July 2018

Are You Planning To Elope In Tahiti ?
How Can You Honor Loved Ones When You Elope?

 
First off, you need to prepare yourself with the idea that you may still miss some of your loved ones, friends or family members even when it’s your decision to elope away.

A home wedding can be expensive, and deciding to splurge on a memorable trip to Tahiti doubled with a bespoke ceremony and wedding experience at the locale – without any guests in attendance, has become a popular way to get married. You can really indulge yourselves without breaking the bank.

It might however occur that certain people get offended that you are marrying abroad and that they will not be part of your wedding ceremony in Tahiti.

Eloping is super romantic and can be anything from simple to extra elaborate : you can have a day that is really just about you, and you can still have a reception back home!

But if you are afraid of your sentimental heart betraying you, here are 5 easy ways to include and honor your loved ones in your wedding ceremony in Tahiti:

 

How To Include Loved Ones When You Elope
#1 of 5. Display A Photo

 
Display a photo or a full set of family and friends’ photos near the ceremony space. It can be photos hanging around a nearby tree, or on the altar, photos displayed on a table… I often have couples who simply bring along a framed photo of their loved ones, just like if they were witnessing the ceremony:

 

Photo Credit: Jean-Philippe Yuam Photography

 

How To Include Loved Ones When You Elope
#2 of 5. Carry Something From Them With You

 
Whether that is those toasting flutes your BFF gifted to you to use at the wedding, or the bouquet your mother made herself for you, you can carry something that reminds you of that person when you walk down the aisle or celebrate post-ceremony! You can for example incorporate a favorite photo or another little memento into the bouquet, or have a family heirloom engraved for the occasion:

 

Photo courtesy of a past bride.

 

How To Include Loved Ones When You Elope
#3 of 5. Dedicate A Part Of The Ceremony To Them

 
As a Life-Cycle Wedding Celebrant, I will create and develop a personalized ceremony that is unique to your couple and to your story. We can incorporate a line in the ceremony remembering your family and friends that even if they cannot be here on the day with you, you love them, or you can read a few words honoring your parents and friends, like this couple did:

 

Photo Credit: AngelM

 

How To Include Loved Ones When You Elope
#4 of 5. Have Them Write A Message To You

 
Unless your elopement in Tahiti is a secret, you can ask your loved ones – or if you have set up a wedsite for the registry, ask everyone having access to the site, to write a message for you. Gather or print all the messages and have a “messages in a bottle” or a wishing tree at the ceremony. This is far more efficient than a standard guest book at a home reception where most guests forget to write something at the end of the night. You can then keep all your heartfelt messages to read on your 1st anniversary:

 

Photo Credit: Nick Radford Photography

 

How To Include Loved Ones When You Elope
#5 of 5. Make A Toast

 
That one is super easy! And you can of course record it to share on your social medias so that everyone feels as if they were part of your day!

 

Photo Credit: Olivera Photography

 

Need A Heartfelt And Unique Ceremony Written For Your Wedding In Tahiti? Ask Me!

 

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Photo Credit: Sadry Ghacir

 

I have been told we can find an Officiant or Justice of the Peace in Tahiti for around a 100 Euros, so I’m just going to pursue that.

 
This is what a future bride once told me after I quoted her my ceremony packages for a personalized ceremony written for her and her fiance, and my assistance with her legal wedding in Moorea. She even added:

 

Here in our state of California it costs $40 to $150US for a Priest, Justice of the Peace, or a Universal Life Minister, for a simple ceremony. I think that vendors jack up the prices when it comes to anything that deals with weddings.

 
I hear you.

 

Can You Find A Justice Of The Peace In Tahiti?

 
A Justice of the Peace or a Universal Life Minister have the authority to solemnize marriages indeed, however it does not make them wedding professionals. Are they required to have a specialized education in order to qualify?

In most countries where this job exists, nope… and here is my point, not every country has JPs.

Unlike in the U.S. where one can get ordained online in no time for 25$, and can solemnize marriages just by doing so, in France (and as such, in Tahiti) there are no Justice of the Peace’s and/or such ordinations available to anyone so if you’ll want to get legally married in Tahiti, your ceremony will need to take place before the Mayor to be deemed legal. Any other type of ceremony will be celebratory only. No Justice of the Peace in Tahiti!

 

What Are My Options If There Is No Justice Of The Peace In Tahiti?

 
I wrote a few articles on the topic but you may want to read this one: The Definitive Guide To Legal Wedding In Tahiti, where I explained that in order to be legally recognized, a marriage in Tahiti must take place at a City Hall before the Mayor of the chosen Commune (or an appointed representative from the Mayor’s office). There is no way around that.

This means that your options for a wedding ceremony in Tahiti are the following:

 

1. A Legal Wedding At The City Hall

 
That requires to plan ahead.

 

2. A Symbolic/Celebratory Tahitian Wedding Ceremony (offered in most resorts)

 
This consists of some traditional Tahitian blessings and involves dancing, music, and wearing pareos (sarongs). These are template ceremonies that do not leave much room to personalize (you may be able to read your vows to one another, that’s pretty much it).

 

3. A Symbolic/Celebratory Wedding Ceremony of a Western Style

 
This is now offered in some resorts using templates and read by a resort staff, or available at any location of your choice and personalized to your own story with a Professional Wedding Celebrant >> hint: that’s me! You may as well include as little or as much local touches as you like, a unity ritual, personal vows etc.

 

Knowing When It’s Time To Throw Out

Your Pre-Conceived Ideas And Listen To The Experts

 
Whether you want to get legally married in Tahiti, or you will have your marriage registered at home before or after your trip to Tahiti, and are only looking at having a heartfelt wedding ceremony while in Tahiti, remember:

 

Listening To The Experts Can Save Your Day.

 
This is (or maybe not) your first wedding. Wedding professionals do weddings all the time. This means that not only do they know what’s available and what’s not, but they’ll strive to get YOUR wedding day run to perfection!

Assisting with the documentation needed to meet the legal requirements for a legal marriage in French Polynesia, or getting to know you in order to write a unique ceremony that is all about your love story and your couple, all this takes time, and ideally, serious education, too.

Choosing your officiant in Tahiti is not something that can be left to chance… you and your officiant must be a good fit, no compromise.

I am proud to be the first trained and certified Wedding Planner and Wedding Celebrant in Tahiti, and to be holding a diploma in weddings and ceremonies for couples.

Can I write and officiate a ceremony for 40$? I’m afraid not. Planning a wedding experience and crafting a memorable ceremony requires several hours of work ahead of the wedding, and an all-day availability + coordination when finally comes your wedding day.

I never heard back from this bride but one thing I know for sure, is that she and her fiancé did not make it legal in Tahiti.

 

Would You Like To Receive A Service Quote For Your Elopement In Tahiti? Contact Me Here!

 

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