Help needed for St. Johns Wedding!

[kbocallaghan]

HELP!

 

We have finally determined that we want to get on the Royal Carabbean in May, having the first stop be St. Thomas and go over to St. Johns and get married in Trunk Bay. I need help, though, in how to get this process started. Do you go through a Travel Agent (who then works with a wedding coordinator)? Do you just use the TA for the cruise part and then work with the wedding coordinator on your own? How do you handle blocking out rooms (did you just pay for the deposit and hope all the rooms get used... we don't know exactly how many people are coming yet)?? I thought this was suppose to be easy!!! Also, if you have any samples of save the date cards with all the travel info, that would be helpful too.

 

I have been reading this site for a few months as we determined what to do, and everyone here seems experienced... hopefully ya'll can help! THANKS!!!!

[nycruiserbruiser]

You may book your wedding through RCI's wedding department which is Royal Romance. They will book your wedding for you at trunk bay, if that is where you want to be married. I know this because I discussed this as an option, but decided against it. Your best bet is to stay with the cruise line official coordinators in the event of any nightmares,they are the only ones who can really help you. Local wedding companies on St Thomas can always take you over to St John, but they have no recourse if there are problems. I am being married through them and they have been fabulous. I feel safe, and that makes me happy.:) They have a toll free number. It is 888 933 7225. they also can be reached at 305-421-1270. I have found this number to be easier to get through, as the toll free is busy a lot.

[MandyGirl]

We married on St John (singular) at Hawksnest Beach. We chose it because there wouldn't be 500 people in the background of our wedding pictures (it is non-touristy) and has beautiful seagrape trees lining the beach. On a land vacation four months prior to the wedding, we visited several beaches on St John and chose that one. While Trunk Bay was pretty, Hawksnest is the very next beach over (closer to Cruz Bay) and doesn't have near the crowds. We had the beach to ourselves on our wedding day.

 

We had decided that if the ship missed port, we would go back and get married later - definitely on St John. We didn't want a plan B - we were adamant on marrying there (if not on the cruise, then later). With the wedding coordinator we chose, if our ship missed port, we could return up to 12 months later to marry - no extra fees. Those things happen. So, for our situation and wishes, it was "St John or Bust!" :) We took the risk of using a local independent wedding coordinator. There is a link in my signature to a review I wrote - details the coordinator, florist, chef, videographer, photographer, minister, reception catamaran, etc (includes website addresses of each). We took 17 guests with us, most of whom were first-time cruisers.

 

On the flip side, I posted remarks from Samantha whose ship DID miss port and how her wedding coordinator company did absolutely nothing to help her, even though they coordinate cruiseship weddings all over the place.:mad:

 

Let us know if we can help with anything!! :D

[Soon2bMrs]

Hi,

I'm getting married on St. John after planning it St. Thomas. I am also using an independent wedding coordinator.

Like Mandy we feel that it's St. John or bust! If we miss it which we hope that we won't we'll have up to a year to get married there at St. John.

 

I haven't heard the best about the ship's coordinators tha'ts why I picked my own. Also after seeing Mandy's pictures and another bride that I met thru the Knot.com, we decided that St. John was more " us".

 

Good luck!

 

Kathy :)

10/05/04

 

PS Hi Mandy! How's school?

[kbocallaghan]

Thank you all for your help! I finally blocked off the rooms on the cruise (which is a big hurdle), so now I have to get the save the date cards out so people will know what to do and we can figure out who is really coming. Do you have a sample of what you send for your S-T-D cards / info about the cruise???

 

 

It is St. John's or bust for us too. We went there last summer and loved it. We are going to try and have a reception on the beach too just so we can enjoy it. I hope with the time of year, we will have good luck.

 

Royal Romance said they do not do St. Johns :mad: So I guess I have to find an independent consultant.

[nycruiserbruiser]

I don't know who you spoke with at Royal Romance, but you can get married in St John through them. Ask them to put you in contact with their St Thomas Coordinators.It will depend I bet on your wedding date, but when I booked my wedding with Royal Romance we discussed St John as an option. Take heart, and don't go independent, because your options are limited if problems arise. I have read nightmare stories on this board about independents not being able to help cruise ship brides because they are not tied to the cruise lines.:)

Rachel

[Soon2bMrs]

KBO-

Here is a good website that helps w/ the wording, but I do not have a sample of my STD. http://www.verseit.com/

 

I bought my paper from a paper supply catalog that sent catalogs to my office. I think it's called Art something. It's a sheet of paper that you print yourself, but there was a cruise ship on it. There were others like it as well w/ the cruise theme. I just can't remember the name sorry.

But I put that we were getting married while on a cruise, the dates, the time, cabin rates, the number to my TA, and when to book.

 

I hope this helps.

If I find a catalog I'll let you know the name.

Also if I find my STD I'll send you a copy if you can send my your email address.

 

kathy :)

10/05/04

[MandyGirl]

kbocallaghan -

 

Here are a few websites of coordinators who live on St John:

http://www.stjohnweddings.com/ (she is coordinator and officiant)

http://www.usviwedding.com/ (we used this one)

Kathy - what's your coordinator's website again? She's on St John, too, right?

St Thomas is the busiest port in the Caribbean and ships rarely miss port there. Now, Grand Cayman on the other hand, has more missed ports due to having to tender in, rough waters, etc. A lot can also depend on the time of year you are marrying - such as in the middle of hurricane season.

