Sandals Resorts is thrilled to extend their special FREE wedding offer for guests celebrating a destination wedding at any one of the 14 Luxury IncludedÒ Sandals Resorts located in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Antigua and The Bahamas. Sandals Resorts is now offering brides & grooms who book a six night stay in a Premium category room or higher a Sandals® Weddings by Martha Stewart™ “Beautiful Beginnings” theme FREE if they book by December 30, 2011 for travel from August 15, 2011 – December 15, 2012. By reducing the qualifying room category from Concierge level to Premium, Sandals Resorts now offers brides & grooms on a budget the opportunity to celebrate their marriage in paradise, while enjoying all that a Sandals Resorts Luxury Included® vacation has to offer, as well as the special touch of Martha Stewart on their wedding day.

The elegant and simple “Beautiful Beginnings” wedding theme includes a sweet magenta dendrobium bouquet and boutonniere, a table for four with crisp white linens, an orchid centerpiece and a charming white cake.

In the most impressively elegant collaboration to date, Sandals Resorts International and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, joined forces to create Sandals® Weddings by Martha Stewart™ for brides and grooms who want to book a destination wedding at any of the 18 Luxury Included® Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts across the Caribbean. With six exquisite wedding themes, in the most romantic settings, Sandals® Weddings by Martha Stewart™ feature coordinated color palettes, beautifully designed wedding décor, complementary bouquets, invitations, cakes and favors, along with à la carte items, creating a fully-customizable and memorable experience to suit every couple’s unique preferences.

All weddings at Sandals Resorts include the following: a personal wedding consultant; Picturesque wedding location; Bridal bouquet & Groom’s boutonniere; pre-recorded musical accompaniment; Marriage Officiant, sparkling wine & chilled hors d’oeuvres reception for Bride, Groom and Two Guests (30 minutes); Two-tiered wedding cake; Preparation of marriage documents; Certified Marriage Certificate; Wedding gift from Sandals; One 5x7 honeymoon photograph; honeymoon dinner for Bride & Groom in a resort restaurant of their choice; Continental breakfast in bed the morning following the wedding.

For more information, visit www.sandals.com/weddings or call 1-800-SANDALS.

*Offer is valid for booking made now through December 30, 2011, for travel from August 15, 2011 – December 15, 2012. 

For a limited time, we will be offering the Beautiful Beginnings Wedding Theme by Martha Stewart for FREE at Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas. Couples getting married September 1, 2011 through to January 31, 2012, the Beautiful Beginnings theme is complimentary for stays of six nights or longer.  

The Beautiful Beginnings wedding theme helps you celebrate your special day with elegance and simplicity.

        Personal wedding consultant                                                                              

        Marriage officiant

        Certified copy of marriage license

        Picturesque wedding location

        One 5"x7" wedding photograph

        Wedding gift from resort

        Bouquet and boutonniere

        Beautiful reception setting

        Hors d'oeuvres & sparkling wine

        Preparation of documentation

        Two Tier Wedding Cake

        Continental breakfast in bed

        Government / Administrative fees

For more information and complete terms and conditions contact 1-800-545-8283.

Cheers,

Gina

Sandals and Beaches Resorts are proud to offer more meaningful and beautiful details for your special day with the exclusive Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart. For a limited time, book a group 10 rooms or more now through Feb 28, 2011 and arrive between August 22, 2011 and February 22, 2012 and your Sandals Wedding by Martha Stewart Flutter of Romance theme is complimentary, you may also choose another wedding theme and you will receive a credit of $1600.00 towards the wedding theme of your choice.

For more information and for complete terms and conditions please call our weddings groups department 1-877-Sandals option 5.

Cheers,

Gina

Post Written By: Robin Wight, WPICC

Certified Wedding Coordinator

As a Sandals Certified Specialist, I love learning about what each resort has to offer! The beauty shown in the brochures does not compare to the experience you have as a Sandals guest.  I recently travelled to the lush, tropical island of St. Lucia with my husband and in-laws to experience Sandals Grande St. Lucian ourselves.  Learning that over half of St. Lucia is covered by rainforest and there is a drive-in volcano on the island, we were intrigued and excited to pick one of the three beautiful Sandals resorts on the island.  Although it was a tough choice, we chose the Grande St. Lucian for the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Suite.  This two bedroom suite offered us the unique experience of shared space to relax with my in-laws as well as the privacy we all sometimes need.   

Sandals certainly lives up to their motto of Luxury Included Vacations!  From the moment we stepped off the plane we felt like royalty. A luxurious white Escalade pulled up at the airport to transport us to the resort.  Kim, our driver, entertained us on the journey sharing the island's rich history with us and stopping along the way for photo ops.  Arriving at the resort we were met by Clynns, one of the two butlers who would be taking care of us during our stay.  Within minutes we were in our suite, sipping champagne and pinching ourselves at the beauty of it all!  Clynns had already made reservations for us each evening at the resort’s various restaurants, booked our complimentary photo shoot and stocked our suite with our preferred beverages.  We were a bit hesitant of booking a butler suite at first, seeing as we're not accustomed to such service.  But Clynns and Giselle, our second butler, showed us such hospitality and warmth that we can’t imagine experiencing it in the future any other way. 

