The Internet Says These Are The Most Stunning Locations For A Dreamy Wedding In The Caribbean

For that special day, a couple will go to the ends of the Earth to make sure everything is perfect. From choosing the right flowers to getting the seating arrangements spot on, a wedding is a production of fine details that are ephemeral and that only happen once. Perhaps one of the most important ingredients in the wedding, and the piece that will stick most stubbornly in the memory of everyone there, is the location. Anyone who has attended a wedding might not remember the food, the idle chit-chat of fellow guests, or even the ceremony, but they never forget where the wedding was held.

That's why picking a beautiful location is so critical and why the Caribbean is such a popular choice — with warm, sunny skies and idyllic beaches, what's not to love? Destination weddings in the Caribbean are big business, estimated to be worth almost $5 billion in 2023 and expected to more than triple by 2033, according to Future Market Insights. The islands below, chosen in part for their relative ease of access from the U.S., have a custom of holding weddings and will deliver a day you'll never forget.

At this British Caribbean island east of Puerto Rico, an array of options are available for wedding locations. Couples can hold the event on a small cay, with dazzling blues lapping the shore nearby, or find an old church for a more formal ceremony (for the latter option, months of planning are required). Some visitors charter a private yacht to exchange their vows at sea or rent a luxury villa for a more personal gathering. For an event of any size, a marriage license is required, which costs about $280, and two witnesses must be present during the officiating of the ceremony. Furthermore, the couple needs to stay on the island for at least two days.

Another popular option is to hold a destination wedding at a resort, like the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. The property is well-versed in hosting nuptials, with ceremonies held on the beach, with the sun setting in the background as one example, followed by a celebratory dinner at the spacious pool terrace. For couples who book a certain number of rooms for the wedding party, the resort will give them perks like three free nights in a suite and a cozy dinner for two.

On this island with 365 beaches — one for every day of the year — getting hitched on the sand seems appropriate. Luckily, it's also easy to arrange since organizing a wedding is straightforward in Antigua. The island eschews the need for the couple to stay a certain number of days in residence to make the marriage license valid. A simple interview at a government ministry and a stop at the registrar's office are the only requirements to get a special license (the cheaper, ordinary license does necessitate a more extended stay in Antigua).

If you're looking for a dreamy beachfront wedding, the long sweep of Deep Bay, close to the former military outpost Fort Barrington, is an excellent choice. Royalton Antigua can put together a ceremony on this sublime scimitar of sand or an elevated terrace with a sea view and then host the reception in the resort's ballroom. It can also stage a disco event where the couple and guests can let loose.

This sunny isle, closer to South America than many other islands on this list, sits outside the hurricane belt. So, the former Dutch territory is a smart choice for weddings any time of the year. The sea and beaches in Aruba are world-class, with warm water throughout the year and a hypnotic blue hue that would serve as a spectacular backdrop for any ceremony. Aruba has clear guidelines on the paperwork and procedures for holding a wedding there, with details outlining the requirements for the many faiths that choose to do so (among them Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish).

The island features a large number of resorts along its shore, with destinations like the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Spa adept at hosting nuptials. The property offers a handsome choice of venues, with the sweeping Palm Beach among them. A ceremony there, a short distance from the water, can cater to 1,000 guests. Smaller affairs can turn to the broad pool terrace where palm trees flutter in the gentle breeze, the property's neatly clipped lawn, or inside the spacious ballroom.

This destination is technically in the Atlantic Ocean, but we've included it in the story because travelers often think of it as a Caribbean destination. The Bahamas is a nation of 700 islands, allowing visitors a vast choice of options for their wedding venue, with beaches an obvious pick. There are also sandbars stranded in the middle of the ocean that seem lifted from the annals of fantasy and can easily serve as a gorgeous spot for exchanging vows.

As if the options weren't varied enough, the huge resort of Atlantis Paradise Island has more than 20 different venues for holding the ceremony and reception. Beaches, of course, figure among the alternatives, with Cove Beach and Paradise Beach among the locations that fit the bill. Couples can decide on a ceremony at Ocean's Edge, a deck set above the water, or at the Baths Colonnade, with its grand columns lending a stately ambiance. For fans of marine life, Dolphin Cay is a setting sure to generate priceless memories.

Home to the Baths National Park, one of the most famous beaches in the world, the British Virgin Islands certainly sells itself as a tropical wedding destination. These isles welcome visitors to their sultry strands of sand and plush resorts, where couples can exchange vows. Some visitors even hold their ceremony on a yacht as it slices through the gorgeous turquoise Caribbean Sea. Prospective duos can initiate the marriage license process through an online application, and a special license requires that visitors only stay in the BVI for a minimum of one day (payment involves a $220 postage stamp!).

