This couple escaped the everyday for an idyllic “I Do” in paradise. Whether it’s a cherished holiday destination or a beloved city, we all have somewhere from our youth that we remember as our ‘special place’. After spending many childhood holidays at Samoa’s quiet village of Lefaga, Cherith returned here time and again with her sweetheart, Archie, for summer getaways.
So when the two became engaged, there was only one place they envisioned for their dream wedding. “Return to Paradise Resort sits right on our favourite beach, tucked away from the reality of everyday life,” explains Cherith. Escaping to this dream location with 90 close friends and family, Cherith and Archie were treated to a truly magnificent setting for their special day. The couple wed at the venue’s Chapel by the Sea, and were blessed with perfectly blue skies and azure water views during their heartwarming ceremony. It was enough, though, to distract one very special guest. “During the blessing ceremony, my eight-year-old son mouthed the words ‘Mum, I want to go swim’,” Cherith recalls with a laugh. “I was looking at him and didn’t realise that I’d missed repeating the first sentence of our vows! I cracked up and everyone else did, too. Afterwards, Archie joked that he thought I’d had second thoughts.”
The newlyweds later wandered hand-in-hand along their favourite beach for a romantic photo-session, before joining their loved ones at the venue’s Paradise Kitchen, where they soaked up more enchanting ocean views, served alongside incredible cuisine and an enticing dessert table. “Everyone loved the food,” says Cherith. “Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how great everything tasted.” A relaxed day that focused on the sweet things in life, Cherith and Archie’s wedding was brimming with good ol’ fashioned love. “Everything felt so beautifully intimate,” says Cherith. “We tied the knot on our favourite beach with all the people we love. And we all got to be together and enjoy Return to Paradise’s breathtaking scenery.”
The Details:
Number of guests: 90 // Wedding location: Return to Paradise Resort, Samoa // Wedding planner: Joyce Lala at Return to Paradise Resort // Photography: WhiteLight Photography // Dress: TAV Pacific // Honeymoon: Asia or Europe
