Tucker's Point: Perfect Place for a Blissful Beach Wedding

Bermuda transforms into a romantic place at night. Located in the Atlantic, the bright stars are visible and give the feel of your own private oasis. One of the most popular spots is Tucker’s Point. I absolutely love this location, which has a clear view of the beautiful turquoise waters. Known as the only 5-star resort in Bermuda, it offers each guest the VIP treatment they deserve. They can host weddings anywhere from 50 to 120 providing an elegant sit-down dinner.


This couple loved the ocean and wanted to incorporate the island-theme into their escort cards for the rehearsal dinner. This was a unique touch that allowed their guests to enjoy the beach through every aspect of their wedding.

The tent was draped in lights creating a casual effect with the table linens made from burlap with fringed edges. Red napkins added the pop of color to create a more festive environment. 

The framed tent without a roof was draped in sheer organza to allow the night sky to fill the area. Two palm trees anchored the tent structure and framed the area. Draping also cascaded from these points. The overall design concept from the tent was a vision created by myself and my team. The multiple candle cylinders that lined the pool deck enhanced the infinite pool.

The white linens showed a gorgeous contrast to the dark sky. Bowls of orchids cascaded onto each under-lit table while they were topped with ruffled white linens. 

If you are looking for a romantic setting with great views and atmosphere, Tucker’s Point is a great place to consider. 

The Breakers

Upon arrival to the Breakers Palm Beach, you arrive to palm tree-lined driveway leading to a regal Italian-Renaissance setting. You will quickly realize why The Breakers is a romantic destination for weddings. This tropical, oceanfront mansion offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, lush gardens and charming courtyards.

The list of amenities is quite impressive:

· Mediterranean-style Beach Club reminiscent of St. Tropez

· One-half mile of private beach, five oceanfront pools and four whirlpool spas

· 25 luxury beach bungalows for daytime use, including personal concierge

· Luxury oceanfront spa featuring masterful treatments, services, and spa fitness classes

· Two fitness centers

· Nine distinctive restaurants and five bars for an array of dining and entertainment options

· 36 holes championship golf, including The Breakers Rees Jones® Course

· World-class golf instruction featuring the acclaimed John Webster Golf Academy

· 10 lighted Har-Tru tennis courts and instruction by USPTA/USPTR-certified professionals

· 10 on-site boutiques, including Guerlain, Ralph Lauren and Lilly Pulitzer® at The Breakers

· Family Entertainment Center and Coconut Crew Kids Camp


Weddings Locations:

What is fantastic about this venue is that there are plenty of options to host different events.



The Ocean Lawn has a breathtaking direct view of the Atlantic Ocean and provides the relaxed feel of a beachside wedding. This space is perfect to host a ceremony, welcome and rehearsal dinners, or even brunch. The Lawn accommodates 100 to 500 guests.


Mediterranean Courtyard

Framed by classical balustrades and furnished with tropical flora, the Mediterranean Courtyard is a dazzling spot for an outdoor cocktail hour, or can be transformed for a romantic ceremony. Reflecting the hotel’s Renaissance inspiration, it was designed to provide sunshine as well and cross-ventilation for many rooms in the days before air conditioning. The Courtyard accommodates 75 to 500 guests.



Mediterranean Ballroom

Modeled after the loggias of Italian villas, the elaborate fresco-painted renaissance ceilings portray paintings of the sky, with large Venetian-style chandeliers and tall, arched windows. The ballroom overlooks the Mediterranean Courtyard, and can accommodate up to 250 guests.

The Circle Ballroom (One of my favorites!)

The Circle offers spectacular ocean views, through its 15 ft windows. The soaring 30-foot ceiling has a shallow dome with eight oval fresco-painted murals depicting Renaissance landscapes such as Villa Medici outside Florence, and the famous Tivoli Gardens near Rome. At the center, a Venetian crystal chandelier hangs from a stylized gold-leaf sunburst. The Circle accommodates up to 200 guests.

