Viva - The Wedding Issue - Fiji

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Wednesday March 30, 2016

THE WEDDING ISSUE

WEDDINGS

Matangi Private Island Resort

Nanuku Auberge Resort, styling by My Tropical Fiji Wedding.

Rosie Holidays

Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa

PICTURE YOURSELF IN PARADISE Fiji is the tropical wedding destination du jour, with a growing number of stylists, caterers and resorts specialising in bespoke, intimate celebrations

W

hen planning a wedding, it’s easy to succumb to the temptation of booking a flight, handing the reins to the experts, and leaving the guest list headache behind.

The relaxed atmosphere, stunning scenery and dedicated service offered by the Fijian wedding industry provides the perfect alternative to a wedding at home.

Weddings in the tropics have traditionally been one-size-fits-all. However, if a buffet on the beach isn’t your style, an increasing number of new and established providers are offering dedicated styling services, boutique menus and alternative locations.

You can choose to elope, invite a small family group, or even host 200 people if your budget allows. And if you like the idea of an unplugged wedding — where guests refrain from photographing or posting about your wedding on social media — Fiji and its famous island time works perfectly.

We visited the inaugural Tourism Fiji Wedding Expo, and some of the island’s most romantic locations, to discover the latest wedding trends.

Tailor-Made

Location, location A beach-front ceremony is the obvious choice for a picture-perfect backdrop, but many brides are opting for a beautifully manicured lawn or garden at a resort or private villa. The orchid-filled Garden of the Sleeping Giant near Nadi is a popular choice, says Louise Acreman from Taste Fiji.

The local company offers a catering and planning service and can organise a local bus to take guests through a dusty inland road to a private venue such as the gardens.

Many of the larger resorts offer a “wedding pavilion” or non-denominational chapel.

There are breathtaking ocean views from the pavilions at Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa and Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa, host of the Wedding Expo. The wedding co-ordinators at these resorts can organise the appropriate celebrant to perform your ceremony.

At Nanuku Auberge Resort and Matangi Private Island Resort, self-catering is an option with large, luxurious villas offering kitchens, lounges and private outdoor zones, perfect for a wedding and accompanying family holiday.

Get Active

Although wedding days are often formal affairs, Fiji’s location makes adventure

Photo: Kama Catch Me Photography www.kamacatchme.com

Though most resorts still offer all-inclusive

wedding packages, the option for a tailored service is becoming increasingly popular.

Some resorts have dedicated wedding planners who can customise your occasion to suit any size, theme or request. There are also a growing number of stylists and wedding co-ordinators who can organise off-the-beaten-track locations, beautiful themes, and gourmet menus. The “100% locally owned” Rosie Holidays, which has operated in Fiji for 40 years, offers 160 themes, from traditional Fijian ceremonies to gorgeous Moroccan-style layouts and romantic candle-lit settings under the trees.

“We know Fiji, [it] is our home,” says Adeline Lee-Erasito, director of business development for the travel company.

The team can organise unique locations and transport between a ceremony and reception venue, and are experienced in setting up weddings for anything from two to 1000 people.

I Do Fiji Holidays is an Australianbased travel agent specialising in resort weddings, with founder Deahann Urqueza able to customise itineraries, and help clients find the resort that will work for their budget and preferences. “The resorts will bend over backwards to make something work,” she says.

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Nanuku Auberge Resort, styling

by My Tropical Fiji Wedding.

activities an ideal pre- or post-ceremony choice — or even an option for your big day. A snorkelling trip or shark-diving experience will add a memorable adrenalin rush to your celebration and keep your guests entertained, as will a fishing trip or four-wheel bike adventure. Sigatoka River Safari takes tours upriver to a traditional village, and even offers cave weddings for adventurous couples.

Another popular choice is getting married aboard a cruise ship — with all-day access to snorkelling and island-hopping. For the most intimate ceremony, you can jet to a sandspit in the middle of the ocean such as the one off Royal Davui Resort, reached by a 15-minute boat trip.

