About Madeira Weddings

Destination Wedding Planning in Madeira, with a Different Perspective

Madeira Weddings was created from a simple belief: a wedding should feel like the people getting married, not like a template.

We plan destination weddings, elopements and intimate celebrations for couples who want something personal, considered and genuinely connected to Madeira.

Behind the company is Jared Pretorius, whose professional career began in hospitality and event management before taking him through hotels, restaurants, nightlife, entrepreneurship, real estate and international business development.

After years working across different industries and countries, Jared returned to what he had always enjoyed most: hospitality, events and creating meaningful experiences for people.

Madeira Weddings is the result.

A lifelong connection to Madeira

Jared first came to Madeira at 17.

Although his career subsequently took him elsewhere, Madeira remained the place he continually returned to. Over time, the island became home.

That long relationship with Madeira is an important part of how the company works today.

Knowing Madeira is about more than knowing its hotels and viewpoints. It means understanding how the island behaves, how its landscapes differ, how quickly its weather can change, which locations work for particular types of celebrations, and, perhaps most importantly, knowing the people behind the businesses you are recommending.

A trusted local network

Our supplier network has been built personally, one relationship at a time.

We don’t simply look for someone who is talented at their job. We look for people who are reliable, respectful, communicative, professional and genuinely good to have around a wedding.

A wedding day requires many different people to work together, often under considerable pressure. We therefore look for suppliers who see themselves as part of a team rather than as separate businesses simply completing their own task.

Many of our relationships have developed over time, including with suppliers who were beginning their careers when we first met them. Watching those relationships develop and seeing the quality they now bring to our couples is one of the most rewarding parts of the business.

Because we represent multiple couples, we are also often able to negotiate preferred rates with suppliers. Where we secure those advantages, our aim is to pass the benefit directly to our clients.

Experience across the entire destination wedding experience

Destination wedding planning is our strongest area of expertise, but a successful wedding requires much more than finding a beautiful venue.

We work across venue sourcing, wedding design, floral styling, event logistics, supplier management, transportation, hospitality, guest experience, budgeting and the many practical details that make a destination wedding work.

We also understand that good planning means knowing when to bring in someone more specialised.

There is no value in allowing ego to determine who does a particular job. If another professional can do something better, we want that person on the team.

The objective is simple: the best possible result for the couple.

Our legal and civil wedding services are supported by members of our team who specialise in this area, allowing couples to have experienced guidance through the legal process alongside the wider planning of their celebration.

Transparency is part of how we operate

One of the principles behind Madeira Weddings is straightforward: couples should understand what they are paying for.

We do not add hidden markups to third-party supplier services.

When our relationships and purchasing volume allow us to negotiate preferred rates, we seek to pass those benefits on to the couple rather than quietly increasing the supplier’s price.

Our own planning and design services have clearly defined fees. Third-party services remain third-party services.

This approach was unusual to some of the venues and suppliers we first approached. Over time, however, it has helped us build relationships based on mutual respect and a clear understanding of how we operate.

For us, transparency is not a marketing slogan. It is simply how we believe business should be conducted.

If you want the environment around you to become more honest and respectful, the first place to start is with yourself.

The right planner is the one who feels right for you

We don’t believe every couple should choose Madeira Weddings.

Choosing a wedding planner is personal, and couples should trust their instincts and choose the person who feels right for them.

That principle applies to us as well.

We would rather have the right relationship with the right couple than accept every enquiry simply because we could.

Once a couple chooses Madeira Weddings, however, their wedding becomes our mission.

Our responsibility is to listen carefully, bring our experience to their ideas, assemble the right team around them, solve the problems they may never even see, and create a celebration that feels genuinely theirs.

What we want to be remembered for

Ultimately, our measure of success is not simply how beautiful the wedding looked on the day.

It is how the couple remembers it.

Ten, twenty, thirty or fifty years later, we want them to look back on their wedding day with happiness and remember the experience positively.

We want them to remember that the people involved cared.

That they were listened to.

That the details were handled.

That when something unexpected happened, someone was there to solve it.

And that the wedding felt like them.

That is what Madeira Weddings is here to do.

Madeira Weddings

Madeira Weddings is a destination wedding planning company based in Madeira, Portugal, specialising in personalized weddings, elopements and intimate celebrations.

We currently accept bookings through 2028.

Our approach combines hospitality and event management experience, local knowledge, thoughtful design, trusted local relationships and transparent business practices.

We don’t believe there is one perfect way to get married in Madeira.

We believe there is a way that is right for you.