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.

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 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.

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.

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?

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 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.

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.

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?