slp_bride2be

Hello all! I have been reading everyone's responses over the last couple of days, so I have now decided to join myself! I need your help please! I will be getting married in the next couple of years and need your advice on the best place in the Carribbean! We have been to St. Thomas, but it is not exactly what we are looking for in regards to the wedding location. We have also been to St. Croix and stayed at The Buccanneer which was the best experience we have ever had! It was so relaxing, romantic and everyone was very helpful. The food was great and the views were absolutely amazing! Having the casino was also nice! We took a day trip on a boat and also rented a car to explore the island including the beautiful raniforest!

When we stayed in St. Thomas we took a day trip to the BVI including the Baths that was incredible. We would go back to the BVI in a heartbeat! We would also love to go back to The Buccaneer! We had an ocean front room that was immaculate! When we visited St. Croix last December I couldn't relax on the beach because I got eaten alive by sand fleas or you might call them no seeums!!! It was horrible! We didn't have this problem in St. Thomas in July, so was it the time of year or are they just really bad on St. Croix? Everyone there was constantly spraying bug spray and the convenient store was sold out, that's how bad it was!

Please tell me that it was the time of year, because we would love to get married on the beach! We are thinking sometime either fall of next year or fall of '09. Where do you recommend for a beautiful beach wedding? We will have family and friends, maybe 20-30 people. We would love to have nightlife and activities during the day. Shopping, day trips, great food and nightlife is what we need!!!

I am sorry for the lengthly message, but I greatly appreciate any and all of your help!

Nevisian

Try to find a beachfront location - off the sand. Check out NEVIS. The Four Seasons has weddings on the ballroom patio, the grass at the 18th hole at sunset, Mango restaurant: all waterfront; or at private a hillside villa (cooler). In fact villas 1501 and 1502 could be your honeymoon suites as well as wedding sites. You might also check out Nisbet Plantation. It has a unique long grassy layout from the Great House to the waterfront and has 36 rooms. Depending on the time of year it could be a great choice for you and your guests. The Hermitage is a mountain plantation but they do weddings very well. It would be like getting married in the garden of Eden.
Fall is a perfect time, high season prices don't start until November at most resorts. You can also get a good deal for your entire party. One word of advice: talk to your hotel about an on-site back-up plan in case of inclement weather. Fall is hurricane season.

waring

Fall is indeed not an ideal time to come to the Caribbean. Not only is there the risk of a hurricane, even if not you will find the island of your choice very quiet at this time of year.

As ever, I will plug St Barts

Nevisian

You know, bride2be, waring is right. Since your dates are fall of '08 and fall of '09 why not split the difference and come to paradise to be married in late Springs of '08? AFTER Easter and Spring breaks (too many people) and maybe at the beginning of the low season will get you even better prices. May and June can be lovely. By the way, one other wedding location at 4S is the ruins of the old sugar mill. The resort will furnish a marquee for shade for your guests. I'd still suggest looking into the Hermitage if bugs and no-see-ums are a problem. They are pretty much ( not 100%) above the gnats and mosquito line. An added attraction is that they have their own stables and the bride and groom may arrive via a horse drawn carriage. As for the casino: take your party to St. Kitts for the day and end up at the Marriott for dining and gaming. The 4S will arrange a private launch and the other hotels will get you back and forth via the interisland ferry.

ccrosner

Well, I'm biased, but I can think of no better place than the Buccaneer to have a wedding! Of course, I know there are others but if you liked the Buccaneer, why not? I really think the no see um problem has more to do to with the winds at any time than the month (but others could tell me I'm wrong). We had a problem with them on our first visit in early April '98 and only again this February (and then only at the lobby bar). February seems to be fine (we've been there 7 times in February).

Personally, I would chose to get married at the Sugar Mill but only because I don't think the Mermaid Beach location is private enough for me. If they let you do the ceremony on the Grotto beach or Whistle Beach, there may be fewer people....but I never like that there are hotel guests in bathing suits watching the Mermaid Beach weddings....but we are always there one of their busiest days of the years.

Go over to the tripadvisor board and check out some recent reviews of the Buccaneer. Some have been from brides. You could private message them to find out more details about their experience with the wedding staff.

I would suggest a rehearsal dinner at Rumrunners on the boardwalk in Christiansted or, more formally, at Kendricks.

And then I would say hop over to Peter Island or Virgin Gorda for your honeymoon.

I have no experience with St. Kitts or Nevis...bet they are lovely as well. Just can't compare for you.

Congrats!

slp_bride2be

Thank you so much for your responses! I have started doing more research, and you are probably correct with coming in the spring and not fall. I don't want restaurants to be closed! I have also started looking in to St. John, but I am so confused because everything looks and sounds great! I am still worried about the mosquitos and noseeums because I don't want to feel like I did last time with thousands of bites and the bug spray not working. It was crazy! If it hasn't bothered any of you, then maybe it was just the time of year! Any other information that you can help me with would be great! Thanks

FlyingMaltese

Bermuda is a popular weddingmoon destination. The upside is that they have virtually no hurricane season. Elbow Beach Hotel has a lovely beachfront wedding site. Also, flights to Bermuda are much shorter than to the rest of the Atlantic and Caribbean.

JoenShell

Congrats! St.John is our # 1 island! with Anguilla on it's heels! very different islands but both so beautiful! we usually go in the month of may to both & have had no problems with bugs..... Good Luck & Have fun!!!ps... we r looking forward to renewing our vows for 20th on st.john on Trunk Bay our all time favorite that's a few yrs. away! God Willing!

Ike

Bride To Be......My favorite Caribbean destination is Anguilla. There was a wedding every day we were at Cap Juluca but what I loved about the island is it's laid back, not busy, greatest beaches in the world, and unbelievable restaurants. There's no shopping and not much nightlife but there's a ferry to St. Martin that takes you to some great nightlife and shopping at Phillipsburg. We have been twice and loved both trips. You can fly from Charlotte, NC on USA direct to St. Martin (SXM) and take a private boat to Anguilla (AXA) for a few days or longer. Take a day trip to SXM on the ferry and shop in St. Martin/St. Maarten both and dine there. After tiring of AXA take the ferry back to SXM and spend a few nights on SXM at La Samanna before you catch you flight home from SXM. Couisinart and Malliouhana are the other two great resorts on AXA. My favorite was CJ. The food in the great restaurants on AXA is the best. Good luck.

http://www.capjuluca.com/

http://www.malliouhana.com/

http://www.cuisinartresort.com/

http://www.lasamanna.com/web/omar/omar_a1a_splash.jsp

slp_bride2be

Thank you all so much for your advice! It all sounds wonderful! I would like someplace that wouldn't be such a long flight from North Carolina, but I want beautiful beaches. It also has to have nightlife that is why I am interested in casinos or bars that stay open late! We will want something to do at night!

We think it might be more reasonable for us to do an all inclusive for the wedding party and then we can do the adventure thing for our honeymoon! What do you think of the all inclusives and where would you recommend? I don't want to make everyone in the wedding party feel that they need to spend a lot of money on activities. We love that stuff and will definitely do that on our honeymoon!

Any more info would be greatly appreciated, thanks

BlueSea

FlyingMaltese: gulp, splutter, cough cough ... Bermuda DOES have hurricane season!! June to end Nov. We do have hurricanes like other Caribbean islands do! September is the worst month.

But Bermuda is a lovely wedding destination.

lana81

I went to Sandals Regency St Lucia and thought it was a great all inclusive resort. I would definately recommed St Lucia, i thought it was very beautiful. Can't wait to go back again.