Hi everyone.
I have stayed in Rarotonga for 3 months a few years ago and just love the place. Definately good advise not to stress about timing, cause Island time rules! Most of the resorts there have their own wedding planners who are just great. Getting married there is a stress free way to go.

That's right! I have married in the capital of Rarotonga, in Avarua it's was fantastic!

i come from germany...


and now i live with my wife since 3 years in rarotonga

Hey there everyone,

I am currently in the process of organising a wedding in Rarotonga with my partner. We started by sorting out the flights and accomodation first for ourselves as well as our families. I have also contacted the wedding specialists at the resort we will be staying. Do you have any tips for me at all? I would love all the help I could get!

Thank you!

I know this post is a bit old, but we film weddings in Rarotonga and have a few videos that you can watch on our website to give you a sense of what your day might be like Tiare Films wedding videography. We also have a page with links to independent wedding planners, photographers and hair and makeup on the island: Rarotonga wedding directory.

If there's anything you want to know about weddings here, feel free to get in touch.

Justine (Tiare Films)

Kia orana Anna,

Here are a few Rarotonga wedding tips (we film weddings here, so have been to quite a few weddings :).

You can get married on any day of the week, so if you're not particular about the date, opt for a wedding on a Tues, Wed or Thurs.

• Mon things can be a bit slow.


• Fri is the only late night here in Raro, (as all the bars, clubs, etc. close at midnight on Sat).


• Sat the Punaganui markets are on from 8am-1pm - a great experience that you might miss out on if you're getting your hair and makeup done :).


• Sun some venues may charge extra (15% surcharge is common), as Sun is still a day of rest / church day / family day here.

The cooler months for NZ brides are June-Sept - over these months temperatures in the mid 20s with low humidity - very pleasant. The two months either side - Apr-May/Oct-Nov are a bit warmer and more humid (temperatures in the 30s). The humidity affects things like cosmetics, nail-polish, hair-spray, etc. (It's best to keep cosmetics in the fridge.

A wedding in Dec, Jan or Feb is probably only for the Raro locals or if you were raised near the equator :) - note that these are also the 'cyclone months'.

Popular times of the day for a wedding are either sunrise or late afternoon. 4-4:30pm, just before sunset - something to keep in mind for the photos. Sunlight hours are around 6:30am-6:30pm year round (no daylight savings). The sun-rises and sets quickly - there is not the same twilight hours as in NZ).

For sunrise, the popular locations are around the Muri beach area against the backdrop of the motu (islets). From Motu Koromiri in the Muri lagoon, you can also get the sunset colours in the sky.

Sunset is spectacular at locations on the western side of the island, places such as The Edgewater, Magic Reef, Crown Beach and Aroa Beachside Inn have venues to catch the light at this time of day.

Most wedding planners will offer a preferred photographer - but you can always request a different photographer or book your photographer directly. We have links to the local photographers on our website: Rarotonga wedding directory. While you're there you can also watch some of our highlights films, featuring a few of the locations mentioned above, plus ideas for bridal dresses, flowers, etc.

This year (2010) we're here until the end of Oct. Depending on demand we're likely to be here in 2011 late May-Oct. If you sign-up to our Facebook page, I can let you know once we've confirmed our dates: Tiare Films Facebook page.

Kia manuia,

Justine (Tiare Films)

Hi Justine,

Thanks for adding the tips about Rarotonga weddings. It would be great to have you guys on the wedding directory as well - www.nzweddingdirectory.co.nz. We now offer a free listing option as well as paid.

If you are able to put your Rarotonga wedding tips in an article format, we can add this too and link it back to your listing.

Kia orana Admin,

I've just added a listing to the directory.

We'll do a bit more work on getting those tips into a publishable form - can we include photos? Please send me your contact details so we can get back in touch (outside the forums).

Are there other things that you think brides might want to know about when it comes either to weddings in Rarotonga or videography?

You might also take a look at our films, newsletters and article(s) - we're likely to be adding more articles to our site about wedding videography once we get back to Wellington.

Kia manuia,

Justine

I like the place but weddings are one of the most exciting and splendid events any person can attend to. Exciting in a sense that everybody can finally witness all the dazzling and flamboyant ideas prepared for the lovely couple and the rest of the guests.