The Grande St. Lucian is located at the tip of the island, meaning every morning we would wake up in our 4 poster King size beds with a view of the Atlantic Ocean and eat our breakfast on our second balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea.  Steps from the Grande St. Lucian is historic Fort Rodney National Park, where we spent a wonderful morning.  Hiking through the ruins and enjoying breathtaking views was the perfect way to start the day, though most mornings were spent on the gorgeous, silky, white sand beach at The Grande, relaxing on beach chairs reserved for us by Giselle or Clynns.       

We were really impressed by the selection and variety of food at each resort.  That was the biggest decision we had each day!  Did we feel like burgers on the beach, Mexican buffet, wood-fired pizzas or an Italian feast?  Our absolute favorites were Gordon's, located at the end of the pier, the perfect place for fine dining while watching the sun set and Kimono's at Sandals Regency La Toc.  Kimono's not only offered delicious Japanese cuisine but also thorough entertainment!  Here the chefs cook and carry on with the guests over the teppanyaki grill. 

Our butlers definitely were the extra special touch to our trip. Escorting us each evening to one of the restaurants where our table would be decorated with flowers and making tee times at Sandals Regency La Toc was just the start. Coming back to our rooms scattered with fresh flowers, sweet treats and bubble baths drawn made us feel like absolute royalty.  A lot more than just Luxury was included in this amazing vacation!

I am very excited to share this post with you that I received from Kristy Newbold, Wedding & Event Coordinator from Platinum Events Group/ Platinum Destinations.                                                                                                                                                                    

My 1^st Sandals Resort Experience

By Kristy Newbold, Wedding & Event Coordinator

Platinum Events Group/ Platinum Destinations

After my most recent travels to Sandals Royal Bahamian, I felt like I was in paradise from the moment I arrived. I now understand what they mean when they say, “Luxury Included® Vacations.” From the moment we arrived the attentive & courteous staff were graciously at our side with cool towels & warm smiles.  

Situated on the sixth floor, Oceanfront Concierge Room, we overlooked the stunning turquoise waters of the Caribbean & glorious white sand beaches below. As a first time Sandals guest (and certainly not my last), I have to say I was very impressed. As I flopped down on the luxurious king size, 4-poster bed, I closed my eyes & thought to myself, “This is heaven!”

As a Wedding & Event Coordinator, I must admit I had weddings on the mind & how could I not with all of the couples surrounding us celebrating honeymoons & anniversaries. The options were seemingly endless… Book a relaxing couples massage with Red Lanes Spa set on the ocean docks or plan a romantic island excursion across the water at Sandal’s Cay where you can lay on big comfy sofas with a Pina Colada in hand. 

Sandals also offer unlimited daily recreational activities from snorkeling with neon fish and barracudas to taking out the big yellow aqua bikes… A hoot let me tell you! In the evening, enjoy nightly entertainment from couple’s jeopardy to unlimited romantic dining options such as a candlelit gourmet dinner for two on the beach overlooking the sunset only to return to the privacy of your room where your personal butler has drawn a relaxing warm bath with rose petals & a bottle of champagne! 

The professional staff at Sandals offers endless on-site wedding options from small intimate gatherings such as the two individuals I watched wed on the beach alone early one morning to large lavish affairs surrounded by family & friends. On-site coordinators are there to assist couples with choosing a cake, picking flowers, hiring a photographer, arranging for a minister & most importantly to enjoy every detail of your perfect day! Sandals offers five exclusive designs by Martha Stewart Weddings that you can choose from which focus on different wedding themes ranging from chic and natural bamboo to my personal favorite seaside serenade consisting of light hues, soft linens & seashells. 

In closing, there are endless opportunities to make your stay special & unique… As I watched from my room on my final morning (as previously mentioned), a single couple so much in love stood together on the beach, a picturesque ceremony location to marry one another. I opened my window to witness this joyful occasion & just in time to see the officiant draw a heart in the sand & ask the couple to walk over & stand in the middle… The two followed his sermon as they held hands gazing into on another’s eyes & repeated each vow he said aloud while standing in the middle of the heart… I sat there & thought to myself, it does not get anymore perfect or romantic than that!

When I think of St. Lucia, I think of  stunning natural landscape, gorgeous palm - fringed beaches and of course the Piton Mountains.

Saint Lucia has been voted several times over as the World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination by the World Travel Awards so it is only natural that this romantic island is an ideal choice for couples planning a destination wedding.

Just imagine standing on the beach exchanging your vows, your backdrop is not only the Caribbean Sea but the majestic Piton Mountains...GORGEOUS!!!! The island offers many natural and beautiful locations to choose from and you will be guaranteed to have a picturesque natural backdrop for your ceremony.

