A Tunisian destination wedding
Marrying couples overseas is such a unique experience
I pinch myself every day that I get to be a wedding celebrant. It’s such a privilege - especially when I get to deliver a destination wedding!
In June I had the pleasure of marrying Alison and Salah in a private villa in Hammamet, Tunisia. First of all, how lucky was I to get to go to such a fabulous location and secondly what a perfectly lovely couple they were.
Finding the right celebrant
For your information, Alison wanted a celebrant-led wedding and couldn’t find anyone in Tunisia that could write and conduct a ceremony exactly as she wanted. As a result, they searched for a UK-based celebrant that would fly out to Tunisia. I used to work in Tunisia a long time ago so was familiar with the culture and customs, and I was a great fit for them. They paid for mine and my husband’s flight and a couple of nights’ accommodation, as well as being their celebrant for their beautiful wedding (he came as my trusty assistant).
Checking out the beautiful beach by the villa
Shared values
I’m naturally nosey, so it was great getting to know them ahead of their big day. They met in Tunisia in 2022, which is one of Alison’s favourite holiday hotspots. A mutual love for dancing and good music drew them together, and then spending time together realised they had so many shared values, including being really close to their families.
Salah asked Alison to marry him in an incredibly romantic gesture. He took balloons to their favourite view point overlooking a little cove and arranged them to say ‘will you marry me’. Just as the sun was setting, he took her there and went down on one knee. Being an eternal romantic, Alison of course said yes, and the rest is history.
Fast forward to this June, I flew out ahead of Alison to Tunisia so I could make sure everything I needed to do was in order.
Just before I went to the wedding venue, all dressed up in green!
Perfect location
The location was perfect – a pristine white villa overlooking a white sandy beach. It was like a hang-out for a movie star! The outdoor stage and walkway in Alison’s navy blue and gold theme were breathtaking. It was all exactly as she wanted.
Checking everything was ready for the ceremony
Managing the unexpected
On the day, it was a little chaotic – can you believe it rained! In June – in Tunisia!! This is unheard of, so we were a bit late starting as everything has to be dried out. As the celebrant, I was able to guide the couple and their guests through the change of plans with ease and as the day moved from day to evening, the villa took on a whole new romantic feel.
The couple saying their promises to each other
Blending cultures
The ceremony was perfect, I blended a mix of traditions and language to include everyone – even including a little bit of Arabic at the beginning. We included a handfasting ceremony ritual and it was so lovely, as we had one of Salah’s brothers and Alison’s brother involved. It was a real uniting of both families.
Let’s party!
It all ended with fireworks and then Alison changed into her Tunisian wedding dress – and then the party got started! What a feast we all had (I got to stay too!) and we danced into the wee small hours.
Congratulations, Alison and Salah!
If you are looking for a celebrant that can adapt to your own unique needs, please get in touch.