Q&A
Here's everything you need to know for the wedding - and everything we found helpful for visiting Madeira. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Xuyen or Josh. We hope to see you there!
What day do you recommend arriving?
Wedding festivities begin on Thursday and we are recommending that everyone arrive on Wednesday, December 4. However, we understand everyone will have their own schedule, so please do what works best for you.
At a minimum, you will need to arrive on Friday in order to make the wedding on Saturday afternoon.
Where should we stay? What is lodging like on the island?
Lodging is readily accessible and there are tons of different options across all budgets. Personally, Xuyen has stayed at the Hotel Baia Azul and it was fabulous and affordable. Our families will be staying at the Pestana Carlton Madeira. We have heard excellent things about the Cliff Bay, which is also within walking distance to the wedding venue.
Please see our Lodging page for some of the recommendations. At a minimum, we recommend staying in Funchal, Madeira.
A taxi from the airport to Funchal will cost 40-50 euros. There is also a shuttle bus that goes into the hotel area that is cheap and costs about 6 euros. However, it only comes every half hour and only takes cash.
Do I need to rent a car on the island?
We recommend it if you are planning on hiking or seeing other sights; it will also likely be the most cost-effective (taxis can be pricy). However, if you are on Funchal, it is not necessary if you are okay with walking and taking public transport.
How do I get around the island?
If you stay in Funchal, walking shouldn't be too much of an issue. However, please keep in mind, the island is hilly. Taxis are easy to find and the car app to use is Bolt. Uber does not operate on the island.
What is the wedding dress code?
Dress code is semi-formal, which means dress nicely, but not like you're going to a ball. No tuxedo or ballgowns needed. There is no particular color scheme, wear what you feel best in!
Do I need to be worried about the language difference?
Portuguese is the primary language, but Madeira is a very well-developed island and English will be just fine.
What will the weather be like?
The island is known for its eternal spring-like weather. It will be not too cold, not too hot. A light jacket is recommended, but also with sunglasses. When I visited in March it was in the 50s Fahrenheit, but felt warmer due to the sun. Fingers crossed there will be no rain during the wedding.
What are some of the things to do on Madeira?
The island is famous for its hikes, Madeira wine and sparkling views. We found this CNN article helpful. A few other things on our itinerary:
- Monte Palace Madeira (via the Funchal Cable Car)
- Wine tasting! Here's a helpful link for recommendations. Want to know more about the history? We found this National Geographic article interesting. has a good article.
I'm sure you will find your own things to do - let us know what you ideas you've come up with!
Do you have a registry?
While gifts are not necessary, we are grateful for any gifts to support our married lives together. Our newlywed fund can be found here.