The Caribbean Plate consists of over 7,000 islands but only a fraction of these are inhabited. However, for those who are not familiar with the region there is still a confusing amount to choose from for the ideal wedding or honeymoon location.
While your client can only choose one for her wedding, you can advise her that if she marries in the Caribbean she will have the perfect excuse to go back for her annual anniversary to discover the others!
Whether she wants a formal high-tea reception on a plantation or a relaxed steel-band beach wedding, she’ll find it in the Caribbean.
The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos are not officially part of the Caribbean islands, but they share a common sea – the warm Cerulean sea – and the time zone “island time”, so include them in your suggestions.
Everyday life can vary hugely from island to island depending whether they are either independent or fly the flag of their discoverers – be it French, Dutch, English, Spanish or American (the island of St Martin/Sint Maarten is split down the middle between the French and Dutch).
There is huge variety so whether your clients are going for white sandy beaches, lush forests, activities, or seclusion, there is an island for them.
Note: There is a difference between the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Also the Dominican Republic and Dominica are two very different islands more than 500 miles apart.
British Territory (British West Indies) or Ex-British Colony Cricket, afternoon tea, jackets for dinner – these islands are more formal than their neighbours: Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Briths Virgin Islands (i.e. mainly Tortola and Virgin Gorda), Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, Tobago, Trinidad.
Dutch Territory (Netherlands Antilles) or Ex-Dutch Colony These are the islands with the pastel-coloured gingerbread houses:
Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Maarten, St Eustatius (also known as Statia).
French Territory (French West Indies) Perfect for lovers of fine French food and wine:
Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Barts, St Martin.
Ex-Spanish Colonies Historic sights and lively nightlife:
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.
Peace and Quiet
Anguilla, Nevis, St John, Tobago, Virgin Gorda.
Privacy and Seclusion BVI resort islands (Guana, Peter Island, etc.), Dominica, Little Cayman, Mustique.
Best Deals For Those on a Budget
Bahamas, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saba, St Eustatius, Trinidad.
Islands with the Most All-Inclusive Venues
Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St Lucia.
Lots to See and Do Activities Jamaica, Nassau, Puerto Rico, St Martin/Sint Maarten, St Thomas, Trinidad.
Best Nightlife
Aruba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten.
Learn to Dance!
Curacao (tumba), Dominican Republic (merengue), Guadeloupe & Martinique (beguine and zouk), Jamaica (reggae), Puerto Rico (salsa), Trinidad (calypso, soca).
Best Shopping
Bahamas, Grand Cayman, St Martin/Sint Maarten, USVI.
Best Lush Tropical Islands Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, St Vincent.
Best Beaches
Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Grand Cayman, Grenadines, Jamaica, St John, St. Thomas, Turks & Caicos.
Best Rain Forests
Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Eustatius, St Lucia, St Vincent.
Best Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Anguilla, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Saba, St Lucia, St Eustatius, Tobago, Turks & Caicos.
Best Sailing
Antigua, BVI, St Lucia, St Martin/Sint Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, USVI.
Best Windsurfing Antigua, Aruba, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Puerto Rico.
I woke up to a blizzard this morning (yes it’s snowing in Ireland, just in time for St Patrick’s weekend!) and to a lovely testimonial from Shirley and Stephen – the couple from Dublin whose wedding I arranged in Austria on Valentine’s Day!
“We had the most perfect wedding day and honeymoon in Austria. With just the two of us, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. We both want to do it all over again. We will deffo be going back to stay at the Hotel (Hopefully for our first anniversary).
Karen, Anja and all the family* and staff at the hotel couldn’t have been nicer and so helpful, really friendly and made us feel so welcome. They really made our day soooo special. The hotel itself was gorgous and really clean The food was really nice. I couldn’t fault it.
If it wasn’t for you Rosie, we couldn’t have done it. Our special day was made possible with all your help and Karen’s of course. So a HUGE BIG THANK YOU to you.”
It warmed the cockles of my heart so much that I forgot the blizzard outside!
What makes France different from Ireland is that in France only civil weddings are legally recognised. Religious ceremonies have no legal standing. If you want to marry in a French church then you will also have to go through a civil ceremony at another venue. A lot of couples consider having a civil marriage at home and then a religious wedding in France.
However, if your heart is set on France as the country you want to start your married life in well this is what you need to know: At least one of the partners to be married must reside in the place where the wedding will take place for at least 40 days immediately prior to the wedding.
One or both of you must reside in the departement (district) or the arrondissement (if in Paris) for at least 30 days prior to the marriage. Following these 30 days, French law requires the publication of the marriage banns at the Mairie (Town Hall) for 10 days. Thus 40 days is the minimum period of residence before a civil ceremony can take place. Non French nationals must provide the following before the banns can be published:
1. A pre-marital certificate, which is obtained at the Mairie (town hall) where the wedding will take place.
2. A certified birth certificate issued less than six months prior to the date of the marriage
3. A passport (carte de séjour)
4. A certificate of residence (provided by your embassy)
5. A prenuptial certificate of health (certificat d’examen médical prénuptial) issued less than two months prior to the date of the marriage by a medical doctor after: serological tests for syphilis, irregular anti-bodies, rubella and toxoplasma. It is possible to have these tests done in France.
