CARIBBEAN WEDDING IDEAS

A romantic setting for a wedding is pretty much assured in the Caribbean , but there are considerable practical concerns when it comes to putting your ideas into reality, particularly in an island three or four thousand miles away. Things work rather differently in the islands. Local organisers and wedding planners, and dedicated staff attached to the hotels, are there to help you plan your day and find for you the best that their island has to offer.

The two strongest destinations for Caribbean weddings, where the services are most developed, are Barbados and St Lucia . Other islands do have dedicated wedding organisers though, who have long experience in putting together the whole plan for you.

Below are a few ideas to stimulate thoughts about where to get married around the Caribbean.

HOTEL WEDDINGS

Hoteliers have long recognised the demand for weddings and so most will offer to hold a ceremony for you in their grounds. Many also have members of staff to make all the arrangements for you. There is usually a standard ‘package’, but you can adapt it so that it is exactly as you wish. DefinitiveCaribbean has selected hotels that offer a more individual approach.

On Barbados, many of the hotels on the West Coast offer a superb setting, but particularly Cobblers Cove and Coral Reef . For somewhere a little off-beat you could try Little Good Harbour or, on the south coast, Little Arches . In St Lucia consider Anse Chastanet . Nevis is an extremely romantic island and this is brought to a highpoint in the plantation house hotels. You might consider Montpelier Plantation Inn and Nisbet Plantation Beach Club , which also offer two-centre holidays between them, an option for the honeymoon couple themselves. In Antigua Blue Waters has lovely location on a point stretching out to sea. Any of the top hotels in the BVI would organise a good wedding for you, but Biras Creek is particularly worth considering if you would like a sailaway honeymoon aboard one of their yachts. Elsewhere around the islands you could consider the Calabash and Spice Island Beach Resort on Grenada, Cap Juluca on Anguilla and the exquisite Round Hill on Jamaica.

PRIVATE ISLAND WEDDINGS

Surely your own private island is the ultimate in wedding locations. There are just a few in the Caribbean. Consider Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands and Petit St Vincent in the Grenadines. Other small islands worth considering include Peter Island in the BVI.

INTIMATE CARIBBEAN INN WEDDINGS

Many of the inns in the Caribbean have extremely romantic settings, some of them in historic buildings that make for a wonderful backdrop. They are ideal for a small gathering and can provide good value for money.

In the Grenadines consider the Caribbee Inn on Carriacou and on Grenada itself, set in pretty coves on the south coast, Bel Air Plantation and Petit Bacaye , the latter of which has a very simple but wonderful setting. Among Nevis’s plantation house hotels is one of the loveliest inns in the islands, the Hermitage , but also consider Rawlins Plantation on St Kitts, which has a supreme low-key elegance. In the BVI there is the Sugar Mill on Tortola. If you are one for a historic naval setting, then consider (with the help of a wedding organiser) the delightful Admiral’s Inn in Nelson’s Dockyard

VILLA WEDDINGS

Villa weddings give a level of privacy that would not be possible in a hotel . You will not be sharing your day with inquisitive guests that stop and stare while you make your vows. There is also a dedicated staff in a villa who will look after you while the other arrangements go on around you. Most villas are happy to stage a ceremony on their grounds, but even if choose to get married elsewhere, say in a church, you can follow it with a reception at the villa.

There are literally hundreds of villas around the Caribbean, so there is something to suit everyone. You can find superbly luxurious villas that sleep up to 16 people. Or, if you have a large party then they can be accommodated close to each other in private villa enclaves. Most villas will require that you use a wedding organiser to make all the arrangements for you. You can become involved as you like of course, but their service is designed to make everything completely hassle-free for you.

The best island locations for villa weddings are Barbados , where there are many extremely grand villas, and St Lucia . The services are at their most sophisticated in these two islands and there are plenty of ideas and themes on offer.

VILLA RESORT WEDDINGS

Villa resorts combine the freedom of villa life and a degree of privacy with the facilities of a hotel. All the activities will be right there - watersports, tennis, and maybe scuba diving as well as bars, restaurants and evening entertainment. If you are a large party they also enable you to be close to all your guests but still to have some privacy for your family. In most cases, hotel rooms are also available.

One of the best islands is Tobago, where Plantation Beach Villas and Stonehaven Villas offer excellent settings and services. In St Lucia Stonefield Estate Villa Resort has a supreme setting beneath the Petit Piton and in GrenadaBel Air Plantation is set in its own wonderful cove. In Antigua, consider Galleon Beach and the St James Club and on Virgin Gorda in the BVI consider Leverick Bay Villa Resort .

WEDDINGS AT SEA

You might want to consider a wedding afloat. The most luxurious option is aboard your own fully crewed yacht or even on one of the small tall ships in the Windstar or Windjammer fleet . Equally, you may choose to tie the knot on land and have your wedding reception on a sunset cruise or sail away for your honeymoon.

CHURCH WEDDINGS

It is possible to tie the knot in a church in the Caribbean. Most Christian denominations, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Baptist, are represented on the larger islands. Banns must usually be published on three consecutive Saturdays or Sundays for church weddings therefore arrangements must be made with the Minister of the church in advance. To marry in a Catholic church you will require the following; a testimonial letter from the Bishop of the Catholic party, Baptismal certificates, a signed statement of ‘Freedom to Marry’ from both parties by your parish priest and, a certificate of participation in a programme of preparation for marriage. In order to file your application for the licence, you will need a letter from the Minister or Magistrate who is performing the marriage ceremony.

Non-church weddings are normally performed by a local Registrar, but it may be possible to arrange for a church minister to conduct a religious ceremony (not applicable to Roman Catholics). Please seek advice from one of our recommended Specialist Tour Operators or travel organisers. If you are booking direct, please contact a Local Organiser (see below).

LOCAL WEDDING CO-ORDINATORS/ORGANISERS

Arranging your own wedding day may seem like a mammoth task, and nigh impossible when you are intending to marry in an island three or four thousand miles away from where you live. In the Caribbean, there are wedding co-ordinators or local organisers, with extensive local knowledge (of anything from cake-makers and flower-arrangers to bands and photographers) to take care of all the arrangements. They start work long before you arrive, go through all the arrangements with you on your arrival, help you to complete the necessary legal requirements, and make sure that everything goes smoothly throughout your stay and on the day. They are there to shoulder the main responsibilities so that you may relax and enjoy your holiday and prepare so that you look your best for your special day.

With the help of a good wedding co-ordinator, you might find some unusual wedding venues and themes. In St Lucia you can be married in the rainforest or even underwater if you like with the versatile and experienced hands at Awesome Caribbean Weddings taking care of all the arrangements.

Caribbean Wedding Ideas was taken from original copy written by Feona Gray whilst she was Managing Director at The Owners’ Syndicate, and is published here with the company’s approval. Edited by James Henderson. 2004.