Grand Cayman vs. St. Lucia vs. St. Martin
Jul 17th, 2011, 07:39 PM
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Grand Cayman vs. St. Lucia vs. St. Martin
My fiance and I are planning a destination wedding in the Caribbean. We are trying to determine which island to get married on. We have narrowed it down to Grand Cayman, St. Lucia and St. Martin. We plan on having a fairly large amount of family and friends joining us for the wedding, so we are trying to pick a location that has something for everyone. I would appreciate any and all opinions! Thanks!
Jul 18th, 2011, 03:47 AM
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www.jademountain.com
St Lucia prettiest best weather..
www.weather2travel.com
Your other 2 flatter hotter bit more rain in season
pretty but not as pretty for me.
St Martin has nice shopping French food north side casinos
Grand Cayman good beaches best diving great off shore banks
Also closest to the US over the Giron corridor through Cuba
For Romance for me though St Lucia.
Congrats!
St Lucia prettiest best weather..
www.weather2travel.com
Your other 2 flatter hotter bit more rain in season
pretty but not as pretty for me.
St Martin has nice shopping French food north side casinos
Grand Cayman good beaches best diving great off shore banks
Also closest to the US over the Giron corridor through Cuba
For Romance for me though St Lucia.
Congrats!
Jul 18th, 2011, 04:42 AM
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agree st. lucia is most romantic - great place for a honeymoon! not an easy island to get around.
i really know little about st.m as it's too busy for my taste.
i had a large part in planning an island wedding a couple years ago (on st. thomas). as such i recommend grand cayman. all you guests will not have the same budget & gc offers numerous types/prices of accomodations in close proximity. also lots of dining options.
how long will your guests be on island? give us an idea of your budget. when will you travel? what sorts of activities do you think will interest your guests? are you all leaving from one place? will you want to change islands to honeymoon? are you picturing a church or beach wedding? what about rehersal dinner & bachelor/bachelorette party - meaning what kind & separate or not?
i really know little about st.m as it's too busy for my taste.
i had a large part in planning an island wedding a couple years ago (on st. thomas). as such i recommend grand cayman. all you guests will not have the same budget & gc offers numerous types/prices of accomodations in close proximity. also lots of dining options.
how long will your guests be on island? give us an idea of your budget. when will you travel? what sorts of activities do you think will interest your guests? are you all leaving from one place? will you want to change islands to honeymoon? are you picturing a church or beach wedding? what about rehersal dinner & bachelor/bachelorette party - meaning what kind & separate or not?
Jul 18th, 2011, 04:54 AM
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St. Lucia and Grand Cayaman are compete opposites.
St. Lucia is very tropical with mountians, waterfalls, flora, and fauna. It's a very beautiful Island. The beaches are made of brown coarse sand and the water is a deep blue. There are a few black sand beaches. The roads are twisty and everything is pretty much spread out. I've read lots of complaints of car sickness, but we didn't have any problems.
Grand Cayman has white sandy beaches and crystal clear water with excellant snorkeling. Georgetown is easy to get to and has nice restaurants and places to shop. It is also one of the most expensive Islands to eat and drink as the US dollar is not worth as much there. Many people opt for condos with kitchens to save money.
For more things to see and do with family I would pick Grand Cayman over St. Lucia. To me, and this is just my opinion, St. Lucia seems to me a romantic couple getaway.
Sorry, don't know anything about St. Martin. It has not made our 'to go' list.
It might help if you told us what kind of wedding and honeymoon you are looking for and the time of year. Though you may have decided on these 3 Islands, they may not be exactly what you are really looking for or will be the right fit for everyone involved.
Congrats.
St. Lucia is very tropical with mountians, waterfalls, flora, and fauna. It's a very beautiful Island. The beaches are made of brown coarse sand and the water is a deep blue. There are a few black sand beaches. The roads are twisty and everything is pretty much spread out. I've read lots of complaints of car sickness, but we didn't have any problems.
Grand Cayman has white sandy beaches and crystal clear water with excellant snorkeling. Georgetown is easy to get to and has nice restaurants and places to shop. It is also one of the most expensive Islands to eat and drink as the US dollar is not worth as much there. Many people opt for condos with kitchens to save money.
For more things to see and do with family I would pick Grand Cayman over St. Lucia. To me, and this is just my opinion, St. Lucia seems to me a romantic couple getaway.
Sorry, don't know anything about St. Martin. It has not made our 'to go' list.
It might help if you told us what kind of wedding and honeymoon you are looking for and the time of year. Though you may have decided on these 3 Islands, they may not be exactly what you are really looking for or will be the right fit for everyone involved.
Congrats.
Jul 18th, 2011, 03:52 PM
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I've been to all 3...I personally think Grand Caymen is too expensive.... a few years ago, my hubby and I went for 2 beers and burger in a pub to watch a world cup game - and it was like $50.00 - we shared the burger.
I totally agree with the description of both places by KVR...
What are your priorities - beach wise, etc.....