6. If you have married previously, a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse or a certified copy of the final divorce decree
7. A notarised “Affidavit of Law” (Certificat de Coutume), drawn up by a solicitor in the state of residence of the parties, stating that: the person is free to marry, and the marriage performed in France will be recognized as valid in the home country.
8. A personal certificate of celibacy (provided by your embassy)
9. The documents must be translated into French. The translations and the original document must be verified by the French Consulate General (vérification de traduction).
10. Foreign documents must be legalized prior to being given to the French authorities. Obtaining an Apostille can legalize documents.
11. On arrival in France, you should contact the Mairie to see if any other documents are required. A minimum of four weeks may be needed to complete the necessary documentation and to reserve the wedding date and location.
Are you going to a wedding in Florence or Sienna this year? Well why not make a holiday out of the trip and stay in a fabulous villa in the surrounding countryside? The Wedding Planner discovered a fabulous villa during our last visit to the Tuscan area. The impressive 13th century Villa Archipettoli, just outside the town of San Casciano in Val di Pesa in the Chianti region, sleeps 10 and has lots of great restaurants nearby.
Arhipettoli’s privileged location, with breathtaking views of the Apennine Mountains and the vineyards and olive trees of the Chianti region, is ideal for a relaxing stay under the Tuscan sun for those attending wedding celebrations in nearby Florence and Siena or for an intimate wedding party.
The villa is a stone wall building and an impressive example of the traditional Tuscan rural residence.
The 14 acres include landscaped gardens that gently slope down to the villa’s swimming pool and the remainder is planted with olive trees, spectacular views of the mountains and the Tuscan rolling countryside. As the sunsets, the house’s terrace becomes the perfect beauty spot to enjoy a glass of Chianti wine and relax.
Active visitors have the splendor of Florence, ‘the cradle of Renaissance’, only 25 kms away, with its spectacular architecture and rich heritage. Picturesque Siena is 50 kms away from the villa and the perfect day trip; while Pisa and its famous tower are 90 kms away.
From Ireland: Ryanair has two daily flights to Pisa from Dublin. Aerlingus has flights to Bologna (one hour away approximately) from Dublin; and also to Rome (250kms away) from Dublin and Cork.
For more information and bookings for Villa Archipettoli, you can contact: archipettoli@bluewin.ch
The Caribbean Plate consists of over 7,000 islands but only a fraction of these are inhabited, however for those who are not familiar with the region there is still a confusing amount to choose from for the ideal wedding or honeymoon location.
While you can only choose one for your wedding, remember, if you marry in the Caribbean you have the perfect excuse to go back for your annual anniversary to discover the others!
Whether you want a formal tea high reception on a plantation or a relaxed steel band beach wedding, you’ll find it in the Caribbean.
The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos are not officially part of the Caribbean islands, but they share a common sea, the warm Cerulean sea and the time zone: “island time”, so I have included them in this article.
Everyday life can vary hugely from island to island depending whether they are either independent or fly the flag of their discoverers, be it French, Dutch, English, Spanish or American (the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten is split down the middle between the French and Dutch).
There is huge variety so whether you are going for, white sandy beaches, lush forests, activities, or seclusion there is an island for you.
Notes: There is a difference between the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Also the Dominican Republic and Dominica are two very different islands more than 500 miles apart.
British Territory (British West Indies) or Ex-British Colony Cricket, afternoon tea, jackets for dinner – these islands are more formal than their neighbours. Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Briths Virgin Islands (ie. Mainly Tortola and Virgin Gorda), Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Tobago, Trinidad.
Dutch Territory (Netherlands Antilles) or Ex-Dutch Colony These are the isalnds with the pastel-coloured, gingerbread-houses
Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Maarten, St. Eustatius (also known as Statia)
French Territory (French West Indies) Perfect for lovers of fine French food and wine.
Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barts, St. Martin
Ex-Spanish Colonies Historic sights and lively nightlife
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
Peace & Quiet Anguilla, Nevis, St. John, Tobago, Virgin Gorda
Privacy and Seclusion BVI resort islands (Guana, Peter Island, etc.), Dominica, Little Cayman, Mustique
Best Deals For Those on a Budget
Bahamas, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Eustatius, Trinidad
Islands with the Most All-Inclusive Venues
Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Lucia
Lots of See & Do Activities Jamaica, Nassau, Puerto Rico, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Thomas, Trinidad
Best Nightlife
Aruba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten
Learn to Dance!
Curacao (tumba), Dominican Republic (merengue), Guadeloupe & Martinique (beguine and zouk), Jamaica (reggae), Puerto Rico (salsa), Trinidad (calypso, soca)
Best Shopping
Bahamas, Grand Cayman, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, USVI
Best Lush Tropical Islands Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent
Best Beaches
Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Grand Cayman, Grenadines, Jamaica, St. John, St. Thomas, Turks & Caicos
Best Rain Forests
Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Eustatius, St. Lucia, St. Vincent
Best Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
Anguilla, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Saba, St. Lucia, St. Eustatius, Tobago, Turks & Caicos
Best Sailing
Antigua, BVI, St. Lucia, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, USVI
Best Windsurfing Antigua, Aruba, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Puerto Rico
