Nathan met his future wife in 2018 at the Penrith Panthers League Club. Although she was initially talking to one of his friends, Nathan persuaded her to follow his Instagram business page. The next day, she received a friend request from his personal account, which she initially ignored, thinking he wasn’t her type. However, after agreeing to go out to dinner with him, the two quickly became inseparable.
From the beginning, Nathan told her she wasn’t going anywhere, and although she jokingly told her family about her “stage five clinger,” they predicted she’d marry him one day. Now, six years later, they’re married, with two young children and a poodle completing their family.
Nathan originally planned to propose in Fiji on a private island, but due to COVID border concerns, he quickly had to come up with a new plan. On Christmas Eve, he placed a special gift under the tree, which his partner opened the next morning with their daughter by their side. Inside was a box that read, “Will you marry me?”—all caught on video, as they record themselves opening presents each year.
Initial planning:
When my parents suggested a destination wedding since I was their last child to get married, it felt like the perfect fit for Nathan and me, given our love for travel. We visited the Shangri-La ahead of time to explore it as a potential venue, and the moment we saw the white church on the beach, we knew it was the one. The breathtaking setting, right on the beach, felt ideal for our celebration.
I took on most of the wedding planning myself, with support from family, friends, and Nathan, who worked hard to provide for much of the wedding’s expenses. Our chosen date held special meaning, as it was the anniversary of when we first met back at Penrith Panthers in 2018. The first big task was booking the venue to secure that date, and from there, I relied heavily on Pinterest for checklists to ensure everything stayed on track.
For inspiration and recommendations, I found social media incredibly helpful. I joined Facebook groups and followed Instagram accounts to research everything from makeup to photographers. The online community of other Fiji brides was a huge help, and I was able to gather real, honest reviews from people who had experienced these services firsthand. This research really helped me feel confident that everything would come together just as we envisioned for our special day.
Bula Bride was incredibly helpful in planning our wedding. By exploring their followers and who they followed, I discovered a wealth of pages that guided my decisions on which vendors to book for our big day. This made it much easier to find trustworthy recommendations and make informed choices.
Getting Ready
I chose Lodo’s Hair and Makeup for my wedding day. I’m very particular about my hair and makeup and like things done a certain way, and he was the closest I could find to the quality I’d expect back in Australia. My makeup, as well as my bridesmaids’, was flawless—I couldn’t fault it. However, we ran out of time when doing my hair, so I regret not scheduling a hair and makeup trial. I’d highly recommend a trial to ensure everything goes smoothly on the big day.
My dress was from Made with Love Bridal in St Ives, Sydney. They have showrooms across Australia, and my experience with them was wonderful. I knew I wanted something a bit extra, and my dress was exactly what I envisioned: fitted, sparkly, and adorned with pearls. It came together perfectly.
The bridesmaids’ dresses were from an online store called Billy J. The quality was excellent, and they were affordable, which was a big plus since I was buying for the whole bridal party. The dresses suited everyone beautifully, from sizes 8 to 18, and they looked perfect on each of them.
The groomsmen’s shirts were from Industrie, and their pants were from YD. We also got each of them Birkenstocks, aiming for a comfortable, casual look that suited the location.
The Ceremony
We held our ceremony at the white chapel at the Shangri-La. It was absolutely breathtaking, and once I was down the aisle, I could finally relax, knowing everything had come together just as we’d planned.
I chose an all-white color scheme for its pure, clean look, adding coconuts to the guest tables as a traditional touch. For a subtle pop of color, the bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen shoes were olive green. I avoided darker colors, as they don’t quite suit the Fijian setting based on photos I’d seen.
The Wedding Atelier Fiji handled our flowers, and they were perfect—exactly as I’d envisioned. The resort handled all the décor, which was included in our package.
We kept the ceremony styling simple, with white flowers and a bit of greenery. Our vows were personal, blending humor, inside jokes, and heartfelt promises about our journey together, including our family and how we met. It was short and sweet, exactly how we wanted it, to keep our guests engaged.
The Photography
We went with Konnected Memories, and Konrad and his team were incredible. I wanted clean photos with a touch of grain in the edit. I trusted Konrad to decide on poses and types of shots, and he did an amazing job! He made us feel completely comfortable, and we spent the whole time laughing.