At Rosewood Little Dix Bay, where rooms are scattered between the shore and on forested slopes, the weddings are pitched to those searching for small, private ceremonies with a maximum of 14 guests up to large affairs that can accommodate a maximum of 100. Venues include the beach, where tiki lamps cast a warming glow at sunset, or near the property's vibrant gardens. Receptions in covered spaces with views of the water round out the offerings.

Another beach for the ages, Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, seems to stretch forever — no surprise given its name. It's an incredible piece of waterfront, and for beach bunnies, it's a spot that might be paradise on Earth. Resorts populate the beach, taking full advantage of the natural sandy stretch, and it's an undeniably romantic place, especially at sunset (the beach faces west). 

Seven Mile Beach is one of the venues for weddings at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. It also happens to be one of the best Caribbean beaches for weddings. Couples can gaze into each other's eyes while standing below a wedding arbor entwined with roses as the glimmering Caribbean Sea ebbs and flows in the background. The property also provides a more enclosed space amid the trees and bushes of the Great Lawn for guests seeking a private affair. Getting married in the Cayman Islands is a piece of cake, and visitors can even hold the ceremony on the same day they touch down on the islands, as long as they have their paperwork in order.

Nature is at the heart of any experience in this Spanish-speaking Caribbean country, with a quarter of the nation protected as parks, sanctuaries, or reserves. There are, of course, some stunning beaches around the D.R. coast, but the country also promises lush rainforests, fine colonial architecture, and impressive cathedrals. Air connections from the United States are great, with direct flights into the capital, Santo Domingo, and the north coast resort area of Puerto Plata.

There are also flights into the east coast vacation magnet of Punta Cana, where visitors will find the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana. The property forms a broad U-shape around a central area filled with pools, dining venues, and the beach out front. A colossal event lawn is among the options for a couple ready to tie the knot, as is a pretty beachfront gazebo, where the glittering sea extends in the background as far as the eye can see.

This large Caribbean island with a mountainous interior and vibrant culture has plenty to offer couples looking to unite formally. A marriage ceremony can be held a day after landing, and the range of places to exchange vows makes for fascinating reading. The reliable choice of a sandy beach is available at points throughout Jamaica, while an event held by a waterfall or a zip line over it is equally doable. Boat trips through the cerulean waters promise a novel alternative, while more traditional couples might opt for a church wedding.

Set high above sea level, Seville Heritage Park provides a green setting, and at Laughing Waters, a clear river meets the Caribbean Sea. A whitewashed, open-air chapel right by the water is one of the choices for the ceremony at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay; beach weddings are also offered. The property is especially suited to nuptials; it features beautiful overwater bungalows arrayed in the shape of a heart — how romantic is that?

One bonus for American guests visiting this island is that since it is a United States territory, they don't need to fly using a passport, which might assuage the worries of some first-time flyers who haven't yet applied for the identification document. Puerto Rico promises bountiful beaches and rapturous rainforests, and San Juan is one of the most romantic cities in the Americas, with sensuous Spanish-colonial architecture. The island presents a world of possibilities for travelers planning a wedding, from sand to jungles, churches to museums, and other places that speak to the territory's history.

You can also opt for something a little different by exchanging vows under a banyan tree at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, a setting of haunting, heartbreaking beauty. Note that even with its status as a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico requires that American visitors have certain documents with them to be eligible to marry there. This can include a medical certificate and an affidavit showing the couple has come to the island to wed (these documents can be obtained on the island, but that might lengthen the couple's stay).

A stretch of coastline south of Cancún and a beach haven popular with American travelers, the Riviera Maya is home to plush hotels and resorts (including a number of all-inclusives), lively towns with good shopping, and even Mayan ruins. Cenotes, or underground caves, provide great swimming holes, and amusement parks will keep the whole family busy. As wedding destinations go, it's a very convenient option, with easy access from the resort hub of Cancún, a place well served by flights from U.S. airports.

Among the many resorts that can arrange weddings is the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya. The beachfront property is blessed with several venues for holding the ceremony, from terraces with views of the Caribbean Sea to gardens to a ballroom that can hold 400 guests. Couples searching for something a little out of the ordinary can exchange vows by the mangroves, a key part of the environment in this part of Mexico.

