Tahitian Weddings Become a Reality

Tahiti and Her Islands are breathtakingly beautiful locations to hold a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, foreign visitors have been unable to legally marry in Tahiti and Her Islands unless they had been resident for at least a month prior to the wedding. Now there’s good news for couples wishing to tie the knot. A new law has been passed enabling non-Tahitians to marry there for the very first time. It states that, instead of being resident on the islands, the couple must file their intention to marry with the mayor of the closest Tahitian town at least one month before the wedding. The couple must also inform their country’s consulate in Tahiti of their marriage and ensure that there is a qualified interpreter present during the ceremony. Couples can now enjoy the ultimate in romance – a traditional Tahitian wedding on the beach. To the backdrop of an ancient stone altar, fringed with palm trees, the bride is massaged using exotically scented flower oils whilst the groom is painted with temporary Tahitian tattoos. The happy couple then exchange brightly coloured flower garlands in the presence of a master of ceremonies, who bestows new Tahitian names upon them. Many of Tahiti’s luxury hotels have their own stunning chapels where, thanks to the new marriage laws, couples can take traditional Tahitian vows, and honeymooners can choose to have their own romantic Tahitian blessing. www.tahiti-tourisme.co.uk