Rob and I met briefly when he signed off on me taking the last spot on a sailing trip around the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) put together by our mutual friend, Seth Pratt. While sparks certainly didn't fly at that initial meeting (he said I was stuck up, I thought he was boring), they did develop over the course of the 10 day trip to the BVIs in May of 2015. Led by Seth and Rob, as our Captain and First Mate, an amazing group of folks chartered and crewed a 50 ft sailboat, the Sambamba, and explored the Islands together. It was my first real sailing experience - and I was hooked! That trip was part of my long-term goal to buy my own boat and do some solo sailing along the gulf coast of the US. Rob had much grander plans for sailing in mind: he was determined to complete a circumnavigation. Yeah, that's right - Rob was determined to sail around the world! It was one of the first times in my life that I met a man with bigger dreams than my own, and I knew at the end of that trip that he was a very special person. Over the past several years my respect and admiration for him, his vision and his soul has grown every day. I am so excited to marry him and see what we can accomplish together. Undoubtedly, we make a great team!

Rob and I are so excited to begin our life together and we are starting off by checking his dream of a circumnavigation off our bucket list! After selling everything and buying our boat, Stay Foolish, we are set to sail off into the sunset and begin our grand adventure in December of 2017. We will be leaving out of our homeport in New Orleans, Louisiana and getting hitched along our Caribbean sailing route in St Lucia, which is renowned as one of the most beautiful and romantic places on earth. With its breathtaking views of the Pitons, St. Lucia offers Caribbean mystique in spades. We hope you will come to St Lucia for a fun wedding and be rewarded with the vacation of a lifetime. We appreciate your willingness to travel with us, we firmly believe that: "Of all the books in the world, the best are found between the pages of a passport."

We undertook a scouting trip to St. Lucia in October of 2017 to ensure that we could provide our friends and families with proper local insight, including: the best places to stay, things to do, and navigation tips. We have personally vetted all of our recommendations - so let the Schley Travel Guides serve up a vacation you will never forget! Whatever your adventure level, budget, or travel goals- we have a game plan designed with you in mind. There are a couple of things that are important to know about St. Lucia right off the bat. First, it’s hot and it’s humid: pack accordingly. Do you need that jean jacket? Probably not. A light sweater should be adequate. Temps range from highs in the 90s to lows in the high 70s. Prepare for short rain bursts. Interesting fact: every recommended resort includes an umbrella in the room, so save your luggage space. Second, relatively short distances take an immense amount of travel time due to the island’s rugged and steep terrain. If Google Maps says a place is 2 miles away, that doesn’t mean it will be a quick trip - FAR from it. A two mile trip could end up being a harrowing half hour excursion. No joke. All of our lodging recommendations are located within a 10-minute drive from each other, and we highly suggest staying at one of them - at least for the weekend of wedding festivities. Speaking of Google Maps - it will get you to the general vicinity of a place but it’s not to be fully trusted. Use your best judgement as you travel and if your gut tells you to second guess Google Maps - listen! Finally, mosquitos are the real Achilles heel of St. Lucia. We suggest packing a myriad of different bug sprays and lotions. But even more important than packing bug spray, is remembering to use it. Don’t get caught defenseless!

So where to stay? Here are our picks: 1. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort. It’s epic. Seriously. While we aren’t always ones to choose the luxury option, this place is heaven! Rooms include a private butler, your very own plunge pool, sprawling Caribbean gorgeousness and a million dollar view of the Pitons. It’s the only hotel option that allows children and has an amazing child care center that reviewers rave about. But, let’s talk downsides. A good rate here is $400/night plus taxes and this is not an all-inclusive rate. Also, the villas only have kitchenettes, not kitchens, so your costs to eat on-site are going to start adding up very quickly. That being said - Rob and I will be staying here and welcome any guests that would delight in a luxury option to join us! This is truly a unique property with superior service and rooms. If you can swing it, treat yourself to this little piece of heaven on earth. 2. Stonefield Villa Resort. We’ve reserved a room block at this resort. The website pictures of this place don’t do it justice. It’s a hidden gem with somewhat of a rustic aesthetic, but we promise “rustic” is not code for neglected! On the contrary, you can tell this property has high standards. Compared to other resorts in Soufriere, the villas here check every single amenity box you could hope for including: air conditioned bedrooms, full kitchens, private plunge pools, hammocks, and stunning ocean and Piton views. Coming in at around $225-$350/night which includes breakfast and all taxes, we think this little resort offers the best overall value. If the thrill of finding the best value option for your stay makes you happy, then the Stonefield is calling your name!

3. We’ve saved our personal favorite for last: Hotel Boucan Chocolate. Right now the hotel has some maintenance planned for the weekend of the wedding - but they usually finish early and open up the rooms at the last minute. So this is a great last minute booking option to keep in mind. Also a great place to keep in mind if you want to extend your vacation for the week after the wedding. We are obsessed with ALMOST everything about this resort. First, it’s super chic. The aesthetic is everything you would dream of in a boutique-style “eco lodge”. Chocolate offers an infinity pool view of the Petit Piton that will take your breath away. The “help yourself honesty bar”, allows you to access cold beers all day at reasonable rates ($5 US), or order up from the bar for a proper cocktail. The hip, modern vibe is balanced against sustainable materials and an emphasis on honoring its environment. There are perfect nooks to relax into and take it all in scattered about the property. The in-room mini fridge comes stocked with coffee and tea fixings, a complimentary bottle of rum, water, and snacks (all in reusable glass containers, of course). And the best part: breakfast here is UNBELIEVABLE and is included in your room rate of between $180/night. But here is the fine print: the eco lodges are not air conditioned and are basically “open” to the aggressive sounds of nature. It didn’t bother us one bit, well, except for that night a dog barked for an hour starting at 4 am. But honestly, these rooms are amazing even with this minor drawback. With earplugs, which are provided by the hotel, and a spirit that embraces nature- these are minor obstacles. The lack of air conditioning was not something that bothered even Rob - and that’s saying ALOT! Plus, a dip in the pool solves all problems!

Car Rental? If you are interested in a higher adventure level and expect to venture out of the resort area often, we advise renting a 4x4 vehicle or splitting one with a group at your resort. Don’t cheap out and get a car - you will regret it (emphasis added particularly for Ralph Butler who has been known to rent cars even for snowy Mountain trips). We are happy to connect you with another couple or others staying at your resort, so that you can maximize your vacation budget. Our compact SUV rental for the week cost around $280 US, and was well worth it! If you opt out of renting a vehicle, it’s important to note that the cost of taxi trips was surprisingly high, between $40-$50/ couple for a half hour trip (one-way). Children? If you are planning on bringing young children, please note that neither the Stonefield or Hotel Chocolate allows children on property. The Viceroy or Fond Doux Plantation are your best bet. Airbnbs would be a good option as well. Extended Stay? If you plan on staying on the Island for a week or more, we do recommend spending part of your time at the north side of the island at Marigot Bay or Rodney Bay. These areas are beautiful! There is more nightlife, and lots of yachts and boats to check out. Wi-Fi? Free at the resorts and worked great! Best Flights/Airlines? Depending on where you are flying out of, Delta has the best rates. We got a flight from MSY to UVF for $400/person. We’ve seen rates from Denver for $300/person.JetBlue from NYC also has a great deal at $410/person. American flies nonstop from Miami but rates are usually higher. For the truly vagabond adventurer - consider putting together a hacker fare by finding a cheap flight from your home airport to MSY, NYC, or Denver and then switching to one of the above listed cheap flights. This option has a high adventure level but can save you big bucks