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Rachel & Michael

When we saw Rachel and Michael’s 120-guest wedding at Leleuvia Island Resort over on photographer Zoom Fiji’s page, we knew instantly this would be a stunning feature! Not only is it the first time for Bula Bride to feature a wedding here, but the set up is simply gorgeous. Add the stunning background and the romantic story and we were hooked!

We catch up with Rachel on her wedding day:

Michael & I met in Suva about 16yrs ago at a poetry reading session. It was a whirlwind romance where we dated, got married and had our 3 beautiful girls and in the time it took to raise our girls and build our businesses we never found the time to have a large wedding ceremony. So finally after 16yrs and after much prodding from our girls, we decided to have a wedding.

Whilst it was a wedding ceremony, it was also a renewal of our vows and our 16 year wedding anniversary, which was made even more special because we were able to have our 3 girls involved.

We chose Fiji, because I’m from Fiji and all my kids were born in Fiji. My husband is also a Fijian citizen now. And we chose Leleuvia island resort because we are one of the owners of the resort, and also it’s one of the most beautiful and magical islands in the Pacific and a place where we have shared and created many beautiful memories with our families and friends.

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Chelsea & Mitchell

We at Bula Bride are super partial to an island wedding….after all, it is Fiji! With the unmistakeable backdrop of perfect palm trees, lush grounds and blue skies, we are super excited to share Chelsea & Mitchells dream Fiji wedding at Musket Cove Island Resort.

We catch up with Chelsea:
We met 8 years ago when Mitch had been sent to Adelaide with the Army. I met him through a school friend who was in the Army too and we were introduced to one another at a friend’s house.

We chose Fiji because we had always talked about having a destination wedding with only our closest friends and family as guests. Mitch’s parents were also married in Fiji so we thought it must be a beautiful place for it.

We read plenty of reviews and also had the help of a Destination Wedding Planner who was able to help us make our decisions. We used Mandi Forrester-Jones from Viva Destination Weddings and Events. She was very helpful and had a lot of knowledge about weddings in Fiji as well as good suggestions for venues and suppliers. As a result we booked Musket Cove Island Resort & Marina.

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Hilary & Scott

We met 5 years ago through a mutual friend back home in Sydney.

We really wanted an intimate tropical beach elopement and decided Fiji would be the perfect location! We had never been to Fiji before so we did all our research online through Instagram and various blogs. We particularly loved Bula Bride as there was so much information which helped us out. We decided we wanted to stay at the Intercontinental Golf Resort & Spa because we loved their accommodation and facilities, but wanted to get married at Yatule Resort & Spa because it was a more intimate spot on the breathtaking Natadola beach.

Once we decided on Yatule Resort and Spa for our ceremony location we got in contact with Paradise Bride wedding planners and they were so incredibly helpful from the first initial email right through to the wedding day! Pooja and the team at Paradise Bride really do make your wedding planning a whole lot easier and stress free as it can be really overwhelming planning a destination wedding.

We spent the morning of our wedding day relaxing by the lagoon at the Intercontinental, getting some sun and having a few snorkelling sessions. There was not a single moment of stress just pure love and excitement! We couldn’t wait to finally get married in paradise.

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Mandy & Scott

When I spotted the photos of American couple Mandy & Scott eloping at Royal Davui I was immediately taken in by the beautiful simplicity of their day. It spoke to me of everything a wedding is supposed to be – a celebration of love, two people hand in hand, sharing a special promise to each other. I immediately contacted Mandy to ask her to share her Fiji elopement story and fortunately she agreed. Being a travel writer herself it’s been an easy and beautiful read uncovering her journey from falling in love to getting married in Fiji.
Mandy shares with us her story.

Our Story
A couple of summers ago my father called and asked me to come home and spend the summer with him because he was ill. I am a travel, health, and lifestyle writer and luckily had the flexibility to do so. I made the arrangements and drove across the United States from North Carolina to Utah to see my dad in the hospital on July 4th.

Little did I know that my parents new next door neighbour would be my future husband. Scott, was his name. We met in passing a few times, and one day I made brownies and took them over to say hello. We sat on his front porch talking for about an hour and then I left. The next time I saw him he asked if I wanted to go on a motorcycle ride with him, but I was leaving for Santiago, Chile. He kind of looked at me like, who are you? I laughed and walked away.

