© Pxhere.com
© Pxhere.com

Everything You Need to Know About Getting Married in Fiji

© Pxhere.com

Guide to Weddings in Fiji

You know who you want to spend the rest of your life with, you know you want to start it in beautiful Fiji, but how can you make this all work? Relax, embrace “Fiji time“, and take a look at this guide to everything you need to know about getting married in Fiji.

From choosing an island to working out the legalities, planning a wedding in Fiji has a lot to think about. However, thanks to the array of wedding packages available across the islands, the guesswork is mostly taken out of organising a destination wedding. Let us guide you through the best time to get married, the best places, the best wedding packages and more in this complete wedding guide to Fiji.

10 Reasons to Get Married in Fiji

  • For the beautiful sandy beaches, turquoise waters and lush tropical rainforest
  • There is a huge choice of wedding packages
  • A marriage certificate from Fiji is internationally recognised
  • The weather is sunny and warm
  • The Fijian cultural aspects make a memorable addition to your wedding day
  • It’s often cheaper than getting married at home in front of all of your family and friends
  • Privacy is easy to find
  • It’s different
  • Fiji is full of positivity
  • You can jump straight into your honeymoon!

For more details on each point, see 10 Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding in Fiji.

Complete guide to destination wedding in Fiji© Pxhere.com

You Need to Make Sure the Marriage is Legal

First things first, you need to know if you have the right to get married in Fiji! There are a few conditions for couples to get married in Fiji, as well as paperwork required to obtain a Marriage Licence.

Conditions for Getting Married in Fiji

To get married in Fiji, you need to:

  • Be 18 years old or older on your wedding day (those under 21 years old require written consent from both parents)
  • Be single, divorced or widowed
  • Not be related
  • Be physically present for the wedding ceremony to give consent.

Documents for the Marriage License in Fiji

If you fit the above criteria, then you need to start putting the documents together to obtain a Marriage License in Fiji. The documents you require include original copies or certified copies of the following:

  • Birth certificates
  • Passports with valid visas
  • A single status certificate
  • Divorce certificates, if applicable
  • Death certificates of a spouse, if applicable.

A single status certificate is required by all non-residents getting married in Fiji. It is a certificate that you can obtain from your country of resident’s Birth, Death & Marriage (BMD) Registry or something similar.

Getting Your Marriage License in Fiji

Once you have all of the above paperwork together, you can send scanned copies to the appropriate BMD registry in Fiji and book your appointment to visit the BMD in person once you arrive in Fiji. This step is usually handled by your Fiji wedding coordinator or your chosen resort.

Once you arrive in Fiji, you will go to a BMD registry in person, taking original or certified documents as stated above and complete the marriage license process and obtain your Marriage Certificates. Your Marriage License is valid for up to 28 days.

Signing the Marriage Certificate

Your Fijian wedding ceremony involves signing the Marriage Certificate, which must be done by both the bride, groom, two witnesses aged 21 years and over (they can be the resort staff if you have no witnesses with you), and the marriage celebrant/minister.

You will keep one copy of the Marriage Certificate while the other will be sent to a registry to be registered. The certificate will also receive the Apostille Seal from the Department of Foreign Affairs, making your Marriage Certificate internationally recognised.

For more details on each step of the process, see What are the Legal Requirements to Get Married in Fiji?

Complete guide to destination wedding in Fiji© Captain Cook Cruises

Pick Your Dates Wisely

So you know that you are ready to tie the knot, but the big question is when? For planning when to have your wedding in Fiji, you need to consider your ideal weather, the cost of resorts and their wedding packages, Fiji’s peak tourist seasons and more. Plus, give yourself enough time when you arrive in Fiji to visit a registry office to get your Marriage License.

The Best Time to Plan a Fiji Wedding

You might want to consider what is the best time for you to have a wedding in Fiji. Fiji has two distinct seasons known as the wet season (summer) and the dry season (winter). The dry season is the most popular time for couples to get married in Fiji, with less chance of downpours to spoil your outside feet-in-the-sand wedding ceremony. However, that doesn’t mean that the wet season has constant rain, so some couples might be willing to take the chance in the wet season in exchange for huge discounted wedding packages or often “free wedding packages” if you stay at the resort for at least five days, for example.

Jump into this subject in more detail in our When is the Best Time to Plan a Wedding in Fiji?

When to Arrive in Fiji for Your Wedding

Couples should arrive in Fiji at least three days before their wedding day. This gives you enough time to settle into your accommodation, visit a registry office to finalise the Marriage License, and finetune any other things before the big day. Note that registry offices are closed on weekends and public holidays, so you will need to take this into account when planning what day to arrive in Fiji.

Everything to know about wedding in Fiji guide© Pxhere.com

Pick the Right Island for You

Fiji is home to 330 islands, so choosing where to get married can be pretty overwhelming. However, it is worth taking the time to see that Fiji really does offer a huge variety of wedding experiences, allowing brides and grooms to get their wedding day right. Choose something easy, like a luxury wedding on Denarau Island, just 20 minutes from Nadi International Airport, or get off the beaten track to the rugged tropical island of Taveuni or the sandy and secluded beaches of the Yasawa Islands.

We have done the hard work for you, summing up the wedding and honeymoon offerings on each island group with our Wedding & Honeymoon Guides. Start browsing and find your dream wedding destination in Fiji.

Wedding Guides to Viti Levu (Main Island)

Wedding Guides to the Fiji Islands

Everything you need to know about a wedding in Fiji© Captain Cook Cruises

Choose a Wedding Package

The Fijian resorts make planning a wedding extremely easy thanks to their wedding packages. It would be fair to say that at least half of the resorts in Fiji offer some sort of wedding package, from structured wedding packages, should you want the wedding experts to give you inspiration, to bespoke wedding packages, so you can pick and choose the features you want to make the wedding right for you.

What Do Wedding Packages Include?

While the resort venues all have their unique charms, most wedding packages offer very similar things. Typical features to expect in a Fijian wedding package include:

  • A wedding coordinator
  • Help with the Marriage License
  • Transport to and from the registry office
  • A decorated wedding ceremony venue
  • A Fijian celebrant or minister
  • Bouquet or lei for the bride
  • Buttonhole or lei for the groom
  • Wedding cake for two
  • A bottle of sparkling wine for the ceremony toast
  • Witnesses

The following features are additions you can usually add to your wedding package:

  • Fijian flower girls
  • Fijian warrior escort
  • Serenaders
  • Fijian choir
  • Fijian meke dancers
  • Floral turndown in your room
  • A private candlelit dinner for two
  • Couples massage
  • Head crowns for the bride and groom
  • Traditional Fijian wedding outfits for the bride and groom
  • Your chosen playlist on an audio system
  • A decorated wedding reception venue
  • Wedding reception food and beverage

And the list goes on and on! Check out some of the wedding packages featured around the islands in our Wedding Package articles below.

Featured Wedding Packages in Fiji

Here are some of the islands across Fiji with the largest selection of wedding packages. Check out our Wedding & Honeymoon category for more wedding packages.

Author

Robin C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Fiji Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

Was this article useful?

Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter