Guide · Updated 2026-08-03
Wedding Venues in St Barts: Villa, Beach, Boat or Table
The island’s four real venue types, with honest capacities and the questions to ask each.
The event villa — the queen option
A short list of estates hosts weddings properly: ceremony terrace, caterer kitchen, fifty seats without strain, event permission in writing. The villa is aisle, altar, dinner and dance floor in one — and these houses book a year out for wedding season.
The beach — public, and that’s the point
All beaches are public in France; ceremonies happen with discretion and light footprints rather than exclusive hire. Golden hour at Gouverneur or Saline, thirty guests, shoes in hand — unbeatable, as long as you love the openness.
The boat and the buyout
A catamaran ceremony off Colombier solves venue, view and party in one hull (best under 25 guests). Restaurant buyouts — a harbour table or a beach club — hand the logistics to a professional room, at a per-head price that surprises less than expected.
Choosing among them
Guest count decides first (over 60 narrows brutally), formality second, weather posture third — a villa holds a plan B, a beach does not. Our event villa guide covers the permissions that make or break option one.
Questions
Can we privatise a beach?
No — French beaches cannot be privatised. Discreet timing and layout give near-privacy at the wilder coves.
What’s the realistic maximum wedding size?
Around 80–100 with a top event villa or buyout; beyond that, the island’s scale itself pushes back.