The first romantic getaway Christine and Ernesto ever embarked on together was to the sunny Caribbean island of Anguilla. The tropical temperatures, clear blue water and swaying palm trees had such a profound effect on the couple that when they were considering where to host their wedding, Anguilla topped the list immediately.

Besides their certainty about the destination, the couple had their hearts set on a smaller guest list. With only immediate family to witness, Ernesto and Christine felt they could better live in the moment of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Plus, the fewer people and logistics to worry about meant less stressing over the planning season. 

Belmond Cap Juluca(opens in new tab), located along Maundays Bay, appealed to Ernesto and Christine’s particular style. While they considered other venues across the island, the couple kept coming back to the old-world glamour and white sandy beaches of Belmond. 

The details were kept simple, but the cuisine was where Christine and Ernesto’s identity as a couple shone strongest. With both Caribbean and Peruvian cuisine available at the resort, the couple found a natural way to represent their cultures and share them with their families.

Personal touches carried through the rest of the celebration, too. Christine and Ernesto set aside a table to honor grandparents and other loved ones who couldn’t attend because of age or passing. They sourced vintage silver and gold frames and filled them with black-and-white photographs, creating a place where they could feel the presence of the family members who had helped shape their lives.

For their guest book, the couple put a creative spin on tradition. They used a Belmond Cap Juluca coffee table book, taking Polaroids with their family and placing the photos on its blank pages for guests to sign. The result was a keepsake filled with snapshots and handwritten messages from the people who shared the occasion with them.

Christine also brought her eye for design to the wedding stationery. A close friend she met at Parsons helped design the invitations, which Florence Reynier of Floworks(opens in new tab) created in a vintage, old-world Caribbean style. Christine added one final detail herself, sourcing vintage Anguillan stamps from the 1970s to adorn the envelopes.

Before the ceremony, the couple shared a special moment at the fountain near the Guerlain Spa. The fountain holds historical significance for the island’s native inhabitants, and Christine and Ernesto used the setting to exchange wishes for their marriage. Each wrote a wish on one side of a leaf, which the hotel preserved as a keepsake.

Planning from afar was made easier by the couple’s previous visits to Anguilla, along with virtual meetings, shared notes and mood boards. They also relied on vendors they trusted to bring their ideas to life. When a power outage affected the island during their wedding trip, events manager Verna Rogers and her team handled the situation without disrupting the celebration. Christine and Ernesto only learned about the issue after the team had taken care of it.

For other couples planning a destination wedding, their advice is practical: stay organized, book flights early and never check wedding attire in at the airport. Most importantly, they encourage couples to make choices that feel right for them and hire people they trust.

Vendors: Photographer: Alexandra Schaede(opens in new tab); Venue: Belmond Cap Juluca(opens in new tab); Florist: Black Orchid Florists(opens in new tab); Stationery: Floworks(opens in new tab); Hair & Makeup: Dolled By Tae(opens in new tab) via Cap Juluca Spa by Guerlain(opens in new tab); Grooms’ Clothing Designer: The Black Tux(opens in new tab); Bride’s Getting Ready Attire: Natori(opens in new tab); Wedding Dress: Nadia Manjarez(opens in new tab)