Mostly couples that opt to marry in the Caribbean do so not just because it is so romantic but because they don’t want the razzmatazz and stress of a full blown affair at home. In the Caribbean, organising a wedding, even a complicated one seems a lot easier, and is probably a great deal less expensive too.
If you are booking through a tour operator or travel organiser, the services of a local organiser (their local representatives) should be included in the price of your holiday. At any rate, if you have booked a wedding package, the company should certainly have fixed for a wedding co-ordinator to take care of your needs (although this service is sometimes arranged with the hotel).
Some tour operators and travel organisers are specialists at Caribbean weddings and they will put all the details together especially for you – others will simply offer you a choice of packages at various hotels.
If you are booking independently, it is very important to retain the services of a Local Organiser, unless the hotel has its own dedicated Wedding Co-ordinator or you are going to make all the arrangements through a Wedding & Events Planner. Some Local Organisers have dedicated Wedding departments, which are generally excellent. The other good thing about a Local Organiser is that they have the knowledge of the island and the contacts to fix up just about anything you’d care to mention. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, these are the people to come up with some ideas or turn yours into reality.
A good Local Organiser or Wedding Planner will be able to make all the arrangements for a simple wedding for two through to an extravaganza for 200 or more. Whether you are staying at a hotel or villa, they will hold your hand to make sure that all the paperwork is completed as it needs to be. If you have chosen a villa wedding they will liaise with the villa management company to ensure that everything runs smoothly. If you wish to marry in a church with a traditional reception or have a wedding deep in the rainforest, a Local Organiser will usually be able to attend to every detail. For instance:
- booking the venue, organising all the decorations, cake and reception needs, booking the registrar, church or minister, arranging the special licence, transport to and from the Ministry.
- meeting at the airport, smoothing your path to your accommodation, visiting you as soon as you’ve settled in to discuss the final arrangements, escort you to visit the Ministry, etc. facilitate any additional requests and the coordinate all the arrangements.
- if you are travelling without friends or family, two witnesses are required for the ceremony. The local organiser can provide them.
Local Organisers/Wedding Co-ordinators are the best ‘fixers’ on most islands – we suggest you don’t plan a wedding or event without their help!
For further island-specific details and our recommendations for planning your wedding and lots of ideas, please see the WEDDING & ROMANCE section of each island’s guide on this website.
