A perfect wedding and honeymoon in French Polynesia
French Polynesia is one of the best wedding and honeymoon destinations on earth. It’s a true unspoiled paradise. French Polynesia boasts the bluest waters and softest white sands you’ll ever see. The 118 islands and atolls of French Polynesia are spread out over a stretch of water as big as Western Europe. It’s been a big draw for luxury travellers in recent decades.
Hollywood icon Marlon Brando helped to put it on the map. He filmed Mutiny on the Bounty in Tahiti in 1962 and fell in love with landscapes and the people. He loved French Polynesia so much he bought the island of Tetiaroa, as you do. He built The Brando Hotel on his island. It’s widely considered to be the most upmarket hotel on the planet!
Getting married in French Polynesia is one of the ultimate bucket list experiences. If you want to do something really special for your wedding, this is the place to do it.
About Out Of Office
Out Of Office is a luxury tailor-made travel company with a focus on delivering exclusivity and inclusivity. Our passion for global adventure is matched only by our deep commitment to delivering exceptional five-star service.
Everything we do is customised and designed especially for you – our valued customer – based on your exact personal requirements. Each member of our team is widely travelled. This means you get access to first-rate travel insights and the best possible advice from our team of luxury travel experts.
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Getting Legally Married In Bora Bora
You can have a full legal wedding in French Polynesia, as a gay or straight couple, in accordance with the French Civil Code. For the legal bit, you’ll need to marry at a town hall in Tahiti, Moorea or Bora Bora. You can’t do so on the smaller islands. The ceremony will be performed in French. You can bring an interpreter if you don’t parler francais. The legal papers will also be in French, but they can be translated and posted to your home address.
A Symbolic Polynesian Commitment Ceremony
The town halls aren’t the most attractive buildings in French Polynesia. Supposing you’d like your big ceremony on the beach, even on a tiny island, you can do the legal rigmarole at the town hall and then have a commitment ceremony.
You can have a barefoot ceremony on the beach. You can also do it in a beachside chapel. As the light is so flawless in French Polynesia, your wedding photos are guaranteed to be epic. You can’t take a bad photo in French Polynesia. Imagine the peaks of Mount Otemanu in the background of your Bora Bora wedding ceremony.
There are different types of Polyensian commitment ceremony to choose from, depending on which resort you stay in. You can opt for classic Polynesian dress or wear Western clothes. The priest will be wearing a colourful traditional robe with feathers. Unlike at the town hall, the priest will be able to conduct the ceremony in Tahitian or in English.
Supposing you get married on the beach, a highlight will be the canoe ride to the ceremony. Traditionally the groom waits on the beach for the bride, but two grooms or two brides can do whatever they want. You can both opt to sail to the beach in canoes paddled by shirtless Polynesian men. When you arrive at the ceremony, you’ll stand in a heart-shaped circle of flowers. The conch shell will be blown in an effort to rouse the gods. You’ll be blessed with Auti leaves and handfasted, like in some Pagan ceremonies. Handfasting involves tying your hands together – literally “tying the knot” – in this case with a simple Atui leaf bracelet. Your sins will then be washed away with coconut water. This will be followed by the exchange of the Leis (flower crowns). You’ll then exchange vows and rings.
A Polynesia ceremony is colourful, impossibly romantic and non-denominational. Your ceremony will conclude with singing and dancing on the beach.
How Gay-Friendly Is Bora Bora?
French Polynesia is very gay-friendly. Polynesian society has no history of homophobia, making it quite unique among world cultures. There are different theories for this. One of which instances the historic tradition of sacrificing the most masculine child in a community when he came of age. This was supposed to satisfy the gods in some way. Anyhow, it’s said that Polynesian mothers raised their sons to be less masculine in order to save them from the sacrifice. This is one sociological theory to explain why French Polynesia has always welcomed gay and gender-nonconforming people. You won’t just be tolerated as an LGBT+ person: they make no distinction at all between gay and straight.
Combining Your Wedding And Honeymoon In Bora Bora
French Polynesia is one of the most romantic destinations on earth. You won’t want to leave, and why should you? Stick around and enjoy your honeymoon after the wedding. You could indulge in a bit of island hopping, explore black pearl farms and wine and dine at Bora Bora Yacht Club. If you’re a fan of watersports you’ll be spoiled for choice. French Polynesia boasts the bluest waters and extraordinary marine life, like sea turtles, humpback whales and dolphins. You could spend the day sailing around the Society Islands and scuba diving. It’s like Finding Nemo but in actual real life.
At Out Of Office, we can arrange a full wedding and honeymoon package for you. You can expect lots of little perks along the way, like champagne on ice and rose petal bathtubs when you check into your suite. We have great relationships with many of the finest hotels and resorts in French Polynesia. It remains one of our top three most booked destinations and it’s our number one destination for romance.