Upon my return there was a happy birthday sign in his yard. This convinced me he had a girlfriend, since he still had not asked for my phone number. Well no harm done in buying a man a 12 pack of craft beer on his birthday, and so I took him a gift. He still never asked for my phone number, so I left him a note on his truck. We went out to dinner one time before I left for a Mexico trip at the end of the summer. I was not planning on coming back to Utah until the holidays at this point, and really did not know what would happen.

Fast forward to December that year. We kept in touch via text message, but one thing I could not shake is how much I was thinking of him, someone I really barely knew. When I came home for Christmas that year, we hit it off immediately, and started dating, I spent time between between North Carolina, Utah, and cloudsurfing (flying for work). When I made the decision to permanently move to Salt Lake City late in the spring of 2016, we both knew we would be together for the rest of our lives. He asked me to marry him December 3, 2016, and well, the rest is history.

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Where is the best place to get married in Fiji?

So, where is the best place to get married in Fiji?

Deciding on the location to have your Fiji wedding or honeymoon can be a tough choice, with so many options available. Naturally your budget will help to narrow this down, however, ultimately this is going to be a one-off and very special experience, so putting some thought into what you want to get out of your trip is very important. And if you are having guests, thinking about what will also be the best experience for the group is also important.

    Main image above: Ocean Studios Fiji Photography

We have put together some suggestions that may help you choose the best place to get married in Fiji, or find the right location or just help you to think about what can make the experience special no matter where you go in Fiji. The good news is, from small budgets to large, Fiji has a range of options to cater to everyone.

1. Choose a location that matches your needs
Checking into a resort full of kids or embarking on a trip to a too-remote island, when it was not exactly what you expected from your wedding holiday could throw a spanner in the works of your much-desired Fiji wedding or honeymoon. The atmosphere at the resort will be crucial to the success of your trip, so it is important to choose a resort that is suitable for the type of wedding you want to have, and matches your budget and needs.

Luxury resorts that specialise in romance and couples getaways offer a unique experience and an intimate atmosphere. If you are looking for a personalised experience, take a look at a 5-star resort and book a stay to include your wedding or elopement, plus several extra nights on an all-inclusive package. You can’t go past the serenity and luxury of resorts like Turtle, Raiwasa, Namale, Savasi, Tides Reach or Laucala and if your budget does happen to stretch to one of these options for your wedding day, you won’t regret it.

Images: Raiwasa Grand Villa, Matei, Fiji offers luxurious weddings and honeymoons

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Courtney & Jack – Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

Jack and Courtney met each other at High School in early 2009; not long after, Jack asked Courtney to be his girlfriend and they have been together ever since.

They wanted to get married on their 10 year anniversary in July 2019. After a bit of research they agreed the Fiji had the best weather for that month of the year and this kickstarted the planning process.

We catch up with bride Courtney on what was involved in planning her wedding:
BRIDE & GROOM: Courtney & Jack
THE DATE: Friday 26th of July 2019
THE LOCATION: Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
THE NUMBER OF GUESTS: 39 adults 10 children

After a lot of researching on Fiji we decided on the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort. The Outrigger stood out as a very family friendly resort and we knew we would have a few families joining us to celebrate our wedding. Once we had been in contact with the Outrigger we were invited to a Facebook group for Outrigger Brides. It was the most helpful group. They answered any questions we had and being able to read reviews from previous brides made the decision making a lot easier.

We booked our flights through Jenna at B&P Travel & Cruise and the rest we organised ourselves. The wedding was mainly planned through emails with the Outrigger. We used Bula Bride a few times to answer some of the questions I had. It was really nice to read about other brides experiences with their weddings.

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What Was Your Favorite of 2019?

Ahhh wedding photography…usually the next important thing to consider once your resort is selected. That lasting pull of photography is extraordinary; to be transported back in time, surrounded by loved ones and the euphoria of becoming one with your partner.

And while searching for the best wedding photographer for you is no easy process, the good news is that Fiji is home to talented shutterbugs for its well developed wedding market. At BulaBride we strive to present only the best ideas and services for your big day, so keep reading below or follow one of the handy links here:

Choosing a great wedding photographer

Feeling comfortable & building rapport

How to look great in your photos

Authentic wedding photography

Lighting & locations

With the first half of 2019 hosting hundreds of visitors that were either married or attended a wedding here, Fiji’s seasoned wedding snappers know all too well about what it takes.

Below are helpful tips, and photo ideas to help in choosing a photographer to create an emotive, visual legacy of your big day, and making the most of it.