WELCOME
TO OUR
WEDDING
GUIDE
THE GUIDE BELOW WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JOINING US TO CELEBRATE OUR WEDDING.
WE WOULD BOTH LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US TO CELEBRATE, BUT WE DO ALSO UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN IN ON THE CELEBRATIONS.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HOLD A POST-WEDDING EVENT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE UNABLE TO JOIN US IN CAYMAN FOR THE CEREMONY. DETAILS FOR THIS EVENT WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING TRAVEL.
LOVE,
CHRIS & EVA
WHAT ARE
CHRIS & EVA'S
TRAVEL PLANS?
We are flying from Melbourne direct to Miami on the 15 February where we are planning to spend a few days relaxing in South Beach. More importantly we are planning on catching up on all the Cuban food we missed out on during our Cuban trip by visiting Little Havana whilst getting over our jet lag.
We are arriving in Grand Cayman on Wednesday February 19, and will be staying at both Plantana and Villas of the Galleon during our week long stay on the island before heading of on our honeymoon.
HOW DO I GET TO GRAND CAYMAN?
Let's be upfront. Grand Cayman is not the closest location to have a wedding. So arranging travel and accommodation well in advanced is a must. Below is information on travelling from various parts of the world. If you get stuck, please contact us as we can assist in pointing you in the right direction.
FROM MELBOURNE
There are no direct flights from Australia to Grand Cayman, therefore you’ll need to use the US as a gateway to the Caribbean. Flights will take you either directly from Melbourne to LA, or will stop via Sydney or Brisbane first. Obviously, the more direct the flight, the less hassle involved for you.
From Los Angeles, flights to Cayman will usually involve a stop-over in Miami. Therefore you can elect to fly from Melbourne to Miami on the same ticket, then get a short flight to Cayman. Alternatively, fly to LA then get an LA-Cayman flight (which will have the requisite layover in Miami). Breaking up the flying time with a night or two in LA or Miami is also a great idea.
FROM PERTH
There are no flights direct to LA out of Perth, which means you’ll more than likely stop over in either Melbourne or Sydney – or both if you’re really lucky! Once you’re in Melbourne or Sydney, the same onward flight itinerary and travel times will apply.
FROM THE UK
Flights offer a direct route from Heathrow to Miami, at which point you will then need to transfer on to a Miami-Grand Cayman flight.
FROM CANADA
There are no direct flights from Canada to Cayman. Flights stop-over in LA, Miami or Dallas on their way to Cayman.
FLIGHT TIMES
Melbourne to LA:
14 hours
8 hours, including layover in Miami
LA to Miami:
4 hours
Miami to Cayman:
1 hour
Heathrow to Miami:
9 hours
Vancouver to LA:
4 hours
WHO WILL GET ME THERE?
Within Australia
Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Tiger all fly domestically within Australia
From Australia
Qantas and Virgin Australia both fly from Australia to the US
From the UK
British Airways will get you from chilly Heathrow to sunny Miami
From the USA
Cayman Airways and American Airlines fly out of Miami to Grand Cayman
From Canada
American, United Airlines and Air Canada all fly out of Canada to Cayman, via the US. Stop-overs can include LA, Miami or Dallas.
IS THERE ANY OTHER TRAVEL INFO I NEED TO BE AWARE OF?
VISAS
Entry to Grand Cayman is easy if you’re travelling on an Australian passport (or a British one for that matter), as there are no visa requirements.
Citizens of Australia are not required to have visas for entry to the US, however you will need to apply for an exemption under the visa waiver program – ask your travel agent for the specifics.
VACCINATIONS
There are no vaccinations required for travelling to Grand Cayman. Heading to other areas of the Caribbean – Cuba for example – may require a few pin pricks. For more information please ask your GP.
SPECIAL OPS TRAINING
None required at this time. Though getting a start on your suntan (in a sun smart manner of course) is advised for our fair skinned friends!
WHERE SHOULD I STAY IN GRAND CAYMAN?
We will be getting married on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. This is arguably the loveliest part of the island, with long stretches of beaches that feature powdery white sand surrounded by a calm, aquamarine ocean.
Plantana and Villas of the Galleon – locations for the ceremony and reception respectively – are our accommodations of choice, however there is plenty more on offer to suit all budgets.
There are many spacious condos in Cayman (the two mentioned above are fanstastic). These do come with a premium price tag but offer all the comforts of home – kitchen, washing machine, dining area and often a spacious lounge area. If you are open to sharing with friends, new or old, this is a great option as not only are all of our friends awesome people—they are also future contestants of Masterchef, so together you will save on eating out.
Our recommended places to stay are:
Great sites to look at accommodation information, ideas and reviews are:
Need more information
Alternatively, if you have any questions, please just ask us and we will help you. We are working with a wedding planner in Grand Cayman, and so any questions we can’t answer ourselves can be directed onto the wedding planner.
If you are looking for friends to share with please let us know and we can assist in matching you with other friends.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE... RIGHT? WHAT IS LIKE IN CAYMAN LIKE?
DO I HAVE TO SPEAK CAYMANIAN?
No, English is the predominant language so no need to enrol in any crash courses to learn a second tongue.
HOW DO I GET AROUND?
The island itself is tiny—it only takes about three hours to get from one end to the other – that said the most reliable and cost-effective form of transport is a hire car. Trains are non-existent, buses are few and far between and taxis are prohibitively expensive—even for short distances.
In contrast, a hire car is hands-down the most economical and convenient way to explore Grand Cayman. Even better, most cars are right-hand drive and they drive on the right side of the road over there – which is actually the left, or to put it simply - it’s the same as in Australia. You can hire a car right out of the airport if you want. Avis, Hertz and Andy’s Car Hire all operate out of Owen Roberts International Airport.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
Although technically winter in the Northern Hemisphere, February in Cayman is essentially what we would call summer.
Being February, there should be no unpleasant weather and the worst you can expect is a fabulous dose of sunburn! Definitely bring all the usual slip, slop and slap accessories and throw in some insect repellant just in case.
I AM BORED OF THE BEACH, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO ON THE ISLAND?
The seven miles of beach is sublime, but if you’re keen to do more than just lay around and work on your tan, there are plenty of other activities to keep you entertained;
- take a leisurely stroll through the Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Gardens – the colour garden is nothing short of magnificent—but look out for the monstrous blue iguanas.
- explore the turtle farm
- visit the infamous Ugland House, home to 19,000 companies, which Barrack Obama is quoted as saying, “either this is the largest building in the world or the largest tax scam in the world.”
- feed and swim with the sting rays at Sting Ray City—they’re more like lovable puppy dogs than underwater predators!
- take a boat cruise and check out Little Cayman or Cayman Brac
- snorkel, scuba dive or go fishing
There are also plenty of great restaurants and bars to savour, all of which offer delicious local seafood—try conch and sea turtle if that’s your thing. Of course it would criminal not to mention the Cayman Islands’ staple food: rum cake. One bite and you’ll be hooked.