Simone Wright and Eric Perrigault met on the Greek island of Rhodes 15 years ago – Simone was on holiday from Australia and Eric was on a sailing trip from France, a meeting that would change both their lives forever.
After a whirlwind romance, neither returned home, instead they packed up and sailed the world together, stopping to moor and live for a time in exotic locales like the Seine River in Paris, the Spanish paradise of Minorca and the beautiful Caribbean island of Martinique.
They could have married anywhere in the world, but they decided on the breathtaking azure waters, vibrant green cliffs and silky white sands of the picturesque French Polynesia. After several months sailing through some of the world’s most scenic tropical offerings, they arrived at the island of Moorea, a majestic island gem which looks almost too good to be true. The shocking colours and untouched beauty of this island is the stuff of dreams, appearing as if almost photo-shopped onto the deep blue expanse. They were married at the Hotel Sofitel la Ora Beach Resort with close family alongside, the ocean-mounted bungalows every bit the postcard-perfect tropical escape sitting securely on bucket lists worldwide. Simone: “After our wedding we decided to honeymoon here before finally sailing to Australia to start our new life back in my home country (a place Eric has fallen in love with), so we took our time and sailed over to Tahiti where we wandered around the capital, Papeete (quite cute) and then sailed on to the islands of Raiatea, Huahine, Tahaa and Bora Bora.
“Although we loved all of the islands, our favourite was definitely Bora Bora for the simple fact that it is the most romantic with beautiful beaches, great snorkelling and fantastic restaurants to eat out at. We highly recommend two great restaurants – the first would be Bloody Mary’s which we visited quite a few times, as it has a great atmosphere with delicious local dishes to try. The second one is a fantastic restaurant named St James, which has a gorgeous view over the lagoon and delicious nouvelle cuisine.
“We also got lucky and were in Bora Bora during Heiva which is French Polynesia’s yearly festival. Heiva is celebrated on all of the islands, however it’s particularly spectacular in Bora Bora. Heiva runs for a whole month around June/July and consists of traditional dancing, music and food. There are food stalls with great local delicacies and fantastic nightly shows from different dance groups from Bora Bora and surrounding islands. Being here at that special time made our visit all the more memorable. “There’s plenty to do on all the islands – visiting the local pearl farms, hiking, snorkelling, scuba diving, swimming with reef sharks and manta rays, bike riding, quad bike tours, boat tours on the lagoons, surfing, kite surfing, whale watching and long walks along white sandy beaches whilst watching the dazzling sunset. They’re all wonderful, but what sets Bora Bora apart from the rest is its spectacular views over its stunning lagoon with its amazing turquoise colours as well as its night life. “Our wedding and honeymoon were perfect!”
Tahiti Destination Wedding FACT FILE
GETTING THERE
A number of airlines fly from Brisbane to Tahiti. Air New Zealand also offers return flights to Pepeete.
WHERE TO STAY
Check our Tahiti directory
INFO
Visit TahitiNow.com.au for all the planning info you need.
