Gili Lankanfushi has introduced a brand new ‘Secret Wedding Experience’, the first of its kind in the Maldives, designed especially for couples who wish to celebrate their vows in the most intimate setting possible.
In an announcement, Gili Lankanfushi said the Secret Wedding Experience has been designed to completely minimise stress. Ahead of arrival, a resort team will consult with the couple about the exact details and then manage a bespoke itinerary throughout their stay, meaning they do not have to worry about arranging anything when they arrive, it added.
According to the resort, each couple will be matched with their own Mr./Ms. Friday – a personal assistant, friend and secret wedding planner, who will be on hand to tend to the couple’s every need and to provide a calm, clear and flexible schedule for the wedding day and the duration of their stay.
The Secret Wedding Experience starts at USD 13,489 (excluding taxes) based on a four-night stay for two persons on accommodation and breakfast basis. The package includes:
- Bridal hair and makeup: Beauty specialists at the resort are on hand to ensure the bride looks exactly as she would like to on her special day.
- Wedding ceremony: Couples can tie the knot in Gili Lankanfushi’s Lagoon Champa – the most private pavilion in the resort, far from view and reachable only by boat. Other locations around the resort are also available.
- Music: Gili Lankanfushi’s captivating local all-male Bodu Beru Band will perform love songs for the couple before and after their wedding ceremony.
- Champagne, canapés and cruising: The couple will sip champagne and eat exquisite canapés aboard the resort’s beautiful traditional Dhoni boat as the sun sets around them.
- Photography: An expert photographer will capture the day and package the images into a digital or printed photo book on request.
- Wedding ‘breakfast’ dinner: Gili Lankanfushi’s expert chefs will create a bespoke menu for the couple based on their favourite dishes, and this is served on One Palm Island – the resort’s most iconic and romantic destination – surrounded by 1,000 candles and glistening lanterns.
- Sleeping under the stars: For a wedding night to remember, the resort will set up a special bed on the rooftop of the couple’s private accommodation, so they can spend the night underneath the stars.
- Couples post wedding pamper: A 90-minute massage in the award-winning and recently upgraded Meera Spa.
- Wine pairing experience: Exquisite private wine dinner in either the Underground Wine Cellar or up in the trees at the 360 table in the Organic Garden.
- Jungle cinema experience: A private screening of the couple’s favourite movie with a chocolate fountain and strawberries.
- Couple’s surf or scuba discovery: Learning a new skill together by taking a lagoon lesson with Tropicsurf or do a scuba diving introductory course with Ocean Paradise.
According to Gili Lankanfushi, Secret Wedding Experience couples are hosted in the resort’s standalone overwater Crusoe Residences – the perfect location when it comes to providing complete privacy, including private overwater hammock, overwater sundeck and rooftop terrace with daybed for complete relaxation. The Residences also have the best views of the sunset and can be accessed by private motorboat.
Gili Lankanfushi’s General Manager Steven Phillips hailed the Secret Wedding Experience as the perfect solution for those looking to say ‘I do’ privately, in the most peaceful and luxurious settings. The package takes all the wedding stress off the couple, so they can simply relax and enjoy every moment of their special day, he added.
“It’s long been known that planning a wedding can be a lengthy and anxious experience filled with stressful decisions like choosing the right venue and having to filter down a long guest list. So, in the true spirit of Gili Lankanfushi, and in response to what couples have been telling us, we have created a simple, private and relaxing alternative,” Phillips was quoted in the announcement, as saying.
Set on the private island of Lankanfushi in the North Male Atoll, Gili Lankanfushi is an intimate coral island in a sparkling lagoon, with jetties threading across the water out to spacious villa accommodations, where ultimate privacy can be found. This luxury resort is just a 20-minute speedboat ride from the main Velana International Airport.
At Gili Lankanfushi, an idyllic personal hideaway is one of 45 spacious, rustic overwater villas crafted from natural wood and glass. A palette of sparkling blues paints the horizon, the ocean stretching to infinity wherever on the island. The open design, with indoor and outdoor living space, allows guests the freedom to be themselves, the sound of the sea and warm breeze soothing all senses.