CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUES
St. Nicholas Abbey provides an unforgettable backdrop for weddings in Barbados. From beautiful gardens and verdant green lawns to our elegant rum bond and terrace overlooking a deep gully filled with towering palms, our dramatic natural and historic backdrops will create a unique setting for your special day.
Couples are welcomed to hold a daytime wedding ceremony and reception during weekday operating hours. Although regular visitors to the plantation will be present, these daytime weddings can be very intimate events set against St. Nicholas Abbey’s beautiful natural setting, making them an ideal option for destination weddings and those who prefer a smaller affair. For large-scale weddings, the Croquet Lawn provides incredible ‘wow factor’. Nestled amongst swaying sugar cane fields and fringed by mature trees, it overlooks the front gardens and incredible floodlit façade of the great house. Typically, large weddings are held on Saturday evenings when St. Nicholas Abbey is closed to visitors.
While wedding guests are welcomed to tour the great house (based on size of wedding party), it is not available as a venue for ceremonies or receptions. It can also provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding party photographs.
Please contact our Weddings & Events Team to schedule your tour of St. Nicholas Abbey today.
The Rum Bond & House Museum, located behind the great house, is a beautifully restored stone building housing an intriguing collection of St. Nicholas Abbey rum barrels and historic artefacts. Large wooden doors open to the split-level Café Terrace, beautifully outfitted with a magnificent wrought-iron chandelier and candelabras.
Overlooking a deep, lush gully that is dramatically lit for special occasions, the terrace offers an elegant setting for both ceremonies and receptions. For smaller daytime weddings, consider a champagne and canapés reception, champagne brunch buffet or intimate luncheon.
For larger weddings, the terrace can be configured with standing cocktail reception or set magnificently for a sit down dinner reception.
The Café Terrace can accommodate up to 25 people for a daytime wedding during opening hours (non-exclusive use). For larger private parties, the terrace can accommodate 60-120 guests depending on the nature of your reception.
The Café Terrace can also be configured with the Sandbox Tree Courtyard for larger weddings.
| CONFIGURATION | GUESTS |
|---|---|
| Daytime Reception | 25 |
| Evening Seated Reception | 60-70 |
| Evening Cocktail Reception | 120 |
These configurations take the Rum Bond (internal area) into account.
Located between the great house and rum bond, the original stable yard has been restored as a charming courtyard. Its name derives from the 400-year-old Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans), an evergreen indigenous to the Caribbean.
Look closely to see the multitude of tiny, sharp spines that have given this indigenous evergreen the nickname ‘monkey-no-climb’.
The Sandbox Tree Courtyard is a breezy, shady space ideal for wedding receptions, including standing cocktail parties and sit-down dinner receptions. We do recommend arranging tents in the event of inclement weather, as the courtyard is completely uncovered. The cobblestone courtyard may also warrant use of a dance floor.
The Sandbox Tree Courtyard can also be configured with the Café Terrace for larger weddings.
| CONFIGURATION | # GUESTS |
|---|---|
| Daytime Reception | 25 |
| Seated Reception with Band | 40 |
| Standing Reception with Band | 80 |
| Seated Reception without Band | 60 |
| Standing Reception without Band | 100 |
Adjacent to the Great House, the Mango Tree Lawn is a lovely spot for both wedding ceremonies and receptions. Guests enter through the front garden of the Great House and continue along a natural path enhanced by an archway of bougainvillea and overhanging mango trees.
For weddings under 120 persons, the Mango Tree Lawn can accommodate either a standing cocktail reception or elegant sit-down dinner. For larger weddings held on the Croquet Lawn, the Mango Tree Lawn offers an excellent venue for the ceremony or cocktail reception. Caterers have access to a small catering kitchen or separate service areas can be created for the event.
We do recommend arranging tents and flooring in the event of inclement weather, as the lawn is completely uncovered.
| CONFIGURATION | # GUESTS |
|---|---|
| Standing Cocktails | 200 |
| Seated Reception | 80-120 |
Located opposite the Great House on the eastern side of the plantation, the Croquet Lawn is an ideal location to host a large-scale wedding with incredible ‘wow factor’. Nestled amongst the sugar cane fields, the Croquet Lawn is cooled by the tradewind breezes, and provides an incredible view of the Great House, beautifully lit in the evening to accentuate its unique gabled façade, a stunning backdrop for wedding photos.
This magnificent, elevated lawn provides ample space for erecting large tents, bars and dance floors, as well as the necessary catering and guest bathroom facilities for wedding receptions of up to 350 guests.
Cocktails and canapés may be arranged on the Café Terrace or in the Sandbox Tree Courtyard (pending numbers), with the main reception moving to the Croquet Lawn afterward.
Due to its location on the property and typical size of the weddings held on the Croquet Lawn, these events must be completely self-contained, inclusive kitchen, washrooms, dance floor, electricity and all other event requirements. These elements are not included in the rental fees. It is required that an event planner be used for these events.
Please note all weddings of 120 persons or more must be held on the Croquet Lawn.
| CONFIGURATION | # GUESTS |
|---|---|
| Reception | 120-350 |
