St. Croix Wedding Guide

Everything You Need to Know...
About Getting Married on St. Croix USVI

Caribbean weddings aren't solely for the wealthy and the well traveled. Whether this is your first marriage or your fifth, whether you're renewing your vows or celebrating your golden anniversary, what better place to enter into Holy matrimony than on the United States Virgin Island (USVI) that's also known as Holy Cross? Here you'll find plenty of wedding resources and activities for both newlyweds and wedding guests alike. You'll also be blessed with less hustle and bustle than St. Thomas and with more overall options than St. John, the other two islands that make up the guest list of the USVI.

Legal requirements are few, and barriers related to language and finances are basically non-existent as English and the US Dollar flow freely here. This makes it easier to plan your perfect day by yourself, even from afar. If you'd rather have someone else handle all of the details, have no fear though. There are plenty of wedding coordinators, both privately owned agencies as well as individuals employed by hotels and resorts offering wedding packages, that can help you create your dream day.

Only a few hours flying time from the US coastline, St. Croix blesses your wedding as if it were located mere steps from Heaven.

No need to limit your thinking to a beachside event with steel pan music filling the air, even though many do choose such a heavenly setting. Ride in on horseback to one of the historical sugar mill estates that can be found throughout the island. Set sail on a yacht and recite your vows on the high seas via moonlight. Exchange rings on the lush grounds of the St. George Village Botanical Gardens where you can take a leisurely stroll to the main hall for your never-to-be-forgotten reception. If nothing other than a traditional church wedding will do for you, St. Croix has an amazing array of religious centers that will welcome you with open arms and be host to your blessed event.

There's truly something for every size wedding party and every length guest list. The Buccaneer Resort offers everything from an "Elope to Paradise" package for the bride and groom and 2-6 guests, to a full-blown "Buccaneer Wedding" for the happy couple and 30-100 friends and family members. While there, the groom can de-stress with a "Pre-Nuptial Jitters" spa treatment and a "Bridal Bliss" spa session awaits the lady of the day; even family members can get in on the pampering as part of the "Wedding Treasures" package deal.

If it's non-stop excitement that you're looking for, The Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort and Casino offers more than 6,300 square feet of banquet space and a lively, "get-lucky" atmosphere. However, if you want your actual wedding to be as intimate as your honeymoon, keep it simple and stay in one of the five rooms at the heavenly, hillside Carrington Inn or rent several of the condos at Villa Madeleine that feature full kitchens and their own private pool for you and your guests to enjoy. The options are almost as limitless as the selection of wedding gowns that brides must choose from for there big day.

Two things to keep in mind as your St. Croix wedding day approaches involve your marriage license and your travel documents. While the license application can actually be downloaded online, it must be filled out, notarized, and mailed in to allow for the one-week processing time. Once submitted, it's good for one year. Costs are minimal and include $50 for the application fee and another $50 for the actual license.

Plan on arriving at least one business day prior to the big event though, as the bride and groom (or a person representing them) must appear before the Clerk of the Court to be "sworn in and examined/identified under oath"... no, not a physical exam, blood test, or the like. Just a verification that all "i's" are dotted, "t's" are crossed, and if either party has been previously married, that a certified copy of a divorce decree or a spousal death certificate is on file. Proof of citizenship is also required, as is a minimal 24-hour stay on the island.

Any questions about the licensing process can be handled by calling the St. Croix Territorial Court at 340-778-9750 and asking for the Family and Marriage Division or by writing to:

St. Croix
Superior Court of the Virgin Islands
Family Division
P.O. Box 929
Christiansted, St. Croix USVI 00821

One other legal issue to be aware of involves the ever-changing guidelines associated with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a Department of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) plan to strengthen border security. While it currently doesn't affect your travels between the US and its territories, of which the USVI are, it would be wise to refer to this website, for the most current guidelines. It's possible that if proposed regulations are passed, beginning December 31, 2006, a passport or other specific documents will be needed to re-enter the USVI from another country, including the British Virgin Islands. Better to be prepared than caught off guard in case you decide to take a day-trip off St. Croix.