tava

Hello my fiancé & I are thinking about getting married this July. It will not be a large wedding, just us and our four kids. We are think about an island wedding. I love the island of Turks & Caicos, Aruba, St. Thomas, Costa Rica, Jamaica, or Antigua. We would love to stay at a luxury all inclusive resort where the wedding can be held on property. I want an island where the beaches are blue & sand is white. The resort should have great pools, as we are traveling with 3 boys (14, 15, & 9) and a 3 year old girl, who are all water lovers.

Caribzack

Beaches Resort on Turks & Caicos would be perfect for you. Lotso f activity, water park, beautiful white sand and aqua water. They do weddings there all of the time...we have seen them on the beach. We spent our honeymoon at The Regent Palms and have gone back to the island many times staying at The Somerset. If you do not go all inclusive--I would suggest those resorts. BUT for All inclusive you can not beat Beaches--it is the only AI on the island that children are welcome.

OceanBreeze1

Congratulations!!!

There's an AI Rui in Aruba. But, most people will tell you not to do AI in Aruba b/c there are many dining options. In Aruba, we stay @ Marriott located north of Rui on the same stretch of Palm Beach where the sand is white and the water is turquoise. The sunsets are spectacular! But Marriott is not AI.

OB1

KVR

For cost efficiency, Jamaica will be your best bet of the Islands you listed. Outside of Jamaica, Mexico and the DR, all inclusive resorts are a second thought and/or cost about 2-3 more. If money is no object, I agree with Beaches T & C. A resort your kids will probably love and be very entertained.

Costa Rica does not have white sand beaches or blue water.

Odin

Antigua has several luxury AI resorts situated on white sand beaches with blue water. Antigua is famous for it's beaches. Barbados is another good option with several AI hotels.

tava

Thanks for your responses...

Caribzack... Beaches was our first choice, but the resort is booked out for the entire summer.

OceanBreeze1...i have looked at Rui, however the reviews for the resort aren't very welcoming. Also, I prefer AI because we are traveling with three boys, and their meal can be very costly.

KVR...I am Jamaica, so we really didn't want to get married in Jamaica, we want to get married in a country we have never been to before (somewhere new).

tava

Odin...Can you please name some of these AI resorts in Antigua or Barbadoes, and please indicate if you have stayed at any of these resorts. thank you

KVR

You mentioned Jamaica in your original post and tagged it also, so it appeared you were considering it as an option.

We have been to 16 AI resorts throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. I can attest for the RUI's. They are good for people looking for a low budget family or large group vacations. We did not like the RIU in Jamaica.

We have not been to Barbados for 2 reasons. 1.) I can only get there on American Airlines, and I refuse to ever step foot on another one of their planes. They have the worst customer service and flight record I have ever experienced.

2.) The AI concept in Barbados is not comparable to Jamaica, Mexico or the DR. When researching check carefully. Some do not include alcohol and meals are limited. The accomendations, as far as I am concerned, are sub-par compared to Mexico. Antigua would probably be a better choice for AI.

I agree with the comment regarding Aruba. Though we love AI and did do AI when we went, there are just way too many restaurants and bars to try, which is part of the vacation experience.

Here's a good list of AI's in the Caribbean:

http://www.caribbeanallinclusive.com...ve_resorts.cfm

tava

KVR...thanks so much for all your suggestions, can you please name some of the best AI's in Antigua.

Odin

To condemn all AI in Barbados as being inferior to mass tourism destinations is not an accurate assessment, in my opinion. Some hotels do not offer AI but instead they offer meal plans, especially the more upmarket hotels, and this does not come with alcohol and this is can be mistakenly labelled as an AI with limited meals and drinks. If a hotel offers two meals a day and no alcohol, its MAP (modified american plan), if it offers 3 meals a day and no alcohol, it is american plan. If a hotel labels itself as AI but does not include all meals, snacks and alcohol, then it is not a true AI.

