Banana Deck

Welcome Happy Hour

Caneel Bay Resort, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Rehearsal Dinner

Our Story

Our Wedding

Details

About The Island

Why We Chose St. John

After booking a weeklong trip to the St. Thomas Secret Harbour Resort in July 2014 we spent some time researching the island and found that a 15 minute ferry from the town near our resort, Red Hook, would land us in Cruz Bay, St. John. We made plans to spend a day over in St. John, but with no real plans when we got there. As we pulled into Cruz bay on what seemed to be the world fastest ferry, the vibes were different than any island we had been to in the past. St. John offered the gorgeous scenery of a Caribbean island, the bars and restaurants of a vibrant port, and all without hustle and confusion of a typical island landing. Upon arrival we settled in with a much needed lunch and punch at one of the beach cafes. We then took time shopping in the typical island boutiques and souvenir stores where we learned of the Larimar gemstone which is also known as the gemstone of the Caribbean. Although tempting we did not make any purchases and continued on with our day. As we hopped in a safari taxi at the town square we used not much more than a finger and a map to decide on one of the nearby public beaches called Cinnamon Bay. The natural beauty of the island took us away as we ventured across the winding roads in the open air safari to our beach destination. After a swim with in crystal blue water with fish and stingrays passing by our feet, we made our way back to Cruz Bay for the evening. In Cruz Bay we wasted no time getting started on happy hour which the island happens to be well known for. We made our way to a few different bars before deciding to head back and purchase a Larimar gemstone pendant matching Laura's eyes to remember our wonderful day St. John. At the end of the vacation, our trip to St. John left us a desire to return to the little island. We wanted to take everyone with us to share the island for its beauty, nature, and sense of community. When looking into a destination wedding we could not look further than St. John once the hunt began. The people, the place, and the energy of the island matches the relationship we have and the friends we love so we felt there would be no better place to get married than St. John, USVI.

History

Population: 4,197 Permanent Residents Size: 20 square miles – 7 miles long, 3 miles wide Highest Point: Bordeaux Mountain 1,277 ft_ Saint John was first settled by Arawak Indians who migrated north from coastal areas of present-day Colombia and Venezuela around AD 300. The Arawak inhabited the island until around the year AD 1300, when they were driven off by the more aggressive and warlike Carib. Explorer Christopher Columbus, traveling on behalf of the Spanish Crown, is credited with being the first European to see the Virgin Islands in 1493, during his second voyage to the New World. The Danish West India and Guinea Company represented the first Europeans to settle the island in 1718. They are also credited with naming the island Saint John (Danish: Sankt Jan). The Danish crown took full control of this and nearby colonies in 1754, including those founded on the similarly named islands of Saint Thomas and Saint Croix. During this period the island became home to many sugar cane plantations.In 1917, during the Great War, the United States purchased the U.S. Virgin Islands for $25 million from the Danish government in order to establish a naval base. It was intended to prevent expansion of the German Empire in the Western Hemisphere. As part of the negotiations for this deal, the US agreed to recognize Denmark's claim to Greenland, which they had previously disputed.Since 1917, the U.S. Virgin Islands are an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. Its residents are U.S. citizens, but they cannot vote in presidential elections. Although, similar to those in Washington DC, residents of the Virgin Islands can elect a delegate to the US Congress, who has non-voting status in that body.During the 20th century, private investors acquired properties on the island, redeveloping some plantation houses as vacation resorts, such as Laurence Rockefeller's Caneel Bay Resort. The islands became popular and tourism and related service jobs developed as a major part of the economy.In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller donated his extensive lands on the island to the United States' National Park Service, under the condition that the lands had to be protected from future development. The remaining portion, the Caneel Bay Resort, operates on a lease arrangement with the NPS, which owns the underlying land. The boundaries of the Virgin Islands National Park include 75% of the island. Much of the island's waters, coral reefs, and shoreline have been protected by being included in the national park. This protection was expanded in 2001, when the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument was created.

Average Tempurature

November 4th AverageHigh: 88 Low: 76 Sunrise: 6:20amSunset: 5:45pm

Things To Do

Beaches

For more information on beaches please visit:<a href="http://stjohntour.com/BeachesMap.html" target="_blank">http://stjohntour.com/BeachesMap.html</a>

Hiking

For more details about hiking trails please visit: <a href="http://stjohntour.com/HikingTrailsMap.html" target="_blank">http://stjohntour.com/HikingTrailsMap.html</a>

Shopping

<a href="http://www.mongoosejunctionstjohn.com/index.html" target="_blank">Mongoose Junction</a>Mongoose Junction is St John's premier collection of fashionable shops and restaurants in a unique architectural and tropical setting. Coming from Cruz Bay just head east on North Shore Rd. Wharfside Village Wharfside Village is a unique collection of shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and water sport centers nestled at the foot of the ferry dock in Cruz Bay, the heart of St. John. The merchants are friendly, the drinks are tall and cool and the sunset is spectacular every night! Grocery &amp; Beer:Dolphin Market (In Cruz Bay) Boulon Center, Cruz Bay Open daily 7:30 AM - 11 PM Full service grocery store sells wine, liquor, beer; fresh produce. <a href="http://starfishmarket.com/">Starfish Market &amp; Gourmet</a> (Just Outside Cruz Bay) The Market Place, Cruz Bay Open daiy 7:30 AM - 9 PM 340 779-4949 Full service grocery store (largest on St John), fresh produce, meats, fish, deli section including prepared meals; gourmet (expensive) wines, cheeses, vineger, oils

