To make it to Shoal Bay in 10 minutes from Cap Juluca you'd have to average 60 miles per hour without stopping or slowing down. In fact there aren't many places you can even get your car up to 60 miles per hour (which is twice the island wide speed limit of 30 mph).
I did a LOT of driving on Anguilla this summer to all parts of the island. The island is small, but it still takes longer than you'd think to get places due to the moderately poor road quality in many places, low speed limit, and some traffic on the main roads.

Getting a marriage license on Anguilla was not a big deal at all. We were all about a no-hassle wedding/honeymoon trip, and it turned out to be just that. There is a wedding coordinator who handles everything at Cap Juluca. They have nice tierd wedding packages as well, so you can 'get the works' (which is what we did) or not. As part of our wedding package, the wedding coordinator arranged for a taxi to take us into town (about 15 min drive) to get our license (also took only about 15 min). He waited for us and then took us on a little sidetrip to see Shoal Bay. We were married by a minister on a bluff overlooking the beach, located all the way at one end of the property so it's very private. If we wanted to married by a judge, we would have had to go to town to get our license and then return a second time to actually get married there. Judges can perform weddings on the beach, but only after the 'offical' marriage has taken place at the courthouse. The waiting period was 3 working days. We went to town on a Tues and were married on Thurs, so I guess you don't have to wait until all 3 working days have passed! It was a very easy and lovely experience overall.

Finally, we flew direct from NYC to St. Maarten and then took a ferry. It was also quite easy to do (you can see we're all about 'ease' when we're on vacation!)

Lee..Thanks your info is so very helpful!You said it was just the two of you...did you have dinner at Pimms afterwards??Did they do anything special for you that night??Thanks for all your info......

Blair9535,
Yes we did have dinner at Pimms afterward. The day before they went over the menu and we were able to pick and choose what we wanted for our dinner that night. Our package also included a wedding cake for two. For the most part, there weren't any surprise special additions that night, since most of the special things were already included in our package. They did go out of their way to make us feel special though, and they also have a 'one wedding per day' rule, which is nice. One of the best parts of our night was the stroll along the beach we took after dinner, just the two of us. It was almost a full moon and we were the only ones out for a walk - it was very magical. We had our digital camera with us and my husband took about 1000 pictures of me on the beach in my dress holding my bouquet. That part was free too! Oh, and they did an amazing job on my bouquet. I asked for a colorful orchid bouquet and it surely was! Everyone who has seen the pictures has commented on the amazing bouquet. I had asked for 'colorful', thinking it would just be one color (I didn't want white orchids), but it turned out to be a rainbow of colors!

Lee12,

Love reading your posts. We got married in the caribbean too and it was incredible, also just the 2 of us. I can't imagine a more romantic wedding, I felt the ceremony and the day was really just about getting marrried and celebrating your love. Considering you pretty much plan it over the phone it is so stress free, and you have no one to please but each other.
We were thinking of renewing our vows at Cap this November and I was wondering if you had a photographer? Also did you choose any of the "gem of a wedding" packages or just what you wanted? Thanks!

SandyFeet,
I couldn't agree more about having a Caribbean wedding. No stress and you can really focus on the 'important' stuff. In a couple of weeks we are having a cocktail party with friends and family at a restaurant to celebrate the after-nuptials. Since it won't be the wedding, it will also be stress free and just a venue for people to come together. I'll get another wear out of my dress too! It's so great!

We did the full blown 'Solitare' package because we wanted to splurge a bit on our wedding. We had the photographer that came with the package (who also happens to be Cap's horticulturalist!) The pictures came out quite nice. That was one of my main concerns. My cousin was married a couple of years ago at Malliouhana and the pictures didn't come out that well. They were snapshots. Ours were a step above snapshots, but not top notch photography either. But since we had our camera with us, we made everyone we ran into take pictures of us too, so that rounded out things quite nicely.

Wow..sounds like you had a wonderful wedding. We did the same thing, we had a Wedding Celebration a week after we got home. It was great....espically the "envelpoes" LOL!

I was so surprised at our wedding photos. I was not expecting professional photos but they were. The photographer took 8 rolls of film and when he was done handed us the rolls of film. I brought them home in a lead lined film bag and took it to a pro to develop (no 60 minute photo).

Thanks so much for your information. Congratulations and have a wonderful wedding celebration:)

Thanks you guys...so informative.I now think I am leaning toward Cap.It seems so easy there.Do you guys think the 8 days/7 nights package was long enough?Also,Lee did u have to spend a lot of time on the phone with the wedding planner and who did you speak with?Also which type of accomadations did you select??Thanks!

