An Interview with Paradise Cove’s Wedding Coordinator in Mauritius

We are sharing a series of conversations with people around the world whom couples may meet while planning a wedding abroad or a romantic getaway.

Here is our conversation with Sandhya about her work as a wedding coordinator at the five-star Paradise Cove Boutique Hotel in Mauritius.

We know Paradise Cove very well. We’ve stayed there several times ourselves, and it’s a hotel we’re particularly fond of.

It’s an intimate boutique hotel, set around a beautiful natural cove with its own little beach.

Paradise Cove feels like a peaceful hideaway, with thoughtful details and excellent service. It’s a romantic place with relatively few rooms, reserved for adults, and plenty of little corners where two people can steal a moment together — the love nests, as they’re called. Rather than a thumping evening party, imagine a gentle saxophone playing beneath the stars. Even the lush gardens, with their extraordinary tropical flowers, look as though they belong in Avatar.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear ‘a wedding in Mauritius’?

One of my favourite things about preparing a wedding is personally looking after the flowers. The floral arrangements can make one wedding feel completely different from another, especially when they include frangipani — or plumeria — a local flower and my personal favourite. Its fragrance, shape, colours… It’s so beautiful, and it makes the wedding setting even more romantic. Whatever colour of frangipani you choose, it always looks right at a wedding overlooking the ocean.

I’ve worked at Paradise Cove Boutique Hotel for the past eight years. With 30 years of experience in hospitality and ten years organising weddings in Mauritius and abroad, I can handle just about any challenge that comes my way. I love organising weddings right from the beginning, starting from scratch. And to me, nothing quite compares with a beach wedding in Mauritius.

What do you love most about your job?

Those precious moments during a wedding day when you can see the excitement shining in the couple’s eyes. That’s what I enjoy most.

What’s it like meeting couples who are just hours away from exchanging their vows?

On a wedding day I’m coordinating several things at once, and they all need to be just right, so finding time to meet the bride and groom can be a little challenging. But it’s always very rewarding, and I genuinely look forward to the moments we spend together. My job is to reassure them, help them relax and be there for them, because on such an important day they often don’t have many familiar faces around them.

Where can couples get married at Paradise Cove, and what makes the setting special?

We have several wonderful places for a wedding around the hotel. Couples can choose according to what they’d like to experience on their special day — on the sand, looking out towards the island of Coin de Mire rising from the ocean, for example, or beneath a rustic gazebo in the cove overlooking a waterfall. The resort is set on a beautiful peninsula, with dreamy views of five islands off northern Mauritius, turquoise water and blue skies.

Editor’s note: For an additional fee, a local representative can help with the legal formalities. A legally valid marriage still requires the applicable Mauritian civil procedure.

Why might couples choose Paradise Cove for their honeymoon?

Honeymooners have really taken to Paradise Cove because it has so many different places, each with its own atmosphere.

For more privacy, they can settle into our love nests overlooking the cove and the sea, or relax beside our infinity pool with views of the northern islands. But the resort also has lovely places to socialise, including Peninsula Bar.

Newlyweds naturally spend much of their stay enjoying each other’s company, but they often welcome the chance to meet other guests over a cocktail or a beer.

What makes Paradise Cove different?

First of all, the setting itself is quite special. Paradise Cove Boutique Hotel is built around a natural cove, and that gives guests so much privacy.

Because the hotel is for adults only, there’s a particularly romantic atmosphere. But, as I mentioned, there’s also a lovely sense of sociability, with opportunities to meet people from all over the world.

We also offer our special You & Me Moments programme, a collection of experiences and moments for two people to share.

Paradise Cove is A Place made of Places. Our guests can always find just the right spot for whatever mood they’re in: somewhere private and peaceful, somewhere lively, a place with a view of the ocean or a corner tucked away in the lush gardens.

What’s your favourite spot in the hotel, and why?

It’s hard to choose just one, but I’d probably pick the terrace near Peninsula Bar. It has a beautiful view across the ocean towards three little islands: Coin de Mire, Gabriel and Flat. You can even watch wonderful sunsets from there — preferably with a nice drink in your hand!

Do you have a funny little wedding story you could share with us?

I still remember one wedding when the bride and groom were already waiting at the ceremony venue. Suddenly, I got a phone call from the groom’s parents, so I hurried over to tell him about it. I leaned towards him to pass on their message.

But to my surprise, he kissed me on the cheek! He thought I had come over to congratulate him. When he realised I was actually there because of the phone call, he and the bride both burst out laughing. I have to say, I still laugh every time I remember it.

It’s clear from the way Sandhya talks about her work how much Paradise Cove, that little tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, means to her. Her enthusiasm and personal attention can help newlyweds make wonderful memories of their wedding abroad. We’re grateful to Sandhya for taking the time to speak with us.

Intrigued by Paradise Cove? Read our interview with Marcela, a bride who had a legally valid wedding there.

Photography: YachtWedding.com and Attitude Hotels archives