Two Nights Free in Grand Cayman!

Cotton Tree, Grand Cayman’s first boutique cottage hotel super romantic and super exclusive. With just four beachfront cottages, each boasting French doors opening up to sultry ocean views, the hotel is perfect for wedding buyouts or a secluded Cayman honeymoon. Bonus: with their latest offer, book a reservation between May 1 and October 31, 2010, and you can get two nights free! Receive a sixth night free with a five-night stay, or extend your vacation and score a complimentary twelfth night. (Taxes are additional.)

When you aren’t holed up in your two-bedroom cottage, sign up for one of the hotel’s cooking classes, lounge in the pool, spoil yourselves in the spa or take a bike ride to Barker’s National Park. For more information or reservations, visit www.caymancottontree.com or call 345.943.0700.

Real Wedding: Elizabeth and Ethan – Tucker’s Town, Bermuda

Our featured wedding this week comes from Elizabeth Richards and Evan Bing from San Francisco, California, who held their wedding on the pink-sand beaches of Bermuda. They chose this locale for a few reasons: First, the bride’s father is British and many family members would be making the trip across the pond to attend. The charming island is also a short flight from New York, where a majority of the other guests lived. And Elizabeth’s parents honeymooned on the same exact beach where the wedding took place – very romantic! The couple and their guests faced stormy weather the week leading up to the wedding – including five showers on the actual day – but the skies cleared up just in time for the big event. Elizabeth and Ethan, accompanied by a string quartet and a Scottish bagpiper, said I do right before sunset on the private beach of Tucker's Point Club. In addition to traditional ceremony music, they included British influences wherever they could: The cocktail hour included games such as croquet and backgammon and at the reception, the group danced the night away to a Rolling Stones cover band. Cheers!

I love the beach chic look and feel of this wedding. Elizabeth was inspired by Bermuda’s brightly colored white-roofed cottages dotted against the blue of the ocean. She chose a color palette of pink, yellow and green with white accents, and paired it with a cabana-striped motif. Everything including the aisle runner, table cloths, favors and stationery were decorated with bold stripes, and the bright yellow bridesmaid dresses and cake were perfectly accented with pink peonies. All the little touches and details really make this wedding stand out.

Photos courtesy of Ben Chrisman.

Get the full wedding story and read planning tips from Elizabeth here.

Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to attend the third annual Anna Maria Island Wedding Festival on Florida’s Gulf Coast. We stayed at the charming Tortuga Inn Beach Resort — situated right along the intracoastal waterway and across the street from a private beach. I instantly fell in love with the area and its pristine beaches, turquoise water and expansive crimson sunsets. But Anna Maria isn’t your typical beach town. A three-story building limit on hotels and resorts protects the town from becoming overdeveloped and saturated with tourists and traffic. Very few chain stores are allowed on the 7-mile island and free trolleys provide transportation, adding an old-town vibe. The locals are not only friendly, but are filled with a sense of pride about Anna Maria that shines through in their businesses. With such beautiful surroundings and genuine camaraderie, it’s no wonder the island hosts more than 1,500 weddings per year.

Event Spaces:
There are many beachfront resorts and restaurants along the island, ready to host your big day, but these were two of my favorites:

Sandbar Restaurant Not only does the Sandbar Restaurant have delicious food, but it’s ideal for beach weddings. Its location near the end of the island means plenty of powder-white sand for your ceremony. Restaurant patrons gather on the deck to watch the sunset, so don’t expect a private affair; instead, feel like a celebrity when everyone cheers you on after saying I do.

A mock wedding at the Sandbar Restaurant concluded the festival

Floating Chapel on the Bay Can’t decide between a church or waterfront ceremony? Get the best of both worlds with this one-of-a-kind wedding venue. The floating chapel sails around Sarasota Bay and is complete with stained-glass windows, cathedral ceilings and pew seating for up to 100 guests.


Personal Highlights:

Acqua Aveda Salon & Spa Specializing in bridal packages, this salon and spa offers the ultimate in pre-wedding pampering. Schedule a day of beauty with your ‘maids and indulge in mani/pedis, facials, body treatments, full-body massages plus hair and makeup services.

Dining The restaurants in Anna Maria Island range from casual beach fare to oceanfront fine dining. For a laidback welcome party, the babyback ribs at BBQ joint, Mr. Bones, are crowd pleasers, and the debate for best beach cheeseburger — Duffy’s vs. Skinny’s — is still going strong. (Locals tend to favor the former.) The fancier Beach Bistro is a prime rehearsal dinner spot — try the Florribbean Grouper and mushroom crème brulee; or head to the scenic Waterfront Restaurant for their famous fish tacos.

Beach Bums To get the lay of the land, stop by this rental shop and grab a bike or a golf cart to start exploring. Or, for a different perspective, take a kayak tour with Captain Scott, who will give you a history of the island, point out wildlife and guide you through mangroves.

