Tropical Imaging

It's probably been quiet because Beaches has been shut in Sept/Oct so there won't be any weddings obviously. They wanted to do upgrades etc to the property so they did it during their slower time. We just shot a wedding on 11/12/13, so things are picking up and getting back to normal. You'll probably see more activity coming along soon. Krys

I can't think of anyone else that would have the capacity, I am pretty sure the Sands couldn't do that large. Did you check the Gansevoort? That is a more modern setting and further down the Beach, but may be an option. Even so, Sommerset and Regent Palms are both stunning venues and Blue Haven is also nice. It'll be good to do a site visit and see what you like. I personally like Sommerset and the Palms because for guests there is a lot around they can walk to and get to. Krys

Grace Bay Club and Seven Stars could also handle that number. Grace Bay Club has Villa Del Mar right next to it as well that is an option for guests who want a lower price point but will be within a stone's throw to to your resort. One other note: Blue Haven Resort is not on Grace Bay Beach. It is on Leeward Channel with a "man made" beach. You will need a car at that resort to get anywhere for shops, groceries, restaurants. It is just a point you should know. I am not sure, but Ocean Club East may also be able to handle that number of people for a reception at their restaurant Opus.

If you want to see details on GBC weddings, you can check our blog to see photos. I also have a Pinterest acct where I have pinned wedding and reception set ups here and they are labeled on each pin the location. (my pinterest is Krystin Mann and the board is wedding locations) here is a search result for Grace bay club weddings on our blog http://www.brilliant.tc/?s=grace+bay+club+wedding Sun Charters (the boat is Atabeyra, pronounced at-a-bear-a) is the company that residents use on island. David built the boat from the ground up and it's a sailing schooner that at one point they used to bring rum and fruit back from the Dominican Republic. It was refitted to be a tour boat and it has a LOT of character and is one of kind. They do a great trip and have a wonderful staff. It's the boat we take friends on when they are visiting and if we have events going on locally it's the one we charter. Kissing Fish does a great job. Joan and Clive are fabulous and the food is excellent. Joan is a type A personality and takes a lot of time with attention to detail. They have been doing this for years and are very good at what they do. A search for Kissing Fish or Bay Bistro on our blog will show set ups and you can also check out my Pinterest board for that as well. It's a fabulous location on the beach. When you get here in October, meet with all your vendor options, have dinner or lunch at Bay bistro and take it all in. I think you will find Lynn and her team at Nila will be a great fit. Krys

There was a similar questions a few months ago and this is what I responded with in another thread: I would say we see a pretty equal number of weddings with our local planners and with the hotel planners. I think it depends really on you and your wedding. If you are a Type A personality (and I am not saying that negatively, because I am a type A) and want immediate response/details etc or have a large detailed wedding with lots of "extra" decorating/events off site etc then a planner is the way to go. We don't have enough weddings on island for any resort other than Beaches to have a full time coordinator, so if you are using the hotel coordinator, you need to know that is only part of their job and they have other duties to attend to in the months and weeks leading up to your wedding and may not get back to you via email "right now" and may have to charge more for extra decorating, set up etc other than the package. Additionally if you are planning a rehearsal dinner off resort/sailing trips or excursions for your group or other events, you may want to use one of our independent planners...the can do that all for you. If you have a small amount of guests, are fairly relaxed about the process and don't have a lot of extra things to be planned, the resort coordinator will be perfect for you as well. What we tell our brides is to talk to the resort coordinator and talk to the other coordinators. See who you are most comfortable with, whose prices work for you based on what you get and go with your instinct. If you are getting uptight in the early planning stages because you can't get a response or don't like how something is handled then that is not a good route for you. If you have questions about resorts, rates and want to compare check with www.turksandcaicosreservations.tc and email them. They have all of the rates/specials etc on all of the hotels and villas on the island and also have deals the hotel's website may not have. Its a great place to look at all of the resorts in one spot and you can email them what you are looking for. (quick disclaimer, I have no interest in this company except they are local, very nice and switched on and do a great job with their clients). Hope that helps, Krys

