Lisa

Hi everyone,<BR><BR>We are seriously considering a wedding at the Ocean Club, but we have never been there. Unlike previous posters, we would actually want to get married right on the sand (with 50 or so guests). The cost is VERY expensive. I was wondering if anyone could advise on seeing a wedding there or the quality of the food. We don't mind paying a bit more if it is excellent. (However, at other Carribean destinations we have paid a lot for mediocre food.) Also, any thoughts on time of year (August, Nov, or Dec)? Any help would be much appreciated.

meagain

The food at the Ocean Club is suberb. Don't know about catering though. The Grounds are gorgeous, the versaille gardens and cloisters are on the grounds. I've seen some beautiful weddings there.<BR><BR>I'm not sure how a beach wedding would be pulled off. Depending on the tide, and erosion that time of year, the beach can narrow and angle off. Maybe someone else has that answer here.<BR><BR>As for time of year, August is sweltering hot and humid, November is better, and December can get a bit windy (and chilly if a cold front drops in). All three months are in hurricane season, but it's not likely to strike, but tropical storms do pop up from time to time. <BR>Make sure they have a back up plan should the weather turn.<BR>

ame

Went to a wedding there recently.<BR>The Ocean Club is beautiful and the food there is amazing.<BR>However, the catering at the wedding was not very good.<BR>The beach barbeque the night before the wedding was better than the wedding itself.<BR> A nice idea would be to have a very informal wedding on the beach with a barbeque. <BR>Hope this helps

Teresa

Another suggestion. Look into<BR>Caneel Bay resort, St John, USVI.<BR>Fabulous!. Or better yet, rent a<BR>villa there. <BR><BR>We had our wedding there 2 years ago<BR>with 25 guest and all are still talking<BR>about it. You really should check<BR>it out before you make your decision<BR>at the Ocean Club. <BR><BR>This place is pure paradise! Guests<BR>actually cried during the ceremony<BR>on Trunk Bay. Another gorgeous beach<BR>there is Hawksnest. Those 2 beaches<BR>are the most sought after to get married<BR>on especially at sunset.<BR><BR>If you stay at Caneel Bay resort. They<BR>have 7 beaches and different sites<BR>on the resort that are also spectacular.<BR>We saw a wedding on top of a knoll<BR>there overlooking the ocean. Gorgeous!<BR><BR>You also as I mentioned rent a stunning<BR>villa and hire a chef to cook your<BR>wedding dinner or luncheon. They<BR>have a few to choose from and they are<BR>all excellent. I have read posts of<BR>many others who have chosen that route<BR>and have loved that choice rather than<BR>opting for a restaurant dinner.<BR><BR>Go to USVI Online forum and you will<BR>see peoples comments on everything<BR>from Caneel Bay resort, the Westin resort (those are the only 2 on<BR>the island), villa rentals, restaurants, catering...the works.<BR><BR>It's how we made our decision.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.

Robert

Someone asked about a wedding on the post below, and I answered them. Here's the essence of it. Congradulations on getting married in the Bahamas. You will love the Ocean Club, and the grounds. Very Expensive, frequented by movie stars like Robert Wagner. The Bahamian Government is famous for regulations for shipping items, even hurrican relief items or supplies for their school children, into the country. There are regulations for weddings as well. Hopefully, these may be not in effect, but you better check! You have to spend one day in the Bahamas prior to submitting your application for a marriage license and must fill out the application for license at the same time at the registers office. The fee is about $40.00 and the license is valid 3 months with no blood test required. You and your fiance both have to be in the Bahamas when making application for license, so don't have one arrive early and try to take care of it beforehand. And, if either of you were previously divorced, you must submit a certified or original final decree. If either of you is widowed, a death certificate of the deceased spouse will be asked for. Definately have a photo ID, preferably a passport in addition to a driver's license, and bring in your Bahamas Immigration Embarkation card to show when you arrived. Contact the registrar's office on the particular island you'll be wed in. And, do it way before going there! I know the registrar's location in Grand Bahama but not Nassau/Paradise Island. Perhaps, you can contact GB and find out who to contact in Nassau. Conntact The Assistant Registrar General of The Bahamas, P.O. Box F-42602, Freeport, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas. Telephone 242-352-4934/7 or Fax 242-352-4060. Personally, I'd call them on the phone, and pay for the hefty phone bill, to talk to them in person and have your questions answered. Hope this helps; I wouldn't want you to get down there and be overwhelmed by the regulations. Robert<BR>

