ISLAND ROMANCE:

Weddings

Would you like to get married on your honeymoon? Destination weddings are becoming more and more popular with couples eager to skip the fuss of a traditional wedding and jump right into the fun. Many hotels and resorts offer on-site help to plan your wedding, everything from details like obtaining the license, to extras such as music and photos. Whether the special day involves just the two of you or whether you'll be inviting friends and relatives to join in the occasion, a destination wedding can be a way to create wonderful memories.
But first, the downside. These weddings aren't for everyone. If you're in love with the idea of a large wedding with all your friends and family, skip this. Even with a year of planning, it's just about impossible to get everyone's schedules coordinated for this kind of event. You have to decide what is most important to you.

Destination Weddings

Destination weddings have caught on for several reasons. According to hotels and resorts around the Caribbean, they're especially popular with couples who:

• are on a budget and don't want the expense of an elaborate wedding.
• don't want the fuss of a wedding and all that goes with it at home.
• are on their second marriage looking for something a little different or need to bring along children on the honeymoon. The children's programs at many resorts offer privacy for the couple and a chance to enjoy a vacation with their new family.
• are bringing a small wedding party. Sometimes the bride and groom stay at one resort and the wedding party at a neighboring resort, giving everyone privacy.
• are bringing a sizable wedding party and would like to take over a resort.

Many couples say "I do" to island weddings not only as a way to make the occasion more special, but also as a means of simplifying the whole process. "Just say the word, and we'll take care of everything," explains Ava Burke-Thompson, Director of Guest Services at the Sheraton Grand Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas. "We can arrange for the marriage license; minister, priest or rabbi; florist and photographer; wedding cake and champagne; and the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception."

At resorts like the Sheraton Grand, on-site wedding coordinators take care of every last detail, some with just a one-day notice. "We do it all the time," says Burke-Thompson. "It's now legally possible to get married in the Bahamas with 24 hours' notice."
Island ceremonies also give way to another joyous celebration: island anniversaries. Couples who wed in the Caribbean find it romantic to revisit the very spot where they married.

Easy to Arrange

Recognizing the Caribbean wedding trend, islands are relaxing their marriage requirements. "We are pleased to see that many of the islands are meeting the current trend of destination weddings by enacting legislation making it easier for tourists to get married in the Caribbean," said Michael Youngman, director of marketing for the Caribbean Tourism Organization. "In addition, many hotels and resorts offer wedding and honeymoon packages, making getting married in the Caribbean a memorable and affordable experience."

You'll find that island weddings are becoming increasingly easier to arrange, with shorter (or no) residency periods, simplified paperwork, and usually no required blood tests. Many resorts have full-time staff members to simplify paperwork.

Details, Details

Before you say "I do," plan to do a little research into the "do's" ­ and "don'ts" ­ of the local marriage laws. Many islands have loosened their marriage regulations, making it easier for foreigners to tie the knot. Even so, you'll need to do some research. "The reason some couples have problems with their overseas wedding is that they are unfamiliar with the marriage laws, rules and regulations of where they want to be wed," explains Ruth Keusch, co-owner of Ottley's Plantation Inn in the Caribbean federation of St. Kitts & Nevis. In researching your destination wedding, Keusch recommends that couples make sure they find out in advance:

• if their home country will recognize a wedding in the designated country as valid.
• the minimum residency period required before the marriage can be performed.
• what paperwork you'll need to bring from your hometown house of worship if you're planning a religious ceremony.
• what proof is required if you're divorced or widowed.
• if blood tests are required and, if so, if you can bring them from your home doctor or whether they must be performed locally.
• if there will be English-speaking staff members available to assist you.
• costs and fees.
• typical weather during the month of your wedding.
• special hotel rates for members of the wedding party.
• what previous experience the hotel or resort has in planning foreign weddings.

Planning

The simplest way to plan an island wedding is to work through your resort's wedding coordinator. This staff member counsels guests before their stay so you know what necessary papers to bring. After arrival, the coordinator helps couples complete necessary paperwork, explains where to go if the country requires an in-person visit to obtain a marriage license, arranges for a minister or other officiating party, and helps with wedding extras such as photography and music.

Once you decide on a resort, call the local number and ask to speak with the wedding coordinator. Also, inquire about wedding packages to make your special day that much more extraordinary.

Typically, most countries require you to send documents and complete paperwork before your stay. If this is the case, do not send documents by surface mail. Mail service throughout most of the Caribbean is extremely slow. Rely on fax transmissions and courier services such as Federal Express for delivery of papers. Also, bring copies of all paperwork to the island with you, just in case.

The resort staff will work with you down to the last detail. We recently spoke with Angus Sexius, Guest and Public Relations Manager for the Royal St. Lucian, who handles weddings at the popular property. "I try to meet with the clients the morning after they arrive so they can relax before the ceremony. We then make an appointment and go to the lawyer's office," Sexius says. The paperwork then goes to the attorney general's office, where the marriage license is issued.

Sexius notes several points for travelers planning to wed. St. Lucia has public beaches. "When we have beach weddings we cannot tell people to get off the beach." The Royal St. Lucian moves ceremonies as close as possible to the hotel property. "Most guests are mindful of the ceremony and are discreet." Also, the marriage officer in Castries has the final say over the exact time of the wedding. Finally, says Sexius, "The thing I need to be mindful of is that I have no control over the weather. We must put in a contingency plan in case of bad weather."