Lisa & Craig – Sheraton Fiji

Lisa and Craig are blessed with a beautiful big family and with Fiji being such a child friendly place, it was the perfect location to celebrate their special day.  Lisa says ‘We chose Fiji as it’s a beautiful destination with friendly welcoming locals. We also wanted our wedding to be a holiday for our family and friends that travelled. Importantly we wanted all our kids to enjoy themselves on holiday too’.



Bulabus



Lisa was pregnant and then had a newborn while organising the wedding, so having the time to plan her perfect day was scarce. She didn’t need any extra stress so this is where we stepped in to help create the wonderful wedding they were both after.

The Sheraton Fiji was the magical backdrop for their wedding.  Having visited the islands of Fiji on a previous trip, Lisa and Craig and their family and friends enjoyed what Denarau had to offer.  They visited the many different restaurants for dinner, the kids had great fun at the water park and on the banana ride, the boys played golf and the women were pampered at the Sheraton health spa.



Getting ready



When the big day arrived, Lisa looked beautiful in her Collette Dinnigan ‘Rococo’ gown in ivory.



Lisa





Flowers 2



The boys wore classic grey tailored suit and didn’t they look gorgeous!



Boys 3



The girls looked so pretty in their layered dusky pink dresses with flowers by Heidi Briggs.


Lisa dna the girls


The ceremony was held on the beach under a beautiful white canopy and lanterns hung between palm trees.  What an amazing setting!



ceremony





Aisle



The reception was also held outside and it was filled with lots of love and laughter.  Lisa said ‘A beautiful ceremony was followed by such a memorable, fun and happy night shared with our wonderful family, friends and many kids. Not to forget the awesome dancing and entertainment the kids brought to our night,  we will cherish forever!’.



Family 2





Set up



Lisa and Craig combined their wedding with their honeymoon and stayed for 10 nights at the Sheraton.



Couple best



When we asked Lisa if she would have changed anything about her day she said ‘Maybe more photos during the day, even a videographer.  Even though I was quite relaxed the day went too quick and it’s a bit vague.  Otherwise I did have an awesome day and enjoyed it immensely’.



married



Lastly, we asked Lisa and Craig if they have any advice for couples planning a wedding in Fiji and they said ‘If you are able to use a wedding planner we strongly recommend one as it takes the stress out of ensuring everything is booked to your liking and paperwork is correct.  The help we received from Chelsea Jayne Weddings was very professional and greatly appreciated’.

A big thank you to Kristjan Porm Photography for these beautiful images.

 

Mia & Aaron – Sheraton

Mia and Aaron knew exactly what they wanted when they started planning their wedding. As it was both of their second marriages, they really wanted to do something this time around that was just about them, and their love for one another and their family.  Mia says ‘We loved the idea of a destination wedding, so we could combine it with a family holiday at the same time with our 3 beautiful children – and as Fiji was somewhere we had travelled previously and loved, we thought it would make the perfect backdrop to our magical day’.

NBP250614-311-3471628209-O



To help create the perfect celebration, Mia and Aaron didn’t hesitate in hiring a wedding planner to assist them.  With both leading very busy lives and Mia having planned her first wedding without the help of a wedding planner, she knew that this was something that would make the whole process smoother and a lot less stressful.  She told us ‘We decided to invest in a wedding planner, and one that specialised in Fiji weddings in particular, and it was one of the best decisions we ever made in the planning of our wedding. It took a lot of stress and worry off both of our shoulders, knowing that Chelsea had absolutely everything under control’.

NBP250614-318-3471624607-O



In the days leading up to the wedding, Mia, Aaron and their guests made the most of the location with a big emphasise on relaxation, something they don’t get to do very often.  They enjoyed sipping cocktails by the pool and lazing about on the day beds.  Mia also enjoyed a full body massage the day before the wedding, the groomsmen attempted a spot of fishing and the children loved visiting the kids club.

The big day finally arrived and Mia looked simply stunning in her custom made Elizabeth De Varga Gown.

NBP250614-257-3471670643-O





NBP250614-115-3471765910-O



The bridesmaids wore the most amazing coloured coral coloured dresses from Two Birds Bridesmaids.  The bouquets were Dark Pink Gingers for the bride and Light Pink Gingers for the Bridesmaids. 

