Here's the list of reasons to have your wedding in the Maldives – Tying the knot in a tropical paradise

The island nation of the Maldives is a truly stunning location to tie the knot with the love of your life followed by a memorable wedding reception for your friends and family. The best part of opting to get married in the archipelago is that there is a wonderful array of backdrops to host the occasion against. One can choose to exchange vows on a stunning beach on of the many private islands in the Maldives or say I do aboard a sunset cruise wedding followed by an intimate wedding reception in an underwater restaurant.

Do keep in mind that a wedding in the Maldives is not legally binding and not be considered so until you have a legal marriage registration in your home country. Many couples opt to register their marriage and complete any related formalities in their home state, followed by a token ceremony and wedding reception to celebrate their union.

When it comes down to the ceremony itself, couples have the option of a westernised ceremony or choosing to incorporate aspects of the Maldives culture including a drum procession known locally as Bodu Beru which is a procession of 20-25 drummers dressed in traditional clothing that lead the bride and groom to be down the aisle. The traditional Maldivian wedding will be preceded by a judge, Gazi, and will be conducted in the local language known as Divehi. Couples can also go down the more authentic route by wearing traditional Maldivian clothing.

Weddings in general can be an expensive experience. However, choosing to have a wedding in the Maldives is substantially cheap and is sure to save couples a lot of money. A wedding package in the island nation starts from $550 to $4000 excluding airfare. A definite plus point is that couples will not need to dish out more cases for a honeymoon as they can opt to not only host a beautiful wedding in a gorgeous destination they can honeymoon in literal paradise. Many 5-star resorts in Maldives including the likes of Adaaran Prestige Water Villas offer some great wedding packages, that cover the venue, photography, wedding cake and even the bride's makeup! Couples can also rest easy knowing that most resorts will be more than happy to customise packages and deals to cater to any special requirements they might have.

Whether you're hosting an intimate wedding reception with your nearest and dearest or keen on a lavish party for an extensive list of guests, one can rest assured that it will be a fun and truly memorable event. Here too, couples can opt to host a tropical candlelit party on the beach or a more formal event in a grand ballroom!