Wedding requirements for St. Lucia:

Original state-issued birth certificate or a valid passport

All pages of the court certified final divorce decree (if applicable)

State issued death certificate with related marriage certificate (if applicable)

Legal name changes or legal adoption papers (if applicable)

Notarized documents are not accepted

Residency requirement of 72 hours – must include 3 business days

For more information on wedding requirements please contact the St. Lucian tourism board or our weddings department.

In closing, Saint Lucia is one of my personal favourite destinations; tranquil beaches, historic plantations, lush beautiful gardens along with warm Caribbean hospitality; Saint Lucia truly is unforgettable. 

Cheers,

Gina  

A Taste Of Thailand In Jamaica

Last week I had the pleasure to travel to Jamaica on a “Wedding Familiarization Trip” with the media. The purpose of this trip was to give them the opportunity to experience “Sandals Resorts” and to understand what we’re all about, since we are the “leaders” in the destination wedding market we wanted to show them everything that sets us apart and why we continue to be voted “World’s Best” year after year.

 On our first evening we went to Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island where we were whisked away to “Sandals Cay” via a dragon boat.  Once we stepped off of the boat and onto the secluded private island oasis we could feel the magic of Thailand and the vibe of Jamaica all at the same time, Asian influences in the decor and Jamaican hospitality at its finest were noticed immediately. I am thrilled that we started our wedding tour here as it’s such an incredible place for couples to wed; couples can actually rent the entire island for their wedding and or their reception, this  unique experience was the perfect way to start our “destination weddings” journey.

Sandals Cay has many great features; one of them being the “Royal Thai” Restaurant where we dined. I enjoyed every aspect of the evening from the dragon boat ride to the incredible authentic Thai meal and of course the delectable dessert. The evening could not have been more perfect as our backdrop was the Caribbean Sea...Great food, exceptional service and best of all new friendships were made that evening. This was the perfect start to an incredible trip!!

Cheers,

Gina

SANDALS WEDDINGS BY MARTHA STEWART™ UNITE ROMANCE AND EXCLUSIVE GIFTS

~ Couples Married at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts Can Now Receive a Complimentary Set of Wedding China ~

Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart™takes the Luxury Included® concept to a new level this year with an exclusive wedding gift for guests. Couples who get married at any Sandals Resort or Beaches Resort can now receive two complimentary 4-piece sets of china from Martha Stewart’s White Kensington China collection. In order to qualify for this exclusive giveaway, couples must book a minimum six night stay in select room categories by December 18, 2010 for travel dates between August 22 and December 18, 2010*.

Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart™offers six exquisite wedding themes in the most romantic settings throughout Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos and The Bahamas.The signature weddingsfeature corresponding color palettes, designer wedding décor, complementary bouquets, invitations, and cakes and favors. In addition, couples can choose from a variety of à la carte items to make their special day that much more tailored to their preferences. Couples can choose from one of the six wedding themes, which include: Chic & Natural, Flutter of Romance, Island Paradise, Seaside Serenade, Vision in White and Beautiful Beginnings, which is complimentary for guests who book a minimum six night stay in select room categories.  Each wedding theme offers different amenities and inclusions for any type of bride or style of wedding.

As with all Luxury Included® vacations, a stay at any Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts property includes endless gourmet dining options, a wide variety of land and water sports, luxury accommodations, nightly entertainment, premium brand liquor, airport transfers, all resort taxes and fees and much more!

For more information on these special offers or to book your Sandals Wedding by Martha Stewart^TM or Beaches Wedding by Martha Stewart^TM today please call 1-800-545-8283.

*Please refer to booking code CHINA2010.

Wishing you a great week!

Gina

Quote of the week:

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” - Henry David Thoreau

Imagine yourself and your love exchanging your vows and having the clear blue Caribbean Sea as your backdrop…What can be more perfect??? Having a dream destination wedding theme that has been created by Martha Stewart. Your special day will be unforgettable!! 

We have a special offer for your dream destination wedding group at the only luxury included resorts. Book a Martha Stewart Wedding Theme, and a group of 5 rooms or more with your favorite travel professional and you will receive a $500 credit towards your Martha Stewart Wedding Theme! 

All you need to do is book your wedding group by May 6 to December 18, 2010 for a six night stay or longer and you must travel between August 22 to December 18, 2010.   For more information please visit our website or call 1-800-545-8283. 

Wishing you all a great week!

Gina 

Quote of the week: 

”Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
Henry David Thoreau 

Offer valid for US & Canadian bookings only, made between May 6 and December 18, 2010 for arrivals August 22 through December 18, 2010. Applicable on minimum 6 nights stays. $500 credit does not apply to Beautiful Beginnings Theme. Groups must be finalized with 5 rooms or more at 45 days prior to arrival to be eligible for credit. If guests book a Martha Stewart Wedding Theme for their Vow Renewal, and meet other requirements, they will qualify for this offer. All promotions are applicable to change and subject to availability. Offers may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice. Not responsible for omissions or errors.