NBP250614-122-3471760266-O





NBP250614-051-3471814776-O



The men all looked fantastic in their suits from Roger David.  We love the pops of colour from the ties against the suits!

NBP250614-334-3471613766-O



The ceremony was held in the Chapel on the beautiful grounds of the Sheraton.

Araon Mia-006





NBP250614-135-3471748058-O





NBP250614-146-3471738087-O



With the sun setting and the fairy lights twinkling in the trees, the guests made their way to the reception which was set up on a grassed area right on the ocean’s edge.  What a magical setting!

NBP250614-355-3471600892-O





NBP250614-354-3471600772-O





NBP250614-421-3471534209-O





NBP250614-367-3471589422-O



Mia and Aaron were so happy with how everything went on their wedding day with only positive feedback about the whole experience ‘Even though some things didn’t always run according to plan, there were never any issues as with the help of Chelsea (in the lead up) and then, with the beautiful wedding co-ordinators at our resort, everything was seen to and adjustments were made seamlessly and effortless’.

When we asked Mia to choose a highlight from her day she found it hard to choose just one and said ‘The whole week spent in Fiji was just perfect. Not only did we have a wedding day, but we got to have a wedding week shared with our most closest and dearest friends and family’.

NBP250614-323-3471621057-O



Finally, Mia gave couples planning a wedding in Fiji some great advice ‘Trust in your wedding planner – she has done this more times than you count on your hands and toes. The relationship that Chelsea has with the Fijian wedding suppliers is invaluable, and knowing that she was able to help create for us what we had envisioned for our magical day is priceless!’.

A big thank you to Nadi Bay Photography for the beautiful photos.

 

Taveuni Island

During the Fiji Tourism Exchange (FTE) we got to meet with all the representatives from the resorts on Taveuni Island.  It was fantastic to learn all about your beautiful Island and what it has to offer.

Taveuni is known throughout Fiji as the “Garden Island of Fiji”.  It has a beautiful blend of tropical rainforest, reefs, beaches, highlands, coconut plantations and mangroves in a paradise setting.   It is a volcanic island with plenty of fertile volcanic soil and is the third largest island in the Fijian group of 332 islands.



Taveuni Map





taveuni island



There are 3 beautiful resorts situated on the island, Paradise Taveuni (Family Resort), Qamea Resort & Spa (Adults Only) and Taveuni Island Resort & Spa (Adults Only).  Perfect for a secluded honeymoon with or without kids.



paradise taveuni



Paradise Taveuni 



qamea



 Qamea Resort & Spa 



taveuni resort



Taveuni Island Resort & Spa

Taveuni Island has some of the best diving spots in the world, rated as one of the top 10 places to dive, and is known as “the soft coral capital of the world” and is home to the amazing Rainbow Reef. This beautiful reef is 30km long and boasts magnificent multi-coloured soft corals, as well as stunning hard corals.



tavenui diving2



The stunning Taveuni Island can be reached by inter-island flights that depart daily from Nadi and Suva International Airports. The connecting flight takes approximately 90 minutes from Nadi or 60 minutes from Suva.

If you wanted to go to a more remote part of Fiji to experience the “Real Fiji” Taveuni is a must.

Flavours of Fiji Cooking School

In early May I attended the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE) and got to meet with lots of wonderful suppliers. Over the next few weeks I will be featuring a few of these suppliers on the blog and today l’d like to introduce the newly opened Flavours of Fiji Cooking School.

flavours of fiji5

Since opening a year ago, Flavours of Fiji Cooking School has become hugely popular with holiday makers who are taught the art of cooking traditional Fijian cuisine. Classes feature a selection of Fijian Feasts, Indian Thali and Tropical Sweets.

flavoursoffiji8

Classes include a Food Culture Presentation, cooking lesson, lunch, refreshments and take home receipes.

flavoursoffiji9

Located on Denarau Island, Flavours of Fiji would be a great place to start a Hens Party and the school can organise the perfect package for your group!

To find out more have a look at their website http://www.flavoursoffiji.com

Jenna & Chris – Vomo Island Wedding

Vomo Island with it’s soft sandy beaches and clear blue water is a dream destination and Jenna and Chris could not have chosen a more magical location for their wedding.  Here Jenna shares with us some details on her big day and offers some advice for other brides to be.

VomoAerial



Why did you choose to have your wedding in Fiji?

We wanted a beach destination wedding and both of us wanted to go to Fiji as we had never been.