We were blown away by the sheer number of photos we received—they truly captured everything from start to finish. The turnaround time was impressively quick, and Konrad stayed in touch with us throughout the entire process.
Eterna Weddings Fiji handled our video. Avishek and Konrad work closely together and are a fantastic team—you can tell they both genuinely love what they do. As business owners ourselves, we appreciated the effort they put in to capture every moment and get the perfect shots. We wanted our video to reflect our true selves—a mix of fun moments with a touch of seriousness to capture our love story.
We absolutely love our photos; there are so many, and we’re thrilled to have these memories to cherish forever.
The Reception
We initially planned to have our reception on the lawn beside the church and beach, but on the morning of the wedding, rain forced us to move indoors. Although I was disappointed after envisioning an outdoor beach reception for so long, the team quickly adjusted everything. They transformed the conference room beautifully, and their seamless coordination helped me feel calm and confident in the new setup.
For a personal touch, we asked my maid of honor’s husband, also a close friend, to be our MC. Despite having never done it before, he was fantastic and kept everything lively and heartfelt, which meant a lot to us and our guests. To break the ice, we organized a fun game with chairs in a circle where guests competed to find items from the room. The final round ended in a dance-off, and it was a hilarious highlight that really energized the room.
We hired DJ Will based on high recommendations, but unfortunately, he didn’t meet our expectations. The night before our wedding, he informed us that he had double-booked and would be sending a replacement. While DJ Will did significantly discount our invoice, it was still disappointing after hearing such positive feedback from others who had used his services.
We also placed disposable cameras on each table for guests to capture candid moments throughout the night. For music, we kept things simple by creating a shared Spotify playlist, allowing everyone to add songs they loved. This kept the vibe fun and inclusive, with a mix of genres that suited our guests of all ages.
The Holiday
We booked 8 nights, and honestly, I wish we had stayed longer! Arriving the Wednesday before our Monday wedding gave us the perfect amount of time to relax, finalize the remaining wedding details, and head into town during the weekdays while everything was open, as many places close on weekends.
Most of our time was spent at the resort—it was so beautiful and relaxing that we didn’t feel the need to leave. However, we did take the opportunity to visit a nearby village and attend church. The locals were incredibly welcoming and overjoyed to have us there. It was such a heartwarming and memorable experience!
Advice to future brides:
Wedding planning can be stressful, but try not to let it overwhelm you—after all, you’re in Fiji! There’s nothing quite like being immersed in breathtaking views, warm hospitality, and the joy of celebrating with your loved ones. Make sure to take some time to unwind both before and after your big day. Treat yourself to a well-deserved massage, and don’t miss out on the Dusk Till Dawn package at the day spa, which is included in your wedding package. It was truly one of the most incredible and rejuvenating experiences we’ve ever had!
Watch Krista and Nathan’s amazing wedding video here:
When my parents suggested a destination wedding since I was their last child to get married, it felt like the perfect fit for Nathan and me, given our love for travel. We visited the Shangri-La ahead of time to explore it as a potential venue, and the moment we saw the white church on the beach, we knew it was the one. The breathtaking setting, right on the beach, felt ideal for our celebration.
I took on most of the wedding planning myself, with support from family, friends, and Nathan, who worked hard to provide for much of the wedding’s expenses. Our chosen date held special meaning, as it was the anniversary of when we first met back at Penrith Panthers in 2018. The first big task was booking the venue to secure that date, and from there, I relied heavily on Pinterest for checklists to ensure everything stayed on track.
For inspiration and recommendations, I found social media incredibly helpful. I joined Facebook groups and followed Instagram accounts to research everything from makeup to photographers. The online community of other Fiji brides was a huge help, and I was able to gather real, honest reviews from people who had experienced these services firsthand. This research really helped me feel confident that everything would come together just as we envisioned for our special day.
Bula Bride was incredibly helpful in planning our wedding. By exploring their followers and who they followed, I discovered a wealth of pages that guided my decisions on which vendors to book for our big day. This made it much easier to find trustworthy recommendations and make informed choices."
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Getting Ready
I chose Lodo’s Hair and Makeup for my wedding day. I'm very particular about my hair and makeup and like things done a certain way, and he was the closest I could find to the quality I’d expect back in Australia. My makeup, as well as my bridesmaids', was flawless—I couldn’t fault it. However, we ran out of time when doing my hair, so I regret not scheduling a hair and makeup trial. I'd highly recommend a trial to ensure everything goes smoothly on the big day.
