Wedding in the Maldives: How It All Happens

The birth of a new family is a solemn moment, which everyone wants to remember for life. One of the ways to arrange a beautiful celebration of two loving people is to organise a wedding in the paradise of the planet - the Maldives. Almost everyone dreams of this, but not everyone manages to turn it into reality. Some of the reasons why the desire remains unfulfilled are questions about how everything happens, what to be prepared for and how to organise the highest-level holiday. In this article, we will try to consider the most critical points that are advisable to pay attention to when preparing a wedding in the Maldives.

Maldives is a perfect wedding destination | Asad Photo Maldives

Why the Maldives

The nature of the Maldives archipelago, without exaggeration, can make your event look like a miracle. Firstly, colours and tints... Textured palm trees against the background of turquoise water, white sand and an expertly decorated place where the ceremony will take place. But there is a “secondly”. It is worth recalling that at least two more countries with a developed tourism sector, Dominican Republic and Thailand, specialize in wedding ceremonies for guests. However, none of them can compete with the Maldives in the comfort and luxury of honeymoon housing because resort islands are a feature of this state. Weddings are organised not only in resorts. If you wish, you can choose another, no less interesting, but more budget option.

The fabulous nature of the Maldives will complement the wonderful wedding experience | Asad Photo Maldives

Colourful ritual or legal marriage

A Maldivian wedding, organised on one of the islands of the archipelago for foreign guests, may differ in detail. However, the only common thing is that it’s a beautiful ritual and not a legal wedding from the law point of view. The certificate issued to newlyweds after the ceremony, no matter how beautiful it is, has no legal force. Knowing this, the young family first registers marriage at home, in the local registry office, and then goes on a honeymoon to the fabulous islands. The Maldivian-style wedding ritual is a unique start of the honeymoon.

A wedding in the Maldives is always a beautiful ritual | Meeru Island Resort & Spa

Wedding locations

At the request of the newlyweds, the wedding ritual can be organised in almost any chosen place. Most often, weddings are held in resorts (where the whole island is the territory of the hotel where only vacationers live and rest). Celebrations are also organised on local islands (these small land plots are inhabited by local Maldivians and have hotels and guesthouses).

A great option is a wedding ritual on a desert island. It is one of the most popular ideas on the archipelago. However, no matter what place is discussed, in any case, the ritual takes place in the open air, in the sand showered with flower petals and near the ocean.         

Maldivian wedding | Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Basic components of the ceremony

Each resort or hotel that organises the celebration has its own rules and features of the wedding ceremony. The basic conditions are:

• Floral arch, where the ceremony takes place
• Master of the ceremony (sometimes, this person is a minister)
• Ritual accompaniment by local musicians
• Banquet for newlyweds
• Photo and video shooting with a predetermined amount of footage
• Certificate

These are the details that are included in the ritual a priori. When ordering a ceremony, it is advisable to study in detail the conditions of a hotel because they differ in many ways. Some event organisers include Spa treatments and a bride’s makeup in the wedding package, whereas others may add a trip on a decorated boat with a photoshoot or a light breakfast served in the room the next morning or a picnic. In some resorts, a photoshoot takes an hour, in others - a whole day. And these are just basic conditions. However, you can add to them almost everything your heart desires. For a separate fee, of course.

Wedding decor in the Maldives | Asad Photo Maldives

Agreement with organisers

An agreement on the planned ceremony is a confirmation of the organisers’ intentions and a guarantee that all the services indicated will be provided in the agreed volumes. Besides, it is convenient since the details of the ceremony are often discussed from home before the newlyweds arrive in the Maldives. Do not be surprised if the organisers ask you to make advance payment for booking a future event.

Book a wedding ceremony in the Maldives in advance | Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

Clothing for honeymooners

Concerning holiday dresses for a couple, two options are possible: to bring clothes with you or a local traditional wedding attire of the bride and groom will be prepared for you. The Maldivian-style newlyweds are dressed in light, soaring outfits in bright colours, decorated with flowers. Such clothes correspond to the hot climate and look wonderful in photographs.

Light outfits are great for a wedding in the Maldives | Velassaru Maldives

Music and shows

Ethnic music, as well as newlyweds' attire during the ceremony, add colours and flavours to what is happening. A distinctive feature of the Maldivian wedding is a bodu beru dance accompanied by a group of instrumental musicians with exotic drums. The music of bodu beru begins with slow rhythms, which gradually accelerate and turn into a crescendo accompanied by an energetic dance. Maldivian music is a peculiar mix of Indian, East African and Arabic motifs. A mandatory condition in many places is the performance of a hymn for the bride and groom. In some other areas, a performance by a local group or soloist is provided. Almost always, the event involves live music. Is it easy to learn to dance the bodu beru? Anyway, it is fun!

Musical accompaniment of a wedding in the Maldives | Meeru Island Resort & Spa

Event guests

The Maldivian wedding ceremony is designed for newlyweds, but many believe that a solemn ceremony surrounded only by the Maldivians themselves is not so much fun. The guests of newlyweds, of course, can come to the ritual, but you will have to pay for them separately. It also applies to other components of the ceremony, for example, a gala dinner.

