Brittany & Viliame - A Fiji Wedding Adventure

Britt and Viliame got married in Fiji, Viliame’s home country, and they invited me to come along and shoot their wedding.

As is usually the case, I wanted to take them away from their resort to get some photos somewhere special, a place that truly felt Fijian. I’d been to Fiji many times before and knew some beautiful locations not far from where they were based, and they were happy to let me take them there a few days before their wedding.

The rain gods decided to bring the storms in from the pacific on the week of their wedding, and on the day we planned to go up into the highlands the sky was dark and rain was forecast. But I knew that the weather was fickle, and that up in the highlands the clouds came and went very quickly, and that if we were lucky we could time the photos between rainbursts. And besides, stormy weather was usually more beautiful than clear skies. Britt and Villiame were keen to go ahead, and with an entourage of helpers we drove to the places I remembered, hoping nothing had changed in the years since I was there last.

As it happened, the landscape was just as beautiful, the rain came and went, and the atmosphere was dark and moody - just the way I liked. It wasn’t easy for the two of them and their kids getting ready in their traditional masi clothes, made from tapa cloth, under umbrellas and with curious onlookers stopping to gawk, but they got it done and we got the photos, and everything turned out as we hoped.

And I couldn’t help but feel how lucky I was that I was able to shoot these two beautiful people in such a magical place, surrounded by their friends and family, wrapped in love and keeping to the traditions of the place. It felt very special.

All that was left to do then was to wait until the wedding day.

The wedding was at the Crowne Plaza, Nadi Bay, a beautiful ceremony on the front lawn followed by a massive party at the Crown reception. The rain threatened but thankfully never came, so Britt and Viliame were able to have an outdoor ceremony and photos on the beach.

The evening was one big party, with traditional Fijian dancers, conga lines, drinking and feasting and general good vibes and happy times. Congrats guys!!!