Caribbean Wedding: Memorable Moments

With more and more couples opting to escape the high costs and stresses of a large and elaborate wedding, the trend of getting married abroad is an increasingly popular one, with the Caribbean still topping the list as one of the most popular destinations for an overseas wedding. Many fall in love with the idea of the tropical setting and backdrop which make for the most romantic of wedding photos, but on investigating the possibilities further, find they are overwhelmed on where to start in trying to arrange the kind of wedding they envisaged. Perhaps the only concept they have of a Caribbean wedding is going to a “Sandals” resort which offers a standard package and often conveyor belt style of wedding, which can leave some couples feeling less than “special” on their big day.

However, with more couples now wishing to combine a truly memorable wedding day with a holiday of a lifetime, perhaps even taking additional family and friends with them to celebrate their big day, finding the right location and the right property where you can truly feel unique on your wedding day may mean looking for truly specialist advice and assistance.

This need has been recognized by Culsen Travel, an independent tour operator based in Bedfordshire. They exclusively feature the Caribbean and specialize in weddings and honeymoons. The company is owned by a couple who have had firsthand experience of marrying in the Caribbean. Five years ago they traveled to the island of Tobago along with 40 guests and enjoyed not only a wonderful wedding day but a memorable large family holiday. “Having experienced getting married in the Caribbean ourselves, we appreciated that it can be very difficult to find anyone who caters for this kind of specialist area. Many couples would like the option of taking a large number of guests with them and perhaps having the kind of wedding they would have had here, but in a Caribbean setting, and at a fraction of the cost, but most holiday companies do not cater for this kind of wedding party”, says Director of Products & Sales & Wedding Planner, Stephanie Morson.

Culsen Travel have therefore established themselves as a travel company who can not only recommend the right island for you, but also the perfect accommodation on the island of your choice, ranging from small boutique hotels, to large resorts or private villas ranging from 2-9 bedrooms with private pools or beachfront locations, often fully staffed, and ideal for larger wedding parties who wish to stay together or even providing a wedding venue within the more private setting of the villa grounds. They feature 10 islands and know these islands and the properties they feature well, and are therefore able to provide firsthand information on what will suit their client’s needs.

With regards to the wedding Culsen Travel offer three styles of weddings:

Hotel & Resort Weddings – the most popular type of wedding, as most hotels offer their own wedding package with a dedicated location within the property for holding a ceremony and have their own wedding coordinator who will take care of arrangements. These weddings are most suited to couples who want a small, simple and inexpensive wedding at the hotel where they have opted to stay, as some hotels even offer a Free Wedding for couples staying for a minimum period of time or booking a certain number of rooms for their wedding party, or staying at certain times of year.

Villa Weddings - Culsen Travel specialise in featuring a range of private villas on 6 of the islands in our programme. These villas offer guests the benefits of space, comfort and privacy and are therefore the perfect location for couples looking for an alternative to a hotel resort wedding. They are often fully staffed and located in beautiful landscaped gardens or directly on the beach, making the ideal backdrop for a small intimate ceremony or a large private wedding with full reception party, and Culsen Travel have independent wedding co-ordinators on each of these islands who will look after every detail for your special day, from arranging the minister to choosing your flower arrangements and organising your catering, the cake and your guest entertainment.

Bespoke Weddings - You may be looking for a wedding venue which offers an alternative Caribbean setting to a resort beach or villa grounds, if so Culsen Travel can arrange for your ceremony and private reception party to take place in a unique location such at a historical plantation house, at a natural beauty spot such as within botanical gardens or the rainforest, onboard a private yacht, at a local church or even at a World Heritage site. Once again their on-island wedding planners will take care of all the details.

Culsen Travel can recommend the island, property and ideal wedding venue to suit you, and put the arrangements in place to offer a more tailor-made service to couples for their special day. They also have a selection of villas and hotels which they recommend for a Caribbean honeymoon. Check out their website on www.culsentravel.com or call Stephanie on 01582 729333. You can also visit them at the special forthcoming Wedding Fayre which will be themed around Caribbean Weddings.