I am planning a destination wedding in Antigua - Sandals Grande with a $8500.00 budget. Some say it's not realistic, but I am going to try and work it...



Has anyone planned a wedding there? Please feel free to offer some tips and/or red flags.

I'm also looking at 62 guests!!

Hi Stylz! Welcome. Resorts usually offer different wedding packages. So it depends on what you want and your budget. I would check with them to see what they offer. $8,500 does not seem unrealistic. I'm sure they will work with you. Congrats on your engagement. Tell us more about your Big Day. Have you selected a date?

Welcome Stylz

Not unrealistic at all. Its all about you and what you want. If you feel you can do it, then thats all that matters. Have you started your planning yet? What's your colors?

Hello everyone - thanks for the input - however I am not the bride...I'm the coordinator!I was a bride 7 yrs ago... we had 300 guests, 5 coordinators and 1 personal assistant!! I have never coordinated a wedding at Sandals... I have had a few associates that have and they say it's very expensive and budgets used for Sandals when accompaning 62 guests were somewhere around $15,000 + (budget).



However, I don't mind low-budgets, just un-realistic brides!! LOL!!

Hi Stylz,



I would check with the Sandals resort in Atigua and compare it to the cost of the Sandals in Jamaica and St. Lucia, if your couple must have their event at a Sandals resort. Maybe there are special packages for couples that include wedding and honeymoon, which is probably what they want. I haven't been to Antigua as yet, but St. Lucia is absolutely gorgeous.



I would like to append my previous post. Destination weddings aren't as cheap as many people think. They tend to save when the guest list is reduced from the usual 150 to 15. Some forgo on purchasing favors and such. Some also forgo on the cake or purchase a small 1 or 2 tier cake. Some forgo on having all the floral decorations. Some forgo on the reception all together. It's like eloping with just a few friends and family members in tow. If you want to have all the accoutrements of a wedding at home, it can cost. If they want to have a wedding plus reception for 62 guests, it could very well cost $15,000 depending upon what they want. If they want to spend less for 62 guests, they may have to cut down on the cake, floral arrangements, alcoholic beverages, food, etc., that's why I mentioned that the hotels have packages depending upon the couple's budget. It can be as simple or as grand as they can afford.



Good luck.

I spoke the coordinators there - and to be honest Antigua surprised me with thier prices. I have traveled to St. Lucia and other places and Antigua did not strike me of a place where the scale is on the same accord with Barbados or St. Lucia. But agan it's "Sandals" they are expensive. I like to save my brides money - but you have to be prepared when choosing a destination wedding with a guest list of 50 or more. Most importantly the resort in its self - I always check for other resorts for plan B - but my bride insist on Sandals -



I never stayed at a Sandals resort - however, I have stayed at a 3 star resort in Jamaica as well as other islands and to be honest I was treated grand!



Anywho - I will do my best with what I have and try to make her dreams come true - that's my job! Lol!!

I have been to Sandals in Antigua (my mother is from there). I would be biased being that my mother is from there but I am actually not going to be biased, I honestly thought that they could offer more for their price. I will say that the beach they have sectioned off for Sandals is quiet and peaceful. That is up to you though, just throwin my two cents in! lol

They are currently running a sale: Get 2 Nights Free plus save up to 60% at Beaches Resorts until January 29th, 2009.





Did you let them know you were a professional coordinator? There are special rates for professionals. Also are all 62 guests flying in forthe wedding? Are they paying their on flight and hotel? Will they be staying at Sandals as well? All these factors will determine the deal you get from the resort.

For me its not realistic but its nice to try on it congrats...

well, Not unrealistic at all.

Ieasha wrote:

I have been to Sandals in Antigua (my mother is from there). I would be biased being that my mother is from there but I am actually not going to be biased, I honestly thought that they could offer more for their price. I will say that the beach they have sectioned off for Sandals is quiet and peaceful. That is up to you though, just throwin my two cents in! lol

I loved Antigua. We went for a Masonic Confrence just for 4 days and satyed an extra 5 days. then went BACk to stay at Sandals. It was paradise. Antigua was more sophisticated than St. Lucia to me. I loved the entire feel of the island. Sandals was the icing on the cake.
Please consider the hassle of passports for AMerican citezens when planning destination weddings. You could consider Puerto Rico (Exotic and CHEAP), hawaii, The Virgin Islands where all they would need is a drivers liscense to travel and there are great hotel +Airfare packages available.

IMO you will have a blast. Hello! You will be in the Caribbean away from the cold of the US. We are all jealous! Plus Sandals is ALL-InCLUSIVE! All the food and alcohol included. Hooray!