My bride and I have just returned from a week at Galley Bay resort, a wonderful seven days that included both our honeymoon and wedding. If you are like us, you are frantically scouring the Internet reading reviews of this resort before planning to marry there. This review is meant for you, the nervous bride, or you, the anxious groom.
There has been so much written in other reviews of the resort regarding the grounds, dining, and staff, that it would be redundant to write of our perceptions and experience. Instead, we wanted to write a few tips for your wedding, honeymoon, and trip that we found to be helpful.
If you can afford one, the premium beachfront suite is the room category you want for several reasons: they are the closest suites to the wedding gazebo, a fact that will keep your wedding gown from dragging all around the ground before the wedding; they contain glass in the windows for added coolness and privacy, an option for those light sleepers, wildlife sensitive folks, and romantic nights; they are the largest suite for unpacking and organizing your wedding attire, as you might imagine, that can be crucial for the big day; they have the most beautiful bathroom including large, separate soaking tub and dual showers which are great for getting ready together or a romantic night in the room; they have a large vanity with dual pedestal sinks with plenty of room to spread out; for our European friends and those of us that like to remain clean, they include a bidet; they have two times a day maid service, including restocking of the mini-fridge, towels, glasses, and wet bar.
We stayed in an upper level suite, which we loved, as it had a beautiful balcony with rattan recliners, and huge, vaulted ceilings. The decor was rustic and island, very weatherworn woods, rattan, and floral prints. All of the floors were thick tile. We discussed on the plane whether we would prefer an upper or lower level suite if given the choice. The lower level suites have direct access to the beach, literally two long steps, but are slightly less private, as anyone walking on the beach can see in through the floor to ceiling windows if you don't have the drapes pulled. The upper level suites had both back and front balconies, that is, one facing the ocean, the other the lagoon. The view from the ocean balcony was breath taking, but you have to exit the suite from the back for access to the beach. The upper level suites were also a bit more private, being about thirteen steps from the ground up. For honeymooners who long to hear the waves breaking through the night with ample privacy, we thought the upper level suites were the way to go.
Upon arriving at the resort, and your arrival is made to be an understated, elegant event, we were handed a note from reception regarding our wedding. In it, our wedding coordinator had organized the necessary documents for our marriage. There are a few papers that must be prepared and signed by both the bride and groom, very painless and short. The following day an appointment is made to take you to the courthouse on the island to make a petition for marriage. The wedding coordinator arranges everything from transportation to and from the courthouse, to floral and reception arrangements during this meeting. Be sure to be prepared to provide her with your requirements for floral colors, cake decorations, guest and reception considerations, and any other requests at this time. Forethought can make this meeting go quickly and smoothly. Know your color scheme and flower choices ahead of time. The basic wedding package includes a variety of choices, but if you want something specific and not on the prepared list, there is an additional charge. The more exotic the choices, the more expensive the cost.
On this day we suggest taking a tour of the resort, picking out the specific places for your wedding pictures. We brought a digital camera that allowed for a picture preview on a mini-screen, and toured the resort at the same time of day that our wedding was to be held. This allowed us to find the perfect setting for our pictures, with similar lighting, in a kind of pictorial dress rehearsal. We found out what settings worked and what did not, allowing for more informed choices with the professional photographer on the wedding day.
As to getting ready on your big day, fear not. Ladies, the salon does an exceptional job with hair, makeup, and nails. They also allow for a preview several hours before the wedding. For those of you who are budget conscious, there is an additional charge for these services comparable to midline prices in the U.S., but well worth it. Remember, the air at the resort is damp, hot, and sticky, but with a constant breeze. Unless you live in a similar climate, your hair may behave differently than at home. Take the preview.
The same advice can be said for choosing your gown and the gentleman's suit. Complex, heavy fabrics will have you perspiring and possibly fainting, so choose wisely. Also, traveling with a delicate wedding gown, even in a premium class on a plane, is quite the troubling experience. Be prepared. The lighter, simpler gowns with lace overlay hide wrinkles.
We eloped, and therefore, had no guests at our ceremony. Very nice and appropriately attired resort employees served as witnesses for our wedding. In Antigua, two witnesses are required to be present for a wedding ceremony. You are offered the services of resort employees if needed, but it would be just as easy to invite fellow vacationers to your wedding. I must say, we were glad we had the employees as witnesses, as they added to the setting rather than participating in it. With guests, and especially family, you run the risk of intoxicated or loud personalities invading your day. Appropriate attire is also assured with resort staff for pictures. With temperatures rising and high humidity, it is difficult to guarantee your ‘invited’ guests will brave formal dress.
As to timing, Galley Bay holds but one wedding each day. You have your choice of times, but the best is 4:00 P.M. The ceremony concludes as the sun begins to set, a perfect time for "magic hour" pictures, as the lighting is perfect.
The ceremony itself is brief, about twenty minutes long. A public official officiated our wedding, a lovely woman who was smartly attired, with a professional, but charming demeanor. We thought about writing our own vows, but the prepared Antiguan wedding vows are so playful and intimate, we are glad we didn't!
We took the most basic package for the wedding, with no special requests for certain flowers or special dietary considerations or decorations for the cake. We merely chose the color scheme and instructed our coordinator to use her imagination for an antique and exotic theme. As a result, we felt we got her best work, as the decorations, cake, bouquet, flowers, and ceremony were absolutely stunning! Everything was colorful, tropical, exotic, and themed appropriate to the setting and the resort. Also, everything was expertly planned and taken care of, with minimal effort on our parts.
As to photography, we chose still pictures without videography. The photographer used is professional and well regarded. As a matter of fact, he had the Prime Minister of Antigua’s bodyguard with him for one of our meetings, as he was the official state photographer! He shoots in both digital and conventional film. An album of thirty-six film pictures is included in the package price, but for a small supplement, one hundred dollars U.S., you can purchase his digital film as well. We highly recommend this, as the digital prints were beautiful and included a variety of poses not found within the conventional film. Digital pictures are prepared on a computer disk. The conventional film is presented in an album with the negative prints. All told, we had ninety-six prints, with disk and negatives, of exceptional quality. We were very, very pleased.
Dinner on the wedding night was saved for the Gauguin, and the staff seated us in the most intimate and removed setting. They also arranged a nice centerpiece specifically for us! Our wedding coordinator reserved both seatings for us for dinner, both 6:45 P.M. and 8:30 P.M., so that we would have both options. There was flawless presentation and cuisine with an incredible, romantic view. The surf crashing at that part of the beach is almost hypnotic.
If you have guests, they can share in this experience, but I believe that seating is limited to six per table at this restaurant. All dining, as I'm sure you know, is alfresco, and the tables at the Gauguin are very separated and apart, like little, tiled islands on the beach. If you have a large party, or want a livelier atmosphere, the Sea Grape restaurant is the way to go.
We sincerely hope you found this review helpful to making the perfect wedding and honeymoon, and welcome any inquiries to our email address. Bon Voyage!