Tie the knot away from home on the largest of the Cayman Islands, luxurious Grand Cayman.
The largest member of the Cayman Islands trio, Grand Cayman is home to some of the Caribbean's top-rated coral reefs and impossibly clear water, making it a magnet for scuba divers and snorkelers. Plus, the uncrowded, white-sand beaches are divine. And it's easy to reach, with direct flights from several American cities. But the main reason to get hitched there just may be how easy it is to tie the knot. Unlike other international destinations, Grand Cayman allows visitors to wed without extended waiting periods or exhaustive paperwork.
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Still, a wedding coordinator is the way to go if you don't want to worry about plotting out all the details from far away. Jo-Anne Brown, owner of Celebrations in George Town, can help you charter a catamaran for the nuptials, arrange for a barbecue reception, or plan limbo dancing and dinner on the beach the night before your ceremony. Her favorite vow-exchanging spot on the island: stunning Seven Mile Beach. While the beach is lined with hotels and shops, none of the buildings rises higher than those all-important palm trees. Take your pictures at the right angle, and all you'll see will be ocean and tall, leafy palms (celebrationsltd.com). Or, book your ceremony at the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa , located right on Seven Mile Beach, and let the hotel staff take care of everything. They specialize in arranging sunset ceremonies on the beach, followed by moonlit cocktail hours and dinner under bright, white tents (westincasuarina.com).
The Grand Old House restaurant, built on a former coconut plantation, is another fantastic option. Its breezy seaside gazebo makes a perfect wedding chapel. Bonus: You can have your ceremony filmed and broadcast live on the Internet for family members and friends who are unable to be there in person (grandoldhouse.com).
Feeling more adventurous? Get hitched 800 feet below the ocean. You'll have to charter two deep-explorer submarines from Atlantis Submarines—each holds two people, so you and your groom can take the plunge in one while a minister and witness travel down in the other. You'll say your vows into microphones and look through three-foot-wide windows that allow you and the minister to see one another clearly. Or, exchange vows while scuba diving alongside the Atlantis , a larger submarine with room for about 50 guests to watch comfortably (those same microphones allow them to hear you). Then you can have a more traditional reception on land. (atlantisadventures.com).
For more information on getting married in the Cayman Islands, visit to caymanislands.ky .
