Antigua Wedding

Although he never landed here, it was Christopher Columbus who came bobbing by during his second Caribbean voyage in 1493, proclaiming this tiny tropical utopia to be known (after a Spanish saint) as Santa Maria la Antigua from that point on. It seems nobody objected, and so the last word stuck! Today, this Caribbean pearl of a destination offers visitors the very best that the region has to offer - and in abundance.

'Abundant' is certainly the adjective that applies to Antigua's beaches - there are, it is thought, 365 of them; one for each day of the year, then, and all of fine, powdery white sand. Caressed by year-round warm breezes and lapped by crystal-clear azure waters, Antigua is one of the world's great beach destinations, offering as it does just about perfect tanning weather. Although the largest of the Leeward Islands, it is only 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, so you can see that a large proportion of the coastline consists of these fantastic beaches . As a natural consequence, watersports are big news in Antigua, with sailing, yachting, windsurfing, scuba diving and snorkelling high on the list of must-do's for many visitors.

Just 9 hours from the UK, Antigua is an English-speaking destination with temperatures ranging from mid-70s in winter to mid-80s at the height of summer, but as humidity is low, it is always comfortable. So, if you are searching for a wedding destination where you intend to do little else after your big day than lounge around sipping cocktails in the sun, with perhaps a little splashing about in the sea and sightseeing when you can summon the strength to peel yourselves from the beach, then Antigua is most certainly the place for you !