Late last year, Awesome Caribbean Weddings hosted a wedding at Cosmos St. Lucia, one of our preferred locations for private villa weddings in St. Lucia.
With a maximum of 25 guests – 16 of whom can be accommodated on the property – Cosmos St. Lucia offers an extraordinary open-air experience that is also private, picturesque and incredibly romantic. Think flowers from the local rainforest, a dramatic tiered cake from a top patissier, bespoke cocktails, a five course Flavours of the Caribbean menu and fantastic local musicians.
The owners reached out recently, to catch up and ask Michele for her expert view on what’s going on with Saint Lucia weddings and why, and what tips she can share with couples planning a wedding. The interview was published on the Cosmos St. Lucia website, and has been reproduced here with permission.
Cosmos: Over the years you’ve worked with many couples to design weddings in St Lucia. What do you think is the appeal of marrying on a Caribbean island instead of staying home?
Michele: Getting married in the Caribbean is a departure from a traditional wedding back home in more ways than a simple change of surroundings to the tropics. Unexpectedly, with all the constraints of doing it at home, holding your wedding in St Lucia can in fact be a release. You can arrange it in any way you like and don’t have to worry about your older relatives’ expectations (the fussy ones probably won’t come anyway!). For those couples having a second marriage, they want something simple and to be able to combine a wedding and honeymoon in one package. A lot of our couples are adventurous and spirited. They just want to do something unique and different. Having your wedding on a deck with the majestic twin Piton mountains as your backdrop is definitely different!
Cosmos: What do you think is fueling a trend for smaller, more intimate weddings, and do you think it will last?
Michele: The pandemic for sure is fueling smaller and more intimate weddings, but even before the onset of the virus outbreak we have always coordinated weddings for smaller groups. For some couples, the smaller and more intimate the wedding, the happier they are, and this is something that I do think will continue. We have taken to calling them “Micro Weddings” as couples are having many of the same elements you would see in a larger wedding – a 3-tier cake, a beautifully decorated canopy, Chiavari chairs, elegant lighting and reception decor – for much smaller groups.
Cosmos: Can you tell us what you and your clients think about Cosmos as an intimate wedding location?
Michele: In all honesty, my recent clients Miranda and Michael chose Cosmos because their original venue of choice was unable to obtain their Covid-19 certification from the government in time, so I reached out to Anastasia to see if she had availability. For me, as a wedding planner, it was a happy outcome as Cosmos is a perfect venue for an intimate wedding. Every single person at the wedding told me how it was actually the venue best suited to the couple. On arrival they were enthralled by the villa first and foremost, they loved the organic nature of it, and then they stepped out onto the pool deck and felt like they were literally at the base of the mountains. The view took their breath away. Shermika and her staff were warm, welcoming and super friendly and no request was an issue. The Pitons Terrace was the perfect space for the beautifully decorated wedding arch and seating for the ceremony. Inside the villa, we served champagne while the violinist entertained everyone during photos.
Photograph by Daniel Marcion of Belle Portwe
“Best Wedding Experience EVER! This truly was the most incredible experience I could have ever dreamed, even during a global pandemic! Every detail was addressed. So professional and helpful, it truly led to the wedding of my dreams.”
Miranda, Bride, client of Awesome Caribbean Weddings, wedding held at Cosmos St Lucia
Cosmos: When it comes to what the bride and groom wear on their big day, what do you think works well for a wedding in the St Lucian climate?
Michele: Generally it is one of two wedding dress styles – light, airy and floaty, or strappy and fitted. Both are perfect for a wedding in a tropical climate. Choose light fabrics such as chiffon, tulle and organza that give off a gorgeous, ethereal vibe without any additional bulk. Or go for slightly thicker fabrics, such as lace and crepe, that are perfect for streamlined ballgowns and sheaths as they hold their shape well. Backless, sleeveless, spaghetti straps and almost always with a train – brides are choosing comfort as well as elegance for their destination weddings. For men, breathable fabrics are ideal, specifically cotton or linen. Suits are still very popular for the grooms and dads, but we see a lot of vests rather than jackets for the groomsmen. For many grooms their ideal is still just linen pants and a shirt, they would prefer to opt for comfort every time!
Cosmos: Any unusual tips you think helpful to share?
Michele: Have as much fun as possible when planning a wedding. I had a couple that did “Wedding Wednesdays” and every Wednesday evening after work, they got takeaway food, opened a bottle of wine and talked about the wedding. They got so much more achieved by being focused on the wedding on just one day of the week, rather than allowing it to consume their every waking moment. And on those Wednesdays, they laughed and they cried and found out so much more about each other. For them, it strengthened an already strong relationship. So for any couple planning a wedding, find your version of a “Wedding Wednesday”.
Many thanks to Cosmos for taking the time to talk to Michele, and for providing such an excellent venue option for our clients. We hope this interview helps any couples thinking about a small wedding in St Lucia.
