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D I N I N G & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
GETTING MARRIED IN OUR ‘LITTLE PARADISE’ WE ASKED TERINA TEIRI-KARAI THE WEDDING & EVENTS MANAGER FOR MURI BEACH CLUB HOTEL A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT GETTING MARRIED IN RAROTONGA.
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hoosing a ‘Destination Wedding’ means no stress, just having to show up, and enjoy the best moment of your life. Embrace the culture of the Cook Islands, immerse yourself in the beauty of the land and lagoon, engage the hospitality of the people, and let this be the backdrop of your ideal wedding, your dream wedding, here in Rarotonga!” What are the advantages of getting married in Rarotonga? For New Zealanders it’s perfect! We are only a few hours away and we operate in New Zealand Dollars. For others from around the world Raro is still the perfect place for a Destination Wedding: it’s a tropical paradise where you, your family and friends can combine a memorable wedding with either a tranquil holiday, or an action packed one! Also, filing for the paperwork is so much easier as you only need to be on the island at least 3 working days prior to your set date, and you only need a couple of documents; once the ceremony is over you are legally married, which is internationally recognised.
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What are the legal formalities for getting married in Rarotonga? As long as we have a copy of your passports, birth certificates (in English), and if necessary divorce papers or death certificates, we can apply for the marriage licence. The Registrar requires at least 3 full working days prior to the date set for the wedding for us to apply for the marriage licence; it can be done within that time but we need to pay a waiver fee, which is an additional $75. The couple also both need to be present, as they are required to sign the paperwork in front of the registry staff. Unfortunately, at the moment, we are legally not allowed to marry same sex couples on the island. Other things that need to be considered are the celebrant and location of the wedding, as these details are vital for the marriage licence. What wedding support services are available? There are so many service providers on the island who offer the most professional of services including florists that have such a beautiful eye for
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Teiri-Karai from the Muri Beach Club Hotel
detail with the arrangements of the local flowers that suit the occasion, and the budget. There are excellent photographers to capture the moment; and the hair and makeup artists that find the natural beauty of a person without making you look, or feel overwhelmed. There are an abundance of transport providers if you wanted a scooter for two, a tuk-tuk for six, a van for 12, or a bus for 30. This is the great benefit of such a small island community that they truly care and you feel the warmth and embrace the spirit of everyone trying to make sure your wedding
day it your dream come true. The best thing is that wedding organisers like me are here to support you, help you, and organise everything for you. What factors determine the overall cost of a wedding in Rarotonga? Airfares and accommodation are the main factors, however once you add into the equation the wedding package, any additional services not already provided for such as photography, hair and makeup, a little entertainment, then these add to the cost. For example, Muri Beach Club
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Hotel have tried to help make things a little more economical by providing an ‘All Inclusive Package’, which is for 30 friends and family for $6999 (NZD) that includes the ceremony and paperwork taken care of, reception venue, lead in buffet for 30 guests, standard drinks package for 3 hours, single tier cake, and of course for you - a 30 minutes couples massage. As an extra incentive we can top this off with 5 nights in a beachfront room if you have friends and family stay with us for a total of 15 nights. ‘Just Married’ scooter Describe MBCH and its packages offered Married Muri Magic Package’, for weddings groups and whereby if you stay with us honeymoons for 7 nights you can take We are an adults only boutique advantage of this awesome deal which includes, a picnic hotel set on the white sandy lunch day, breakfast in bed beach of the Muri lagoon. On day, and of course a pampering the shoreline of the lagoon, for 30 minutes in our spa with with the ocean and little islet a blissful ‘couples massage’. providing the backdrop for the We have a comprehensive perfect wedding ceremony, wedding booklet that has you can get married with the more information about our sand between your toes. With services that I’m happy to mail a choice of your reception to you. Nothing is too big or venue we set up with your too small, we can control just vision in mind. From two about anything except for the guests to 120 guests we are weather! here to make memories for
your wedding day. The ‘Club Classic Package’, which is your ceremony covered for $1199 you can have this for an intimate ceremony for two or add on to this package additional services for a larger group. If you want a no fuss wedding and have up to 30 friends and family, we offer the ‘All Inclusive Package’, which as the name suggests. If by chance you are already married and have been within six months we offer our ‘Just
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How to contact Terina?
If you would like to know more about getting married in Rarotonga, or especially at Muri Beach Club Hotel, contact Terina either via email on operations@ muribeachclubhotel.com, or call +682 23000 or +682 76293. More information at www.muribeachclubhotel.com or Facebook pages: Weddings at Muri Beach Club Hotel and Muri Beach Club Hotel.
