Caneel Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands

by Lisa Matte

It's a simple ceremony. Just the two of you and the minister on a bluff overlooking the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. It's late afternoon. The sun is low in the sky. You whisper your vows. The minister declares you husband and wife. A champagne cork pops in celebration as you toast your union.

A photographer emerges from the shadows. You kick off your shoes and stroll along a short path to a white sand beach. Waves lap gently at the shore as you pose for your first photos together as a married couple. The photos that will capture forever these first moments of your union. The keepsake photos sure to stir fond memories when years from now you recall this day.

This is a Caneel Bay wedding. The exclusive resort nestled in the heart of the 5,000-acre Virgin Islands National Park is the epitome of simple elegance. Established in the mid-1950s by Laurance Rockefeller who stumbled upon the island of St. John during a Caribbean sailing trip, the 171-acre resort property features just 166 guest rooms. That's because Rockefeller's vision involved creating a world-class resort while preserving the natural beauty of its tropical setting. Guest rooms are simple, too. No telephones. No televisions. Simple furnishings. Wake-up knocks replace wake-up calls and breakfast is delivered in a wicker picnic basket.

Seven pristine beaches hug the resort. Dining venues range from a casual patio setting to a guests-only dining room. Water sports are an option for activity-minded guests. But lounging on the beach remains a perennially favorite way to wile away an afternoon. Caneel Bay features a swimming pool and 11 tennis courts, but there's no golf course on the expansive property.

That's something we would never do," says Caneel Bay general manager Brian Young. "We remain faithful to what we are in our setting in nature in a national park. This is a place for rejuvenation and renewal. Caneel Bay is really faithful to the old Caribbean as opposed to the new glitz and marble Caribbean."

"The thing Rockefeller did so well is that he made the resort go away, if that makes any sense," he continues. "You have to really look to see where the rooms are. We celebrate what's outside the rooms."

For more information about Caneel Bay, call 340/776-6111 or log on to http://www.caneelbay.com.