Local Flavours

Celebrating the local produce is easy in Fiji, and a wedding menu should showcase the abundance of seafood, fruits and vegetables available on the islands. Adi chocolate, made in Vanua Levu from locally-grown cacao and sugar, is used in the desserts at the Intercontinental Golf Resort and Spa. The five-star resort, which uses 86 per cent locally-grown produce in its restaurants, also creates a lobster kokoda, which makes for a great wedding appetiser.

The Intercontinental can make anything work, says director of sales Hudson Mitchell, although he warns guests not to “come with Champagne taste and a beer budget”.

Louise from Taste Fiji says the catering company and restaurant she runs with husband Lee keep imported products to a minimum. For weddings they specialise in delicious cakes and dessert bars made from local ingredients.

“We prefer naked cakes,” Louise says,

Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa

WEDDING CHECKLIST THE DRESS A simple, stylish dress from Anton Conway Wye, a young Fijian designer who combines traditional fabrics with modern shapes.

SIGNATURE DISH Coconut-crumbed prawns served on a bed of pineapple salsa, a local favourite.

TO TOAST Champagne with fresh watermelon juice as seen at Shangri La’s, or coconut water, pineapple and rum — served in a coconut, of course.

PARTY FAVOURS A handmade fan (your guests will thank you in the heat) or fragrant Pure Fiji candle.

THE CAKE Taste Fiji’s delicious tropical cake, made with local passionfruit, orange and coconut. referring to the trend for leaving the sides of a cake free of icing, revealing the layers beneath for a more natural look.

Catering to gluten-free diners is easy in Fiji she adds, with coconut and tapioca flour being so widely available.

White Weddings

Tropical flowers are making way for lifelike silk flowers, and floral arches for elegant tables heaped with candles. This follows the international trend for more rustic, romantic decorations.

My Tropical Fiji Weddings, specialising in styling and co-ordination “beyond the package”, opt for “a modern twist which still incorporates Fijian elements”, says Cherie Oyagawa-Smith.

Rosie Holidays

Mark Stanford, general manager at Nanuku Auberge Resort, who work with My Tropical Fiji Weddings to style weddings held in their private villas, says the look is “more about the luxury feel. It’s a little bit antique and a little bit rustic, to blend in with the property.”

With her cousin and business partner Erin Addison-Smith, Cherie also runs Cafe O and O Catering. The food here is Asian fusion with Pacific elements, and their chefs can create cute wedding favours, such as coconut cookies shaped like palm trees, which are “simple and relevant to a destination wedding”.

Grace Creations, another local styling business, focuses on a similar natural, pared-back look, working with resorts such as the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa to enhance the natural setting with lighting, candles, and flowers.

Just The Two Of Us

Choosing to marry in Fiji makes it easier to hold a more intimate occasion. These days, more couples are opting out of the expectations altogether and deciding to elope, with private islands reached by plane or boat ride an enviable choice. Qamea Resort and Spa, Matangi Private Island Resort and Royal Davui Island Resort offer secluded beach-front properties perfect for simple weddings or marriage renewal ceremonies. Couples can retreat to a private dining pavilion afterwards, order room service in their villa or enjoy a relaxed meal with other guests.

Each property also has its own spa — Qamea’s Jungle Spa is award-winning — so couples can book in for pre-ceremony pampering, or enjoy massages on their honeymoon.

• Fiona Ralph flew to Fiji courtesy of Tourism Fiji.

Photo: Kama Catch Me Photography www.kamacatchme.com

Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, styling by Grace Creations

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WEDDINGS

Qamea Resort and Spa

ROMANCING Magical experiences to tick off in Fiji on your next romantic getaway, be it a honeymoon, anniversary, or simply an excuse for a break

Nanuku Auberge Resort

Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La

1. Fly to the far-north island of Taveuni where the leaves are already flourishing on the trees stripped during Cyclone Winston.

The locals’ spirit is more resilient and welcoming than ever, and the laid-back resorts on the small islands off Taveuni make the trip worthwhile. The flight offers birds-eye views of coral reefs, waterfalls and jungle-clad craters, and alighting at the tiny open-air Matei Airport is an experience in itself.

two will be filled with coconut milk by attending staff members, and the only hint as to the decadent soak that awaits will be the path of rose petals leading towards your balcony door.

2. Book the two-level penthouse at Nanuku Auberge Resort to stage the ultimate romantic surprise. Staff will help you plan your proposal, birthday dinner or even private wedding ceremony to perfection, complete with rose petals in the bath and Champagne by the bed. Downstairs you will find your personal chef and singer, and on the deck a beautifully set table, overlooking a private infinity pool and almost 360degree vista of beautiful islands, palm trees and sandy bays.

6. Learn a new skill with your partner. A

3. For a couple who surf (or want to learn), head to the Tropicsurf shack at Qamea Resort and Spa, where teacher Sammy Crooke will transport you to an isolated reef break to experience surfing at its best. It’s an invigorating wake-up call, and perfect for those who like a little luxury with their waves — or whose partners would prefer to lounge by the pool than risk wiping out.

Royal Davui Island Resort

4. Indulge in the Cleopatra bath ritual at the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa. Your outdoor tub with room for

5. For a treat with a local flavour, stop at one of the many roadside barbecues or “drivethrus” where just $5 will get you a box of sausages, chops, salads and more. The perfect picnic to transport to a nearby beach. traditional Fijian cooking class will verse you in such delicacies as barbecue prawns, kokoda — raw fish cooked in lemon juice and served with coconut milk — and curry.

You can also experience a lovo, the Fijian take on a hangi.

7. For a secluded honeymoon, head to Matangi Private Island Resort, where you can flit between your treehouse and a hanging bed by the pool. If you’re feeling more active, take a trip to nearby Horseshoe Bay to snorkel with the sharks, or meet the adorable animal residents. Matangi’s owners have rescued birds, fruit bats and pigs, and have 12 dogs of their own.

8. Experience the ultimate honeymoon or pre-wedding pamper session at ShangriLa’s Fijian Resort and Spa. The Dusk till Dawn package will see you relaxing in a private therapy room, complete with your own bed so you can drift off to sleep after your massage, skin polish and soak.

Dinner and breakfast will be served in your room — where there is a view of the ocean

Photo: Kama Catch Me Photography www.kamacatchme.com

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THE TROPICS and no wi-fi to distract you — and upon waking, your final facial treatment awaits.

9. Choose the most beautiful private location for your wedding ceremony or renewal of vows. From the tiny paradise of Royal Davui Island Resort, you can catch a boat to an even smaller sandspit, which is revealed each day at low tide. There you’ll find deck chairs, a flower-strewn aisle, a picnic hamper and more. Say your vows in the company of the resort’s larger-than-life celebrant, and be left in peace to relax, snorkel and celebrate.

10. Take part in a local kava ceremony, where you will be lulled by the romance of the Fijian language and the effects of this traditional drink. Many resorts offer a chance to experience this local custom.

11. Sleep in a dream-inducing canopy bed at a boutique resort such as Qamea or Nanuku. With a pillowy soft mattress enveloped in gauzy curtains, you’ll never want to wake up.

12. Make the most of the Sofitel Fiji’s new Waitui Beach Club, a resort within a resort.

The luxurious adults-only zone features a lagoon pool, swim-up bar and butlers to serve lunch to your lounger. Better still, when the sun goes down the band starts to play, and you can swim, dance and sip cocktails into the night.

13. Be serenaded by the beautiful Fijian voices. Many resorts welcome and farewell you with song — the traditional farewell Isa Lei brings many to tears — and there are a number of other opportunities to enjoy the musical nation. You can listen to a village choir, take in a traditional show or

Royal Davui Island Resort

watch a ukulele player while you dine. Or, just listen as you explore — many Fijians sing as they work, relax and play.

