To avoid the emergence of the infamous Bridezilla, my soon-to-be husband and I decided to ditch the country and be waited on hand and foot in Mauritius whilst tying the knot.
It’s understandable why the notion of running away together and getting married is so appealing, especially when the destination is the tropical bliss of a romantic island. My idea of the perfect wedding was standing barefoot on the beach next to the man of my dreams, accompanied by crystal clear water, a golden sunset and the idea of not having to lift a finger. Cheers to happily ever after!
Having gone through the whole magical escapade, we identified a few things to bear in mind before packing your bags.
We got married at Beachcomber’s Canonnier Resort during August and the timing was excellent, as it was out of the frenzied peak season and between seasons. Shortly after arrival, we were met by our dedicated wedding coordinator who presented us with options for the venue, flowers, cake, meals, a photographer, hair, makeup and nail appointments. We were spoilt for choice! It was truly blissful to think that all the negotiating and arrangements with vendors were being done on our behalf.
The indigenous Frangipanis caught my eye, as the yellow matched the Swarovski crystals on my wedding dress. We chose a strawberry and pineapple wedding cake and booked a couple’s massage to commence our married live. The wedding venue presented some challenges. Resorts do not have full control of the beaches and cannot hinder locals from approaching tourists to sell local goods. Getting married on the beach meant that we would have little or no control over fellow beachgoers, who could at any stage photobomb your magical moment or even pluck flowers from the bouquet on the table. With the guidance of the wedding coordinator, we decided upon a beautiful terrace that overlooked the ocean. It was not directly on the beach but would still allow us to fulfil the dream of standing barefoot on beachsand and saying ‘I do.’ The terrace could be blocked off from curious hotel guests and would allow ample privacy. The stage was set.
The next day we were accompanied to the local court by the hotel to sort out the paperwork and meet with the minister.
Back at the resort, it was off to the salon for make-up, nail and hair trials. This can be quite tedious depending on how fussy you are in these departments. The ladies in the salon were very professional and were great company: still, I would rather have spent that time on the beach with my fiancée. He was treated to a full body scrub but had plenty of time to explore and relax. Oftentimes, the wind is blowing in Mauritius and depending on the length of your hair, it can get annoying having to continually whisk it out of your face the entire time. Remember this when deciding on a hair style for the wedding.
Finally, our day had arrived. We didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn and took our time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast together, knowing that all was taken care of. I was off to the salon to get ready for the 4pm wedding. Back at our room, the Frangipani bouquet and button hole were delivered and were more gorgeous than expected. My wedding dress was custom made and did not crinkle whilst travelling in my luggage. However, if your dress tends to crinkle, the hotel offers laundry services and will iron out the wrinkles in no time.
The photographer and wedding coordinator escorted me to the terrace, but not before I took one last deep breath whilst twirling in the mirror. The sun was starting to set and the afternoon light set an idyllic scene for our ceremony. The rings were carefully resting on a flower in the bouquet that decorated the terrace and the hotel even arranged for witnesses to sign the wedding register.
After the ceremony, we were escorted to a nearby restaurant to cut the cake and toast our marriage with French champagne. This was followed by the photoshoot on the beach. What is truly wonderful about taking photos in Mauritius is the incredible natural light. There is no need for photoshop and every picture is a masterpiece in itself. Now is the time to roll up your dress, be yourself and have fun, since there is a limited time frame before night falls.
After a romantic candlelit supper, the resort upgraded us to a private suite for the night, complete with an enormous rose petal-strewn bath, his and hers bathrobes and yet more champagne.
The next morning, we enjoyed room service on the balcony. Maybe it was the love in the, but the day seemed more beautiful than any that had come before it. For the remainder of our honeymoon, we basked in the sun and enjoyed cocktails along with happy memories of the past few days. Mauritius offers plenty of activities suitable for everyone, from visiting tea farms and local markets to snorkelling, swimming with dolphins, other water sports and taking endless walks on the beach.
Our wedding photos were delivered two days later along with the international wedding certificate. As a closing note, you’ll have to swap the spotless beaches for the tedious atmosphere of a local Home Affairs office upon return, in order to register your wedding in the country of residence.