The couple’s love story began back in high school, though they didn’t start dating until years later when a casual evening with family in 2012 brought them back together. Fast forward to September 2023, the proposal took place during a sunset beach dinner with their children in Nightcliff, NT — a heartfelt and intimate moment.
When it came to choosing a wedding location, a tropical destination was always the dream. After exploring various countries, Fiji stood out—even though neither had been before. The picturesque chapel at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort, discovered through Pinterest, became the clear favorite. As the bride kept coming back to it, the groom said, “Let’s lock it in.”
Planning began by gathering quotes from resorts across the South Pacific. However, navigating the logistics remotely proved challenging, so they enlisted the help of an Australia-based wedding planner—an investment they say was “worth every penny.” With a clear vision and a curated Pinterest board, the planner helped bring their dream wedding to life.
We catch up with Bride Victoria on planning their Fiji wedding:
Getting Ready
Faiza from Totoka Hair & Beauty did my hair and makeup, and she was absolutely wonderful—warm, friendly, and easy to talk to. We had a great chat and some laughs during my trial the day before, which really helped ease my nerves on the big day.
My wedding gown was from Big Day Bridal in Darwin, where Sarina was incredibly helpful. I wanted a dress with a full skirt for the chapel but something light enough to keep me cool during the outdoor reception, and she found the perfect gown that fit beautifully and travelled well. The bridesmaids wore infinity dresses from Model Chic, which were made of light, breathable fabric and allowed each of them to style the dress in a way that suited their comfort.
The groom and groomsmen wore outfits from Tarocash, opting for light and comfortable attire to suit the tropical setting.
The Ceremony
Our ceremony took place in the stunning chapel at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort—a location I had fallen in love with through photos, and it truly lived up to every expectation. It’s absolutely beautiful!
The styling was done by Fiji Weddings, who brought my Pinterest vision to life and completely exceeded expectations. We chose a tropical and bright theme, with a relaxed island vibe. One special touch was providing guests with traditional Fijian fans in the chapel, with proceeds going to a local charity that makes them—a meaningful way to incorporate a cultural element. Fiji Weddings also provided our flowers and bouquets, which complemented the vibrant theme perfectly. For our vows, we opted for the traditional ceremony wording provided by our celebrant, keeping things simple and classic.
The Photography
Our photographer was Anaïs Chaine, recommended to us by a colleague who had previously worked with her—and we’re so glad we followed that advice. Anaïs brought so much more than just beautiful images to our wedding; her warm, fun, and engaging presence added real value to the day. We were looking for bright, heavily saturated photos to reflect the vibrant colours of our tropical celebration, as many other photographers had a more muted, washed-out style that didn’t suit our vision.
Anaïs delivered exactly what we wanted and more. We chose not to have a videographer, but Anaïs created a beautiful slideshow that captured the essence of the day perfectly. We absolutely love our photos—there are thousands on the USB! She captured everything from the fun and laughter to the kids playing and the laid-back vibe we hoped for.
The Reception
Our reception was held on the lawns of the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort. While November can be a bit unpredictable with rain, we had a backup option to move indoors to the ballroom. After checking the forecast with Kali over breakfast on the morning of the wedding, we decided to take the chance—and it paid off with beautiful weather!
Fiji Weddings handled the décor, and we asked for all the flowers from the chapel to be reused at the reception, which they were happy to accommodate. The theme remained bright and tropical with an abundance of vibrant florals. We added personal touches like custom-made tin candles for guests and brought all place cards and signage from Darwin.
One of the highlights was the fire dancers included in our package—they were a huge hit and made for some incredible photos. For food and drink, we chose the Standard Selection menu and the Cellar Selection beverages. Our wedding cake was included in the package, enhanced with flowers from Fiji Weddings and topped with a custom Etsy cake topper.
DJ Works Fiji provided both the DJ and MC services and did a fantastic job keeping the energy up. We ended the night with great food, drinks, and dancing before calling it an early one—our boat to Malamala Island for the recovery day left at 8am the next morning!