Wedding in the maldivian resort | Asad Photo Maldives

Footage and “your” photographer

The nuances of photo and video shooting of weddings are always negotiated in advance. The price list differs from organiser to organiser. Some lists include everything to the smallest detail - the number of photographs or the timing of the finished, mounted video. Some hotels that organise weddings include only the work hours of the specialist (which, however, can be increased for an additional fee). Some also offer the themes - at sunset, a desert island, the beach, portraits of the bride and the like. However, almost everywhere, a photographer or videographer is invited by the organisers. The cost of this service starts from a few hundred dollars.

Tip: to roughly imagine the professionalism level of the photographer, ask them to show pictures of happy newlyweds whose weddings they shot before.

Often, wedding events last until late, and the specialist has to stay on the island for the night, which increases the cost of their work. Some of the participants in the upcoming celebrations are wondering whether it is possible to replace the local Maldivian photographer with “your own” among the guests? Answer: yes, it is possible. But you will also have to pay for it. If you shoot a wedding without permission (and even more so, use a drone for this), you will have to pay a considerable fine.

Planting a wedding tree

To build a house and raise a child is a minimum plan upon returning to your homeland. But immediately after the ceremony of marriage in the Maldives, two lovers can plant a tree in honour of a significant event. According to local customs, the birth of a new family is marked not only by oaths and a certificate but also planting a tree. A coconut tree, which has been growing here since prehistoric times, is considered to be a wedding tree on the archipelago.

Treats for participants of the celebration

Naturally, the wedding ritual nowhere in the world goes without refreshments, and the Maldives is no exception. During the celebration, champagne (a bottle, half a bottle or a glass), cake (it can be “multi-storey” or maybe just a couple of pieces) and local fruits are mandatory. The rest of the programme is up to you: barbecue, dinner with lobsters or a picnic on a desert island, considering the culinary preferences of guests and heroes of the occasion.

Milaidhoo Island Maldives

Ocean cruises

Perhaps, the most memorable of all that is happening for the newlyweds on their wedding day are yacht or boat cruises after the official part of the ceremony. The easiest option after the event is over will be to take a dhoni boat decorated with flowers to get to the overnight place. Some couples prefer it to be a hotel room, some like a water villa, and the most romantic couples choose an uninhabited island... A yacht cruise can last quite a bit - mainly for the sake of a photoshoot, or for a few days if the heroes of the event desire.

Wedding cruise in the Maldives | Komandoo Island Resort

How to choose the right weather

The ideal option is to order the organization of a wedding in the Maldives during the high season, which lasts here from November to March. At this time, the amount of precipitation is minimum, the sun shines longer over the horizon, and there are almost no storms. In other months, the weather can be varied - it is quite possible that the weather on “day X” will be sunny. However, the likelihood of rain is still much greater. It is unlikely to affect your festive mood, but it will be difficult to make high-quality photographs that would capture the fullness of feelings and colours of such a unique moment in life as a wedding. 

Canareef Resort Maldives

Why and to whom the organisation of the wedding may be refused

There are several reasons why a wedding ritual may be refused.

1. The first is if there is no time for preparation. It means that even before arriving in the archipelago, it is advisable to inform the organisers of your intentions and discuss all the details with the wedding coordinator.
2. The second, very common reason, is that the ceremony is not offered to everyone, but only to guests of the resort or hotel where they plan to organise a wedding. Moreover, each place determines the minimum number of nights, which the potential groom and bride will spend before or after the celebration.
3. The third reason is that on certain days or periods, the marriage ritual just cannot be organised.
   
   

When ceremonies cannot be held

No wedding ceremonies in the Maldives are held:

• On day-off (Friday)
• During national holidays
• During Christmas
  
  

The most unusual weddings in the Maldives

Underwater

Probably, the most exotic and memorable ritual organised in the Maldives for newlyweds is an underwater wedding! The sight is bewitching: the underwater arch, the bride and groom are not just in festive attire but also with diving equipment... The ceremony looks unreal. Everything that happens is captured by an “underwater” photographer... Instead of a traditional wedding tree, the newlyweds plant a coral on a reef, with a sign indicating their names.

The only thing you should know is that such an unusual ceremony - Underwater Wedding - is not available everywhere. The manager of WIOTTO.COM will advise on all issues and reserve a dream ceremony for you.

On a yacht

Another unusual and striking version of the wedding is the wedding ritual on a yacht. The Maldives has a huge selection of local yachts of all shapes and sizes, with a modern or classic design. In addition to the ritual itself, the organisers of such an event will help you reserve a vessel, make a menu, take care of the musical accompaniment and offer additional options to make the wedding on a yacht memorable for a lifetime.

Yacht wedding | Hurawalhi Maldives Resort

In the underwater restaurant

Underwater restaurants and weddings in them have recently received more and more attention. However, not all establishments allow to organise a celebration of the birth of a new family. The most popular places are underwater restaurants:

• Sea on Anantara Kihavah Resort Island (Baa Atoll)
• Ithaa Undersea Restaurant on Conrad Rangali Resort Island (South Ari Atoll)

The ceremony in the room, where a glass wall separates you and your guests from the reef edge, is seen as a surrealism fantasy. However, it can become a reality if there are a desire and finances for such a holiday - from several thousand dollars.

A wedding in an underwater restaurant is unique and unforgettable | Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Languages of the ritual

Traditionally, the wedding ceremony in the archipelago is held in two languages: English and Dhivehi (the so-called official language of the Maldives).

In whatever language the ceremony is held, the main thing is that your loved one be nearby. You look into each other’s eyes and say, “I do!”, against the backdrop of the Maldivian sunset.