Not Lee but I can give you info on my stay, so you can compare reports:)

last year we did the 8d/7n with the romantic rondezvous package. It includes: 4 dinners for 2 (Pimms, Kemia, Georges and 1 Beach BarBQue) 1 days free car rental (we rented for 6 days but paid for 5) a full day snorkel trip to Prickly Pear island with bbq lunch, Flowers, Champagne, and a couples massage for 2 in your room - GREAT!. We loved the package and used everything - at check in you are given vouchers. You are given B'fast every day on your patio (fruit, baked goods, coffee and juice) Everyday for lunch we went out and tried all the great places to eat. We also had 3 dinners out Altamars, Straw Hat and Mangos - All excellent!. For lunch you have to go to Scilly Cay, Tasty's, Johnnos, Shoal Bay east.
We had the Jr. Suite, which we loved because of the private outdoor walled area in the bathroom, the huge double tub - Absolutely beautiful. We aslo liked being on the ground floor as there is your private patio and brick walk with your own steps to the beach. this is debatable - upstairs or downstairs. When you are on the West end of the resort you have a great view of St. Martin even on the ground floor and the instant bach access is the best. There are no bugs or noises from people upstairs. I recommend asking for a room on the west end of the resort as the beach is shorter and it is away from the main house & restaurants. If you do not want to walk to the restaurants, they will pick you up in a cart and will take you back. the reason why we chose the Romantic package is becasue we would dine at Caps restaurants anyway - and the other stuff is great. You wind up saving a few hundred $$. Also I would recommend booking your trip thru a TA thru Classic Custom Vacations. I am a TA, and Classic has the best prices on air and rooms. That is who I book thru for my own trips. Classic is a wholesaler and can only be booked thru a TA, but it will save you a lot of money.

We are returning to Cap this November and we have the Romantic package again, we are going for 10 days this year because we loved it so much.

Just to give you an idea of how much you save by booking thru Classic:
I just priced out our trip by American Airlines website and Cap Julucas rates - r/t business class to SXM + 10 days Cap with RR package =$11,385.00

Classic Custom cost = $8,859.00 for the same exact trip - except we have travel insurance included in the price, not in the other price which is a great thing to have -
that's a difference of $2526.00.

When you have your dates set, call a TA and ask to have the trip priced out by these wholesalers and pick the best price: Classic Custom Vactions, Travel Impressions and Island Destinations. I have found them to be the best and they all carry Cap Juluca. I would call as soon as you know...Cap books up fast and has become a popular wedding/honeymoon destination.

Thanks Sandy..I just might do that!!!

We booked directly through the resort, but SandyFeet's TA suggestions sound like a good idea and a better way to save some $$$! After booking, the resort put us in touch with their wedding coordinator, Verna Rogers. We mostly communicated via email, but I did speak to her a couple of times over the phone. There wasn't too much to do. You have to pick the wedding date and the type of package you want, and then you get a choice of 3 kinds of flowers for a bouquet (if you choose to have one), and then choose what kind of cake you want (also from 3 choices I think). You also can choose where on the property you want the ceremony to take place. We chose the 'wedding lawn' because it was very private and overlooked the beach. Some people have it on the beach near the main house and the restaurants.

We were originally going for a week, but extended it to 10 nights (one night becomes free). We had never done such a long vacation at a beach resort before, but were glad we did. For once, we didn't feel like our vacation was too short. It felt just right actually. We were ready to leave when we did, but it was just at the right time.

We also had a Junior Suite, which I HIGHLY recommend. It was fantastic and spoiled us so much that we came home thinking we needed to move to a larger apartment! ;-) We had an upstairs room on the far side away from the restaurants - very private and quiet. I loved being upstairs and having a great balcony, but SandyFeet's notes about the ground floor are good too. You can't go wrong I guess!

Congrats to you and I'm sure you will enjoy wherever you choose!

Yet another question......this one in regard to the ferry service.Are there two departure points??Marigot AND Juliana and which one do you select??Isnt one of these just across the street from the airport?Maybe Im totally lost!!

