USEFUL INFO - WEDDINGS
Thinking of getting married in Malawi, but can’t find the relevant information, well then you’ve come to the right place.
More and more people are traveling to Southern Africa to get married, the cost of traveling, hosting a wedding or honeymoon, are still much cheaper than having it in Europe, Australia or America.
Many resorts and small hotels now have chapels on the property. Others will plan the wedding reception and let you conduct your service on the hotel beach or in the gardens. A unique and unforgettable wedding can also be held in wild open spaces of private game reserves with game rangers as ushers or on a secluded beach. Beach weddings are especially popular.
It is a good idea to book well in advance and appoint a coordinator based in the country of your destination wedding, who can attend to all the details as well as liaise with the venue host. Ensure you get photo’s of the venue, themes if any are available, pictures of flowers, samples of the DJ’s or bands music etc Most resorts have package deals readily available for such grand occasions, in some cases the bride and groom can hire out the entire resort and have the entire beach or garden to themselves, perhaps with even a choir singing in the background.
Planning a wedding in Malawi from abroad however can have its disadvantages, the Malawi communication system is not to the standard of many first world countries and websites are at times outdated with information. When considering a wedding in Malawi it is important to pre-plan it about a year in advance, this ensures you have time to get in touch with the host and thus propose any themes you would like, food, entertainment, ceremony as well as any legal matters that may need to be adhered to in order to get married in Malawi. Knowing what month your marriage will also take place is very important as this enables you to know the climate as well as the cost differentiation depending on it being high peak or low season. Please visit our Climate page for further guidance. NB Costs also differentiate depending on where the bride, groom or guests originate from. Therefore Malawians get reduced rates.
Hosts are generally flexible to what you want, others allow you to bring your own alcohol, use your own caterers, DJ, or band, however if you’d prefer them to supply any or all of these, you simply need to ask. Some resorts offer sunset cruisers and onboard meals to suit whilst others are sometimes prepared to give the bride and groom a free night within their executive or presidential suites.
To get married in Malawi couples have to have been in the country for at least 21 days prior to notifying the registrar that a wedding is to take place. If however you were holding a wedding at a resort, game reserve etc. If you are having a civil service instead, you will need to notify the host, a minimum, of 1 month in advance to ensure they have the District Commissioner (DC) available to carry out the ceremony, as without him there is no registration.
Photography can be one of the most excruciating encounters you will face in Malawi, as everyone claims to be a professional photographer. Ensure you have sample work to look at before making your decision. However it also depends how professional you want your photo album to be, if it’s not a priority then they are hundreds of photographers readily available. You may also ask your host to organize all of the above for you, it does come at an expense but it will ensure you have that much more needed ‘peace of mind’.
For further information regarding visa matters, districts, accommodation, cultural notes etc please choose accordingly from the menu bar on the top left corner.
