Tucked away in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka is the archipelagic nation of the Maldives - one of the smallest countries in Asia. Although small, the island nation of Maldives has some of the world's top beaches thanks to its active sea life, white sands, and turquoise water. With over 100 paradise islands to choose from, the Maldives has become a significant wedding and honeymoon destination for couples seeking a romantic getaway.
Below we will share our Maldivian wedding experience and what to expect if you plan to marry in the Maldives!
Why Get Married In the Maldives?
The Maldives is the ideal destination for a romantic and intimate wedding. From its stunning white sand beaches to its breathtaking sunsets, Maldives is an unforgettable destination for perfect wedding day pictures. Furthermore, with world-class resorts offering beautiful venues and services, you can have your dream wedding that you will cherish forever.
Legalities
If you plan on getting married in the Maldives, be aware that it may not be legally binding. It is against Maldivian law for foreigners to legally marry in the Maldives; therefore, all foreign weddings in the Maldives are exclusively symbolic celebrations.
But you shouldn't let that discourage you from getting married in the Maldives. Back in 2016, Elli and I married on the beautiful island of Ari Atoll, and it was everything and more than we could have imagined.
Fun Note: We legally married after returning from the Maldives, although we continue celebrating our anniversary on our Maldivian wedding date!
How Much Does It Cost to Get Married in the Maldives?
This is a question we get asked a lot. Getting married in the Maldives can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Most resorts have wedding packages with a plethora of options to choose from. The final price will depend on how many additional options you add to their pre-set wedding deals. As for Elli and our Maldivian wedding cost us an estimated $15,000. Below is the price breakdown.
Our Maldivian Wedding Package Cost Breakdown
We booked our wedding package with the Constance Moofushi resort located on the gorgeous island of Ari Atoll. During our booking, we had three exclusive wedding packages to choose from, a Light, Delight, or Infinity package.
We ended up booking the Delight Package, adding hair and make-up, for a total of $3,420 (accommodations not included).
Note: The Light Package was priced at $2,200, and the Infinity Package was priced at $4,200. The difference between the three packages was mainly more pictures, longer massages, more food, and more drinks.
Acommodations and Flight Tickets Cost Breakdown
For our accommodation, we booked a water villa for a week which cost us right under $8,000. As for our flights, our return airline tickets from Germany cost $1,200 each ($2,400 total). We also booked a sea airplane to take us from and to the private island resort. A round-trip ticket with the seaplane costs us $600 each ($1,200 total).
Note: Miscellaneous cost ran us roughly another $1,000.
What's Included In Marriage Packages?
All marriage deals are different and vary in price. If you plan on getting married in the Maldives, I recommend contacting various resorts to see what they offer. To give you an idea of what a wedding package looks like, below Is what was included in our Delight Package at the Constance Moofushi Resort:
One-day wedding ceremony (symbolic)
A wedding coordinator
Arrival present
Wedding Decoration
Separate room for the Bride on the Wedding day before the Ceremony
Bridal Bouquet
Groom's Buttonhole
Decorated Buggy
Ceremonial Photo album (50 Photos + 1 USB)
Private wedding photo shoot (1 hour/60 edited photos)
Live Musician
Wedding cake (For the couple) + Champagne (after the Ceremony)
Framed Wedding Certificate
Coconut Tree Planting Ceremony
Wedding Dinner on the Beach
Breakfast in the room the following day
150 minutes SPA Ritual for two
What to Expect on the Wedding Day?
As mentioned before, all weddings are unique, depending on what you want and how much you are willing to spend. We will share our experience to give you an idea of what to expect on the actual day of the wedding.
To start, on the morning of our wedding, we went to the spa for a 150-minute spa ritual, which was part of our wedding deal. After the massage, Elli left to her private room to get ready, and I headed back to our villa.
As the afternoon approached, I got ready and headed out to the beach, where they had beautiful plam arches prepared for the ceremony. Later, right before sunset, Elli arrived and we walked down the palm arches together. Our officiator then spoke some words, and Elli and I exchanged our vows. We then shared champagne and wedding cake with the amazing hotel staff while the band played live music. Afterwards, we planted a coconut tree on the beach to symbolize our new beginning.
Last, towards the late evening, we headed to our private dinner on the beach, where we had a fantastic five-course meal. After dinner, we stayed up all night dancing and socializing in the beach lounge.
Overall, getting married in the Maldives was an experience we will never forget. With its blue skies, white sand, turquoise waters, and secluded islands, the Maldives is was everything we expected it to be and more!
*****
Would you marry in the Maldives? Let us know in the comments below!
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