Caribbean elopement packages almost always mean one thing on the first page of Google: an all-inclusive resort, a beach draped in rose petals, and a photo of a couple surrounded by staff in matching polos. That version is real, and for plenty of couples it’s exactly right. It is not, however, the only version. If what you actually pictured when you imagined eloping was two people and a quiet hillside, not a resort event calendar, it helps to know the other kind exists before you book.

What Caribbean Elopement Packages Usually Include

Search for Caribbean elopement packages and the results skew heavily toward the big all-inclusive brands: Sandals, Beaches, and a long list of resort chains across St. Lucia, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Their packages tend to follow a similar formula: a beachfront ceremony spot, a coordinator assigned from a rotating pool, a bouquet and boutonniere, a photographer for an hour or two, and a toast afterward, all bundled into the cost of your stay.

There’s a reason this model dominates. It’s efficient, it’s proven, and for a couple who wants a resort vacation with a ceremony built in, it delivers exactly that. The tradeoff is scale. You’re marrying inside a property built for hundreds of guests a week, on a schedule that fits around every other wedding booked that month, with a backdrop shared by whoever else is poolside that afternoon.

The Other Kind of Caribbean Elopement Packages: Small by Design

Not every property builds its Caribbean elopement packages around volume. A small number are simply too small to run it that way, and that’s the point, not a limitation.

The Mary Anne Boutique Hotel sits on the Charlotte Amalie hillside in St. Thomas, right next to Blackbeard’s Castle and the historic 99 Steps. Six rooms, a rooftop pool over the harbor, and tropical grounds mean there is no event calendar to share and no other ceremony happening down the beach. A wedding here is the only thing on the property’s schedule that day, which changes what “included” actually feels like — less checklist, more a property that’s simply yours.

Caribbean Elopement Packages at The Mary Anne

The Mary Anne’s Caribbean elopement packages are built in tiers, sized to how many people, if anyone, you’re bringing along.

• Anchored in Love — designed for couples arriving by cruise ship: a private day-use room for preparations, a ceremony at The Mary Anne or next door at Blackbeard’s Castle, a non-denominational officiant, staff photography, tropical florals, a sparkling toast, and transportation coordination from the port and back.
• Wedding Story — a celebration for two, including a three-night stay, a champagne and fruit welcome tray, a personalized wedding planner, an officiant, florals, a cake, champagne, and a photography session.
• Island Escape — the same foundation as Wedding Story, sized for the couple plus a small wedding party staying in two rooms.
• Signature Celebration — the fullest tier, with three rooms, an eight-inch cake, and a rum-tasting experience at Blackbeard’s Castle for the groom and groomsmen.

Couples who want a handful of witnesses present, rather than a full resort crowd, can also reserve the property outright: all six rooms, the rooftop pool, the game lawn, and a dedicated on-site host for up to 15 guests. Extras like a flower arch, a private chef dinner, upgraded photography, or spa services can be added to any tier. Package pricing is shared on inquiry rather than posted as a flat rate, since every couple builds the day a little differently. The fastest way to see numbers against your own guest count is to reach out directly.

Comparing Caribbean Elopement Packages: Resort vs. Boutique

Set the two models side by side and the differences are less about what’s on the checklist and more about what the day actually feels like.

A resort’s Caribbean elopement packages are built for turnover: your ceremony slot is one of several that week, the beach or gazebo is shared property, and your coordinator is managing multiple couples in parallel. What you gain is scale: more amenities, a bigger property, more going on if you want to extend the trip into a full vacation.

A boutique property’s version trades that scale for exclusivity. At six rooms, The Mary Anne isn’t running a second wedding an hour before yours. The ceremony space, the rooftop, and the staff’s attention that day belong to one couple. There’s no crowd of other guests in the background of your photos, and no shared calendar to work around. For couples who chose to elope specifically to get away from a crowd, that distinction tends to matter more than an extra pool or a second restaurant.

What’s Fixed vs. What’s Not in Caribbean Elopement Packages

Two costs sit outside every package and stay the same no matter which property you choose in the U.S. Virgin Islands: a $200 marriage license fee, paid directly to the USVI, and an 18% service fee applied to your package total at The Mary Anne. Everything else, the tier you choose, the add-ons, the number of nights, is what actually varies between Caribbean elopement packages, and it’s shared on inquiry rather than published as a flat number, since a two-person ceremony and a fifteen-guest buyout aren’t priced the same way.

The one advantage the USVI holds over most of the Caribbean: no passport is required for U.S. citizens, no residency period before the ceremony, and no re-registration once you’re home. A valid driver’s license and the online application through the USVI Superior Court are enough to get the paperwork moving before you ever leave the mainland.

Choosing Between Caribbean Elopement Packages

A few honest questions tend to sort this out faster than scrolling comparison sites.

Do you want a vacation with a wedding in it, or a wedding that happens to be on an island? If it’s the former, a resort’s all-inclusive model earns its reputation. If it’s the latter, the smaller property is usually the better fit.

How many people, realistically, are coming? Zero to a handful favors a boutique elopement package built for exactly that size. A guest list past fifteen or twenty starts to outgrow what most boutique properties can host, and points back toward a resort or a full-scale wedding.

Do you want your ceremony backdrop to be a beach everyone shares, or a property that’s only yours that day? Neither answer is wrong. It’s just worth deciding before you book rather than after.

For the fuller comparison of where in the Caribbean to elope at all, including the passport and paperwork differences between the USVI and the rest of the region, see our guide to Caribbean elopements. And if a larger celebration with your family is closer to what you’re picturing, our breakdown of St. Thomas wedding packages covers the fuller tier structure, while Caribbean honeymoon packages is the place to look if you’re planning the trip that follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do most Caribbean elopement packages include?
At the large resort brands, typically a beachfront ceremony spot, an officiant, a bouquet and boutonniere, an hour or two of photography, and a toast, bundled into your stay. Boutique properties like The Mary Anne build similar inclusions around a private setting instead of a shared one.

Are Caribbean elopement packages cheaper than a full wedding?
Usually, yes, because guest count drives most wedding budgets. Package pricing itself varies by tier and property and is generally shared on inquiry rather than posted as a flat rate.

Do we need a passport for a Caribbean elopement package in the USVI?
No, not for U.S. citizens. A valid driver’s license is sufficient, and the U.S. Virgin Islands is U.S. territory, so there’s no residency period or re-registration required once you’re home.

Can we bring guests, or is it just the two of us?
Either works. Most elopement packages are built for two, but a small group can be added, and a full property buyout at The Mary Anne accommodates up to 15 guests.

How far in advance should we book?
Filing the marriage license application two to three weeks ahead of travel is comfortable in the USVI. Booking the property itself earlier is wise during the December–April dry season, when demand is highest.

What’s the difference between an elopement package and a wedding package?
Mostly scale. Elopement packages are sized for the couple alone or with a handful of guests; wedding packages assume a fuller guest list, more nights, and more coordination.

Finding the Right Caribbean Elopement Packages for You

The resort version of Caribbean elopement packages will always dominate the search results, simply because there are more of those properties and bigger marketing budgets behind them. But “intimate” was the word most couples started with before the scrolling began, and a six-room property on a St. Thomas hillside is closer to that original idea than a beach shared with a hundred other guests. Whichever direction fits, comparing Caribbean elopement packages side by side before you book is worth the extra hour it takes.

If that’s the version you’re after, view our wedding packages or contact our team to check availability for your dates.