The island of Sint Maarten, or St. Martin, has two personalities that make it a fun destination, with a Dutch side and a French side existing in overall harmony. Though visitors can come and go from one part to the other freely, without any need for border controls, the Dutch side is where to find the airport and the famous Maho Beach, notable for the giant jets that fly close by overhead en route to landing at the neighboring runway. Visitors to the island will encounter mesmerizing blue seas, silky sand beaches, and well-developed tourist infrastructure. Couples might choose one of the many churches as a site for their wedding. 

Sonesta St. Maarten has two properties on the island that are next to each other and close to Maho Beach, and they offer a variety of venues for the special day. The Sands is a private beach that can accommodate 200 guests for the ceremony, while up to 650 can comfortably fit into the Maho Room. The rooftop Casa Blue benefits from cool ocean breezes and fine views of the sea, while Oceanview Garden provides a setting with plenty of greenery.

The only limitation to holding a wedding in St. Lucia is your imagination; such is the wealth of options. Couples can go the standard beachfront route, most likely arranged by the resort where they are staying. But they can also find a roaring waterfall or an artfully landscaped national garden. The island is peppered with caves and grottoes and, of course, the towering Pitons, the two mountain peaks that are a defining image of St. Lucia. 

A duo looking to exchange vows can do so with views of those conical peaks at Jade Mountain Resort, a small luxury property with open rooms set on the side of a hill. There is no specific venue at the property that is the de facto wedding spot. Still, anything is open for discussion, from a terrace with endless views across the sea and landscape to an old colonial plantation on the grounds. Guests can even request a ceremony at a waterfall, in a church, or above a coral reef just offshore. Those looking for a beach event can access the waterfront grounds of sister property Anse Chastanet.

In this nation of 32 islands and cays, the sea is never far away, and a strip of soft sand backed by glinting turquoise water is a simple but stunning possibility for a wedding ceremony. But it's not the only option, and visitors can look to deserted cays, yachts, and sailboats that trawl some of the most dazzling waters on the planet and churches that are more than two centuries old as alternate venues.

At Young Island Resort, a private island that sits a two-minute boat ride off the main island of St. Vincent, weddings are intimate affairs. The property spreads across a small, hilly isle, with acres of pretty gardens, fine beaches, and 29 cottages tucked among the greenery or sprinkled near the sea. Couples can book the whole island for the ultimate destination wedding or exchange vows on the beach at sunset, followed by a round of cocktails to toast the festive occasion.

The twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago sits close to the coast of Venezuela and has brought the world such peerless delights as soca, calypso, doubles, and steelpan music. While Trinidad is the economic engine of the duo, Tobago is where you can find the best beaches and strips of sand that ring an island with an interior that is largely rainforest. It's a location rife with possibilities, from hiking and exploring the forests to swimming in bioluminescent waters.

Tobago is also home to the waterfront Grafton Beach Resort, a beautiful spot for a wedding ceremony. Located on the western coast, the property can set up a ceremony on the beach while the sun shines overhead or as it slips into the Caribbean Sea and casts a deep glow over the proceedings. The event can be large or small, or it can be hosted by the pool or inside an air-conditioned space that can feel like a welcome relief on a scorching day.

Another group of islands that sit in the Atlantic, the Turks & Caicos, are part of the overseas territory of the United Kingdom, set close to the Bahamas, and made of limestone. They offer fine snorkeling, diving, and beaches that are among the best in the region. Visitors looking to get hitched need to spend a few days there before getting married — they will need to be there for at least a day before applying for the marriage license, and ceremonies can only occur two days or more after the license is approved. Dreamy beaches are surefire successes for a wedding, but there are also event venues and churches on the islands.

An easier option is to organize everything through the resort where the couple will be staying, such as a property like Como Parrot Cay. A private island where A-list celebs have homes, it is a quiet, casually refined retreat with miles of sandy beaches and a great wellness program. Couples can pick from the beach or beach club for their special day, and a resort chef can put together a hearty seafood barbecue to feed the guests as they celebrate after the ceremony.

A wedding isn't an event to take lightly or plan imprecisely. It requires thought, attention to detail, and dedication to success. We combed online wedding sites and official tourism board pages for the destinations included in this piece to narrow our selection of suitable islands. It was also important to choose locations where English is the primary language spoken or widely understood (if not on the island itself, then certainly at the resorts recommended). Suggesting options that can be reached easily from the United States also played a key role in dictating which spots made it onto the list — after all, what couple needs the stress of a convoluted journey when the wedding is likely to be nerve-shredding enough?