planning process and loved bringing our vision to life. I spent hours looking through Instagram, Pinterest, Bula Bride, and our photographer Nadi Bay Photography for inspiration, creating mood boards and collecting ideas from previous InterContinental Fiji weddings. We decided to carry through the colours from our engagement picnic—white, earthy tones, and soft blue—which became the inspiration for our wedding styling.
Planning through the resort was a wonderful experience. Moses and Meresiana, our wedding coordinators, were always quick to respond on WhatsApp, organised calls whenever I had questions, and made the whole process feel easy and well organised. I also loved creating detailed PowerPoint presentations for our suppliers, making sure everyone had everything they needed to bring our vision to life.
Getting Ready
I chose the talented team from Blush’d Brides in Brisbane for my hair and makeup. They also travel for destination weddings, and after seeing their beautiful work I knew they were the perfect fit. Bringing them over to Fiji was absolutely worth it.
My dress was a Madi Lane gown from Luv Bridal. It actually wasn’t the style I thought I’d choose, but the moment I put it on I burst into tears and knew it was the perfect dress for a Fiji beach wedding.
We didn’t have a bridal party, but Brendan looked amazing in his custom-tailored almond-coloured suit from Boston Clothing. I loved the colour—it suited him perfectly and complemented the relaxed, tropical feel of our wedding.
The Ceremony
We always knew we wanted to get married with our feet in the sand, so Natadola beach at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa was the perfect choice. Standing beside the ocean as we exchanged our vows was exactly how we had imagined our wedding day.
Our ceremony was styled by Fiji Weddings, who also created our beautiful bouquets and florals. We chose a soft colour palette of light blue, white, and beige, and added some special Fijian touches by placing handcrafted woven fans on each guest’s chair and having the traditional Fijian warriors escort me to the ceremony.
One of the most important things to us was making the ceremony feel personal, so I wrote the entire ceremony for our celebrant to read. One of the most emotional moments of the day was when our son read a heartfelt letter to us during the ceremony, making it even more meaningful and unforgettable.
The Photography
We choose Nadi Bay Photography for photography and videography because I loved their drone footage and the way they delivered our wedding film. Being able to watch our entire ceremony from start to finish is something we’ll treasure forever. More than anything, I wanted our photos and video to capture the fun, the love, and the joy we shared with our family and friends. Looking back at them now, I love that they tell our real love story and show the happiness we share, especially the special role our little boy played in bringing our family together on such an important day.
The Reception
Our reception was held on the waterfront lawn overlooking the ocean, right beside the beach, and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful setting. Fiji Weddings transformed the space with soft blue, white, and beige styling, complete with flowing white draping, Tiffany chairs, and fairy lights that created such a romantic atmosphere as the sun went down.
We chose a family-style BBQ buffet, which was absolutely incredible, along with a champagne tower to celebrate with our guests. Our simple yet timeless white heart-shaped passionfruit cake was exactly what we had envisioned.
For entertainment, Nicky Music Fiji and her band created the perfect atmosphere during cocktail hour and as I walked down the aisle, while DJ Will from Universal Tunes kept the celebrations going as both our DJ and MC. We ended the night with an amazing fire dancing performance and fireworks before doing something completely unforgettable—we all jumped into the ocean together!
Top Tips & Favourite Memories
Looking back, some of our favourite moments were incredibly personal. Seeing my son for our first look, having both my son and my mum walk me down the aisle, and standing together on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world all felt surreal. We also loved stealing a quiet moment together during our photo session, celebrating on the dance floor with our family and friends, and finishing the night with a spectacular fire dancing show, fireworks, and a spontaneous swim in the ocean.
My biggest piece of advice for couples planning a Fiji wedding is to invest in a great photographer and videographer. Your wedding day goes by so quickly, and having those memories to look back on is priceless. Most importantly, once you walk down the aisle, let go of any stress, be present, and enjoy every moment. The day is about celebrating your love, so have fun and make it everything you’ve dreamed of.
