Romance
Whether its vows with ‘wows’, a romantic rendezvous for two or a love island à deux, you’ll find romance in the air
Soft powdery sands, stunning sunsets, luxury over-the-water suites and lush tropical hideaways; the Caribbean provides the perfect stage for an idyllic wedding ceremony or romantic honeymoon.
Exchange your vows on a luxury yacht in Saint Lucia, or beside a thundering waterfall in St. Kitts, or perhaps a Mayan temple in Belize could be the setting? Afterwards, laze in a hammock for two, while sipping chilled champagne - delivered by zip-wire, of course.
Barefoot chic
Stroll hand-in-hand along some of the world’s most iconic white-sand beaches – or perhaps one that’s pretty in pink? You’ll find them at Harbour Island and Eleuthera in The Bahamas, Crane Beach, Barbados, and Low Bay, Barbuda – and you won’t need rose-tinted glasses.
Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach extends as far as the eye can see and there are pristine unspoilt beaches in Jamaica, Anguilla, Grenada, Barbados, Curaçao and Tobago. Haiti also boasts some lesser-known gems.
What can be more romantic than a private love island? Palm Island and Petit St Vincent, both in the beautiful Grenadines, offer a unique romantic escape. Palm Island is mobile phonefree (Wi-fi only in the lobby), so there will be absolutely no distractions.
Big-day backdrops
Everyone wants their big day to go smoothly. Thankfully in the Caribbean, there are a plethora of wedding planners on hand to ensure that your big day goes without a hitch.
Hotels and resorts of all categories offer an abundance of wedding packages and many include extras such as a free overnight stay, a wedding cake or a photographer.
Before choosing your island or country, check the legal requirements for getting wed, as some require more paperwork than others. Minimum residency periods also vary.
Antigua is one of the many islands that does not require a pre-residency period before the big day. And special wedding and honeymoon packages are available during its ‘June is Romance Month’ promotion.
In Dominica, Grenada, and sister islands Petite Martinique and Carriacou, UK couples must stay 24 hours before they can apply for a licence to marry. On St. Eustatius, it’s at least three weeks’ notice before the big day.
Once the island has been chosen, and the date set, there’s the venue to
decide upon, and there’s a stunning variety of backdrops to choose from. How about a luxury yacht? Or an overthe-water wedding chapel with the sea lapping all around you (available at Sandals’ South Coast Jamaica and Grande St Lucian, Saint Lucia). Sandals’ Aisle to Isle wedding packages offers a myriad of other options too.
Historic wedding venues to choose from on St. Eustatius include historic Fort Oranje (built in 1636), the Dutch Reformed Church and The Miriam C. Smith Botanical Gardens.
Couples staying at Cap Maison, Saint Lucia, can marry on a clifftop, a secluded sandy beach, luxury yacht or on a roof-top terrace. They can also have exclusive use of the resort. Wedding packages include celebrant and ceremony paraphernalia, and champagne can be delivered via zip-line for the reception afterwards.
The Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas offers 15 ceremony venues and a host of wedding-package options and Amresorts have all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, Curaçao and Puerto Rico, offering wedding and honeymoon packages, as do Superclubs, with resorts in Jamaica and The Bahamas.
A traditional Jewish wedding is available at the synagogue in Curaçao; the only synagogue operating in the Caribbean – however, you’ll have to apply to the city council a year in advance and prove that you are Jewish.
And for the truly adventurous couple, how about an underwater wedding in the Cayman Islands?
Honeymoon hideaways
Boutique boltholes, all-inclusive resorts and luxury hotels provide plenty of choice for all budgets.
Chauffeured Rolls-royce airport transfers are included for couples staying in the top suites at Sandals’ Royal Barbados, which opened in late 2017. The all-suite resort also features millionaire suites, sky-pool suites and swim-up suites, some with their own private pool and hot tubs.
The boutique Silversands Grenada, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, became the Spice Isle’s latest luxe hotspot when it opened on Grand Anse Beach in early 2018. Its 43 suites and nine villas offer minimalist design and ‘understated luxury’, plus there’s a spa offering locally-inspired treatments, artworks from the owner’s private collection, and the Caribbean’s longest pool at 100-metres.
Nevis has countless plantation house hotels that are perfect for couples wanting to chill. Or twin a stay on the island with time on nearby St. Kitts, where the 126-room Park Hyatt opened on Banana Bay in late 2017.
Elegant Hotels’ first Antigua hotel, the all-suite and villa Hodges Bay, opens in 2018 in a secluded setting. •