Villa weddings are not as frequent as resort weddings but they are really lovely, we seem to have a lot of weddings in villas on Grace Bay...Both Taylor Bay and Long Bay are wonderful though. I happen to live in Long Bay and love this area. Things to consider: Long Bay is closer to the main area of Provo...it's easier to get to Grace Bay, shops, restaurants, Grocery stores etc. Taylor Bay is on the other side of the island and more removed from everything (think quiet)...but has a wonderful shallow water beach and Las Brisas (restaurant on Chalk Sound) is a favorite place for our families to go for an afternoon to rent kayaks or have Paella. Sapadilla Bay is another Beach just a short drive away. If you have guests that are happy to just be and enjoy the beach and surroundings, cook in, Taylor Bay is a great option. If you have a group that wants to go/do/see/ plan excursions/shop/ try restaurants then Long Bay is going to be much more convenient in terms of driving time and ease. One thing to note is that Long Bay is the place that all of the kiteboarding happens on island (the best wind). If it's a windy day, there will be kiteboarders in the background on the water. (If you have a lot of watersports lovers, Long bay beach by the shore club is wonderful!) I did a quick search on our blog...we do a lot of family portrait shoots in Taylor Bay...I found a one villa wedding that may give you some idea: http://www.brilliant.tc/weddings/brandi-ron-get-married-at-villa-lynda/ If you search for Taylor or Long Bay, you can see villas or the beach although most of the shoots are family portrait sessions if you are curious. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with Krys

I would say we see a pretty equal number of weddings with our local planners and with the hotel planners. I think it depends really on you and your wedding. If you are a Type A personality (and I am not saying that negatively, because I am a type A) and want immediate response/details etc or have a large detailed wedding with lots of "extra" decorating/events off site etc then a planner is the way to go. We don't have enough weddings on island for any resort other than Beaches to have a full time coordinator, so if you are using the hotel coordinator, you need to know that is only part of their job and they have other duties to attend to in the months and weeks leading up to your wedding and may not get back to you via email "right now" and may have to charge more for extra decorating, set up etc other than the package. Additionally if you are planning a rehearsal dinner off resort/sailing trips or excursions for your group or other events, you may want to use one of our local planners...the can do that all for you. If you have a small amount of guests, are fairly relaxed about the process and don't have a lot of extra things to be planned, the resort coordinator will be perfect for you as well. What we tell our brides is to talk to the resort coordinator and talk to the other coordinators. See who you are most comfortable with, whose prices work for you based on what you get and go with your instinct. If you are getting uptight in the early planning stages because you can't get a response or don't like how something is handled then that is not a good route for you. If you have questions about resorts other than the Sands, check with www.turksandcaicosreservations.tc and email them. They have all of the rates/specials etc on all of the hotels and villas on the island and also have deals the hotel's website may not have. Its a great place to look at all of the resorts in one spot and you can email them what you are looking for. (quick disclaimer, I have no interest in this company except they are local, very nice and switched on and do a great job with their clients). Bay Bistro is an excellent spot for weddings/rehearsals etc...Joan and Clive do fabulous events (Kissing Fish Catering is their catering company) and Joan is type A, switched on and gives a lot of attention to detail. You can't go wrong there ever! (another disclaimer, Joan and Clive are long time friends but if you check back through the archives you will see many brides saying the exact same thing) Hope that helps, Krys

Just FYI about the sand here. Since the sand is very white in color, it reflects the heat and doesn't absorb it at all. I have been here over 18 years now and been on the sand all parts of the day all around the island and I have never ever had a problem walking easily on the sand. Same thing goes for my kids...The first time we went to the beach on the east coast of the states, my girls were shocked when the sand was hot...they had never experienced it. So there are no problems with anyone being barefoot at any time of the day. Krys

I have never seen anything like that (or heard about it) here (lived here 18 years) and we don't have native "doves" or birds etc on island that would be used for that sort of thing. Our animal import laws are extremely strict as well(the amount of paperwork, testing, etc just to have a pet dog brought in is unbelievable) . There are many other things you could do. I have seen people all choose stones and write a wish and toss them in the ocean. We have seen people toss bougainvillea petals in the air (makes for beautiful photos.) There are quite a few creative things you can do with the nature surrounding you. Krys

You can walk from Beaches to Bay Bistro...about 15-20 minutes casual walk. Resorts that are in between in order: Beaches, then Veranda (new Key West Village at Beaches under development), Alexandria, Regent Palms, Sommerset and then Bay Bistro. I don't know where everyone else is staying but it's certainly walkable for you. Krys