Jennawedding3



What did you wear?

My dress was a strapless white dress designed by Pronovias.

What did the groom wear?

A white shirt by Calvin Klein and grey trousers by Trent Nathan.

Jennawedding4



What was the highlight of your wedding day?

Our private beach dinner.

Where did you go for your honeymoon?

We stayed at Vomo for an extra 5 days.

Is there anything you would have changed about your wedding day?

No!

Jennawedding2



Why did you choose to hire a wedding planner?

To relieve the stress of coordinating all of the overseas components required for the ceremony.

Would you recommend hiring a wedding planner?

Definitely!

What did you think of all the wedding suppliers that were involved in your wedding?

They were fantastic.  Everything was so organised and stress free.

Jennawedding1



What advice would you give a couple organising a wedding in Fiji?

Go to one of the island resorts instead of getting married on the mainland.

Vomo Rocks Bar



Jenna sent us this message during her stay at Vomo ….

‘Just a quick note to say that everything was perfect and more magical than we could have imagined. Thank you so much for everything you did for us. The day was completely stress free and Ashely and Bruce were amazing.’  

A big thank you to Bruce from Zoomfiji Photography (http://zoomfiji.com) for the beautiful photos.  Great job as always and we love working with you!

Phoebe & Josh – Sheraton Fiji

When Phoebe and Josh were searching for a location for their wedding, they stumbled across an image of a beautiful chapel that sat in the middle of what looked like pure paradise. Phoebe jokingly said ‘wherever that chapel is, we HAVE to get married there!’.  After a little research they discovered it was in Fiji and that was that.  They had found the perfect location for their ceremony!

Sheraton Chapel



The location was the beautiful Sheraton Fiji, situated on the tropical oasis of Denarau Island. Because neither Phoebe or Josh had been to Fiji before, let alone planned a wedding, they decided to hire Chelsea Jayne Weddings to help make the experience stress free.

When we asked Phoebe if she would recommend hiring a wedding planner she said: ‘Absolutely, 100%. I wish I had of known just how easy Chelsea would make it all. Everything flowed beyond perfectly and was organised to a superb standard. We have a very busy schedule – with an almost 8 yr old daughter who loves her sports, both of us working and 2 pets to look after. Having Chelsea enabled us to have the wedding of our dreams (even better actually) without minimal stress or lost time.’

Ceremony





Arrival



Phoebe looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day in her champagne coloured gown ‘Aphrodesia’ by Airs & Graces.

Phoebe 2





Dress





Phoebe 4



Josh and his groomsmen looked the part in suits by Milano, ties and shirts by Hardy Amies London and shoes by Julius Marlow.

Boys 2



The bridesmaids completed this picture perfect bridal party in two different styles of dresses both in ivory from the ‘Modern Vintage Bridesmaids’ Collection by Alfred Angelo.

The girls 2



Looking back on her wedding day Phoebe couldn’t choose just one highlight from the day.  She said two aspects of the day that really stood out for her were the entertainment (Polynesian/Fire Dancing) and the food (the Deluxe Buffet) which she said was seriously the best.  She said there was SO much food and she had guests who said they would have come all that way for the food alone!



Reception





Dancers



Instead of a traditional hens and bucks party, Phoebe and Josh were joined by their guests for a day cruise around the islands with a pit stop at Musket Cove. There they enjoyed a delicious lunch, some snorkelling and some fun and games on the island.  Endless amounts of drinks and snacks were also included on the cruise and it sounded like such a terrific day. Both Phoebe and Josh highly recommend this fun day trip.

Bridal party 2



Phoebe and Josh spent 10 nights at the Sheraton resort. They said it was magical. They were impressed by the lovely staff and the delicious food. They said the best part of it was the Starwood Privilege Card which covered the villas and the Westin restaurants also.  To learn more about the Starwood Membership Programme visit http://www.starprivilege-pacific.com.

As for a honeymoon….Josh says ‘No official “honeymoon” on our own yet, we might have to go back to Fiji!.

Lantern release



We asked Phoebe and Josh what advice they would give a couple organising a wedding in Fiji and they both agreed that you should definitely hire a wedding planner, relax, do not stress and be patient…..you are on Fiji time!  This advice worked perfectly for them when they woke up on their wedding day to rainy, grey skies.  Their stress free attitude got them through a location change for their reception.  As Phoebe said herself ‘everything will be perfect!’.

