Just Starting Plans

[BeachBride86]

Just got engaged last week, planning on doing a cruise, but wedding on the beach. How did you determine using the cruise line wedding planner or the island wedding planner? Currently looking at either the Bahamas, St. Thomas or Puerto Rico.

 

Any suggestions/advice is much appreciated!

[jrw247emt]

Interested in this as well. Anyone have advice?

 

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[Carnival_Brides]

I wasn't an island bride, but one thing many couples consider is the overall cost and value. I personally would what happens if your ship can't dock/tender in your chosen port. Nassau has a tight channel and calls have been cancelled there due to rough seas before.

 

When your researching you should try to find out your planner's refund/cancellation policies. With [most of] the cruise lines they will assist you in working up a Plan B situation (usually a symbolic wedding in a different port or ceremony option) or at the very least assist you in providing a symbolic ceremony on board (See Cake Boss' vow renewal on Disney). If you go with the island vendor, I highly suggest looking into wedding insurance. The policies probably won't cover the cost of your cruise, but it should cover the costs associated with your wedding.

 

Also, I don't know if it has changed, but at one point for a legal ceremony to take place in the Bahamas, you had to be in the country/waters for 24 hours prior. That can get tricky when planning ports, but it has been done.

[AdventurousCruiser07]

I was an island bride! We absolutely loved our wedding. We cruised on RCI, but got married in Cozumel using a private vendor. We chose Cozumel because of the wedding planners (Cozumel Wedding Planners) who were absolutely incredible, and the port is a non-tendered port and rarely missed.

[Bo59rt]

We were married on St. Thomas using Island Bliss Weddings. We Chose where/when/what ship by chance. We knew we wanted to get married in the Caribbean at a US port so that includes Peurto Rico and St. Thomas on while on a Carnival cruise. We jokes about April fool's day with a friend and happened to look it up. The next week we were booked for our April fool's wedding while on the carnival liberty which was in St. Thomas April 1, 2014.

 

If you have any idea that you want (sandy beach, rocky cliff, rain forest looking atmosphere, you can find an island that has that perfect setting and a planner willing to do it for you!)

 

To give you an idea of "dream it and the islands will deliver".... My husband said whatever we do "i'm getting married on a beach", i wanted a full reception with a gorgeous setting, we worked it out with our planner: married on Magen's Bay beach and a reception up on the mountain at a beautiful house on a nationally registered botanical garden! I have the link to my wedding/cruise review in my signature.

 

 

Happy planning!!!

[oneninjen]

We are planning a wedding in port-- Nassau, September 2015. Using an independent wedding planner, Ann-Marie of WeddingsIntheBahamas, who is amazing. Reception by Carnival Cruise Lines.

 

There's always the chance the ship doesn't come into port. Could be a hurricane, or just plain bad weather. So just in case, my fiance and I are getting legally married before we board the ship, and we're planning our reception back on the boat. This way, if something awful does happen and we can't get on the island, we're technically married, and we can just have the reception as planned.

[bridetobe15]

I am also interested in this information! I'm recently engaged and looking to take a cruise with close family/friends and get married in Cozumel.

 

@AdventurousCruiser07- I see from another thread that you were married at Mr. Sanchos. I loved your photos and would like something similar. I'm looking for something with very little stress. Please share any tips/information!! Right now, I'm in the process of looking up cruises and trying to find a timeline that isn't too expensive for my guests.

 

Thanks!

[AdventurousCruiser07]

I am also interested in this information! I'm recently engaged and looking to take a cruise with close family/friends and get married in Cozumel.

 

@AdventurousCruiser07- I see from another thread that you were married at Mr. Sanchos. I loved your photos and would like something similar. I'm looking for something with very little stress. Please share any tips/information!! Right now, I'm in the process of looking up cruises and trying to find a timeline that isn't too expensive for my guests.

 

Thanks!

 

Thank you! I would say using Cozumel Wedding Planners will go a long way towards alleviating any stress. They were fantastic to work with and made everything really easy. You can go to their website --> Create your package --> select the location (i.e. Mr. Sancho's) and see a great list of everything they offer, like a menu. I really liked how I could get an idea of the cost of exactly what I had in mind.. without getting bombarded by spam mail. No strings.

 

Another plus about using a cruise to get to your wedding is that once you're on board the ship, you're cut off from your cell phone and wifi is too expensive to bother with (for me). So instead of stressing about last minute details, there was nothing left to but relax and enjoy the ride! It was such a blessing.

 

And finally, I'm not sure of what kind of timeline you're thinking of, but we got married in January and had amazing deals on the cruise. Our wedding date was January 11th and we cruised Jan 9-13. The price of an interior room was like $250/pp! It was great timing because it's a slow time in the industry coming off of all the winter vacations and travel in December.