Peter C.

My fiancee and I were planning a wedding for July 2002 in Boston - then we figured out how much it was gonna cost ($20k+)...we want to get married on an "island" with clear blue water in the background sometime around Mid-December 2001....any suggestions (i.e. price, location, comfort, waiting times for marrying once there, niceness of the resort) would be appreciated...we want to go for like 4-5 days and want a really "nice place" to get married at (I think some of the places marry you at basically no extra charge?)...we prefer all-inclusive. We're flying out of Phoenix...so that limits some possibilities (i.e. - there's nothing short of a 14 hour flight out of Phoenix to get to a place like Antigua)...are there any nice places in Mexico that face the carribean? THANKS SO MUCH!!

Seymour

I agree Antigua is a great place to get married. Even though it is a 14 hour flight you do get about a 2 hour layover in Newark. 14 hours should not be too hard on you that way. Could send you some deatil info if interested. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Monique

I would say someplace in Jamaica since they have non stop redeys from Pheonix on Air Jamaica. It leaves on a Saturday night. <BR> <BR>I loved Grand Lido San Souci there. I was actually in a wedding (impromptu} <BR>It was in a Gazebo over the ocean. Very Elegant 24 rrom service and spa treatments as well as teh wedding and all food included. It costs around 4-5 grand for a week including air. <BR>http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/thegran...isitorshangout <BR>Here is a link to tons of info photos and trip reports.

Melissa

Sandals also would be a good choice. They have several locations in Jamaica. In Mexico, there are lots of resorts, but I believe you have to translate all docs into Spanish, and get them noterized. That could get costly

mary

Friends of our got married at the Iberstar Tucan in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding, the grounds and rooms were absolutely beautiful (and brand new at that time), the food fancily presetned and okay, and all the drinks you want. The price was, and still is, quite reasonable for all you get. They had no problems with the marriage documents or the ceremony. They did, however, have to get blood tests, I assume for AIDS. Even more fancy, and a tad more expensive (adults only), is the Royal Hideaway, also in Playa. Both resorts are all-inclusive and I don't think you would be disappointed with either. <BR> <BR>Personnally, I would never fly 14 hours for a week trip, let alone a 4-5 day trip. <BR> <BR>Other than that, I've heard Sandals does a great job with weddings. Don't know your age or what you're into, but I think it's important to note that Antigua is not known for it's nighlife (if that's important to you). It's a very quiet island, and I think it's kind of ho-hum.

Peter C.

Thanks for the responses so far. Anyone else's input would be welcomed! Thanks again.

Robin

My wife and I were married at the Enchanted Garden in ocho Rios, Jamaica, 4 years ago. Its not on the beach, but there are 14 waterfalls on the property. The property itself is fantastic, Gardens everywere. The actual wedding area faces a large waterfall. The resort is also small compared to other all enclusive properties, (110 rooms), which we enjoyed very much. The wedding co-ordinator was very good, everything was done for us with no hic-ups. Food was also great. <BR> <BR>

Kim

Sandals is a wonderful place to get married at, My daughter was married at a Sandals Resort in May and it was more then we could ever expect. They treated her like a queen. Everything was taken care of we had hardly nothing to do. She was married at the Royal Bahamian Resort <BR>in Nassau in the Bahamas. The water was as blue as could be and the wedding was in a gazebo right on the ocean. They took care of the vidio and all the pictures for us also and a mini reception with cake and horsdoeuvres it was beautiful. They even gave them the best suite right on the ocean with concierge service, and we only booked deluxe level. The staff goes out of its way to make sure its "YOUR" special day. email me if you have any ?'s.

Bill

I would suggest St. Kitts. It is a beautiful island with everything you need. Timothy Beach Resort has 2 new honeymoon packages that are a great value for the money. www.timothybeachresort.com

Penney

We got married at the Grand Lido in NEgril, JAmaica. they own a yacht there that once belonged to Princess Grace and Prince Rainer and we used it for the cermony at sunset - incredible to say the least! <BR><BR>Grang Lido is on a wonderfl beach. Itis a very beautiful resory, luxurious but for the same price as other all-inclusives in Jamaica. <BR><BR>Feel free to email me. It was suc a great experience to get married int he islands - not a care in the world!

Joel&Alice

We chose to be married on St. Thomas. The arrangement can be made by mail beforehand by contacting the local government and asking for a list of the marriage arrangers. Ours was merely $300 as we had no guests. They will arrange as much or as little as you wish. Point Pleasant Resort on the eastern end of the island offers very spacious accommodations that are quite secluded. Essentially, you have a duplex, that is arranged in an over/under fashion so that you have no view of or interaction with the other half. Terrific patios and views from every one. Floor-to-ceiling glass on th seaward side. And the ceremony was in the resort's cliffside gazebo in a botanical park. Stunning view, simple ceremony. <BR>My advice is that you opt for a wedding in the natural environment and not in some big hotel. Your wedding need not be about glitz, rather capture the natural setting such as we did. Nothing can be more memorable.<BR>Wherever you choose, I can vouch for the fact that it's an idea you'll NEVER regret. So many people rue the day they sunk $20K into a church wedding that is so formulaic and commercial when they could have had a made a permanent tie to the Caribbean and the islands' splendor as well as to each other.

Anon

We went to Negril, Jamaica (Sandal's) on our honeymoon and we've also been to Point Pleasant Resort in St. Thomas. While the Point Pleasant Resort itself was lovely, I would not recommend St. Thomas nor would I recommend Jamaica. <BR><BR>I would recommend either St. Barth or Anguilla. Or, if money is really a concern, another option would be the French side of St. Martin. <BR><BR>Your island experience would be so much better on either of these islands (i.e lack of crime and feeling safe while moving about the island, lack of crowds and Americanization in general). All of these islands are beautiful and you wouldn't go wrong with either...just my two cents of course.

Adolf K, not H.

To Joel's & Alice's point, a couple of letters up-thread, another big advantage is not having all those relatives around, half of them camped out in your house and getting in your hair. The experience is for you and is best savored in the simplest manner possible. A wedding in the Caribbean is wonderfully romantic, even from a guy's point of view.

Ann

As some have suggested, Peter, stay with a small, intimate resort and avoid the big resorts that, however fancy, can never know you personally and take your interests and needs to heart. <BR>I recommend you take a look at Frenchman's Cay on Tortola and a few other BVI resorts. Very high on my list is Biras Creek which makes a specialty out of weddings at their away-from-everything tropical paradise on Virgin Gorda. You can find these at bviwelcome.com.