Blue skies, sandy beaches, and churches — witness decades of love in Guam

▲ Married couples celebrating decades of togetherness have the opportunity to reaffirm their love in Guam. (Photo / Provided by the Taiwan Office of the Guam Visitors Bureau)

Reported by Chen Zi-Yin / Taipei

“Blue skies, crystal-clear seas, pristine white sands, and beautiful churches” — such idyllic scenery is what island weddings are known for, where couples exchange vows and create sweet memories in a romantic setting. But who says island weddings are only for “newlyweds”? The Guam Tourism Board wants to give “seasoned couples” a chance to say “I do” all over again in a dreamy church with breathtaking ocean views.

Yan De-Fen, representative of the Guam Visitors Bureau Taiwan Office, said that in recent years, the number of Taiwanese couples choosing to hold their weddings in Guam has been steadily increasing. By 2012, around 400 couples had already pledged their lives to each other there. In fact, in countries like Japan or certain parts of Europe and the United States, many couples married for decades hold “renewal of vows” ceremonies, inviting relatives and friends to celebrate and reaffirm their marital bond in a grand ceremony. However, this is relatively rare in Taiwan. Yan hopes this event can encourage not just newlyweds but also “old married couples” to come to Guam and reaffirm their love.

With this in mind, the Guam Visitors Bureau and Ward Parkway Weddings have launched the “Say I Do Again” contest, offering a grand prize worth over NT$200,000. The winning couple will receive a five-day, three-night “Renew Your Vows Trip” to Guam, which includes “round-trip airfare from Taipei to Guam for two, three nights’ stay at a luxury hotel, and a vow renewal ceremony at the popular Blue Aster Chapel, overlooking the stunning ocean.”

[Event Information]
Say I Do Again
Registration Period: May 22 – June 20
Eligibility: 1. Married couples 2. Former couples who wish to reconcile
How to Enter: Upload a sweet photo of the couple to the event website and explain why you deserve the grand prize.
Event Details: In the first round, 20 pairs of contestants will be selected to advance to the finals based on online popularity and judging panel evaluation, with 60% of the score based on the emotional appeal of the story.Judges will score based on the quality of the stories, photos, and videos uploaded by contestants, as well as their ability to engage and inspire sharing and responses from netizens. The remaining 40% will be determined by the number of votes received. In the second phase, the 20 finalists will be interviewed by the judging panel to select the ultimate winning couple. Friends and family of participants can also join the lucky draw, with the top prize being a round-trip Taipei–Guam flight voucher for attending the ceremony.

(Participants who record a video in front of the photo wall at the Guam booth during the Taipei Travel Expo held at Taipei World Trade Center from May 24 to May 27 will receive bonus points.)