New Florida Wedding Venue: Old is New

Two years ago one of my best friends got married in Boca Grande, Florida, and I fell in love with the area. So I was stoked when a colleague told me about a new wedding venue in the nearby downtown Fort Myers area: the Art of the Olympians Al Oerter Center of Excellence. Not only is this former City Pier building located right on the Caloosahatchee riverfront, but it was also recently renovated, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and is filled with artwork created by international Olympic medalists like figure-skating great Peggy Fleming and sprinter Florence Grifith-Joyner.


For group bookings, guests can stay at Hotel Indigo, a modern hotel located in the river district and within walking distance to the venue. Plus, the rooftop pool has views of the city. (Summer temps are on the way!)

Want something a little more historic? Both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford used to have homes here dating back to 1911 which make great wedding venues. Add to the authentic ambience and arrive at your ceremony via vintage Ford — rentals are available in town.

Ireland’s Most Romantic Hotels

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and I’m feeling nostalgic. My grandfather emigrated to the U.S. from County Cork in the 1920’s, so not surprising that Ireland is one of my favorite places in the world. These are my picks for the country’s most honeymoon-worthy hotels.


Ashford Castle Built in 1228, this landmark has been expanded multiple times as its changed hands (most dramatically by Sir Benjamaic Guinness in 1852), creating an architectural marvel that spans medieval, French classic and Victorian style. The 300-acre grounds are equally impressive, with gardens, an on-site falconry center and a neighboring lake for cruising.



The Merchant Hotel Located in the heart of Northern Ireland’s capital city, this landmark Italianate-style building was once the home of the Ulster Bank. Its currently undergoing a $25 million renovation, complete with a new spa, rooftop garden for events, and 38 new guestrooms decked out in Art Deco style. The opulent Bar is worth a visit alone; it won double titles for World’s Best Drinks Selection and World’s Best Cocktail Menu at Tales of the Cocktail’s 2009 Spirit Awards.

Merrion Hotel The epitome of elegance in Dublin, this 142-room hotel takes over four historic buildings in heart of the Georgian district, within easy walking distance of St. Stephens Green and lively Grafton St. Soft, airy interiors and cushy beds draped in Irish linen make it an ideal place to sleep off the jet lag.


Park Kenmare This cushy 46-room manor sits at the top of the main street in Kenmare, one of the west coast’s most charming towns. It’s a great jumping-off point for driving the Ring of Kerry, but its also a great place for just hanging it, strolling the streets of Kenmare and unwinding in the acclaimed SAMAS spa.





Waterford Castle You need to take a tiny car ferry to get to this 19th-century castle, located on its own island near Waterford City. The whole thing looks like something out of a fairy tale, with thick stone walls and a turret. The feel continues inside, from wood-paneled walls and antique tapestries in the main hall to narrow staircases that lead to Victorian-feel en suite rooms.

Announcing the DWH A-List of Destination-Wedding Planners!

We are thrilled to announce the Destination Weddings & Honeymoons 2010 A-List of planners! These 30 pros, based all over the globe, all have stellar reputations in the bridal industry for working tirelessly to pull off the destination weddings of their clients’ dreams, and we hope you’ll look here first when deciding who to hire to coordinate your big day.

Click destinationweddingmag.com/a-list to read all about our A-Listers. Or if you’ve already picked your pro, feel free to nominate him or her for 2011 by sending an email to editor@destinationweddingmag.com.

Congrats to the DWH A-List! We are always inspired by your work!

Real Wedding: Hope and Jacob — Florida Keys

Orlando natives, Hope Hollkamp and Jacob Theisen, knew they wanted a beach wedding from the moment they were engaged in the Bahamas. They searched the Florida coast — from Sarasota down to KeyWest — to find the perfect wedding destination; when they discovered Hawk’s Cay, a secluded hidden gem in Duck Key, they knew it was the one. On the big day, rain put a slight damper on the end of the sunset ceremony, but the wind and looming clouds added a dramatic effect and umbrellas were provided for guests. And even though the outdoor reception — a poolside, South Beach-style soiree — had to moved indoors at the last minute, the resort’s ballroom looked stunning and the party was fabulous. Overall, Hope and Jacob took it all in stride, and couldn’t have been happier about their special day.

One of my favorite details of this wedding was the guestbook. Before the ceremony, the couple asked everyone to write their message on a seashell and place in a glass bowl. During the ceremony, Hope and Jacob held a sand ritual and poured the unity sand over the shells after exchanging vows. Very sweet!


And, instead of having traditional engagement photos taken, they held a Trash The Dress session the day before the wedding. Hope wore a “fake” wedding dress for the occasion and the photos are awesome.





Photos courtesy Damon Tucci.

Read the full story for more details, planning tips and wedding inspiration.