OK, here is the third post from my recent trip to the amazing Occidental Grand resort in Aruba.  Although I did my share of relaxing on the great Palm Beach, I also was there to see how it was suited for Aruba weddings.  Thanks to Kimberley for providing me with the photos below.

Here are the concerns that couples I speak to usually have about beach weddings in general:

1.  Is it crowded?  Am I going to have a lot of spectators during my ceremony?

Palm beach is a popular spot - so during the day there are obviously other people enjoying it.  However, the Occidental only does weddings on the beach near sunset.  After hearing this I made a point to take a look out at the beach at this time to see how many people were still out there.  Very rarely did I see anyone still by the water, and the only people I saw were using the walkway which runs on the hotel-side of the beach, and is far behind any wedding that would be taking place.

2.  How is the water?  Is it rough? 

This is a loaded question, because the ocean doesn't follow our rules - waves have a mind of their own.  However, this was probably the calmest beach I have ever been to during my stay.  I did a lot of sailing from the beach, and in talking to the staff they said that it's almost always nice and calm.

3. Is it a sandy beach or rocky? 

This beach ranks in my top 3 best beaches regarding sand.  The sand is almost snow white, fine, and extremely soft.  I would have had to really try to find a rock at all, either on the beach or in the water.  Almost too good to be true.

Best of all, the Occidental only does one wedding per day.  If you are looking to do something different on the beach, the staff is ready to get creative.  They have the ability to put a dance floor on the sand, and even have their own in-house performers that can entertain your guests well into the evening