Your Beach Wedding

How exciting is this? You and your future spouse have decided upon a Caribbean wedding. But you have many questions and wonder where you will start to plan the happy wedding day. So, to help you, we have compiled a five-point checklist to start you on your planning journey.

International Airports and Scheduling

When deciding upon an island to hold your wedding, look for islands that are easily accessible. Smaller islands typically do not have international airports and cannot accept the bigger jets for take-off and landing. Thus, you fly to a main island hub such as Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Barbados or Sint Maarten and then fly on in the smaller planes to the island of choice.

While this type of trip is fun for a family vacation or romantic getaway, it makes it very difficult when traveling as large group for a wedding. New security measures have been put into place in recent years that require passengers to collect their baggage before continuing on in their journey. The checked-in cases no longer go directly to the destination. So everyone aboard must disembark, collect their luggage, check in with the smaller airline, recheck-in their baggage and board the smaller plane. In addition to the nuisance, the smaller planes are not able to carry the same weight as the large jets so basically you will be restricted on how much to carry. Some parcels and baggage would have to be sent long prior to your own departure.

One other obstacle to traveling to a smaller island without a jet length airstrip, the travel costs will become very expensive very quickly. While the smaller airlines offer frequent and regular trips throughout the Caribbean, many islands do not permit landing in the dark. Because your international flight might come in too late to meet the last local flight, your group will need accommodations for the night. This fact alone may make the travel arrangements expensive as not only hotel rooms are required but taxi fares and food allowances.

Local Flavor

Many of the islands were or still are territories of larger countries. As such, countries like England, France and the Netherlands have heavily influenced the islands’ customs, meals and traditions. When planning a destination wedding in the Caribbean, research the local customs of the island you have chosen and see sample menus in order to determine if you would like your wedding reception meal to offer mostly local dishes or a mix. Remember, however, that if you prefer your own type of food, that it may not be the same to which you are accustomed.

History, Eco-Tourism and Heritage

When choosing the island destination for your wedding, each island has its own unique charm. All of the islands are rich in history, some have rain forests and others are known for their white sandy beaches. Think about what interests you most. Review the tourist attractions so that you know what is available for your guests while on the island. Plantations, fortresses, beautiful birds, spices wafting in the air, and cobblestone streets are many of the wonderful things to experience in the Caribbean.

Residency and Entry Requirements

While in the island choosing process, check with the respective embassy to determine any residency requirements for the wedding ceremony itself and also any entry requirements for the group to travel to the destination. For the wedding ceremony, it may be easier to marry at home and hold a symbolic ceremony at the destination. Also, check the government websites for any other information required such as vaccinations, blood tests and the like.

Interview Wedding Planners

It might be prudent to enlist the help of a specialized wedding planner. Either someone local who is experienced in planning a wedding on the particular island that you have chosen or a planner locally on the island who works with the couple long distance. Do not choose the first person you find. Interview several people by telephone, email and Instant Messaging to determine who is best qualified.