It’s like the song,“Raaain on your wedding day!” by Alanis. Torrents of rain. 

Our first days in the tropics of Saint Lucia were a mix of warming, cooling cloud cover and sudden downpours, a plethora of climate changes entertaining us.

The intensity of the rain crashing down on our roof woke us several nights in a state of giddy excitement then gently soothed us back to sleep.

“The rain is better here,” I said.

Kees responded, “You know why? Because there’s not a single temptation to go anywhere else!”

It was surreal to wake up each morning in our stunning room at the Ladera Resort with it’s open wall that let us feel so close to nature.

Our beautiful room with the open wall

We can be the laziest lounge lizards in the world sometimes, especially here where we have a once-in-a-life excuse to stay in bed enjoying our luxury room guilt-free.

On our wedding day the rain hadn’t stopped but I didn’t care! Here the rain seemed renewing, nourishing and happy. It couldn’t possibly ruin our mood. St. Lucia owes its rich shades of green environment to the sustaining moisture and life-giving sunny days. I can’t imagine a better place to start our new life together.

Ladera Resort put on the most perfect, no stress, no worries, private wedding just for us. They sent me to get my hair done at their Spa while leaving Kees behind to pace. I am the world’s most low-maintenance bride, but he is the world’s most nervous groom!

Being pampered

Our marriage took place in one of the resort’s view villas with the emerald peaks of the Pitons towering over us and the crashing ocean below. Ladera provided us with a grandmotherly minister and our wedding planners posed as witnesses. The ceremony was under cover but with the open-wall concept of the rooms, my dress’ train was sopping wet, haha. Caribbean steel drums were tinkling as our minister pronounced us man and wife.

Arriving by golf cart.

My wonderful wet wedding

Awe

Now its official

Time to celebrate

A vanilla, banana cake, gamba shrimp appetizers and flowing champagne provided our photographer with some great captures. After the ceremony we shared our moment and our cake with guests and staff who hugged us like family and complimented my dress.  I had waited nearly a decade for this moment and I would’ve married Kees in a garage. To marry him in this fantasy environment was more than I could comprehend.

As if the perfect wedding wasn’t enough, when we arrived back at our outstandingly gorgeous villa we were surprised with flamingo pink rose petals strewn over our long staircase up into our room. Candles and a “Just Married” display of tropical flowers greeted us. Kees popped open another bottle of champagne and dove into the pool with clothes on! He’s such a keeper!

Mr and Mrs

Mr and Mrs Kleff (so they misspelled it 🙂 )

A meal from heaven

Our first married dinner was spiny lobster (big, red and white lobsters, which I learned are a species that don’t have pincers) served in our room from Ladera’s Dashene restaurant. The giant shells were filled with delicious bite-size pieces of delectable lobster meat. They made sure neither one of us had to lift a finger on our holiday.

A couple days after, we trekked up Tet Paul hiking trail to get some spectacular post-wedding shots from their magnificent viewpoint. After all my travels, I know I probably shouldn’t have been surprised to marry abroad, but to actually stand up there on that ridge looking out over the sparkling ocean and that powerful Piton summit was simply too good to be true. I felt so blessed! Kees packed our drone and from that high point he filmed some jaw-dropping footage.

Why not go hiking to the lookout in a wedding dress.

A great day to go hiking

Having fun flying our drone

What a gorgeous Island

Where we stayed

Our days passed far too quickly as we lounged between our Paradise Ridge Villa and the beach, summoning our butler several times a day to bring us cocoa tea and all of our meals in bed.

TIP:

• My original custom designed wedding dress purchased at the stunning 400 year old building housing the Bruids Van O’s Wedding Shop in downtown Alkmaar. You can find it on the tree-lined, cobblestone road on Oudegracht
• Our butler Kisha at Ladera persuaded us to do the easier, 45 minute (that is with guide stopping to explain and take photos for you) walk up Tet Paul which she guarantees offers equally beautiful views of the Pitons as the more strenuous 4-hour trek up the actual Piton.