Many wedding packages in the South Pacific cost less than $2000 and that will usually include all the documentation, Marriage Certificate, wedding coordinator, venue hire, pastor or celebrant, bouquet and buttonhole and other inclusions like a conch shell warrior escort and champagne to toast – and the other bonus, you are already at your tropical honeymoon destination! Compare this to the cost of a wedding in Australia…
Figures just released show that the average Australian wedding cost $36,200 (6.5% increase on 2010). 60% of couples went over their budget and while people spent less on photography (digital technology and handy friends), they just shifted that saving to other parts of the wedding cost. The average age for men is 32 and women, 29. 119,000 Aussie couples are expected to marry in 2011 making weddings BIG business ($4.7billion).
Below are a few sample South Pacific Wedding packages – and the receptions with guests can also be heaps cheaper than at home – for example, the Outrigger in Fiji has a dream Wedding for $5500 that includes the wedding and reception (food and drinks) for 50 guests as well as accommodation for the bride and groom and Erakor Island Resort in Vanuatu has a similar package for 20 guests at $3950. And there are resorts that offer FREE weddings depending on number of guests or the accommodation booked. Malolo Island resort in Fiji does this, as does the Edgewater Resort in the Cook Islands (package below) and Castaway Island Resort in Fiji.
FIJI – CASTAWAY ISLAND PACKAGE AUD$1585 includes
◊ Private car transfers and escort to the Registry office
◊ Donation and return boat transfers for the minister or celebrant
◊ Wedding decorations, flowers, bouquet and boutonniere
◊ Music by the Castaway Islanders and the Castaway Island family choir
◊ Champagne cruise around the Island, on board “Teivovo” – a Castaway tradition
◊ Candlelit a la carte dinner including a wedding cake for the bride and groom
◊ “His and hers” half hour body massages
VANUATU – LAGOON BEACH RESORT PACKAGE AUD$1395 includes
◊ Wedding Documentation
◊ Licence and Wedding Certificate
◊ Pastor or Celebrant
◊ Lagoon Beachfront location
◊ Wedding Canoe
◊ Coconut-leaf Tropical Wedding Arch
◊ Conch Shell blowers and warriors
◊ Bridal couple – bouquet and buttonhole
◊ Bridal couple – celebratory champagne or fruit cocktail
◊ Melanesian String Band
COOK ISLANDS – EDGEWATER RESORT TIPANI PACKAGE AUD$925 includes
◊ Beachside Wedding ceremony overlooking the resort lagoon
◊ Full services of your own personal wedding planner
◊ Marriage License & Certificate
◊ Transfers to and from registry office to process the Marriage License
◊ Services of a Celebrant or Minister
◊ A decorated arch
◊ Tropical Flower Bouquet for the Bride & Tropical Neck Garland for the Groom
◊ Chauffer Transfer on Wedding Buggy for Bride to Ceremony
◊ Witnesses if required
◊ Stereo System to play music of choice
◊ Copy of Wedding Vows
◊ Ceremonial Planting of the Uto (young Coconut palm)
◊ Complimentary Bottle of Bubbly
◊ Wedding gift from the Resort
(If couples book 7 nights or more in a Beachfront Deluxe Suite they get the Tipani for free!)