Couple 4



We love getting feedback from our clients and this is what Phoebe had to say about her experience with Chelsea Jayne Weddings:Chelsea is so accommodating. There was literally nothing that we wanted that she didn’t make happen. Thank you Chelsea from the bottom of our hearts. You are extremely good at what you do, and because of you – our wedding day was organised to perfection without us barely lifting a finger. Thank you.’

Also a big thank you to Sabrina Horn Photography (http://sabrina-horn.com) for the amazing photos.

 

 

Christie & Cameron – Sheraton Fiji

The Sheraton Fiji is one of our most popular resorts for weddings.  Christie and Cameron had holidayed in Fiji previously and loved the relaxed feel and lovely people. They wanted to capture that for their day and have a low stress wedding for them, their families and guests.

A very big thank you to Michelle from Cheer Photography  for these beautiful images.



Ceremony -388



The ceremony was held on the Sheraton Beachfront and a reception followed on the Villa Pool Deck at the Sheraton Denarau Villas.

Christies dress was custom made from Hilde Heim in Enogerra, Brisbane. Satin bodice with layers of silk mesh skirt. Lovely and cool, easy to move in and great choice for the Fiji weather.



Christie & Cameron -57



Cameron’s outfit was from Rodger David, and the groomsmen wore charcoal suits with navy ties and pocket squares to match the bridesmaids.

The bridesmaids wore navy dresses from Baccini and Hill, Melbourne. The dresses were cotton with a satin weave so they looked luxurious but were very cool.



Bridal party 2



 

The highlight of the day apart from marrying Cameron was the reception. Great speeches, wonderful MC, excellent entertainment. It was an amazing party that continued well into the night.



Set up



Prior to the wedding their guests went on a day or half day cruise out to the islands with South Sea Cruises. The boys went deep sea fishing and caught some tuna which they brought back and the Flying Fish who cooked it for them.



Kiss



We asked Christie what advice would she give couples organising a wedding in Fiji?

Do what makes you happy (as a couple, no one else).Get a wedding planner and enjoy the process as much as possible. If that means doing heaps of DIY things to take over or just letting the resort take care of everything it’s up to you.

Men will never spend hours on Pintrest or Goggling the various flower types available at your time of year so just do the research and let them pick from a few choices!

Do an engagement session with your photographer, especially if you have never met them face to face or have never had professional photos. It really put us at ease and meant we knew what to do on the wedding day and that helped make for great photos and speed up the photo process.



Cake



Is there anything you would have changed about your wedding day?

We would have organised a friend or staff member to have champagne and beers for the bridal party during photos. It’s very rushed after the ceremony and photos do take a while.



Couple 4



We asked Christie  Why she choose Chelsea Jayne Weddings to help plan her wedding-

We chose to hire a wedding planner due to the logistics of planning a wedding overseas and the fact that we were unable to travel to Fiji to source and try our own suppliers we thought having someone with the experience and recommendations would benefit us.

Would you recommend hiring a wedding planner?

Yes! Absolutely after hearing other brides’ experiences (Fiji and Australian weddings) I would recommend it. Having Chelsea doing the hard yards meant we could focus on the day without the stress of chasing up quotes, slow replies to emails etc. We were able to enjoy the wedding preparation process which I think a lot of people don’t get to do as they have to communicate with so many people.



Bridal party



 

Tourism Fiji Wedding Workshop

This week we attended the Tourism Fiji wedding workshop at the beautiful Sheraton on the Park in Sydney.  It’s always a great night catching up with our contacts at the resorts and to see what new and exciting things are happing in Fiji.



Tourism Fiji



Probably the most exciting thing about the evening was our session with the Sheraton Fiji.  They exclusively released to us their new all inclusive wedding reception package for F$13,490 which includes the following for 30 guests

Lawn or beachfront dinner

Pre dinner canapés

Sheraton Reserve beverage package for 5 hours

Resort deluxe buffet

2 tier wedding cake with fresh flower topper

Beach Themed table settings, chair sashes, tea lights and hanging lanterns

Traditional Polynesian fire dancing show

DJ for 4 hours

Additional guest are F$250 per person up to a maximum of 50 people.  Your ceremony package is additional to this price.

What great value for money!!



