A private hilltop terrace above Cruz Bay, for couples who want the Caribbean and each other, not a guest list.
An elopement at The Hills St. John is an intimate ceremony on a private oceanview terrace above Cruz Bay, for two people and the people you love most.
Strip a wedding down to its essentials, two people, an officiant, and a view, and you get an elopement at The Hills. Ceremonies happen on the private outdoor terrace, 1,823 square feet of oceanview space overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Most elopement couples bring zero to a handful of guests: parents, a witness or two, sometimes nobody at all beyond the officiant and photographer.
Because the terrace sits on a five-acre hillside estate rather than a public overlook or beach, you’re not competing with other tourists, tour groups, or beach traffic for the view or the quiet. A typical elopement runs an hour or two on the property: enough time for the ceremony itself, photos while the light is good, and a short toast, without the full-day logistics of a reception.
An elopement at The Hills books as a ceremony-only event on the terrace, the same venue category used for any ceremony-only booking, since the venue requires accommodations to be secured regardless of guest count.
What you’re not paying for is reception infrastructure and no seated-dinner logistics to manage. A required on-site coordinator runs the day, and an officiant referral, simple florals, and ceremony setup round out the base booking. Because the terrace is shared with the Clubhouse and pool for ceremony-only events, it’s semi-private rather than an exclusive buyout, other villa guests may be nearby, though the ceremony space itself is yours.
Photography, a florals upgrade, or a small post-ceremony toast can be layered on through our vetted vendor network, which includes Lindsay Vann Photography and Blue Glass Photography for photographers, and Paradise Planning, Island Bliss Weddings, or Island Style Weddings.
There’s no hard legal line, but practically: an elopement is you two plus roughly zero to 10 guests, no formal reception. Once you’re inviting 20–40 people and adding a seated dinner, you’re in micro-wedding territory, which uses the same terrace but adds catering and reception logistics. If you’re not sure which fits, your coordinator can help you decide when you inquire.
An elopement can absolutely be your real, legal wedding. The U.S. Virgin Islands makes this easy: no residency requirement, no blood test, and no passport needed for U.S. citizens, just a $200 license fee and an 8-day posting period through the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. Most couples apply a few weeks before they travel and finalize the license around their arrival. Read the full marriage license guide →
The estate terrace is the default, oceanview, private, no travel between ceremony and celebration. Couples who want sand underfoot sometimes pair a barefoot beach ceremony nearby with a small toast back at The Hills. See beach ceremony options →
Most elopement couples follow some version of the same loose shape. Arrive on St. John a few days ahead so travel days aren’t riding on your ceremony date, and so your marriage license paperwork (see the USVI marriage license guide) has time to clear its 8-day posting period. On the day itself: hair and makeup at your villa, a short walk to the terrace, a 20–30 minute ceremony as the light turns golden, 30–45 minutes of photos around the property, and a toast to close it out. Many couples build in an extra day or two afterward simply to enjoy the island before flying home.
Have a date in mind? Check terrace availability before you plan around it.
An elopement is reserved as a ceremony-only event: a $2,500–$5,500 venue fee depending on season, plus the required 3- or 5-villa booking (5-night minimum). Add-ons like photography and florals are additional through the vendor network. See the cost guide for a full elopement budget breakdown.
Because elopements are smaller and simpler, some couples book just a few months out, though the marriage license’s 8-day posting period still needs to clear before your ceremony date.
We provide an officiant referral, or you can bring your own. Either way, your coordinator helps make sure the officiant and your marriage license paperwork line up.
Yes. Elopements at The Hills typically run from just the couple up to around 10 guests. If you want more than that plus a seated reception, look at micro weddings instead.
The terrace is semi-private for ceremony-only bookings, the Clubhouse and pool remain open to other villa guests during your ceremony, and the terrace shares its walkway to the Clubhouse and pool. If full privacy matters most to you, a full reception booking secures more of the property for your event window.
Your licensed wedding coordinator will monitor the forecast and arrange a tent if weather conditions require it, ensuring your celebration can continue comfortably.
Tell us your date and guest count, and we’ll confirm terrace availability and next steps.
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