A planner for one island
Awesome Caribbean Weddings plans weddings in Saint Lucia and nowhere else. The company is based in Gros Islet, in the north of the island, and was set up in 1999 by two friends from England, Kayt Cooper and Michele Ince.
Their first Saint Lucia wedding was Michele’s own, on an Atlantic beach, with a barefoot reception on the sand. Friends then asked for an underwater-themed wedding on a catamaran, and the company grew from those two weddings. Michele first came to Saint Lucia in 1993, is now the owner and leads the planning, and Kayt has moved back to the UK and supports clients there. Fenella Mathurin joined in 2006 and plans weddings alongside Michele, and Teige LaBorde works with the company as its wedding designer. In 2023 the company was named Independent Wedding & Events Planner of the Year at the inaugural Saint Lucia Tourism Awards.
Where the ceremonies take place
The portfolio covers private beaches, terraces with a view of the Pitons, historical ruins, a waterfall, a plantation, private villas, resorts and churches, as well as boat weddings, a cruise ship, a Hindu ceremony and vow renewals. A ceremony on a lawn can face the twin peaks directly. A waterfall wedding is a different proposition, with guests on timber decks in the forest beside the water.
No fixed packages
The company does not sell packages. Each wedding is built around the couple’s wishes and budget, and the team advises on how to reach the wedding they want within a set spend. Organising the budget is a core part of the service, and the team works with small budgets. Couples are matched with the island’s photographers, florists, caterers, musicians and other vendors the team works with, and hair and make-up, officiants, chair and marquee hire and wedding cakes are arranged in the same way.
How planning works
Couples begin by sending their details through the contact form, and the team replies with ideas for venues and style. Once the plan and budget are set, a first meeting with a personal coordinator is arranged before the couple arrives on the island, in person or by video. On the day, the planner is on site to oversee it, so the couple do not have to. The team also looks after the wedding party, suggesting hotels or private villas for groups and arranging vehicle hire and excursions.
The legal paperwork
Marrying in Saint Lucia needs passports with at least six months of validity and birth certificates, with a decree absolute, death certificate, previous marriage certificate, deed poll or parental consent added where it applies. Documents must be originals or certified copies with a raised seal, and in English or with an authenticated translation. The team signs the papers with the couple on the island and collects the marriage licence once the Attorney General’s office has processed it, which takes two full working days. An express service is available for an extra charge.
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