Eat Drink

Drink

A comprehensive list of great happy hour spots will be added soon, but until then know that Woody's World Famous Happy Hour has you covered with $1 Coors Light everyday from 3-6pm<a href="http://www.stjohnbrewers.com/taproom.html"></a><a href="http://www.stjohnbrewers.com/taproom.html" target="_blank">Tap Room by St. John Brewers</a>Enjoy locally brewed beers such as the Island Hoppin' IPA at St. John Brewers Tap Room. The Tap Room is located above the Deli Grotto and Ocean Grill restaurant in <a href="http://www.mongoosejunctionstjohn.com/" target="_blank">Mongoose Junction</a> plaza. The Beach Bar

Questions

Do not hesitate to contact Justin at justinmalcom@gmail.com for any questions.

The Island

Photos

Wedding Party

Registry

Q + A

The island of St. John is only accessible via ferry. Flights should be reserved to St. Thomas' Cyril E. King Airport which lands you on the west end of beautiful St. Thomas. From the airport you will take a cab to one of two ferry points on St. Thomas as described below.

Flights

Set on a 170-acre peninsula amid the lush beauty of the <a href="http://www.caneelbay.com/virgin-islands-national-park.html">Virgin Islands National Park</a> and seven picturesque beaches, Caneel Bay is one of the most breathtaking vacation destinations in the Caribbean. Discovered by Laurance Rockefeller while sailing on a family cruise, this luxury hideaway is accessible only by boat or ferry and its beaches are widely considered to be among the best in the world. A steadfast environmentalist and preservationist, Laurance Rockefeller was dedicated to creating a destination that would live in harmony with its natural environment.Caneel Bay opened its doors on December 1st, 1956. Since that day, the resort has remained faithful to Laurance Rockefeller's original dream of simple splendor in a pristine natural setting. It is a rare destination where guests can find sanctuary from the stress and distractions of everyday life. It is a place to truly "unplug," where guest rooms are free of telephones and televisions. Finally, it is a place for making new memories - whether you're connecting with loved ones on a greatly anticipated family vacation or a long overdue romantic getaway.Today, Caneel Bay is one of only a few marine environments within the U.S. National Park System and is home to abundant wildlife as well as colorful coral reefs that teem with underwater life. Here, turtles and dolphins freely roam their natural habitat while guests explore the pristine natural surroundings of this truly unique Caribbean resort.BookingTo book within our room block please fill out the reservation form under our wedding party.<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B11HpvOcFLGIaEtlek9nLVlOeXc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Reservation Form Link</a> Email completed form to <a href="mailto:beata.griffith@caneelbay.com" target="_blank">beata.griffith@caneelbay.com</a>

Caneel Bay Resort

We encourage those who will join us on St. John to treat our ceremony as a part of a vacation in paradise. While the ceremony and reception will be on the Caneel Bay Resort, it is not a requirement to stay on the property. We do encourage guests to stay near Cruz Bay as it is the main entry point to the island, transportation hub, and (most importantly) a world famous happy hour destination, but St. John is very safe so feel free to look around for a customized experience. In our basic research we have found the following options were most popular: <a href="http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/" target="_blank">The Westin St. John Resort &amp; Villas </a><a href="https://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/caribbean/usvi-st-john/cruz-bay/grande-bay-resort" target="_blank">Grande Bay Resort &amp; Condos</a> <a href="http://gallowspointresort.com" target="_blank">Gallows Point Resort</a><a href="https://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/caribbean/usvi-st-john/cruz-bay/@18.333922065595317,-64.7934803743118,18.329155778383047,-64.79764316270291,17z">House &amp; Timeshare Rentals</a>

Additional Options

There are two public ferry options when arriving in St. Thomas, and a private option offered by the Caneel Bay Resort. Caneel Bay Ferry Option - <a href="http://www.caneelbay.com/directions-transportation.html" target="_blank">Between Downtown Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas &amp; Caneel Bay, St. John.</a>Caneel Bay Resort has a desk at the airport with representatives who will assist to a taxi that will bring you to Charlotte Amalie. Their privately operated ferry will take you directly from there to the Caneel Bay Resort. The boat ride to St. John takes a pleasurable 35 minutes with iced water, fruit or rum punch offered on board. Transfers are available at a one-time charge of $110 per person, which covers the arrival/departure transfers between St. Thomas airport and Caneel Bay, as well as unlimited use of Caneel's ferry between St. Thomas and the resort. Public Ferry Options:The Shortest Boat Ride: <a href="http://www.varlack-ventures.com/ferryservices.html#redhook" target="_blank">Between Red Hook, St. Thomas &amp; Cruz Bay, St. John</a>• $7.00 each way• Approximately 20 minutes• Runs every hour (on the hour) between 6:00 am and Midnight• Scenic views of St. Thomas during taxi ride across mountainous island • Taxi may be needed in Cruz Bay depending on location of accomodations The Direct Ferry Route: <a href="http://www.varlack-ventures.com/ferryservices.html#charlotte" target="_blank">Between Downtown Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas &amp; Cruz Bay, St. John</a>• $13.00 each way• Approximately 40 minutes• Runs start in Cruz Bay at 8:45am and the latest returns from Charlotte Amalie at 5:30 pm in the evening• Taxi may be needed in Cruz Bay depending on location of accomodations

justin & laura

justin & laura

Photos