Henry and Jessica fell in love with a tiny little island in Vanuatu, called Erakor. It turns out, you can privatize Erakor Island Resort & Spa, which takes up all of the island! It also happens to be a very popular venue for couples looking to have a relaxed beach wedding. Bonus? Vanuatu is just a few hours flight away from Australia and New Zealand! Jessica and Henry planed a colorful Erakor Island wedding together with the on-site wedding planning team. Their special day turned out to be exactly the very joyful and relaxed beach wedding they had envisioned! With about fifty of their closest friends and family to celebrate their union, it was all perfect.
The couple and their decision to have their wedding on Erakor Island in Vanuatu
Henry and Jessica are both wonderfully warm people, and they wanted their wedding day to be just that: warm! They wanted a place that would feel warm, literally and metaphorically. A place where they could gather their loved ones not just for a day, but for a holiday. They wanted to get married with their feet in the sand. And to have their first dance under the stars. To wake up to bird songs and gentle waves kissing the shore outside their perfect bungalow. They wanted palm trees, crystal clear waters, fiery sunsets and colorful cocktails to sip in delight. They wanted bonfires and fire dancers. Erakor Island Resort & Spa fit that description and filled their desires to a T! Hence, signing up and booking their wedding there was pretty much a no brainer for the two of them.
Planning their tropical-themed wedding
Handling formalities
Henry and Jessica decided on one of the various wedding packages offered by Erakor Island Resort. The wedding team on Erakor then handled all formalities for them. They filed in the paper work at the Wedding Registry. They also booked their celebrant, made appointments with a hairdresser and makeup and brought the couple’s vision to life.
Arriving a few day prior to the wedding
The couple and part of their immediate family and bridal party arrived a couple of days before the wedding. They thus had ample time to sit down with Laurel and Lita, who oversee weddings on Erakor Island, and go through everything with them. They were also able to walk around with them and scout each of the three possible locations to set up their wedding ceremony: Sunset beach, the most private one, on the far end of the island, Coconut beach, right next to the restaurant and which allows a canoe entrance, and the open chapel surrounded with beautiful greenery and mighty banyan trees.
Once again it was an easy decision for Henry and Jessica: secluded and intimate, covered in white sand, and set between lush greenery and turquoise hues, Sunset beach was the perfect gem they were looking for.
Planning a tropical theme Erakor Island wedding
With that setting, they naturally decided to fully embrace the tropical island vibe that pairs so well with an Erakor Island wedding: they asked that local warriors escort Jessica and her dad on the sandy path leading to the ceremony as they knew this was a possibility offered with their package, and opted for a simple wooden arch that would emphasize the massive Monstera leaves and the colorful beauty of the bright tropical flowers they had chosen, in hues of bold red, orange and yellow. The dress code communicated to family and guests was “tropical and vibrant”, and everybody gladly obliged.
Finally, to keep up with the tropical island beach wedding vibe all the way, Henry and Jessica planned to hold their wedding reception under a marquee set on the beach, so they could dance the night away, barefoot in the sand.
Having the best time getting married on Erakor Island
And finally the day came to say “I do”. Henry and Jessica, each on their own side of the island, in their own bungalow, surrounded with their closest circle, started getting ready early to keep everything and everyone relaxed and able to enjoy the moment. There was champagne, there was laughter, there were happy tears, non stop smiling and lots and lots of hugging! The ambiance for the day was set!
A Sunset Beach Ceremony on Erakor
When the time came, the ceremony happened like a dream, and ended up with the newlyweds getting showered with tropical flower petals before getting more and more and more hugs from everyone they hold dear. Then of course there were the family and group photos, which we took against a beautifully green, lush background that made everybody’s colorful outfits pop. And once we made sure everyone had a chance to hug the newlyweds and take a photo with them, Henry and Jessica let them enjoy some delightful canapés and fresh drinks, and I took them away for a little moment, just the two of them -well, plus me as a third wheel, to capture some newlyweds portraits in the many photogenic spots on Erakor Island.
Taking newlyweds portraits around Erakor island
We followed sandy paths through lush rainforest and all the way to the beach, we chatted comfortably just about anything and everything, and here and there, I would take a step back to let Henry and Jessica be in their own space, their own little bubble, taking in and enjoying this wonderful moment to its fullest, realizing they were now married and that a whole new adventure was beginning for them, right then and there. It was perfect, intimate, joyful, emotional, and full of love and promises.
Celebrating with a beach wedding reception
They were both floating on a cloud of happiness as they made their entrance as Mr. and Mrs. under the marquee, and as the day withdrawn into night and the celebration continued on a vibrant, festive, cheerful and hearty note, one could very easily see how this wedding on Erakor Island, was becoming etched in Henry and Jessica’s heart as truly one of the best days of their life.
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Salt & Shores Photography
VENUE:
Erakor Island resort & Spa
