Say “I do” in paradise: A modern couple’s guide to a Mauritius wedding

Mauritius is known for being the quiet choice for many celebrities to get married. Indian couples, who want to be married somewhere they feel culturally comfortable and where luxury is hand-in-glove with a warm, inviting setting will find what they seek in Mauritius. This island provides couples with a very rare opportunity to enjoy a wedding that is filled with all of the luxury, glamour, and beauty, without the overwhelming nature that most Caribbean islands provide. With ease of access to a visa upon arrival, quick flight times, and wedding coordinators who are knowledgeable about Indian rituals, Mauritius is the perfect and easy extension of home.

(Also Read: The rise of quiet escapes as an answer to celebrity getaways)

What makes Mauritius unique is its ability to accommodate weddings and Indian rituals with both dignity and sophistication. Couples can have their weddings framed by the Indian Ocean, a haldi ceremony under palm trees, and a baraat procession arriving at the ceremony on a speedboat instead of a brass band. Couples can have their weddings on secluded beaches, private coves, and ultra-luxurious villas that allow for a wedding to be exclusive yet expansive.

As far as venues go, they are basically a mood board of dream-like settings. Couples can select from a variety of venues, including barefoot-chic private beaches, opulent luxury resorts with floating mandaps for ceremonies, heritage villas that overlook volcanic and mountainous landscapes, and the lush botanical gardens of the island, perfect for a floral mehendi ceremony adorned in tropical green foliage. Couples can choose to have their weddings in unique locations such as old colonial sugar estates that provide open-air banquet lawns and old-world charm for the ultimate in a slow-living wedding.

Mauritius perfectly curates once in a lifetime experiences which act as chapters in your wedding story. They offer catamaran photo shoots at "golden hour" (early in the morning or late in the evening), couple's spa treatments using indigenous sugar scrub products, innovative gourmet tasting menus featuring Indo-Mauritian fusion cuisine, and sunset cocktail parties on sandbanks that only appear during low tide. Imagine holding a beachfront sangeet evening ceremony replete with Sega dancers and fire performers, and a pheras ceremony preceded by a blessing from local sega drummers with intimate cultural exchange, not just decorations.

For couples looking to create a wedding that has never been seen before the island offers unique, whimsical touches including private islet weddings where guests typically arrive via yacht, underwater wedding photo shoots amidst colourful coral gardens, proposal style drone light shows set to the couple's love story, and curated “spice trail welcome dinners” inspired by the island's Creole-Indian heritage. Some planners have even coordinated pre-wedding "lagoon picnics" on floating bamboo platforms with champagne, tropical fruit, and an acoustic live set.

Mauritius simplifies the luxury process; nearly every resort has designated Indian wedding specialists who coordinate everything from pandits to playlists down to the finest detail. All you need to do is arrive, enjoy the ocean air, and simply say, "I do".

Leena Jhugroo is the Managing Director of Travel Lounge Leisure and Tours

(Also Read: 6 romantic experiences in New Zealand to celebrate love in all its glory)