Keep in mind that many of the resort's coordinators do other jobs for the resort. Wedding coordination is not their full time "gig". Also we are in the middle of High Season here with resorts etc fully booked so the resort coordinators are busy right now and may not get back to you promptly. That being said, Internet and email can be a bit messed up here at times so if you don't hear from someone in 3-4 business days, email them again please. The email may not have gotten through. There are 3 main coordinators on island. NILA (www.niladestinations.com), Island Harmony, and Tropical Destination Management (www.tropicaldmc.com). All have been on island for a good amount of time and they will be dedicated to YOUR wedding and help get things done. There are many reviews on all of them here. The Sands does not have resorts on either side of it's property, so the beach is pretty quiet. However, all beaches in the Turks and Caicos are Public, so there will be people walking by, as well as at the resort who will look too. There are some quieter beaches, and smaller cays only accessed by boat but that will add to the expense of your day because you have to arrange for transport. In my 18 years here, I have never seen any huge "crowds" or people being disrespectful, and many times they just want to congratulate you or look from afar. But if you truly don't want ANYONE around but your guests, a small cay (island) is going to give you the highest chances of that (although they too are Public, they can only be accessed by boat which limits people) Here are some weddings at the Sands to get an idea of what they are like: http://brilliant.tc/blog/2012/08/keisha-and-sams-wedding-day-the-sands-resort-turks-and-caicos-islands/ http://brilliant.tc/blog/2012/07/ashley-todd-get-married/ http://brilliant.tc/blog/2011/07/wedding-angela-lorenz/ There are more on our blog but as you can see, the beach is pretty big and pretty quiet. Hope that helps. Krys

Departure Tax is one of those "taxes and fees" included in the price of your airline ticket. No one is exempt, it will be part of the price of your plane ticket. So when booking flights, some airlines quote "flights" only, and then when you go to pay for them, the price increases because of all of the various airport taxes and fees. Other airlines will give you an estimate with taxes and fees, but all airlines will charge and collect that when you pay for your flights. Krys

Mary is a long time resident on island (been around about 18 years, came when I did). She has worked in catering and event planning as long as I can remember, initially managing Fairways the golf course events/and restaurant ages ago and working part time with Kissing Fish Catering while her son was younger (she helped set up and over saw receptions on the weekends when her hubby was at home). She's joined Nila this year (her son is now in school full time) which is a great fit for her with her experience and a big "get" for Nila, as I know many people on island would love to hire her. She is not new to event and wedding planning and knows EVERYONE on island and has been on island longer than Louise and Lynne and the 3 of them make a great team. She is Irish, with a great sense of humor as well as very organized. (I will disclose that she is a long time friend as well but you will find she is friends with soooo many on island). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her, as she knows her stuff. Krys

It is hot in August, (especially compared to the NW United States). I doubt you will need long sleeves or pants. You will usually have a breeze normally in the evening and sunburned bodies will feel cooler than normal. Even though it won't be "chilly", I do think there is something magical about a bonfire on the beach no matter what time of year. And Kissing Fish does a great bonfire! The other upside is that the water will be lovely that time of year if you want to put your feet in. The other great thing about Grace Bay is that there isn't a lot of "light pollution" on the beach, you can really see the stars and enjoy! I love the idea of Smores! Krys

Here is the webpage of the Govt tourist board: http://www.turksandcaicostourism.com/by-air.html It states: Visitors from the US are reminded that effective Janaury 8, 2007, all US citizens visiting the Caribbean must be in possession of a valid US passport. So you will need a passport book vs a card. Look at the upside! You will have them for 10 years and it will be an excuse to make more trips to other countries! Krys

http://www.turksandcaicostourism.com/by-air.html This is the official site of the tourist board, and it states clearly: Vistors from the US are reminded that effective Janaury 8, 2007, all US citizens visiting the Caribbean must be in possession of a valid US passport. Additionally, I have never heard of anyone coming in on a card. You will need a passport. Hope that helps. Krys

Glad to help! Dealing with a different country and being far away can be a challenge. Living here 18 years, I am happy to help when I can! Looking forward to your wedding! Krys

