On December 21, 2024, Rarotonga became the backdrop for a heartfelt celebration of love as Losirene Dasalusalu and her newly wedded husband, Ratu Osea Dasalusalu, tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony.

The event, which was a stunning display of Fijian culture, took place at the residence of their close friend, Natasha Datt, in Tupapa, and was followed by a reception at the Umu Experience.

It was a mixture of Fijian and Cook Islands culture as their families and loved ones from Fiji and in Cook Islands all gathered together to witness their special day.

Losirene, who is a dedicated member of the Cook Islands News team, shared the story of how she and Ratu Osea’s relationship blossomed in 2023.

“Ratu Osea and I met in Rarotonga in 2023, but our relationship began close to the mid-year. We began this journey silently and kept it quiet for some time until we started living together,” she recalled.

“We are both raised by our individual maternal sides; I guess that’s why we understood each other more.”

Their connection grew stronger as they found common ground after both having come out of challenging past relationships.

“We both got out of some bad relationships, and in each other, we saw that we had things in common and decided that our past would not determine or pull us back from something we could build together,” Losirene added.

The newly wedded couple with the best man Ropate Dreu and maid of honour Isabel Chand, and the bride’s mother Helen Singh. TALAIA MIKA/25010305

The couple’s bond deepened, with Ratu Osea becoming more than just a partner to Losirene.

“With Ratu or Oscar, I found a friend, someone I could talk openly to, dance to, cook and clean with, and most importantly, someone who would give me a hug just to calm me down and breathe,” she shared. “He is my peace, my go-to person.”

In late 2023, the couple made the decision to marry, and with the help of close friends, Josua Toko and Waqa Naitini, who became their wedding planners, they began preparing for the special day.

Their friends quickly became family, guiding them through the wedding process despite facing some negative comments and challenges.

“We did not go through the whole Fijian traditional protocol of the male’s side asking for my hand in marriage from my paternal side in our own village settings or the whole presentation of whales tooth etc.,” Losirene explained.

“We felt this journey is about us and needed to make the wedding as simple and enjoyable for us, our family and close friends. And most importantly, it had to be a wedding ceremony we both wanted.”

The couple emphasised that every decision they made for the wedding was mutual, as they always strived to make choices that aligned with both of their wishes.

Though they never imagined getting married far from home, Losirene and Ratu Osea were thrilled to have their families from Fiji and New Zealand, along with their friends from Rarotonga, present to witness their vows.

The reception saw another heartwarming moment when Cook Islands News publisher, John Woods, made an announcement to the guests. He revealed that Losirene had been promoted to deputy editor at the Cook Islands News, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Her husband, Ratu Osea, is the head chef at the Anchorage Resort, and together, the couple’s celebration of love and culture in Rarotonga truly brought together the warmth of their Fijian roots and the spirit of their new life in the Cook Islands.