My husband and I were blessed to experience a Weddingmoon at Sandals Halcyon, in Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies. Its genius:not only is it a destination wedding, its a honeymoon as well! And its ALL-INCLUSIVE! Trust me, we made good use of the swim up bars...

Sandals Halcyon is paradise. Colorful hummingbirds dance around fragrant blossoms. Around each corner is a different haven for peace and tranquility. We ate breakfast beside the ocean. Friendly kittens roamed the grounds, playing with lizards and crabs. We stayed in a cozy hideaway surrounded by palm trees and exotic flowers. Giant snails crept across our stepping stones and crabs scuttled outside our back door.The sun woke us every morning as it shone through our windows. At night, the soothing sound of tree frogs slipped us away into our dreams.

Our wedding ceremony took place on the beach in the early morning. The pristine ocean is not rough in Saint Lucia, only gentle waves break on shore. Immediately following the ceremony, a rich banana cake and champagne were served under a gazebo bursting with tropical flora. The Sandals Photo Shop makes it easy to choose which pictures to purchase.

Sandals offers free shuttle service to the other resorts on the island: Sandals Regency and Sandals Grande. We took advantage of this service to try new restaurants (all-inclusive!), shop new stores, explore a little more of the island, and relax during body treatments at the Red Lane Spa. We enjoyed kayaking, wakeboarding, sailing, snorkeling, tubing, and listening to a local steel drum band.

A zebra-inspired open-topped Land Rover took us on an excursion through one of Saint Lucia's rainforests and through the fishing village, Anse la Raye. We made stops along the way to try fresh fruits, coconut water (the fountain of youth according to islanders), and banana ketchup. We were able to support the locals by purchasing handmade trinkets and even saw wear parts of Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed.

Meals were out of this world. Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Everything. It is truly a pleasure for the people at Sandals to serve the guests; I have never met more hospitable people than the friendly people at Sandals Halcyon.

If ever considering a destination wedding, honeymoon, or renewing your vows, remember the beautiful, humble island of Saint Lucia.