any suggestions? i'm thinking huts or villas, beautiful beach, some fun things to do (hiking, snorkeling, etc.) nearby. flight can't be too expensive....

NO SANDALS/BEACHES TYPE RESORTS!!!

thanks - your help will be much appreciated. surfing the web is so overwhelming....

hi un - fodorites love to help plan weddings but we are going to need more info about you.
when? from where are you traveling? not to expensive means something different to everyone, so try to be as specific as possible.
you might think of buying a fodors or other caribbean guide and narrow down to 1 or 2 islands. then we can give you some very specific advise.

great, thanks! we are in philadelphia and not too sure where to go...we've tossed around the idea of going to so many places. the place we are staying shouldn't be more than $250/night, and it would be great to find a place less than that (around $100/$150)!

we don't want to fly more than 4 or 5 hrs. and hope for tickets that are under $350 round trip.

am i dreaming?

200-250 should be very doable for accomodations.
just did a quick search on expedia and here are some sample air fares: {all islands in the northern part of the carib so shorter flights} turks&caicos 650, san juan 365, st.thomas 500, mobay jamaica 500, beef island tortolla bvi 650. i used mid march travel dates. all prices will go up the closer you get to your travel dates to purchase.
april 1 or april 15 starts the low season. ends in mid dec. all resorts are cheaper then.
there is a little place on jost van dyke www.sandcastle-bvi.com i thought of it when i read the hut/villa on beach part of your post. this is a small!! resort on a fun beach. home of the soggy dollar bar (ppl have to swim in from boats unless staying there) there would be good snorkeling nearby.
some islands are hilly and lush {volcanic} others flatter and more arid{coral}. coral islands have nicer beaches i think. some small like turks or jost van dyke. some huge - puerto rico.
so much to consider i know. keep asking questions.

Let me suggest another alternative. From Philadelphia, you can travel non-stop to St. Kitts which is an unspoiled, relatively undeveloped but quite beautiful island. My check on US Air showed the roundtrip fare is less than $500. There are a number of quality choices in St. Kitts ranging from the deluxe (Ottleys, Marriott) to the more economical (Timothy Beach Resort, Bird Rock Beach Hotel). Some of these inns are directly on the beach; Ottley's is a secluded hillside location but has transportation to the beach. All of these inns (and others on St. Kitts) either offer wedding/honeymoon packages or will work with you to make the necessary arrangements.

wow- you guys are GREAT. thanks-i've been so stressed! this is REALLY helpful. ok- so let me give some more details....

-looking to accomodate 20-30 people
-hoping to do this in april
-everyone doesn't need to stay at the same place but we'd like everyone within a short distance

thanks again-this is wonderful.

Another option might be the Tulum or Kaumal areas south of Cancun, Mexico.

Amazing beaches, lots of gorgeous villas or thatched hut type of accomms.

For a great overview of the area without spending a lot of time web-surfing, look at locogringo.com

Look into Tulum or Akumal (lots of amazing villas for rent on the beach there).

That area escaped Wilma's wrath. Prices are well within your budget.

Take a look at all of the possible places you can fly nonstop in the Caribbean. Someone already mentioned St. Kitts and that would be a great choice but get a list of other nonstops available.

Your price per night is very reasonable, but finding airfare under $350 will be alittle more difficult. Airfare is generally less expensive to those more developed islands that can accommodate large jet aircraft --St. Martin, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Antigua.

I'd recommend that you choose a date in April after the low season prices go into effect so that you can much better bang for your buck.

With 20-30 guests, consider booking an entire small hotel where you will get much more individualized attention. Take a look at www.tensingpen.com www.rockhousehotel.com and www.idleawhile.com which are all located in Negril, Jamaica. Negril is one of the few places that offers a very wide variety of accommodations within a short walking distance along the beach or cliffs. It's also a great favorite here at Fodor's.

I had my wedding with 40 guests at Long Bay Hotel in Antigua that was very mellow, and while some of the accommodations were villa-like, most of them were more like typical hotel rooms. It may not suit you, but I'd recommend looking for a place with a similar feel--small, intimate, that gives a true sense of Caribbean place, and with an owner or manager on site whom you can negotiate with regarding prices.

Congrats on your engagement and hope you have a wonderful time planning your wedding!

Funny this should come up.. Just talked to a couple who are in th eir 40's and never been married.. and they are talking about a destination wedding.. We suggested a cruise to Bermuda and getting married on the beach or on the ship.. It would combine wedding and honeymoon..cut down on some of their expenses..Given enough lead time the guests could book their vacation..Bermuda has wonderful spots for weddings.

Check out Vieques, which is off the coast of Puerto Rico. You can get relatively cheap flights from Philly to San Juan and then it's a puddle jumper from one of the San Juan airports or ferry ride ($2) from Fajardo to the island. For places to stay, look at Hix Island House, Inn on the Blue Horizon, or Hacienda Tamarindo. Vieques is definitely not a Sandals type island. It's very laid back with extraordinarily beautiful beaches and where the main hazard in driving is hitting one of the wild horses.

these places look BEAUTIFUL. thanks everyone. we've considered tulum, but were there not too long ago so it would be fun to go somewhere new.

vieques is definitely in the running.

one more requirement- we need a place that's okay for kids. it doesn't have to cater to them, but some of theses places require you to be over 12 (some of my favorites!).

thank you, thank you.

Many people on this board rave about Jamaica Inn. I think it would meet your requirements for price, both airfare and hotel.

The Buccaneer on St. Croix may be an option. They do weddings and also have a kid's program.

If you totally take over a small hotel (eg Hix, Tamarindo, or Blue Horizon on Vieques) it won't be an issue whether or not children are allowed. Alternatively, you can find several houses to rent. Our children love Vieques!

"ccc"- do you know how far those places are from one another? the inn on the blue horizon looks great but may not big enough (10 villas). we can stay at a place that small if there is somewhere else nearby for friends and family....

vieques is definitely in the running. it's looking like that or negril....but i'm dying to see that bioluminescent bay!!!

thanks.

If you are considering St. Kitts, you should read the recent wedding trip report from dp_diver at www.myeyez.net.

Go to forums, then to "Circus," and she has posted a five-part report of her recent wedding with links to photos. I'm sure she would be happy to answer specific questions about the actual planning process, as well.

Most of her group stayed at Timothy Beach. I think you can fly direct to St. Kitts from Philadelphia on USAir.

Congratulations and good luck!

cw

Untraditional, Tamarindo and Blue Horizon are right next to each other. Hix is probably 5-8 minutes away. Let me know if you have any questions. We love Vieques. If you are thinking about it relative to Negril, I think you will find much more of the Sandals type tourism/tourist in Negril. There is absolutely nothing like that in Vieques - which can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for.

Costalegre, MX: www.costalegre.ca
The Hot.Cococabanas in Barre de Navidad could handle 20+.
M

Vieques is a wonderful choice but you will need to rent a vehicle while you're there. All of the incredible beaches must be driven to. The bio bay is an incredible experience. Please email me for info on lodging if you choose Vieques.

Since you are from Philadelphia make certain you check out the main article in this Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer travel section. It's on Vieques and will give you a good sense of what the island is and what it isn't.