Vanuatu has long been a popular wedding destination for couples looking to elope, those looking to avoid a huge financial commitment for their big day, or people getting married for the second time. These days, there is a growing trend for couples, who prefer smaller or more intimate weddings, to choose Vanuatu as their wedding venue. Vanuatu is by far the preferred choice for many couples who want to find inspiration away from home or simply escape the stress and expense of planning such an important event themselves.

A wedding in Vanuatu also involves a bit of fantasy. Marrying your true love in exotic Vanuatu IS different AND incredibly romantic! It provides couples with a unique setting and brings something extra and special to a wedding that simply isn’t available at home. A Pacific island wedding in Vanuatu is an event that neither the bridal party nor the guests will ever forget, for all the ideal reasons!

Vanuatu is fast becoming the quintessential wedding destination for many Australians and New Zealanders, perhaps in part due to the countries’ geographical proximity. Of course, Vanuatu also boasts some exotic wedding venues, all with unique and spectacular backdrops.

Daily life in Vanuatu is very friendly and relaxed. Couples who get married or renew their vows here easily enjoy the ambience of this beautiful paradise and often choose to spend their honeymoon here as well. Either way, more time tends to be set aside to enjoy this special event: it’s a wedding, honeymoon, vacation, and once-in-a-lifetime romantic experience all rolled into one.

BUT be warned: if you plan to organize your wedding in Vanuatu by yourself from home, you will only have yourself to blame if everything goes wrong! Instead, we recommend that you follow the essential guidelines below to ensure your tropical island wedding turns out just the way you want it to.

ESSENTIAL TIPS AND TIPS – The Guidelines

List the services of a local wedding planner. Planning a wedding is always a lot of work, let alone planning one away from home. You will need an experienced wedding coordinator who will be with you throughout the planning process to ensure that your vision of your wedding day is something that can realistically be fulfilled in Vanuatu. When choosing that person or company, look for testimonials from their past clients.

The wedding venue, reception and ceremony. Discuss all your requirements and options with your Vanuatu wedding planner so that everything goes the way you want and within your budget! This includes the Celebrant of the Marriage and legal requirements.

Budget. Consider selecting an existing wedding package. To keep your budget in check, opt for a Package and stick with it. Please do not start requesting food that may not be readily available in Vanuatu as this may result in additional cost to you having to transport it (and keep it fresh in the process)!

The photographer. It is extremely important that you hire your photographer at an early stage. If this is not done, it is very easy to find that one is not available. At Events Vanuatu, we use Island Paradise Photography as our preferred wedding photographer. Feel free to contact Michael at Island Paradise Photography through his website.

Invitations. Give your guests as much advance notice as possible. This means sending out the invitations early or, at the very least, sending out a “Save the Date” notice. Be sure to include destination details! It’s also a good idea to give them the names and contact details of travel agents who can help with guest accommodations, who can offer their guests a better deal or upgrades for group bookings.

Hair and makeup. Skilled hairstylists and makeup artists are few and far between, but there are none better (in our opinion) than Chris H and his team at Platinum Hair & Beauty. She is always in demand, so it will be important to have her wedding planner book appointments well in advance. This is also something worth telling your intended guests of it! otherwise, everyone may look less than their best!

The wedding cake. Judi Clelland of Cake-Fantasy makes the most beautiful cakes. Like Chris H, Judi is in high demand. Judi will be happy for you to contact her directly through her website to discuss her requirements, but again, it’s not a good idea to leave it to the last minute.

flowers Annie Tehei is a local florist who creates the most spectacular tropical flower arrangements, bouquets and table decorations. Just remember that her flower selection will be limited to what is available locally, although our range of local tropical flowers is quite extensive.

Transport. You will need to discuss the arrangements for you and your guest to attend the ceremony and reception with your wedding coordinator.

Weather weather. The beauty of Vanuatu is that it has a tropical climate. This means it’s rarely cold, but you should check with your professional wedding planner so that your proposed wedding date does NOT fall right in the middle of cyclone season! As a seasoned wedding planner, I also recommend that you have some sort of backup plan, in case it rains.

For more expert advice and information on planning your wedding in Vanuatu, contact Vanuatu Eventswedding planning specialists.