on The isalnd? I just have one question, do I need to tip the person who does our ceremony? I think that this is an excepted practice but not sure!

Well, if that is what you are supposed to do, then shame on me! I did not tip the minister. I had no idea this was commonly done. Frankly, I didn't tip much at all. A little to the people at the hotel, but that's about it. I hope I wasn't perceived as rude!!

I have never been married on the island, however, I always tip for good service; wait staff, maid service, tour guides, especially since I always know I am coming back....

Ybon - I didn't tip the minnister.

And personally, I think tipping goes way overboard these days. And beleive me I have worked for tip for the past 10 years until about 6 mos. ago. But I also made $2.13/ hour, below minimum wage.

Personally, I think a sincere thank you is enough.

But that's just me...

What is the average hourly wage on the islands?

Thank you all for your response! I believe I will just give a Big Thank You. Any other tips for me, Wedding day is right around the corner!

although i still look like i am 20 (ha!), i have been married 15 years. here is my advice:

learn to say you are sorry even when you are not. stand up when it matters, forget it if it doesn't. there are 1000 fights to pick every week; make sure you only pick the important ones. if you don't follow this, your life will be much harder. this applies when you have kids too.

best of luck!

Of course, I tipped our wait people, too. I'm not that cheap. However, I did not tip the wedding coordinator, photographer, or minister.
JaniePA: that's good advice all the way around! With friends and parents, too!
Ybon: when's the wedding? Coming up, isn't it? Did you decide where to stay/have the wedding? You'll love it! Just relax and have fun!

You have probably already gotten enough advice about the tipping thing, but I just wanted to throw in that I didn't tip the minister either. As for advice before the wedding, do something really fun the day of the wedding. My family and friends went exploring around the north end of the island so that I wouldn't run into Rod (although it's hard not to see someone on an island that small). Good luck! I know that everything will be wonderful and we will all be looking forward to pictures when you get back!

Ybon -
Will your family be there?
I know the tradition about not seeing each other the big day, but Bill and I just chilled with pina coladas all day. Our wedding was scheduled for 5:30, and we had decided to start getting ready at about 4:00, but at 4:00 we decided MORE PINA COLADAS!

The great thing about getting married on AC is that Iraida does everything. Put your trust in her, tell her to do whatever she thinks is best, because she is AWESOME at this, then RELAX! Get excited! Talk about what a great future with a great beginning y'all are going to have! Name your first born! Just enjoy the fact that you don't have to spend "your day" pullling out your hair over the little things!

And now for something completely different . . . three months ago, we were married by the Magistrate in Dangriga Town. Wanted something very small, so only my mother & father-in-law and new Granny attended. Then hosted a mid-day dinner at local restaurant for rest of the family. A beautiful, laid back day. Even got Granny to partake of a couple of stout!

Yes, do something fun - or RELAXING - the day of the wedding. For example, the boys went fishing, and the girls hung around the hotel at the pool, and had a decadent lunch and had beauty treatments by the masseuse and nail technicians the hotel brought in for us. OH MY GOSH! Two glasses of champagne and an hour and a half massage, and I was ready to marry anyone I was so relaxed. I felt like I had taken drugs or something! I highly recommend Lynde at La Diosa.
Just my two cents!
No worries, Jeanne is correct - Iraida takes care of EVERYTHING!!!

I am sooo Excited. We decited to get married early in the morning (8:00am) So everyone could do what ever and not have to wait for us to get married. I think the day will be great but I am just as excited about the trip as a whole. So much to do! We have about 15 people comming. A mix of family and friends. We are staying at Casa Tortuga and will have a house full. I told Iraida we just wanted to get married on the beach right there. Nothing to fancy just a small ceremony. I am thinking about looking for a place for our wedding night, I just realized we will be far from alone! Any suggestions on a little hide away, only one night?

Ybon,
Doesn't Casa Tortuga have it's own "little hideaway?" I think there is a small house on the property... see if you can stay there your wedding night.

Kathy

Kathy,
Already looked into it but it's $300.00 a night and we were not looking to spend quite that much! It is a great place!

ybon,
I suggest ya just splurge and get the place. Hopefully you only do this once and it would be something you will never forget!
Don't forget to bring lots of candles, some nice soft music, and well.... whatever... lol
Congrats!!!!
Sincerely,
Hope
P.S. Don't forget the camera!