Ceremony4



Following suit also was the Sofitel Fiji with their new all inclusive ceremony & reception package from F$8950 for 30 people.  If you would like further information on this particular package please contact me.



Sofitel chapel



The Hilton has also changed direction with their new wedding coordinator Jessica, she has extensive events experience.  They have also released their new all inclusive ceremony & reception package starting at F$8000 for 30 guests.  If you would like more information on this please contact me.



Pool2



We also had the pleasure of meeting Paul from the new and exciting Nanuku Resort & Spa, which is located in Pacific Harbour, which is a 2.5 hours drive from Nadi airport.  This new resort opened last week and it has 12 exclusive private Villas each with their own pools.  All villas include, butler, nanny service, daily table d’hote menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a return Chauffeur service from the airport.  I can’t wait to check this resort out.



Nanuku





Nanuku 2



It was a great event, lots of exciting news coming out of Fiji for the wedding market.

Chelsea Jayne Weddings has also been invited by Tourism Fiji to attend their upcoming Tourism Fiji Exchange event at the Sheraton Fiji this May. It will be an intensive week, meeting many more of the resort, and wedding suppliers, we will also be attending the opening of the New Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island.



Sheraton Tokoriki



Launch of our new website

We have been very busy here at Chelsea Jayne Weddings over the last few months, and I’m so excited to finally launch our new website chelseajayneweddings.com.au



Screen Shot 2014-03-08 at 8.20.01 am



A big thank you to our web designer Daynor from Label for all her hard work and of course my beautiful brides & grooms who feature on the new website and my very talented group of photographers for the use of their amazing images.

As part of the new website we have now added a blog so you will be hearing a lot more about what’s going on at Chelsea Jayne Weddings and of course our special features of all our beautiful Fiji weddings.

We would love to hear what you think about our new and improved website.

Mainland V’s Islands

The first big decision you will make for your wedding (apart from choosing your wedding planner, of course) is your venue. When getting married in Fiji you have either the mainland resorts (Denarau or the Coral Coast are the most popular) or the Islands (the Mamanuca Islands are the favourites) to choose from.

There is a lot to consider when deciding on which location will best suit not only you but your guests as well.  You will need to think about the logistics of having up to 50-100 guests on average, and how your decisions will affect their ability to attend.  My clients often make the mistake of thinking many of their invitees won’t attend, yet around 90% are overwhelmed by the number of positive RSVP’s they receive. Everyone wants to go to a wedding in Fiji!

First, you need to consider the time it will take for guests to travel to your destination and the costs involved.  Traditionally getting to an island will take longer and cost more.  Also, depending on the time of your guests’ flight arrival, they may even need to stay on the mainland overnight, prior to transferring to an island.  Ferry transfers are an additional cost to flights, and can add another AUD$140 (approx.) return, and can take around 2 hours each way, depending on the distance of the island from the mainland, and ferry schedules. If considering an island destination, you need to consider the requirements and limitations of your guests.  Elderly guests and people with small children may have concerns with the remoteness of an island.  The Islands are generally more expensive than the mainland, as everything requires additional transport, increasing costs for most items, which is reflected in the quoted rates.

A major drawcard for having your wedding on an island are the beautiful white beaches, crystal clear water and marine life.  The islands are truly amazing and offer such a different experience to the mainland.  Some islands are available for exclusive hire for your wedding – how amazing would that be!   Island time is also very relaxing, children are so well catered for, and most islands have a meal package so guests need not reach for their wallet all the time. There’s nothing like getting away from everything to relax in such a beautiful environment.



Vomo



The mainland as a wedding destination has its own strengths and weaknesses. It’s easy to get to with no additional costs (apart from a Taxi fare from the airport).  If you want 5 star luxury with all the modern conveniences then the mainland is for you.  There are lots of different levels of accommodation available so that all your guests will be catered for, whether they be single, young couples or parents with young children. There are also a large number of dining out options on the mainland to suit everyone’s taste and budget.



Sheraton Chapel



I often hear feedback from my brides that the mainland is certainly more Westernised, and that the real “Fiji” feel is more abundant on the islands, where traditional culture is strongly maintained.

I love both locations as wedding venues. Your decision which to go for really depends on what you are envisaging, your budget, and the number/requirements of guests you are inviting.

At the end of the day you also have to remember it is your day, so go with what your heart tells you.

1 9 10 11 12