HOW TO PLAN A MICRO WEDDING | A BACKYARD WEDDING IN TAHITI PART 2
In a previous post, I talked about my love of small celebrations, and laid out some recommendations on how to plan a micro wedding in Tahiti, more specifically if you’ll be using a vacation rental property as your wedding venue.
Did you miss it? Here it is again:
Micro Wedding Is The New Black | A Backyard Wedding In Tahiti Part 1
In the above post I shared my best advice for a successful backyard wedding in Tahiti, when your party (and let’s say it, your budget) is not quite big enough to privatize an event space or restaurant, and/or when you consider having a backyard wedding in a vacation rental villa in Moorea.
There are lots and lots of amazing vacation rental properties around Moorea, all beach front and/or with a pool. You may be thinking that this is the most perfect, and easiest way to plan a wedding in Tahiti, but there are a few considerations that you probably have not thought of… rightfully so, this is your first time planning a destination wedding in Tahiti, right? Nelly to the rescue!
We discussed the fact that weddings or events may not be tolerated in your vacation rental in Moorea, but also backyard wedding space as well as backyard wedding lighting and music.
3 More Tips To Successfully Plan A Micro Wedding In Moorea
1. Rentals For Your Backyard Event
As listed in my previous post, you’ll likely need to rent out tables and chairs, as well as a tent when there is no covered space to back up under in case of inclement weather.
You will also need to rent out tablecloths and napkins, and possibly china, glass and silverware if these are not in sufficient quantity in your vacation rental for the number of guests you expect, or simply that they are not stylish or elegant enough for a wedding dinner. A micro destination wedding is certainly less formal than a traditional home wedding, but you sure want it to be beautiful.
Most of these are only available on the capital island of Tahiti and will need to be transported over if you’re having your event in Moorea or in one of the outer islands.
You may also want to hire a Moorea local decorator for your custom-made backyard wedding altar, or to design and set up your dinner table with specialty decor such as vases, candle holders or charger plates.
I can totally help you achieve that look you’ve envisioned, even on a smaller scale wedding! Micro weddings for the win!
Photo Credit: Helene Havard Photography
2. Breaking Down After The Event
In a resort or at a local restaurant, the onsite staff will break down, clean and clear all trashes after the event is over. When you’re having a backyard event at a private property, this means that you’ll be waking up the next morning to the incredible event mess you and your guests left the previous night.
Plus, setting up for a wedding will often require that you move around some of the property’s furniture, and put it back in place after the event. This super beautiful family-style, carved wooden table? It weighs a ton!
This is where a professional planner will come in handy, as all will be taken care of while you sleep and will look lovely in the morning.
Extra consideration if you’re having a larger guests list:
3. Parking At Your Location
You certainly don’t want to run into a parking situation as your guests arrive at the location, so it is important that there is a parking space for your guests’ rental cars. Plus if you know of guests who may be drinking too much to safe drive back to their place, consider hiring a bus to pick them up and drive them back safely after the event is over. Very few – well, none – taxi drivers are available at night so this must be planed ahead.
Lastly, make sure your guests know where the wedding venue is, either by inviting them to visit the day before, or by providing them with clear driving instructions (i.e. past the dive shop, on the sea side, blue gate)… we don’t have streets in here!
** last updated on April 28, 2020 **