And what would I need a camera for On my wedding night? Naughty Naughty!

lol... noooooo I'm not naughty...

On our wedding night I was so glad we had the camera. Dans camera had some sort of timer on it and we got a great silhouette of us, which to this day (17years) hangs in our bedroom. (I have to keep changing the frame everytime I redecorate though lol)

Also upstairs in this place we were, right off the bedroom there was this huge whirlpool tub. It was kinda like on a pedestal, surrounded by windows. (It was really cool!) And of course I had brought Mr. Bubble.... We got another great picture of us drownding in bubbles, toasting with champagne, and well.... anyway, I swear nothing naughty.

Bring the camera! Ya just never know...

Sincerely,
Hope

8:00 A.M.???!!!! You must be morning people. The light will be lovely at that time of the morning.
I would suggest you go some place up north for your wedding night. The north end of the island is much more quiet and secluded. And how romantic would it be to be "whisked away" for your wedding night destination in a boat on the Carribean Sea!
The SunDiver's nice (our honeymoon suite was HUGE!!, but no bathtub which was a bummer), and there are several other places near there. Go for a smaller hotel or one with individual casitas. Mata Chica looked nice, but it didn't look as nice as you'd think given the price.

Let me tell you, 8:00 am would not have been my first choice, but Jason wanted it then so why not. He let me pick everything else.
I think I will start looking up north, I just don't want to be with all my friends and family that night. How romantic can you feel with people you know in the next room.
Hope, I will remember my camera. It sounds like your wedding night was wonderful! I hope my is just as wonderful!

I am So excited!

Ybon: Congratulations! So when is the big day? How exciting. I am also going to Belize to get married. 03/02. This place you are stying, Casa Tortuga, I haven't heard of that one in my journies through the internet? Have you heard good things? Also, I keep hearing of this Iraida for taking care of all the details - how is your experience so far?

Casa Tortuga is one of the many house that are for rent on the island. It has 5 rooms and a cook! The house can be divided between upstairs and down stairs they also have a smaller place on the property for rent called Pelican nest. Check out the web sight. We are very pleased with our choice even though we have not been ther yet. We arrive on November 8 and getting married on November 12. Iraida has been very nice and helpful. I just like the idea of having someone else do all the work. Even if it isn't alot of work. This board is tons of help. All the people on it ar very helpful.

SandraC:
I just got married on Ambergris Caye last month, and I highly suggest you use Iraida! She's fabulous and makes the whole process so stress free! She takes care of everything!!! We liked where we ("we" being my husband - that still sounds weird - and I, and 16 others, mostly family) stayed a lot. It's on the north end of the island and it's called the SunDiver. Clean, pretty beach and nice, basic, clean rooms with a great pool and some individual houses on the property as well.
Best wishes for a great wedding! I had a fantastic time, and I wouldn't change a thing!

SandraC -

I don't know if you canuse anyone but Iraida, but it doesn't matter, because she kicks butt.

When you reserve her, she contacts the photographer to pencil in the date, before you even have a chance to worry about it. SHe arranges for the flowers, the minister. For me, she was wonderful. We met with her the day before the wedding, and I told her "in general" what I wanted for this and that, and my day was even better than I had ever imagined!!!

Also, we stayed at Cayo Espanto, off the island. It's pricey, but beautful, great staff, and we figured, Hey, we're getting married, so just this once...

I've really enjoyed reading about getting married on the island. The man I've shared my life with for the last seven years has promised me we'll be married on the island "someday". We have purchased some land North and will hopefully build there soon. I anticipate the day. It is my dream come true.

Foot Doc Chick: How far North? Maybe we will be neighbors!

Kathy

Kathy
Two lots at Buena Vista Point. Where are you?

hmmmm. Sorry, I don't know where Buena Vista Point is. Our house is about 4.5 miles North of San Pedro. How far North is Buena Vista Point?

kathy

It's about 2.5 miles north. Are you familiar with the house that usually flies the pirate flag above it? We're just north of that.

OK! I'll check it out next time I'm down. I think I do remember that pirate flag!

Kathy