I'd pick St. Maarten/St. Martin - it has good beaches, is not out of this world expensive - a budget for everyone's needs....
I totally agree with the description of both places by KVR...
What are your priorities - beach wise, etc.....
I'd pick St. Maarten/St. Martin - it has good beaches, is not out of this world expensive - a budget for everyone's needs....
Jul 19th, 2011, 04:33 AM
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While Grand Cayman is slightly more expensive, the difference is exaggerated. Last month I went to one of the more popular sports bars in Grand Cayman , and I spent in US$ about $9 for a burger and $7.5 for a cocktail. This is less than I spent in Philadelphia this weekend for the same.If you go to the Ritz-Carlton or Westin or a tourist trap you will be paying high prices, so I avoid them. I know people will doubt the prices, so I have included a link. (multiple the prices by 1.25 to get USD)
http://www.eats.ky/legendsmenu.html
http://www.eats.ky/legendsmenu.html
Jul 19th, 2011, 06:30 PM
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Wow! Thanks so much for the speedy responses. To answer a few of your questions and hopefully help you to help us:
We are expecting roughly 50 people to travel. A majority will be travelling from New England. The remainder will be travelling from Seattle.
The duration is completly up to our guests but we are hoping some can stay on the island with us for around a week. The entire reason we want to do a destination wedding is to have a week long celebration/vacation with all our friends and family involved.
Our budget for guests is roughly $1500-$2500 per person for a week. Idealy this would include food and drink however we are not tied to the idea of an all-inclusive resort.
Our wedding will likely be in the end of April and/or early May.
Both of our families are lively, we will need a good bar and likely casino's to keep them entertained. Although a casino is not a requirement. Daytime will likely be spent lounging by most but I would expect the younger crowd will be interested in snorkeling, hiking, and exploring the island in general. We only have 2 divers in the group so this is not a priority.
We are planning on doing a honeymoon months or a year after the wedding (hopefully eastern europe, but that is a thread for later).
We are picturing a beach/tropical wedding. We don't want to be married within a building whatsoever.
We haven't even really discussed rehersal and bachelor/bachelorette parties at this point. Right now we are more concerened with finiding a location. I would think the parties will be on the mainland prior to the trip. Rehersal dinner will be on the island likely with everyone who is with us at the time.
Thanks so much again, can't wait to hear more!
We are expecting roughly 50 people to travel. A majority will be travelling from New England. The remainder will be travelling from Seattle.
The duration is completly up to our guests but we are hoping some can stay on the island with us for around a week. The entire reason we want to do a destination wedding is to have a week long celebration/vacation with all our friends and family involved.
Our budget for guests is roughly $1500-$2500 per person for a week. Idealy this would include food and drink however we are not tied to the idea of an all-inclusive resort.
Our wedding will likely be in the end of April and/or early May.
Both of our families are lively, we will need a good bar and likely casino's to keep them entertained. Although a casino is not a requirement. Daytime will likely be spent lounging by most but I would expect the younger crowd will be interested in snorkeling, hiking, and exploring the island in general. We only have 2 divers in the group so this is not a priority.
We are planning on doing a honeymoon months or a year after the wedding (hopefully eastern europe, but that is a thread for later).
We are picturing a beach/tropical wedding. We don't want to be married within a building whatsoever.
We haven't even really discussed rehersal and bachelor/bachelorette parties at this point. Right now we are more concerened with finiding a location. I would think the parties will be on the mainland prior to the trip. Rehersal dinner will be on the island likely with everyone who is with us at the time.
Thanks so much again, can't wait to hear more!
Jul 20th, 2011, 04:33 AM
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I pretty much agree with all the previous posts, especially KVR's spot-on comparison of St Lucia and GC.
St Martin/Maarten is somewhat "in the middle" by comparison to St L and GC. It is more like St L in that it is hilly and the roads are twisty. It is more like GC is that it had some good beaches, and generally larger hotels and more nightlife, including casinos.
Actually, you really have 4 choices, in that French St. Marting and Dutch St. Maarten, while sharing an island, have different vibes. The largest hotels, most nightlife, and casino are in St. Maarten. St. Martin has a more European feel, and is a bit quieter. Both sides have great beaches.
IMHO, the most important thing is to ensure that your guests are happy and comfortable. You are asking them to travel far and incur expense. Given also that many of them may be first-time Caribbean travellers, I think that St. Maarten may be your best bet.
St Martin/Maarten is somewhat "in the middle" by comparison to St L and GC. It is more like St L in that it is hilly and the roads are twisty. It is more like GC is that it had some good beaches, and generally larger hotels and more nightlife, including casinos.
Actually, you really have 4 choices, in that French St. Marting and Dutch St. Maarten, while sharing an island, have different vibes. The largest hotels, most nightlife, and casino are in St. Maarten. St. Martin has a more European feel, and is a bit quieter. Both sides have great beaches.
IMHO, the most important thing is to ensure that your guests are happy and comfortable. You are asking them to travel far and incur expense. Given also that many of them may be first-time Caribbean travellers, I think that St. Maarten may be your best bet.
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