For a reception, you could always charter a catamaran. We did, and absolutely loved it!!! It picked us up at our wedding beach.

You are just like us - vacationed there and said "this is it". Gotta get married here! We had vacationed on St Croix two years prior, and St John is so much better. :)

Royal Romance is the middle man that hooks you up with a coordinator locally (if cruising them), but you pay the Royal Romance prices. Local cruiseship wedding coordinators usually sign a 10-year contract with the cruiseline. (I've visited with the lady on St Thomas who has the Carnival contract). The only bride I've read of that posted her experiences of skipping port was Samantha (has the username "BunkerVA" I think). You can find that post in a thread I created on these boards. Samantha skipped her Key West port wedding and her wedding company (that specializes in cruises) could do absolutely nothing for her - not even at her next port or disembarkation port (Miami). She ended up marrying in Miami upon disembarkation - easy to get married there - but her company didn't assist her at all - the cruiseline staff did (photographer, etc). I usually read a few boards and she's the only bride I've read of to miss her cruise wedding at a port of call. To marry in St Thomas or St John, you MUST be sworn in at the courthouse prior to the wedding. No matter who you go with for a coordinator, if your ship skips St Thomas, you won't be making it to the courthouse - so no USVI marriage license.

Here are the websites of the vendors we used:

Coordinator: http://www.usviwedding.com/

Reception Catamaran (chartered): http://www.adventurervi.com/

Cake: http://www.stjohnchef.com/

Flowers: http://www.eastendflowershop.net/

Photographer: http://www.virginislandsphoto.com/

Videographer: http://www.youmaynow.com/

Minister: Rev. Emmanuel Jaggernauth

~ Mandy

Kathy - school... 150 kids, 6 classes, 12-year olds, math, parents who have lots of questions all the time. I'm averaging 12-hours a day for school, although I'm only required to be there 7:30-3:30. Sure wish overtime was an option!! Today I got a one-page email from a mother questioning why I took of ONE point on a math quiz of her daughter. I shouldn't have even given her partial credit and marked the whole problem wrong... and she's whining about ONE point. And yesterday... I had emailed another parent on Monday, they replied Tuesday night at 9:53 saying they wanted to conference Wed morning at 7:45 AM (conf period), and then at 6:45 AM Wed morning they emailed again saying that since I had not replied (to their Tues night email) then they would just go on to work. I guess I'm supposed to check email sometime between 9:53PM and 6:45 AM. (and I was at school Tuesday 7:00AM-8:15PM). Forget about sleep - I'm supposed to be glued to the computer. I just don't understand people sometimes! I guess because email can be sent 24 hours a day the recipient should reply as soon as it's sent, even when very late. :eek:

[Soon2bMrs]

LOL,

And I'm worried about having kids!

At least you get to leave at 3:30. I'm here 7-4 and then have to fight traffic to get home which is about 15 minutes away, butcan take up to an hour.

 

Well this weekend we're off to the beach for a couple of days! I just finished my last bridal shower thank you note and put them in the mail!

 

I can't beleive that I have 1 month to go!

BUT this hurricane is making me nerveous. I hope they are all done w/ by the time we leave port.

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Talk to ya later

:)

[kbocallaghan]

Thanks again for all the advice. I finally got my save the date cards out this weekend with the suggestions! I did pay extra for rush shipping the stuff, but I ended up making them and they came out AWESOME! Now, I just have to get in touch with a wedding coordinator to arrange the wedding details. 8 months feels like such a long time away when you are excited!!!

 

If we jump off the ship right away and go over to St. Johns after the courthouse, what time does the wedding usually start? I am trying to figure out how much time will be in between the actual cermony and when everyone has to be back on the boat. Did you also then have a reception back on the boat???

 

details, details!!!

[Cruise Miriam]

Thanks again for all the advice. I finally got my save the date cards out this weekend with the suggestions! I did pay extra for rush shipping the stuff, but I ended up making them and they came out AWESOME! Now, I just have to get in touch with a wedding coordinator to arrange the wedding details. 8 months feels like such a long time away when you are excited!!!

 

If we jump off the ship right away and go over to St. Johns after the courthouse, what time does the wedding usually start? I am trying to figure out how much time will be in between the actual cermony and when everyone has to be back on the boat. Did you also then have a reception back on the boat???

 

details, details!!!

Let's see. Eight months from now, according to your first post, puts your wedding in May, correct? It should be beautiful on St. John then.

 

Please tell us, which ship are you sailing? How many people are on your guest list? We want details, too!!! :)

[MandyGirl]

kbocallaghan - Best of luck with your continued planning!! :)

Also, just to clarify from my post above... I made a terrible booboo... I finally found that old info from last year regarding ten year contracts... and my mind had switched things around in memory! UGH! Sux to get old. On two lines right next to each other was "Contract with Carnival Cruise Lines * 10 years Good Will Turn Key operation". SO sorry for anyone I shared misinformation with regarding contracts! One year contracts do make a heck of a lot more sense! (I feel horrible! However, when I learn I have made a mistake I am normally the first to fess up!)

 

 

[MandyGirl]

Kathy -

 

Hang in there and keep your spirits up! Weather can change, and you still have a few weeks for things to calm down.