GETTING MARRIED IN PARADISE!......

Fijian weddings are legal and can be performed on any day except Sunday. A birth certificate is required as are divorce papers if clients have been previously married. All ceremonies are performed by a minister or a wedding celebrant. All honeymoon and wedding couples receive an ice cold bottle of sparkeling wine waiting in their bure upon arrival and for wedding couples on the night of their wedding, a bottle in an ice bucket will be waiting in their bure when they return for the night. Due to popular demand, we now have 3 different wedding packages as follows:

TRADITIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY
Apr. 01, 1997 - Mar. 31, 1998 $975.00

After your arrival and registration, you will be whisked away to collect your marriage license. Upon return to the resort, you can relax until the big moment arrives while our staff decorate all the trees in the area with woven palm leaves and lots of flowers. Colorful Salusalus (traditional Fijian wedding leis) and a head garland to match will be delivered to your bure. Four warriors dressed in traditional costumes will accompany the bride and groom to the site of the ceremony. The lali (traditional Fijian drum) will announce the arrival of the bride and groom while the Fijian choir welcomes them with a beautiful hymm. After the ceremony, the celebration starts with a sparkeling wine followed by a traditional kava ceremony. Kava is the traditional Fijian drink (non-alcoholic) and the bride and groom are the guests of honor during this ceremony. The Namale Band takes over from the warriors serving kava and setsthe stage for the meke, Fijian dances performed by the local villagers. At the end of their performance the bride and groom are invited to join the merriment! A romantic dinner for two on a private deck under the starsrounds off a happy evening followed by wedding cake served with coffee. What a way to start your life together. (Should you wish, we also have traditional costumes we can arrange, for additional cost.)

WEDDING CEREMONY WITH CHOIR
Apr. 01, 1997 - Mar. 31, 1998 $640.00

The bride and groom will be transported to the quaint town of Savusavu to collect the marriage license. While you relax at the pool or beach, the wedding site will be decorated with woven palm leaves and colorful tropical flowers. Salusalus (traditional Fijian leis) and a matching flower head garland for the bride are made by the village ladies. The lali (traditional Fijian drum) will announce your arrival and the Fijian choir will welcome you with a hymm. The ceremony is conducted and followed by sparkling wine. After all the excitement a romantic dinner is served under the stars.

SIMPLE WEDDING CEREMONY
Apr. 01, 1997 - Mar. 31, 1998 $330.00

If keeping things simple is important to you then this is the way to get married! bride and groom are transported to Savusavu township to collect the marriage license. Salusalus (traditional Fijian wedding leis) and a flower head garland for the bride complete the picture. The ceremony is conducted and celebrated with sparkling wine, followed by a romantic candle lit dinner for two celebrating your new life together.

EXTRAS:

SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

1. Legality - All ceremonies are perfectly legal and recognized per USA requirements.

2. You need a copy of your birth certificate for both people and your passports. Copies for birth certificates are acceptable.

3. Officiating officer performing the ceremony:
   All ministers in Fiji belong to a certain church, there are no non-denominational ministers. There is no problem to get the local District Officer to conduct the wedding. It will be legally binding. We have a Methodist, Angilican and Assembly of God Ministers.

4. Catholic Weddings:
   These can be arranged, and must be booked in advance, as the Priest is not always on the island. The requirements are the same for any Catholic wedding:
   • Letter of freedom - sent well in advance, approximately 2-3 months out, To Fijian Priest along with Baptism Certificates and your birth certificates (which you bring with you).
   • Your normal pre-wedding studies must be completed with a letter from your Priest.

5. Divorce Papers:
   If you have been divorced, you must bring copies of your divorce along with you to show the District Office.

6. Wedding certificate:
   The wedding certificate only shows two names - that of the bride and groom BEFORE they get married. You choose what name you want afterward. It shows Miss XX married to Mr. ZZ.

7. Registry office is only open Mon-Fri from 9:00am - 3:00pm.

8. Guest need to register in the province they will marry in, so they cannot register in Nadi and get married in Savusavu. The District Office can ONLY marry people if license was issued at Savusavu office.

9. If clients arrive on a Sunday, they can register on Monday morning and get married Monday afternoon? Provided monday is not a public holiday (Fiji has many), they can do this. Therefore any request for this must be checked.

10. Wedding Video:
    The photographer is contracted from Labasa (about 2 hours from Namale) for the evening and he brings his own equipment. Fiji is on the same system as Australia and New Zealand which is PAL. The USA is on the NTSC and they are not interchangeable. A PAL video is taken, and if you are from the USA, you can get it converted at most video shops in the USA. Video is taken of the wedding and reception, and he leaves when dinner is started.

11. Photographer:
    A professional photographer is hired. He will take 3 rolls of 36 exposure film. You are given the complete control of your photos.

12. Choir:
    It is the Methodist Church choir and they sing religious Fijian hymns - very pretty. The Fijians are well known for the melodic voices and songs in harmony. Their very special songs will add a unique character and very special "island atmosphere" to your wedding ceremony.

13. Safe - every bure has a "strong box" and we also have a safe in the office.