St. Maarten destination weddings
Trusted by 2,500+ travellers
4.9/5
30+ years of travel
Ready to start planning your St. Maarten destination wedding?
Tell us your guest count, budget, and ideal date and we will put together St. Maarten resort proposals with all-inclusive wedding packages that fit. Completely free.
Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin are two countries on the same 37-square-mile island with no border crossing between them. Guests can spend the morning at a Dutch-side beach club, take a 15-minute drive to Grand Case for lunch at one of the best restaurant strips in the Caribbean, and be back at the resort for sunset. No other destination wedding location offers this kind of built-in variety within such a small area.
Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side receives direct flights from New York, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, and Charlotte. American Airlines and United both operate regular routes. The flight from most US East Coast cities is 3 to 4 hours. For a Caribbean destination with this level of natural beauty and resort quality, the flight access is exceptional.
Sonesta Ocean Point and the wider Maho resort complex offer strong adults-only all-inclusive options with established wedding programmes. The island also has boutique villa and small hotel options on both sides for couples who want something more intimate. The resort infrastructure is smaller than Punta Cana but the quality at the top tier is consistently strong.
How much does a destination wedding in St. Maarten cost?
St. Maarten falls in the upper-mid range, with most weddings running $12,000 to $35,000. The pricing reflects the island's position as a luxury Caribbean destination without the boutique-only premium of Turks and Caicos or Anguilla.
The Dutch side has a small all-inclusive market (Sonesta Maho Beach is the main option), while properties like Belmond La Samanna on the French side and the Westin on the Dutch side anchor the luxury end. Most weddings on the island are structured as resort venue rentals or beach ceremonies with custom catering, which gives more flexibility than the all-inclusive model but requires more vendor coordination.
Per couple stays range from $300 per night at mid-tier resorts to $1,500+ per night at the luxury tier. The French side adds a meaningful premium for accommodation but is also where most of the island's best dining sits.
Which part of St. Maarten is right for your destination wedding?
The island is split between Dutch (Sint Maarten) and French (Saint-Martin) governance on the same small landmass, and the two sides offer genuinely different experiences for a wedding.
The Dutch side, Sint Maarten, is where most resort weddings happen. Princess Juliana International Airport is on this side, along with the bulk of the all-inclusive infrastructure, the casinos, and the more energetic beach scene. Maho Beach and Simpson Bay are the main wedding areas.
The French side, Saint-Martin, is more boutique and gastronomically exceptional. Grand Case is widely considered the food capital of the Caribbean, and Anse Marcel and Baie Rouge offer quieter, more upscale beach venues. The hotel selection is smaller but more refined.
Most couples base their weddings on the Dutch side and use the French side for rehearsal dinners, welcome events, or post-wedding excursions. This gets the best of both governance styles in a single trip.
Trusted by 2,500+ travellers
4.9/5
30+ years of travel
What a gorgeous resort! From the swings at the bar to the numerous pools… Many thanks to Zandra and Vacationeeze for planning such a dream vacation to El Dorado Maroma in Playa del Carmen last November! It was a beautiful location and the organized events were perfect! We had a delicious dinner on the beach that was beautifully decorated with flowers and lights… just magical! Thank you Zandra, for picking such an amazing resort - we loved the Mexican night, the tequila tasting, and the mariachis! We will be returning for more advice from you in the future!!
5/5
We quickly decided we didn't want to do a local wedding, so we started looking up YouTube videos of destination weddings. We found Jack and fell in love with him. We loved how he was a no nonsense type of guy that wasn't trying to sell anyone on anything, he was just stating facts and his knowledge. We quickly decided that we wanted Jack to be the one to help us figure out a destination wedding for us.
5/5
I cannot recommend Jared highly enough. The trip surpassed my expectations, and I am grateful for the meticulous planning and personalized attention provided by Jared. If you're looking for a travel planner who combines expertise with a genuine passion for creating memorable experiences, look no further! Thank you, Jared, for making my trip truly unforgettable. I look forward to planning my next adventure with your expertise!
5/5
Maho Beach plane spotting
Grand Case dining evening
Island catamaran day sail
Loterie Farm eco-adventure
Marigot waterfront and market
Orient Beach day trip
How far is St. Maarten from the US?
Approximately 3 to 4 hours from most US East Coast cities by direct flight. Miami is around 3 hours. New York is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours. American Airlines and United both operate direct routes from multiple US hubs.
Do US citizens need a visa for St. Maarten?
No. US citizens can enter both the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) and the French side (Saint-Martin) visa-free with a valid US passport. No additional entry requirements for a symbolic or legal ceremony.
Is St. Maarten good for a destination wedding?
St. Maarten is a strong destination wedding choice for couples who want a cosmopolitan, culturally distinctive Caribbean experience. The dual French-Dutch identity gives the island a unique character, direct flights connect from major US hubs, and the resort infrastructure on the Dutch side handles destination weddings well. The French side's dining adds a memorable dimension to the wedding week.
Is Sint Maarten good for a destination wedding?
Sint Maarten is a strong destination wedding choice for couples who want a cosmopolitan Caribbean experience with the added dimension of the French side nearby. The all-inclusive resort infrastructure is well-developed, direct US flights are good, and the combination of Dutch-side resorts and French-side dining creates a wedding week itinerary that is genuinely memorable.
Is a St. Maarten marriage legally valid in the US?
Yes, a legal marriage in Sint Maarten is recognised in the US. The Dutch side has an established civil registry process. Requirements include valid passports and certified birth certificates. We advise on the full documentation requirements as part of our planning service.
What are the best resorts in Sint Maarten for weddings?
Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is a strong adults-only all-inclusive option on the Dutch side with a dedicated wedding gazebo and beachfront ceremony venues. The wider Maho resort complex, including Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, offers family-friendly options with the famous Maho Beach plane-spotting experience nearby. For boutique options, several villa and small hotel properties on both sides of the island offer more intimate settings.
When is the best time for a Sint Maarten wedding?
December through April is the dry season and ideal for outdoor ceremonies. January and February offer the most consistently reliable conditions. The island has some hurricane exposure from August through October, with September being the highest-risk month. Avoiding the summer and early autumn months is strongly recommended.
4.9/5Tell us your ideal date, how many guests you're expecting, and whether you're thinking adults-only or family-friendly, and we'll come back to you with resort proposals that fit.
