Next Stop: Paradise

November/December
Turks and Caicos
Average temperatures:
November: 76–84 degrees
December: 75–82 degrees

Planning a wedding between Thanksgiving and New Year’s has its upsides: You save a bundle on ceremony decorations (assuming you like poinsettias), guests are in a generous mood, and honeymoon protocol requires that you spend at least two weeks on the beach during the Northeast’s depressing descent into winter. For a convenient alternative to the standard Caribbean destinations, try the islands of Turks and Caicos, just east of Cuba. More than 200 miles of pristine, white-sand beaches edge the isles, which boast some of the world’s best scuba diving and an annual migration of more than 2,000 humpback whales. Mild winter temperatures that keep bugs at bay and 80+ degree water also make this the islands’ busiest season. Still, thanks to an average of 320 days of sunshine each year (and, of course, your newlywed glow), you’ll be too busy enjoying yourself to notice anyone else.

Sweet suites: The thousand-acre private island of Parrot Cay offers spacious rooms and private villas. The nearby Como Shambhala spa has yoga and pilates; rooms for massage, detox diets, and Asian body treatments; and week-long holistic retreats. Plenty of privacy, romantic views, and special packages make this a favorite spot for honeymooners—it’s widely reported that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner spent a few days here after they married on the property in 2005 (Parrot Cay: 877-754-0726, parrotcay.como.bz; Como Shambhala: 649-946-7788, comoshambhala.bz).

At Providenciales’s newly-expanded Grace Bay Club, which sits on 11 acres of property with more than 1,100 feet of beachfront access, 59 luxurious suites cater to honeymooners with 250-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and candlelight turn-down service. Active couples can take advantage of the club’s spot on Turks and Caicos’s main island with chartered sails, reef diving, and the world’s only Conch Farm, which raises, trains, and serves Caribbean Queen conchs (800-946-5757, gracebayclub.com).

One memorable meal: At the year-old Somerset on Grace Bay, an aquatic paradise on the island of Providenciales, house restaurant O’Soleil serves up seafood-heavy fare like thin-sliced, tequila-cured salmon gravlax and lobster-and-scallop fettucini alongside more traditional chicken curry, mushroom risotto, and Australian rack of lamb in pinot noir sauce. Move outdoors for fruit sushi or creative tea-infused brûlée under the stars (649-946-5900; thesomerset.com).

Compatibility test
Best for: Nature lovers, beach bums, sea divers, health fanatics.
Not for: Gourmet diners, history buffs, serious shoppers, night owls, cheapskates.

-Blythe Copeland