Your Destination Wedding at Turtle Island
Miles of empty white beaches, acres of rich green rain forest, fields of yellow grasses planted by the roaming breeze, and a horizon of sapphire sea that caresses the curve of the earth’s edge … this is Turtle Island in Fiji, a five-hundred acre island unspoiled by modern technology, overflowing with tropical beauty.
Having your own destination wedding at
Turtle
Island
is the stuff fairy tales are made of: unsurpassed beauty, calm atmosphere, and a small group of people dedicated to making your day special.
The Beach Wedding Setting
Close your eyes and picture approaching your loved one in the midst of tropical exotic beauty, feet sinking into white sands as you move through a warm breeze. You might be dressed in traditional Fijian wedding attire, made from tapa – a hand painted traditional material created from tree bark – that the
Turtle
Island
staff members will lovingly make just for you.
Garlands
of fresh, fragrant flowers adorn the necks of bride and groom and their wedding guests.
Instead of an organ grinding out the wedding march, the bride’s arrival on a wedding raft called a billi billi, rowed by Fijian warriors, is announced by the trumpeting of conch shells and drums beat ceremonial rhythms. A Fijian choir meets the bride and groom for the ceremony, after which everyone gets to participate in the wedding lovo – a feast typically consisting of fresh seafood and local delicacies. Video and photographic documentation is carefully prepared by some island services for the bride and groom, and presented to them before their departure.
Every wedding on
Turtle
Island
is an occasion to remember, a unique and ultimately exotic experience.
Destination Wedding Preparations
In the long run, the amount of preparation you will go through when embarking on a Destination Wedding is a fraction of that for a traditional wedding. Because most destination weddings take place overseas, though, you will want to make sure you have a few things ready before you leave just to reduce the risk of any hassle.
This checklist will help you make sure you’ve got everything you need for your
Turtle
Island
wedding:
-
- Make reservations at least 2 months in advance, so that the island can be advised of your celebration and ensure that a Minister or clergymen of your choosing will be available.
- Arrive in on a weekday and allow at least 3 days before departing to
Turtle
Island
so that you can visit the Registry Office and obtain necessary paperwork before you board your flight to the island.
- When you visit the Registry Office, you will need a current, valid passport, an original copy of your birth certificate, and an original copy of marriage annulment if you were previously married.
Making Reservations
There are several hotels and ceremonial services offered on
Turtle
Island
for your destination wedding. The following websites will help you plan and organize your Turtle Island Wedding and get off on a beautiful start.
Wedding Location – http://www.weddinglocation.com/page.phtml/lid/6638/pageNum/1 – This page is the first in a series dedicated to your wedding at
Turtle
Island
. Offered on the site is an overview of what
Turtle
Island
has to offer, glorious pictures of the surroundings, and links for planning your ceremony and obtaining accommodations.
Turtle Island – http://www.turtlefiji.com/romance/weddings.php – Dedicated to the full experience of a Turtle Island wedding, this site offers a package deal that includes transportation, a minister, choir, flowers, authentic Fijian attire (if desired), feast, video, and album. Also on this site is a Turtle Island Honeymoon Registry Service which might be of interest.
The Big Day – http://www.thebigday.com/TravelShop/Package.asp?br=100&dest=7&pid=90&title=Get+married+on+Turtle+Island&destname=Fiji – This site will help you with everything but airfare, getting you on your feet and running to your
Turtle
Island
wedding. Scroll down on their page to view a 4-minute video tour this is well worth your time.