AI
Crystal Cove
Mango Bay
Coral Reef Club

Hotels offering meal plans
Cobblers Cove ( this is a relais & chateaux hotel)
Sandpiper
Treasure Beach

Antigua
Blue Waters
Jumby Bay
Carlisle Bay
Galley Bay
Smaller AIs (Coco Bay and Cocos Hotel)

Caribzack

Blue Waters in Antigua is wonderful--we lOVED it..

diann24

Our neighbors were married in Antigua. There is a beaches resort on Dickenson Bay and they got married there on the beach with there families. Dickenson Bay is a gorgeous beach with amazing water color. I assume it is still in existance.

sharona

I think Galley Bay in Antigua is adults only, or at least we didn't see any children when we were there. Why it gets such high marks on Trip Advisor is beyond me. There are very few places we wouldn't return but this is one of them. Definitely not worth the money they charge.

diann24, I don't think there's a Beaches on Dickenson Bay. There is a Sandals. Perhaps that's it?

KVR

Odin, I did NOT "condemn all AI in Barbados as being inferior to mass tourism destinations".

I said "The AI concept in Barbados is not comparable to Jamaica, Mexico or the DR. When researching check carefully." If you are going to quote me than do so correctly. It is an accurate assessment that I will forever stand by. I will not argue this point with you with again and again. So get over my perception of Barabdos vs. Mexico AI's and move on. Maybe once you decide to get off your high horse and go to Mexico, which YOU inaccurate state is a "mass tourism destination", then you will finally see what I am talking about. Until then, drop it as it's getting beyond old.

Also, I don't care if you state your opinion. To each their own. What I do care about is you constantly making jabs at mine and indicating that my opinion as well as knowledge of AI's, which I have way more experience with then you do, is inaccurate.

To the OP and everyone else, I', sorry you had to get in the middle of this debate. I do agree with the recommendations that were made for Antigua.

tava

Odin...thanks for all your recommendations, i will look into these property.

Caribzack...thx that the resort that i really want to visit.

diann24...I am not seeing a Beaches in Antigua, there is one in Turks & Caicos, did you mean that one.

sharona...Galley Bay & Sandals are both adults only & we have four kids.

KVR

There is no Beaches resort in Antigua. It's a Sandals. Of the resorts mentioned above only Coco Bay and Blue Waters allow children.

With 4 kids you might look at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua. It's a middle of the road AI that sits on a fabulous section of beach and has an amazing pool. It will be less expensive than the other resorts mentioned. I noticed on TA they have been getting better reviews than in the past years. Be mindful of what accomendations that you choose. The basic/regular rooms are quite small, but might suit your older kids just fine. I would go with the deluxe king or above.

Also, St. James Club, Grand Pineapple Beach and the Verandah will be less expensive family resorts to consider than the ones already mentioned.

KVR

Oh, Jumby Bay does allow children, but is over the top expensive. It you are willing to spend that kind of money, I would go with Beaches T & C. Your children would probably have a much better time there.

sharona

I was just looking at a weekly e-mail from Islands magazine. They had a slideshow of their editors' picks for best all-inclusives. One of their picks for best family AI was Coconut Bay Resort on St. Lucia. I've never stayed there but we have been to St. Lucia and there is a lot to do on the island. I have no idea about pricing but I think it's a whole lot less expensive than Beaches T & C and it looks like they have a large family area and what they call a water park. Here's the web site:

http://www.cbayresort.com

I'm just throwing ideas out there for you as the pool there looks huge and it's a family-friendly resort.

sirtravelsalot

Blue Waters in Antigua was the most beautiful beach islamd ive ever visited! Ive been to quite a few but Blue Waters was definitely a spoiler! I was there july '12 and the weather was great. Spotted a couple of children (5-6) well behaved and fit in perfect! Staff excellent and the views stunning! Beach was very small but had a private secluded feel as was not crowded at all! Snorkeling is meh, but a kiyak to the next remote bay over was mint! Safe travels, congrats and BofL

diann24

Yes I was confused it is Sandals on Dickenson Bay--not Beaches. I was on the beach and used there facility and it was there that my neightbors were married in Antigua. I stayed at beaches in Turks and Caicos. My mistake. Thanks for the correction.