Brisbane-Australia to Dumaguete - First-time Traveler.

Brian, regarding getting married in the Philippines there are many web sites to tell you the process and required documents, such as this one: Getting Married in The Republic of The Philippines -- Philippines Marriage License Information
I am from the U.S. so one of my requirements was a little different than yours will be, plus I already had a permanent visa from when I was single. I posted back in August or September on this forum the steps I went through, very arduous and tests your patience. Moreover, it takes time to get things done. If you want to try and get everything done in 4 weeks your fiance will have to take care many steps on the list before you get here. If you have been married before, you will be asked for the original divorce decree, for example. Have a look at that internet site and related sites and educate yourself. If you will be getting married in the Catholic Church, it is a bit more rigid, I passed on that. It may be helpful if you can find my and others posts on the steps they went through, the issues they encountered, and the timeframe. Good luck, and feel free to ask questions but read and understand the process.

 

Brian, check this out, Australia Embassy Philippines on requirements to marry in Philippines.
marriage - Australian Embassy

 

Firefly, I believe you may be wrong:
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
DIRECT FLIGHTS:
******* 1:20p Brisbane (BNE) I 7:05p Manila (MNL) 1
QF 19 Non-stop Airbus A330-300 (333) 7:45 Operates Mar 29

 

Brian, I'll add my little piece....take the Qantas flight to Manila....good crowd...and you are not changing planes in some spot like Changi or Bangkok....nice as they are. Qantas will take care of you. They're Australian....I fly them reasonably often and have no complaints - a very professional crowd. Done Brisbane-Manila once...good fight.
Second, get your fiance to meet you at the international terminal in Manila...save that bit extra to carry it out..it'll be very much worth it, She can meet you - and help you get on to the PAL flight to Dumaguete...notice I said PAL...far more comfortable and painless....even though it may cost a very few dollars more. She might need $70-80 for an overnight in Manila (hotel , meals, transport) plus whatever it costs to get her there, air or ferry boat....But your arrival and travel to Dumaguete will be considerably better.
Third, it might be worth your while for her to meet a member or two of this forum in case they could assist with the process...If I was there I certainly wouldn't mind a trip to Manila...not like I have to wake up at dark-thirty Monday to go to work LOL...
Just my thoughts...and good luck with it all. I think it would be advantageous for her to meet up with a member or two anyway so you know you're getting the right kind of Sheila....and she gets an idea of life with an expat from the member's missus....never hurts...We've done the same on holidays.....even in Dumaguete LOL...helped a 'new' couple along there...for life in Oz. All the best!

 

A lot of great advices already, all about flights, so lets talk about something different, even it seems you have your mind set, so my advice might be totally useless, but it would be:

SLOOOOOOOOOW DOWN !!!!!

you never traveled, there are members here who lived in asia 20 years before coming to the Philippines and they were shocked about many things.

your plan makes to me absolutely NO sense. Come here, go to a hotel and have a great time with your loved one, skip all that family stuff, enjoy your weeks exploring stuff together.

If you think you know the slightest little bit after 3,5 years chatting, (and I am sure many will confirm that) you are 110% wrong.

Skip all that family crap, get your girl ans spend time with her, explore the country, go to Bohol, Siquijor or even a simple cottage for some weeks around Negros etc. Spend time with her, get to know each other in real life. you are in your early 50s. There is totally no need to run head over heals into something on a very first trip to another country.

Sounds negative? well, maybe... I am not known to talk "sweet honey" but in 10 years I heard many of your statements about "keeper", "different" too many times. I saw many friends going downhill, not necessarily financially, a look into their eyes told the whole story, no matter what "happy" words came out of their mouth.

However, the only advice I might say is: Slow down !!!

 

You are right Pat.
Flight QF19 originates in Sydney, but is non stop between Brisbane and Manila.
I'm afraid this is not the cheapest solution, but certainly the most convenient.
But with a final destination Dumaguete, an overnight stay in Manila is inevitable.

 

^^

He said sometime winter so here's another option, departs Brisbane on Nov. 10 (SAT). This one allows you to proceed to Dumaguete with staying overnight in Manila.

Flight QF 647 (Brisbane to Melbourne)
Departs Brisbane: 19:10
Arrives Melbourne: 22:30

then connect to:

Philippine Airlines
Flight PR 212 (Melbourne to Manila)
Departs Melbourne: 00:20
Arrives Manila: 05:20

Flight PR 291 (Manila to Dumaguete)
Departs Manila: 07:00
Arrive Dumaguete: 08:15

or if connection time is too short for the Dumaguete leg

PR 293
Departs Manila: 13:40
Arrives Dumaguete: 15:00

Another option is to go via Sydney

 

That is good that Cebu can be a first touch down point, much closer, cost is a factor but because I have had a broken leg since 1984 comfort comes first which means the least amount of walking around on Crutches (refuse to commit to a Wheel chair yet) the better. I am sure the $850 is Darwin to Singapore - Singapore to Manila from some of the sites I have seen? I am sure I read somewhere online that Philippines Airlines were doing direct flights from Brisbane to Manila but cannot f ind it now so maybe it fell through?

 

Thank you PatO; that link is a good start and I think better laid out then trying to understand a lot of the Australian Government info (or lack of) on the sites here. I do have the time, I am in no rush and can plan all this out before going there, 'slow and steady wins the race'...

 

Talking to Melinda tonight, she informed me that she could meet me at the Airport in Manila, her older Sister and Husband live in Paranaque City; a stones throw from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, is this THE Airport of choice I would be landing at in Manila? If so she can meet me there, we can stay at her Sisters house and then proceed to Dumaguete at our leisure... Sounds like a plan if I can connect the right dots? Am I on the right track?