Stunning scenes on St John beach this week!

trunk bay flamingo water

The flamingos have arrived on St John and they are breathtakingly beautiful.  Here are a few photos of flamingos visiting Trunk Bay, Denis Bay, and Maho Bay beaches this week.  Rumor has it that they are visiting from either nearby Anegada or Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.  We are glad to see them visit.

trunk bay flamingo beach

St John photographer extraordinaire Yelena Rogers was able to capture some wonderful photos which she has titled 'Flamingo's Ballet'; it is worth a watch!

trunk bay flamingo yelena rogers

Happy Thanksgiving Hurricane Style

The third Monday in October marks the 'Hurricane Thanksgiving Day'. This year that is today, October 21 so Happy Thanksgiving! No turkey but equally important NO hurricane and no storms of any sort! Sweet! Take a look at this National Weather Service map of the Atlantic waters captured just last evening: 

According to the National Geographic: Residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands know that if they haven't been hit by a hurricane by mid-October, there's a good chance they're safe for the rest of the Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1726 Virgin Islanders have devoted a day to  give thanks as the summer storms pass them by. While this has not been 'full proof' why not embrace the tradition? Lets hope that the worst of the storms are behind us and all we have to look forward to is sunshine! Enjoy the day by getting to a beach (or, at least, planning your next vacation to St John!):

Your hammock awaits

Trunk Bay St John from the Front and Back

There is something magical about St John and pictures of Trunk Bay capture this magic whether the pictures are taken facing Trunk Bay or even with your back to the beautifiul Caribbean Sea. Don't know what I mean? Well, this past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a photography class 'Beyond the Basics' with the fabulous St John photographer, Steve Simonsen. Steve is a pro who clearly loves his craft. He is fun and a great teacher. Not only does Steve want you to learn the basics but he encourages you to have fun with your photos and to tell a story.  

For the first hour, we sat at a picnic table at Hawksnest beach (not a bad 'class room' venue) and were taught some of the basics. Steve then gave us some assignments which challenged us to capture the scene but make sure the light (and shade) did not capture us. I partially succeeded but lost the beautiful greens of the sea grapes in the foreground:

The surf was high at Hawksnest Beach

We then drove to the Trunk Bay overlook which is one of the most photographed venues, not just on St John but in the Caribbean. And, no wonder. The views are magical!

Barely a person comes to St John who does not stop to capture a picture of  magnificent Trunk Bay and its beach

Then Steve challenged us to have fun with the view and try to see something 'new'. At that time a car drove up, parked, and voila...a new 'canvas' was created...we turned our backs to Trunk Bay and took pictures of the reflection as it was shown in a rental car window - go figure! St John and Trunk Bay are beautiful whether you are looking at the Caribbean Sea or you, literally, have your back to it!

This is a picture OF a car window - truly!

We then drove to the ruins at Cinnamon Bay. Rather than being in the bright sun the ruins are in a bit of a forest. Lots of shade with hints of sun. Different challenges to be learned regarding lighting lessons. 

The red of this door was compelling

Not a bad way to spend a morning on St John!

St John (USVI) earns its nickname 'Love City' every day

Ann Marie Porter, the original 'Barefoot Minister' photo credit also to A. M. Porter

If you are looking for a romantic getaway or fabulous place for a destination wedding, look no further than St John in the United States Virgin Islands.  From 30+ beaches to choose from there is plenty of opportunity for you to pick the perfect beach setting for your wedding if getting married by the water is for you.  Or, on a boat.  Or, at one of our wonderful restaurants.  

Besides the absolute beauty of St John, these days our island is rich in resources to help ensure that a destination wedding can be pulled off from 1,000 miles away! You will find lots of good people ready, willing, and able to help you with all the details from securing your wedding license, wedding and reception locations, photographers, flowers (and, as you can imagine we have wonderful flowers), meal planning, activities for your group during the week, and, of course, finding the perfect St John villa(s) for your stay and honeymoon.  

Some of our favorite St John wedding planners are also officiants themselves.  The best of them have lived on the island for years and know the very best spots and time of day to capture the perfect lighting.  Because picking someone to help you plan your wedding is such an important decision we urge you to speak with at least a couple of wedding planners and most importantly, speak with some of their clients.  When doing so, find out from previous brides & grooms how much personalized service they received? Did the person planning the wedding really listen and respond to their needs?  Was the planner reliable? Were their expectations met, or better yet, exceeded? We have seen all types of weddings on St John from very formal to very, very casual.  What is important is that the day is perfect for you.

Were you married on St John?  Did it meet (or exceed) your expectations? High-lights? Low-lights? Recommendations?

Ah, the life!

I know this could be cruel if you are viewing this picture while stuck in a snow storm or crummy weather anywhere in the upper 48, but I post this to say we're thinking of you! Come on down to St John (in the US Virgin Islands) where it is summer year round! This picture was taken by a guest of Great Expectations as she spent a hard afternoon at our St John villa contemplating life. Her conclusion? Ah, life is good!