Planning a Caribbean Wedding at Sandals/St. Lucia

We are in the beginning stages of planning a wedding/honeymoon on St.
Lucia in the Caribbean. Specifically we are interested in staying at
the Sandals Grande Resort on this island.

I'm looking for any recommendations, comments, warnings, or to hear
feedback from anyone who has done this.. we are having a private
ceremony, just my fiance' and I, no family or friends, and we would
like to stay for a week.

We are planning for the first week of January 2005. How is the
weather this time of year? I know that there are several options for
the ceremony, beach wedding, garden wedding and chapel wedding.. how
do these differ?

Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated. We aren't set in stone
as to St. Lucia, but from the pictures I have seen it is beautiful!
Are the other islands comparable?

Thanks!

Chantelle

Chantelle

My husband and I stayed at Sandals Halcyon for our honeymoon last
year.

My opinion is that Sandals is very commercialised, very expensive for
what you get and the marketing just doesn't live up to the reality. As
most people there are either getting married or on honeymoon, you
won't get special treatment.

Don't get me wrong, we visited Sandals Grande, and it was in a
beautiful location, but it was a very busy resort. I'd recommend that
if you want to feel really pampered and special on your wedding day,
go to somewhere else.

I don't know if they do weddings, but I've heard that the Tradewinds
Inn, next door to Sandals Halcyon, is very romantic and exclusive, and
is no more expensive than Sandals...

Cathy