Forty-five overwater villas, barefoot service and a ceremony pavilion you can only reach by boat.
The Setting
Gili Lankanfushi is a private island in the North Malé Atoll, about 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé's international airport. It is small by Maldives standards, with 45 overwater villas and residences, each with an outdoor shower, looking out over the Indian Ocean and the house reef.
The feel is barefoot and unhurried. Every guest has a personal Mr or Ms Friday, there is an underground wine cellar, a chocolate cave, a jungle cinema, an organic garden and the Meera Spa, and the resort runs its own coral restoration work on the reef.
The day itself
The resort's wedding experience centres on Lagoon Champa, its most private pavilion, which you reach by boat, though the resort also sets up ceremonies barefoot on the sand at Palm Beach. A local cleric leads a Maldivian blessing, and a traditional Bodu Beru band sings for you. Its published experience adds sunset drinks on a traditional dhoni and a candlelit dinner on One Palm Island. It is built for two, but the resort tells us it hosts weddings of up to 80 guests, so ask the team what is in the current package.
Where your guests stay
Couples on the published wedding experience stay in a Crusoe Residence, with an overwater hammock, sundeck and rooftop terrace, and the island's 45 villas and residences can house a small group of family and friends. Ask the team about room blocks if you want guests on the island.
Days here are spent on the house reef, surfing the lagoon, diving, at the spa or over private dinners in the wine cellar or organic garden. Getting there is simple: fly into Malé, then it is a 20 minute speedboat across.
Keep the private wine cellar dinner for the night after the ceremony. Once the blessing is done, a quiet table underground with your partner, or your closest few, is the perfect way to come down from the day.
Questions couples ask about Gili Lankanfushi
Is a wedding at Gili Lankanfushi legally binding?
No. The resort says weddings for international couples are not legally binding in the Maldives, so marry at a UK register office before you fly and have the blessing here.
How do we get to Gili Lankanfushi?
Fly into Malé international airport, then it is about 20 minutes by speedboat to the island.
Can we bring guests?
Yes. The published experience is designed for couples, but the resort tells us it hosts weddings of up to 80 guests. Ask the team about villas for family and friends.
Where does the ceremony take place?
Usually at Lagoon Champa, a private pavilion reached by boat. The resort also offers beach ceremonies at Palm Beach.
Facts checked against Gili Lankanfushi's own website and its published wedding experience. Guest numbers are supplied by the venue.
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Every venue in the collection is chosen by our editors for UK couples marrying abroad. We never take commission on your wedding, so our only job is to send you somewhere right for you.
Couple reviews are coming. We only publish reviews from couples who have married here, so this venue shows none yet. How we choose venues
- Weddings are a craft hereA dedicated team that hosts weddings regularly
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