Jennifer & Russell – Likuliku Lagoon Resort
Jennifer & Russell met after they both moved across the country on their own to live in California and found each other living directly across the street from one another, no less! Their first meeting was six years ago at a party in downtown LA, where they first discovered they were neighbors miles and miles away in Venice Beach. They could literally throw a rock at the others building!
We catch up more with bride Jennifer on what lead her to book a destination wedding in Fiji:
Bride & Groom: Jennifer Reiss + Russell Hulst
The Date: March 22, 2022
The Location: Likuliku Lagoon Resort
Number of Guests: 2 – they eloped
I always wanted to elope internationally, ever since I was a child. My husband was fond of getting married in Hawaii, but being born there, I wanted to travel just a little bit farther, still choosing an exotic island with beautiful beaches and lush jungles. Likuliku was close enough to the Nadi airport, and I instantly fell in love its charm, although I did consider a few spots on the mainland before landing on that resort as our venue.
Bula Bride may have been the first website I stumbled upon when I first had the idea to elope in Fiji. The helpful layout, with tons of digestible information and an easy way to get in touch with vendors, was the nudge I needed to bring my dream to fruition.
The interesting thing is, I booked the trip shortly after Fiji reopened for the first time in two years; while that was uniquely special, it also entailed a lot of complications, such as booking private water taxis to and from islands for our vendors, since the main boats were not yet up and running again! After researching in-depth, I realized a wedding planner could come in handy for all the unforeseen aspects of the trip.
I worked closely with Mandi Forrester-Jones at Viva Travel, whose name I found on Bula Bride at the onset of my planning. Mandi was instrumental in making sure every detail was in place once we touched down in Fiji. Her insight into the islands, attention to detail and thoughtful recommendations helped steer us in the right direction. The wedding ended up being everything we dreamt of and more! Highly recommend Viva Travel to anyone on the fence about planning an international getaway.
It took about six months to plan our day from start to finish. Although it was an elopement for two, it ended up being a bit more involved than I originally imagined. As the bride and someone who loves planning, I did not tell a soul about any of our plans (even my mom and the groom!) until we were a week out from the trip. That added to the mystery and excitement! By the time we left, every single detail was in place.
GETTING READY:
The first few days of our trip, we were completely rained in, still enjoying every minute. But beginning on our wedding day – the sun graced us, and we didn’t get a single drop, and the good weather continued from that day forward for the remainder of our trip!
Selecting Totoka Hair & Makeup for our wedding was a no-brainer. I’ve never had hair and makeup done before, but I knew for this occasion, I wanted a stress-free experience and to feel beautiful. All their reviews were overly positive and the pictures stunning. Palavi was such a pleasure to work with, from start to finish!! Her exquisite henna art, the way she styled my hair and makeup exactly as I wanted with such minimal guidance, and the extra care she put in throughout our sessions not only made our wedding day effortless for me, but beyond memorable. I cannot tell you how many compliments we’ve received on social media so far, and the white henna I had my heart set on was probably my favorite part of the entire visual they helped us create. A million thanks to Totoka for special ordering that for me!
My dress was from a little boutique in Los Angeles called Fleurish LA. The owner made me feel so comfortable, and her Golden Retriever made a lovely companion for those initial photos where you have to poke yourself and remember this is really happening!
THE CEREMONY:
Location: Oceanside at Likuliku Lagoon Resort.
The staff at Likuliku handled everything for us, including the décor, floral items and the lovely ceremony arch, as well as the cake. We had input, but they took amazing care of us, particularly Operations Manager Laisani and Reservations Supervisor Pritika, and of course our Celebrant Matia. Likuliku is an absolute fantasy; hands down the best place we’ve ever stayed at and the Fijian people the nicest we’ve met in all our worldwide travels.
After months of thinking about the elopement, and many days traveling through Fiji when we intended to write our vows, we ended up writing them the day of the wedding! It all came from the heart. Good thing everything else was already taken care of and effortless!
GETTING PHOTOS:
We actually worked with two photography companies because this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and they both had so much to offer.
Going into this trip, I was particularly excited about underwater photography. As an O’ahu-born surfer and insatiable adventurist, I had my heart set on this from the jump. Laura Pittman from Island Encounters Photography was such a pleasure to work with before, during and after the shoot came and went. Her compassionate, calming demeanor, super creative vision and drive to capture the very best moments left us grateful and impressed. We walked away with gorgeous shots I will cherish for a lifetime, along with dozens of
compliments!
On our wedding day, we chose ZoomFiji. Zoomfiji had a beautiful portfolio of not only photography, but also cinematography, which was a cut above the other options we looked into. Also loved that they offered a Fiji Fusion package for eloping couples – which includes a combo of photography + video. Bruce’s impressive background was also a deciding factor for us personally, and the fact that he is present at all of his shoots. We knew we’d be in good hands.
I also loved their involvement in other areas aside from weddings, like rugby, culture and more. Bruce + Damien were a delight to work with, keeping us at ease throughout the day and helping put genuine smiles on our faces. The entire team and process, from planning to delivery of our footage, has been seamless.
We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response, with some claiming these are the best wedding moments they’ve ever seen. We’re still keeping the videos a surprise for our in-person celebrations with friends and family later in the year.
YOUR ADVICE FOR BRIDES PLANNING A FIJI WEDDING:
Choosing to elope gives you the freedom to make all the choices on your own. Just go for it. Do your research, hang in there, and go with your gut – it won’t lead you astray! We stayed at a handful of places on our journey, worked with wonderful vendors throughout who made our wedding effortless and enjoyable, and got to experience all the adventures we set out to do. It was hands-down the trip of a lifetime.
Who Did They Use
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Wedding Planners & Travel Agents
Viva Destination Weddings
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Fiji Wedding Photographers
Zoom Fiji
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Hair & Make Up
Totoka Hair & Beauty
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Wedding Venues
Likuliku Lagoon Resort
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