ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE BAHAMAS
to raise awareness of the ‘romance product’ the destination has to offer. A public vote helped choose the
SWEET 16 T
he 16 UK couples chosen to tie the knot were chosen following a high-profile consumer campaign
winners based on their uploaded images and reasons why they wanted to win. Maria Grazia Marino, district sales manager at the Bahamas Tourist Office, said: “Weddings on the pink, white and gold sands, beaches will always be popular but there are so many other wonderful alternatives, from traditional church to weddings on the ocean floor with dolphins. We wanted to raise
awareness of the wide range of ceremonies.” Nassau, Paradise Island
and Grand Bahama Island, Eleuthera, The Abacos and Harbour Island are probably the best known of the 16 islands but other wedding venues included the islands of Andros, Cat Island, Bimini, The Berry Islands and Long Island plus, further south, The Exumas, San Salvador, Mayaguana, Acklins and Crooked Island. Four couples share their day:
THE COUPLE: CLAIRE & JASON HARRIS The Venue: The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort, Nassau The bride’s verdict: “I can’t describe how amazing this whole trip was. We were living the dream! We had the Junkanoo wedding complete with local bands, trumpets and costumes and it was like a wonderful carnival. “I would recommend a wedding in The Bahamas to anyone – we felt like celebrities for the whole time we were there. Everything was so well organised and spot on. I told them the kind of things I like and they just made it happen.
Clockwise from top Mary & Jim sub aqua; Jade & Mikhail's Berry Islands wedding; Carla and David in Hope Town; Claire and Jason in Nassau.
The Bahamas Tourist Offi ce UK wedding promotion culminated with 16 weddings on 16 islands on May 16 at 16.00! We talked to four of the lucky couples about their big day...
“The Bahamas is simply paradise – you
see it in the brochure and think ‘wow’ but when you’re standing on the beach it’s so much more. We'll definitely go back – for the friendly people, the wonderful staff, lovely weather, amazing beaches and fabulous food.”
THE COUPLE: CARLA & DANIEL COOTE The venue: Hope Town, The Abacos The bride’s verdict: "To get married with the iconic Elbow Cay Lighthouse as our backdrop was amazing. We named it our lighthouse and made sure we climbed it to appreciate the beauty of it. “As we left Elbow Cay on a boat early
in the morning, our lighthouse was lit and it was quite emotional to see as we were saying goodbye to the island. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding venue and everyone involved just made it extra special. The people are wonderful!"
THE COUPLE: MARY & JIM POTTER The venue: Grand Bahama Island, underwater The bride’s verdict: “We are both scuba diving instructors so an underwater wedding was perfect and so much fun. On the day a dolphin joined us and our witness Gina had learned to dive specifically to be with us – despite having a phobia of water! “We were treated so well by
everyone and could never have dreamed up such a wedding for ourselves. We especially loved the climate and the dramatic skies which you just don’t see in Europe. The Grand Lucayan was great and we felt very safe so were happy to explore the island.”
www.sellinglonghaul.com • June 2012 18 2012
THE COUPLE: JADE & MIKHAIL TOKARCZYK The venue: Berry Islands, catamaran The bride’s verdict: "We had the most amazing time. The Berry Islands are charming with a unique unspoilt vibe. The scenery is postcard perfect but it's the people that make the place so special – the owners of the Carriearl Hotel bent over backwards to make our wedding amazing. We had the time of our lives!"
Selling Tip
Build on the weddings promotion buzz - check out: www. bahamas16weddings.
co.uk
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