FEATURE CARIBBEAN WEDDINGS AND HONEYMOONS
Beach & Villa Golf Resort in
CARIBBEAN W&H Top Selling Tips...
• Make the day special… “Choose a hotel that will limit weddings to a maximum of one per day. The romance goes when couples feel they are on a conveyor belt”
DAVID KEVAN, PARTNER Chic Locations
• Box clever… “Suggest a special box for carrying the dress, which can be put in the plane’s overhead lockers, so brides can relax, knowing their dress is with them for the whole journey”
YASMIN RUSH Weddings Coordinator, Virgin Holidays
• Be clear about the costs… “Go through all the various options that are available, such as decoration, and make sure the couple are fully aware of the costs”
DAVID KEVAN, PARTNER Chic Locations
• Take advantage of free weddings… “There are lots of hotels in the Caribbean that offer free weddings, perfect for people on a budget. Double check the resort is happy for any non- resident guests to attend the wedding. It may not always be possible for the younger ones to attend weddings at adult- only hotels”
YASMIN RUSH, Weddings Coordinator, Virgin Holidays
• Check the red tape… “I’d always ensure the legality side of the wedding is made clear, although most hotel websites give information it’s always best to go through the finer details plus minimum stay requirements”
SUE SAUNDERS Product Manager, Seasons
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and now has three wedding areas – an over-the-water promenade, the Riviera Great House, or a villa. Meanwhile, Half Moon, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, has launched an all-inclusive Honeymoon to Remember package, which includes spa treatments.
Tourism Talk TRACEY KNIGHT
European Marketing Executive, Turks and Caicos Tourist Board
“The Turks and Caicos Islands is a premier destination for luxury weddings and honeymoons. "It is a favourite for celebrities, with
Brian Ferry marrying at The Amanyara and TV presenter Jenny Frost honeymooning at Beaches Turks & Caicos. “The Islands offer something for
everyone, whether clients want an intimate family affair, lavish church wedding or a romantic beach wedding. Previously a residence qualifying period of 48 hours meant cruise ship passengers
could not wed in the islands. “However the residence period has recently been amended to allow cruise passengers to apply for a special license permitting them to marry on the same day as their arrival. The first cruise wedding was in November at the Carnival Cruise Centre on Grand Turk.”
MARIA GRAZIA MARINO, District Sales Manager, Bahamas
Tourist Office “The sheer range of locations, styles of ceremony and accommodation is so extensive that our marketing team works hard to inform the trade and consumer of all the available options. "Weddings on the pink-, white- and
gold-sand beaches will always be popular but there are also alternatives like classical church ceremonies, weddings aboard a catamaran or those with a Junkanoo carnival theme. “The Bahamas 16 Islands Wedding
“The bride will invariably be standing on a beautiful stretch of white sand”
Invitation is our major campaign this year. It's designed to highlight the 'romance product' across the main 16 islands, working with Kuoni, one of our key tour operators.
“On May 16 at 16.00 we will have 16 couples from across the UK marrying simultaneously on 16 different islands and the anticipated media attention will enhance the progression of our campaign on both trade and consumer levels.”
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL BY EMILY ASHWELL
"Take two brides, put them in the same resort and the chances are you’ll have two very different weddings. That’s what I saw when I stayed at Jolly Beach on Antigua. One bride went for a simple sunset service in the gazebo in the garden. It was just the couple and a handful of close friends.
The wedding was intimate, low key and very romantic. The other bride chose a wedding in the gazebo overlooking the main pool. She sashayed through the gardens, before passing the sizeable congregation, up to her groom for an uplifting celebration of their love. These weddings were far from cookie- cutter, they reflected the personality of the couple. And on Antigua there’s something to suit every
couple – from weddings in the pretty setting of St
George’s Anglican Church to a luxury villa or even tying the knot at the historical The Copper & Lumber Store Hotel in Nelson’s Dockyard."
Top: Characteristic and historic churches are available for weddings across the Caribbean; Opposite: Fryes Beach, Antigua
56 March 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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