14. Book a private dining bure for a special celebration, and enjoy a delicious seafood platter or tropical fruit plate while admiring the sunset. Royal Davui Resort and Matangi Private Island Resort have two of the most idyllic locations. Staff will decorate the bure with tropical leaves and flowers, creating a beautiful setting for a wedding, birthday or honeymoon feast.

Matangi Private Island Resort

15. Romance doesn’t always mean candles, massages and sunsets. Why not escape the beach and explore Fiji’s interior with Talanoa Treks? The sustainably-minded company works in partnership with local communities and offers visitors the chance to see waterfalls, local villages and inland peaks.

16. Climb aboard a tall sailing ship. Captain Cook Cruises offers day trips around the Yasawa Islands, or you can book a ship for exclusive charter. They also run multi-day itineraries on larger vessels, providing the chance to sleep, swim and snorkel on demand.

Matangi Private Island Resort

17. Enjoy an outdoor shower. Surrounded by lush flowers and palms, you can gaze at the sky as you breathe in the scent of the tropics, and massage Pure Fiji shampoo into your hair.

18. Try a spot of sunrise yoga. Several resorts offer morning classes by the beach, and after you’ve spent a few days sleeping in, you’ll be itching to stretch your legs. If it gets too hot, reward yourself with a swim.

• Fiona Ralph flew to Fiji courtesy of Tourism Fiji.

Qamea Resort and Spa

Photo: Kama Catch Me Photography www.kamacatchme.com

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VIP VIVA

Win the Ultimate Romantic Escape to Fiji Whether you’re looking for the ultimate honeymoon destination or you and your partner are getting a little too good at playing Words with Friends on a Saturday night, a few days at Lomani Island Resort could be just the ticket to connect with your other half. Hidden among the swaying palms and tropical gardens of Malolo Lailai in the beautiful Mamanuca group of islands, the resort fronts miles of white sand beaches and pristine lagoons, the perfect backdrop for romance.

An adults-only boutique resort, Lomani Island Resort is the perfect place to truly escape. With just 24 rooms, you’ll feel like you have a little slice of heaven to yourselves. The island was once home to a copra plantation and boasts thousands of towering coconut palms interspersed with frangipani, hibiscus and bougainvillea flowers, so it smells good too. Dine under the stars at the beachside restaurant, The Flame Tree, go snorkelling around the vibrant corals or take a Fijian cooking lesson.

Or simply unwind with a full-body massage and pedicure in the Lomani Spa. A disclaimer for those taking a friend: “Lomani” is the Fijian word for love.

Viva is delighted to have a luxury, romantic five-night holiday at Lomani Island Resort to give away to one lucky couple. Valued at over $5000 dollars, this amazing prize includes: return airfares to Nadi from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch flying Fiji Airways, return Return Malolo Cat Launch transfers to and from Denarau Marina to Lomani Island Resort, plus five nights accommodation including daily American breakfast, complimentary room service, laundry service and a selection of complimentary tours and activities. Terms and conditions apply. To go in the draw to win this wonderful romantic escape, go to Viva.co.nz/FijiRomance

FREE WEDDING PACKAGE

*

Stay 7 nights in a Beach Front Bure and receive a Lomani Wedding Package or Renewal of Vows package for free* “Lomani” in Fijian means love and you are sure to fall in love with this idyllic adults-only boutique retreat in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji. This intimate resort has just 24 suites and bures, with spectacular ocean views and dedicated Fijian staff to cater to your every need. Unwind and relax in the peaceful atmosphere or enjoy complimentary activities and tours, the perfect wedding or romantic getaway. *Special conditions apply.

For more information

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Email - reserve@lomaniisland.com

www.lomaniisland.com

Wedded bliss.

Spend the happiest day of your life in the happiest place on Earth. Get married in beautiful Fiji and we’ll take care of everything. No request is too big or too small. With decades of experience organising weddings, you can be sure every photo will be full of smiling people. Book your dream wedding in Fiji today, then sit back, relax and practice your new signature.

Go to www.fiji.travel or visit your local travel agent to find out more.

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