Marlee

Good idea to check weather averages for Bahamas in the month you choose--we went to Paradise Island in February and it rained every day for most of the day.

Jessica

I agree with the person re: wedding<BR>on St. John. Far superior to the<BR>Bahamas. I also had my wedding/honeymoon there last year. We rented a villa and we hired a chef to cook. Absolutely, breathtaking. We are<BR>going back in a week to celebrate<BR>our anniversary that's how much we<BR>loved it. Stunning.

Remean

Ocean Club where? There are a few of them... let me know because my friend is a wedding coordinator in the Caribbean.

Lisa

Thank you all soo much for all of the responses. (I was referring to the Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.) We would absolutely love to get married in St. John's, but we are in California, and most of our guests will be travelling from here. We feel it is too much to ask them to go any farther than the Bahamas. Any anecdotes regarding far away weddings would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again to all of you!

Keely

The traditional spot for weddings at Ocean Club Paradise Island is up at the Cloisters, overlooking the ocean and Nassau. They're 14th century ruins of a European convent brought over stone by stone. If you're not heart set on having the ceremony on the sand, this is a romantic, unique spot. As far as time of year, the Ocean Club in December, especially around Christmas, is quite crowded. I always preferred November for tropical vacations, though you risk some cloudy days. August you'll probably see more kids. We spent many Septembers at Ocean Club and had a total of 3 bad weather days in 9 years. The quality of the food at the Ocean Club is excellent, with plenty of healthy, fresh, and unique menu selections, even at breakfast. But as you know, you pay through the teeth for the food there. Come to think of it, a catered wedding brunch would be nice and less expensive than dinner, where you pay $30 and up for a pasta entree.

Robert

Lisa; The Cloister historical site at Ocean Club will provide an unbelievable beautiful and scenic vista for your wedding. My wife, daughter, and I took shots of the grounds leading down to the ocean. It is unmatchable and many interesting shots of not only you and your hubby, but your relatives amongst the hibiscus and flowering plants, with the turquoise ocean in the background, will make a nice family album for future reference. Robert

James

Quality-wise the Ocean Club and Caneel Bay are in two different leagues, and the Westin St. John isn't even in the next league below.<BR>The Ocean Club is elegant, luxurious and you get what you pay for.<BR>Caneel Bay is sparse and not luxurious. The beaches there are great, but the resort itself is not close to Ocean Club.<BR>As for the Bahamas, no, they're not as exotic or appealing.<BR>But I'm not sure that's the original poster's main concern.

Michelle

I agree with the previous reply. Caneel Bay (for me) is understated luxury - which most of the Virgin Islands boast of. Simple yet elegant. Not Chandeliers or gold, but exotic. Westin in St. John doesn't compare and wouldn't even stay there. I honeymooned at Caneel's sister resort in Virgin Gorda (also amazing) but it is - along with St. John, a little more difficult to get to. Only 4000 residents on St. John - and glad to see it remain small. I travel from Phoenix, so I know the difficulty of west coast travel.. In fact, we will be staying in Bahama's this weekend, taking the midnight redeye. Only chose Bahamas (over BVI) because of ease of travel. You might think about Cabo San Lucas. Went to a wedding there (most guests came from CA and AZ) which was very lovely! Justice of the Peace did it right on the beach at one of the smaller and (and defineltly luxury) hotels there.