St. Maarten’s gorgeous Porto Cupecoy has shaped up to be one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean with its Mediterranean-inspired village, the camaraderie of a private white-glove marina, and  what they describe as “Cosmopolitan Living”.  Be sure to check out the gorgeous video of the Porto Cupecoy property.  They were kind enough share their tips for planning a Caribbean destination wedding with our readers:

A beach wedding in a tropical country is the stuff dreams are made of. A Caribbean destination wedding can be magical and exciting – and a great way to "get away from the everyday". While planning a wedding outside of your hometown does have its complications, there’s no reason to have a wedding disaster in paradise – if you follow a few tips.

Make it Legal.  Make sure you are aware of the wedding requirements of the destination (they vary from place to place) and you want to make sure your wedding will be legally recognized  (e.g. requirements for the Caribbean Island of St. Martin/Saint Maarten) 

Tropical or Bust?  Consider what the weather will be like that time of year.  An off-season wedding might be cheaper – but might not be as tropical as you might be hoping for.

Plan Ahead.  Destination Weddings may sound impulsive – but they require a great deal of planning.  Many recommend booking flights and resorts up to 10 months in advance.

Hire Help.  You probably have enough to think about without trying to research every aspect of your wedding – especially in another country and timezone. While you might like the control of planning everything yourself, hiring an on-site wedding planner who has local connections – or getting someone with experience planning in your intended destination – may be just the stress-reliever you need.

Be wardrobe aware.  High heels aren’t great in the sand and many standard wedding outfits will make you – and your wedding party – swelter in the heat.  Think light. (Or to borrow the Cover Girl motto, think: "Easy, Breezy, Beautiful")

Be clear about your budget – and that of others.  Some sites have calculators so you can plan effectively.  Remember that some of your guests won’t be able to afford to go to your destination, so make sure that the people you most want to attend can afford to go – or budget to cover their costs.

Choose the perfect place.  Porto Cupecoy (http://www.portocupecoy.com) is the perfect tropical location for a 2010 wedding. Porto Cupecoy is a luxury residence on the island paradise of St. Martin. While it’s primarily a residence, it will also be an ideal location for special events, like weddings, when construction is complete later this fall.  The Porto Cupecoy Marina Village is located on Simpson Bay Lagoon in St. Martin, one of the most beautiful locations in the Caribbean and the perfect backdrop for any wedding.