10 Best Wedding Venues on Rarotonga 💍 [2024]

1. Nautilus Resort

Tucked away on the sandy southern shores of Muri Beach, Nautilus Resort provides a glorious venue for your wedding in paradise. Get married at a groomed beach venue looking out to the island of Taakoka or even on the uninhabited “motu” itself! Say your “I dos” beneath either a floral or a white-draped bamboo archway with bamboo, coconut and floral aisle. When it comes to celebrating with loved ones, choose from a poolside marquee, beachfront gazebo, the Nautilus Resort Restaurant or a private dining room.

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2. Te Vara Nui Village

Among the gorgeous water gardens and towering traditionally inspired rooves of Te Vara Nui Village, enjoy a true Rarotongan wedding. Larger groups can be treated to one of the three restaurants beside gorgeous waterfalls and unique floating stages for cultural performances, while intimate groups can experience their own VIP tables at Te Vara Nui’s famed cultural night. Packages come as various decoration themes for your chosen restaurant, whether you want an authentic island experience or a sophisticated “white dream” wedding.

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3. Crown Beach Resort & Spa

Choose from three (and a half) wedding venues for your special day at the Crown Beach Resort & Spa. Intimate weddings of up to six people have the option to enjoy a reception under a beach pavilion, while larger groups can choose from a beachfront marquee, indoor event room or their on-site Flambé Restaurant. As for ceremony locations, you can choose your two-pole decorated bamboo archway or fully floral archway on the beach or among the resort’s garden courtyard.

© Craig Owen - Cook Islands Tourism

4. Manuia Beach Resort

It doesn’t get more “on the beach” than a beach wedding at the adults-only Manuia Beach Resort and their acclaimed On the Beach (OTB) restaurant. Walk down the palm-strewn aisle to your beautifully decorated archway to say your “I dos”. Your reception can be held in a marquee or at the OTB restaurant known for serving up some of the finest cuisine on Rarotonga – just check them out in the 10 Best Restaurants in Rarotonga.

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5. Edgewater Resort & Spa

It couldn’t be easier than eloping at the Edgewater Resort & Spa. The largest resort on Rarotonga has the essential services all in one place, including a beauty spa and hair salon to make you feel a hundred bucks for the big day. With swaying coconut palms lining a sunset beach, Edgewater has an idyllic venue for a toes-in-the-sand wedding. Their wedding packages include a tastefully decorated pergola on the beach, while those celebrating with friends and family have the option of a fully decorated 30-pax venue. Check out their packages in the 10 Best Wedding Packages for Rarotonga.

© Derek Smith - Cook Islands Tourism

6. Coastal Kitchen

A spectacular option for weddings shared with friends and family, Coastal Kitchen offers a relaxed yet beautifully presented wedding venue beside the beach in Tupapa. More suited to pre and post-ceremony gatherings, Coastal Kitchen’s sheltered deck beside a family home and large garden where a marquee can be set up offer a non-pretentious yet beautiful space. The food is the icing on the cake, lovingly prepared by the head chef and organised just the way you want it by your coordinator, Jaewynn.

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7. The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium

Say your “I dos” on the sandy shores of Aroa Beach at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium. One of the largest resorts on Rarotonga, The Rarotongan and neighbouring Sanctuary Rarotonga on the Beach offer comprehensive wedding packages to go along with a stunning wedding venue. Get married under a four-post white-draped archway, while those celebrating with loved ones can enjoy the use of the Treetop Verandah Room for their wedding reception. They even have an “after-party” venue at the on-site Latitude 21-30 Nightclub.

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8. Moana Sands Beachfront Hotel

There is certainly no lack of beach wedding venues on Rarotonga, and Moana Sands Beachfront Hotel offers yet another breathtaking option on the shores of Takitumu Beach. You know the deal: groomed beachfront venue with a bamboo archway decorated in white linen and flowers. The hotel offers a range of packages to make planning your wedding day as easy as an island breeze. See how they compare to other packages in the 10 Best Wedding Packages for Rarotonga.

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9. Highland Paradise

For a unique inland venue at a sacred yet beautiful archaeological site, choose the Rarotonga wedding venue of Highland Paradise. Be wed on the grounds of an ancient marae and under the mountain of Mt Maungaroa in a wedding with cultural undertones for a true Rarotongan experience. Be wed at a stunning ceremony location from hilltops locations overlooking the valleys and lagoon of Rarotonga, while the reception can take place in an undercover decorated venue with the stage set for Highland’s renowned cultural performances.

Learn more about their cultural tours in 10 Best Cultural Shows in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.

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10. Mairie Nui Gardens

Last but certainly not least, have your Rarotongan wedding among the breathtaking tropical flower displays of Mairie Nui Gardens. With lush lily ponds and spectacular views of the inland mountains, Mairie Nui Gardens offers a wedding venue like nowhere else on Rarotonga. The garden coordinators can organise something simple or prepare glorious floral archways for the big day.

You can even visit the venue first, as the gardens are one of the 20 Free & Cheap Things to Do on Rarotonga.

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