Hi Lauren, I would not recommend shipping ANYTHING down here. You have to pay the shipping and clearing costs AND 40% of the price of the goods in government tax/duty. (yes that is FORTY PERCENT on top of shipping and clearing.) So, if you are shipping $300 worth of goods and the shipping and clearing is $100 (probably higher), you will additionally pay $120 in tax. For that $220 you could pack 4 extra suitcases and give to guests and bring down! I don't know the regulations regarding fireworks, though we have had some people use sparklers and there is a fireworks company on island. Additionally you will need to have someone who will drop off invoices of the goods before clearing, they have to pay and get them out of customs after clearing (and in all honesty it is something that makes me crazy because of all of the time and paperwork (and money) involved and I have been here 18 years and know how it works). Do not ship anything if you do not have invoices/receipts attached and copies made as that can hold up the items indefinitely (or they can assess the value at whatever they feel ), look at renting via one of the wedding coordinators or paying for extra suitcases for you or bridal party and just bringing them down. It will be a lot cheaper and a lot less hassle. If you still want to ship down, you need to allow at least 3 weeks for various hiccups that can occur. I personally allow for 4 weeks. Your hotel or wedding coordinator will be able to give you an idea on linens available. You may just want to go with their white cloths and bring some table runners, in the colors of your choice. I just don't want you to ship things down expecting it to be like the US. It will be held up in customs until someone produces paperwork to clear it, then pay for it and then it can be 2-3 (or more) business days to get it. Krys

The Veranda is no longer "an option"; it has been purchased by and is now part of Beaches. The Veranda will shut soon and begin some construction and reopen as part of Beaches in a couple of months. If you want a wedding there, you have to book a Beaches wedding and see their room rates/wedding options in that part of the resort. We have been told it will be called the Key West Village (it will be next to the Italian Village). Krys

Hi Megan, As of Dec 17th the resort is a part of the Beaches/Sandals resort, so you can no longer "book a Veranda wedding" it will be booked as a Beaches wedding and subject to their resort pricing/etc. This article was just posted today: they will close for renovations through March to bring it into the Beaches Resort. http://www.caribjournal.com/2013/01/02/sandals-to-close-veranda-turks-and-caicos-resort-for-renovations/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CaribJournal+%28Caribbean+Journal%29 Hope that helps Krys

Just so you know, as of December 17, the Veranda is now owned by Beaches Resort. They will still honor reservations made with the Veranda, but future bookings will be via Beaches now at their pricing. It is going to be a new part of the resort called the Key West Village. This was an announced on island around the 1st of December and was a big surprise on island at the quick handover. Krys

Hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30. The most active times tend to be late August-Early October, although there can be hurricanes before and after. I have lived here 18 years and really late August-early October is most likely, although I do remember one warning in July and a couple in November. May is completely out of Hurricane season, but we can get storm systems coming off of the US any time of the year. For instance last year we did not have any rainfall (of significance) from Late November to May of last year (we personally watch rainfall closely because all of our water comes from caught rainfall off our roof). It was extremely dry. However the past few weeks this year we have had LOTS of rain from the systems coming off of the US coastline. Like where you live, it changes day to day. As a general rule, we are pretty dry year round. Most rain comes quickly for an hour or two and then goes straight back to sunshine. Occasionally we will have rainfall for a few days but it's rare and then it's usually something that's covering most of the Caribbean and the East Coast. You will not have to worry about Hurricanes in May though. It's not Hurricane season. Krys

Hi, just FYI, If you are using Kissing Fish Catering that is the catering side of BAY Bistro not Coco Bistro which is a different restaurant on island. They are two different restaurants. Bay Bistro is on the Beach with the Sibonnee Hotel and Coco Bistro is located in Grace Bay in a Coconut Grove. (BOTH are fabulous restaurants by the way, two of my favorite!!!). Krys

You may want to post this in the Beaches and Sandals Resorts section. They have a HUGE thread on Beaches Turks and Caicos and I have seen lots of answers to questions there. Krys

We definitely see those kinds of weddings here...they can be very casual and low key or have a bit more planning to it. It is certainly "do able" and memorable as well. Here are a few I can think of to give you ideas: http://brilliant.tc/blog/2011/07/turks-and-caicos-islands-ashleigh-and-pauls-wedding-by-boat/ http://brilliant.tc/blog/2011/06/turks-caicos-islands-pine-cay-meridian-club-jennifer-dennis-island-wedding-day/ http://brilliant.tc/blog/2011/05/wedding-jackie-chris-straatman/ http://brilliant.tc/blog/2010/07/wedding-boat-travel/ That can give you a few ideas. What is nice about the T&C is that we have a number of quiet beaches and small island cays you can get married on as well as some great boats to get you there. Krys