Someone else may have better information than I do, but from what I understood, you can take a private boat from the dock that is basically across the street from the airport, directly to Anguilla (probably even directly to Cap). It costs a bundle though, like $300 (not sure if that was per person or per couple). I know someone who was renting a villa at Cove Castles and they said it was so easy and they highly recommended it. We were already spending a bundle, so we decided to go the regular route and take a taxi from the airport to the French side of St. Martin (about 15 min), then you take the ferry to Anguilla (about 18 min), then you take another taxi to the hotel (another 15 min). That may sound like a lot of hopping around, but it really wasn't too troublesome at all. And we like hassle-free vacations! Usually one of our vacation pre-requisites is that it has to be relatively easy to get to and not take too long (which limits our choices...). We thought it was pretty easy getting to Anguilla. The direct flight helped too though. If you can afford the private boat pick up, then go for it. It's definitely the easiest thing to do, but the regular way was fine also.

you are thinking of the lagoon, which is directly across the street from the airport, you just have to walk across the street. This is if you have a private boat picking you up. The cost is $250.00 per ride. They cannot take you directly to Cap because Cap does not have a boat dock and you will have to walk into the water up past your knees and your luggage will get soaked. Instead you are taken to Sandy Ground and Cap will send a car to pick you up there - if you have the Romantic package, it included transfers. I am using off shore sunsations (www.offshoresunsations.com) So Very Nice, I have not used them but come highly recommended. I have to E-mail our passport info to them and they will pre clear us. I spoke to the owner and was told that the ride takes 10-15 minutes and no seasickness. He also told us that from the time we land to the time we check into Cap will be about 1/2 hour. Not bad AND he serves rum punch;-)

i do not know fro sure about the ferry, but I do think there is a cab involved to get to the ferrys in SXM - but heres a great Anguilla forum for you:
www.caribbean-on-line.com go to the anguilla forum and ask away.

Also I do think you should look into Cap Juluca's Executive departure and arrival service. It too comes highly recommended...they will get you + and your bags (you are sent special stickers for your luggage for ID) in and out. I have the letter from Cap heres the price $35.00 per family for private boat from lagoon and private plane. You give immigration forms tickets, passports and luggage tags to rep and wait for clearance. The rep will then take your bags to the waiting plane or boat.

Ferry: $60.00 per family it includes same as above but you will get on a *bus*, wait for clearance and the rep will load your bags onto the bus that will take you to the ferry.

It also says a "family" constitutes a party of 5.

reservations can be made by calling Helen at 1-888-858-5822

So worth it...bus included in price!

Regarding a private boat pick up in SXM,
yes it is pricey, the cost is anywhere from $250-$285. The boat will take you directly to CJ, yes you have to wade a bit, its done all the time! Its fun, and easy! If you elect not to wade, you still have to do customs first at Blowing Point, this is a much shorter taxi ride than Sandy Ground, about 10 minutes. Yes, this trip can be rough sometimes, as it is the same crossing as the ferry. The Marigot-Blowing Point ferry takes about 20 minutes, and runs every 30-40 minutes. I have done these many many times, and the I treated myself to the private charter last spring. Many private charters, No Fear, Gotcha,CJ's The Justice.I understand CJ is purchasing 2 new boats.

PS-Sandyfeet, I just wanted to add the direct drop off at CJ is easy. The luggage does not get wet at all, you might get wet up to your knees, as the small wave action, the boat is pulled very close to shore, only a few feet.
I watch the new arrivals and departures all the time. All private charters come in this way to the hotel, they have been doing this for years, for day trips, etc.

I didn't know...I had asked the owner of off shore sunsations(forgot his name) and I ask him to drop us off directly at Cap and he said he couldn't because there is no dock. Honestly I don't care getting wet....sure beats getting splashed from a pothole puddle in NYC:)

I'm going to call him back as our trip date approaches and request he drop us off at Cap.....I'm sure he will.

As always THANK YOU Penny.

Gosh you guys are great!!I feel like Cap is like home now..I have gotten such great info!If we decide to go the PI or Nevis route I will feel so uninformed!!I appreciate all the great stuff..Im going to the travel agent one day this week and check the damage for a Jan. trip...Im not sure we want to wait until spring though.Ill keep you posted!!

You are most welcome! Sandyfeet I would double check with offshoresensations, as I am not sure if
the cigarette can do this close to the shoreline, it probably can, but just in case, that is the only way to go. Please let me know about the pre immigration check in--we had to stop at Blowing Point on the way in, but gave the info to CJ for The Justice on the way back. I would love to skip this incoming step!

Before you rule out the Four Seasons Nevis, let me jump in. It is a luxurious self contained resort that is wonderful. We honeymooned there last year and couldn't believe everything FS had to offer. The golf and tennis were wonderful. The food was outstanding. The mountain is gorgeous and provides wonderful activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and bird watching. We viewed sugar plantation ruins and learned all about the secondary rain forest, planted in the 1950s. The little town is also very intriguing, with nice little stores. I can't wait to get back there. Everything you ask for is answered with a "Certainly." A wonderful, wonderful place.