My dress was from Made with Love Bridal in St Ives, Sydney. They have showrooms across Australia, and my experience with them was wonderful. I knew I wanted something a bit extra, and my dress was exactly what I envisioned: fitted, sparkly, and adorned with pearls. It came together perfectly.
The bridesmaids' dresses were from an online store called Billy J. The quality was excellent, and they were affordable, which was a big plus since I was buying for the whole bridal party. The dresses suited everyone beautifully, from sizes 8 to 18, and they looked perfect on each of them.
The groomsmen’s shirts were from Industrie, and their pants were from YD. We also got each of them Birkenstocks, aiming for a comfortable, casual look that suited the location."
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The Ceremony
We held our ceremony at the white chapel at the Shangri-La. It was absolutely breathtaking, and once I was down the aisle, I could finally relax, knowing everything had come together just as we’d planned.
I chose an all-white color scheme for its pure, clean look, adding coconuts to the guest tables as a traditional touch. For a subtle pop of color, the bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen shoes were olive green. I avoided darker colors, as they don’t quite suit the Fijian setting based on photos I’d seen.
The Wedding Atelier Fiji handled our flowers, and they were perfect—exactly as I’d envisioned. The resort handled all the décor, which was included in our package.
We kept the ceremony styling simple, with white flowers and a bit of greenery. Our vows were personal, blending humor, inside jokes, and heartfelt promises about our journey together, including our family and how we met. It was short and sweet, exactly how we wanted it, to keep our guests engaged."
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The Photography
We went with Konnected Memories, and Konrad and his team were incredible. I wanted clean photos with a touch of grain in the edit. I trusted Konrad to decide on poses and types of shots, and he did an amazing job! He made us feel completely comfortable, and we spent the whole time laughing.
We were blown away by the sheer number of photos we received—they truly captured everything from start to finish. The turnaround time was impressively quick, and Konrad stayed in touch with us throughout the entire process.
Eterna Weddings Fiji handled our video. Avishek and Konrad work closely together and are a fantastic team—you can tell they both genuinely love what they do. As business owners ourselves, we appreciated the effort they put in to capture every moment and get the perfect shots. We wanted our video to reflect our true selves—a mix of fun moments with a touch of seriousness to capture our love story.
We absolutely love our photos; there are so many, and we’re thrilled to have these memories to cherish forever."
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The Reception
We initially planned to have our reception on the lawn beside the church and beach, but on the morning of the wedding, rain forced us to move indoors. Although I was disappointed after envisioning an outdoor beach reception for so long, the team quickly adjusted everything. They transformed the conference room beautifully, and their seamless coordination helped me feel calm and confident in the new setup.
For a personal touch, we asked my maid of honor’s husband, also a close friend, to be our MC. Despite having never done it before, he was fantastic and kept everything lively and heartfelt, which meant a lot to us and our guests. To break the ice, we organized a fun game with chairs in a circle where guests competed to find items from the room. The final round ended in a dance-off, and it was a hilarious highlight that really energized the room.
We hired DJ Will based on high recommendations, but unfortunately, he didn’t meet our expectations. The night before our wedding, he informed us that he had double-booked and would be sending a replacement. While DJ Will did significantly discount our invoice, it was still disappointing after hearing such positive feedback from others who had used his services.
We also placed disposable cameras on each table for guests to capture candid moments throughout the night. For music, we kept things simple by creating a shared Spotify playlist, allowing everyone to add songs they loved. This kept the vibe fun and inclusive, with a mix of genres that suited our guests of all ages.
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string(1351) "The Holiday
We booked 8 nights, and honestly, I wish we had stayed longer! Arriving the Wednesday before our Monday wedding gave us the perfect amount of time to relax, finalize the remaining wedding details, and head into town during the weekdays while everything was open, as many places close on weekends.
Most of our time was spent at the resort—it was so beautiful and relaxing that we didn’t feel the need to leave. However, we did take the opportunity to visit a nearby village and attend church. The locals were incredibly welcoming and overjoyed to have us there. It was such a heartwarming and memorable experience!