Venetian Ballroom:

This room offers stunning floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the Venetian Ballroom is one of The Breakers’ largest ballrooms. The 25-foot-high space glows with six chandeliers, custom fabrics and golden tones. This majestic room accommodates up to 550 guests.


Front Lawn

Offering guests a garden-like setting with lush, tropical foliage, the Front Lawn is a picturesque backdrop for an outdoor ceremony or cocktail reception. Originally used as the hotel’s croquet lawn, the Front Lawn adjoins The Palm Courtyard. The Front Lawn accommodates 75 to 300 guests.




The Gold Room

Aptly named for its gorgeous diagonally paneled gold ceiling, the Gold Room is adorned with 260 hand-carved cherubs. Niches just below the ceiling contain portraits of Renaissance rulers and explorers of the New World. The ballroom is a replica of a room in Venice’s Galleria Accademia and offers an elegant, romantic setting for a ceremony, wedding dinner, or after-party. The Gold Room can accommodate up to 250 guests for a ceremony and 85 guests for dinner with a dance floor and band.




Magnolia Room

Originally the living room-style North Lounge for the hotel, the Magnolia Room accommodates up to 250 guests for a ceremony and 85 guests for dinner with a dance floor and band.

I love finding great spots that don’t require us to use passports (nothing against traveling outside the USA, it’s just a little perk to think “Oh I don’t need that this time”). With daily flights into Palm Beach, this hotel is the perfect destination that feels exotic but remains somewhat familiar.




The hotel is gorgeous, it’s easy to get there but the best thing about this hotel is their amazing team. Their wedding team is probably the best in the business… accommodating, helpful and passionate about their clients. Once you go to the Breakers you will come back every year for your anniversary!! I guarantee it!

It’s all about the details

For me a wedding has all the same motions: bride wears a white dress, walks down the aisle, marries her groom, goes to a party and ends
with eating cake and dancing. That is the typical wedding. How do you make your wedding memorable? It’s all in the details. It might be cliché, but it is very true that people appreciate the small things in life.

I find it important for the couple to always add touches that make the wedding their own. The details can be put into any area of the wedding that the couple feels is more important to them. Some of my clients are foodies so they put more detail into food presentation; others want décor to be what I call the “Wow!” factor. A wow factor is simple; it makes your guests go, “Wow!”

It does not matter how big your budget is, you can still have a wow factor. Some clients I meet with love the DIY little projects where they make the favors together, and those are things your guests appreciate.

The photos are from a wedding in Jamaica.

For this couple, the décor was the wow factor. With beautiful linens, we didn’t’ want the centerpieces to take away from amazing linens, but instead we wanted the centerpieces to compliment them. We had topiaries made to tie in their color scheme: green, yellow, and white.

A nice little detail, we had white chivari chairs for the guests, and put a matching chair cover only on the bride and groom’s chairs. We also had hand-written table numbers. I cannot stress enough that when planning your wedding, stay true you and your fiancé’s visions.

Get Married at a Gallery

Ok, this isn't a formal gallery of art but it has enough artifacts to be! And the owner does actually own galleries.

There are not many places for American citizens to go without a passport, obviously anywhere in the United States is fine, but it may not occur to many that Puerto Rico counts as U.S. territory. This means it’s an easy travel place for U.S. citizens: no customs!

When in Puerto Rico, there are many things to see and do, but my favorite spot is Old San Juan. This area attracts many tourists because of its old-world, classic feeling. At the end of Old San Juan, beyond the ancient fort, at the top of the hill, and overlooking the ocean sits a hidden yet exquisite inn: The Gallery Inn.

You are greeted at a wrought iron gate and as you walk through an open corridor filled with antiques, this setting transports you into an unknown era. Every piece in this Inn was hand picked by the owners to enhance their collection of fine art as well as showcase them. I fell in love with every detail of this place. It's hard to tell you about how this place makes you feel, so I'm including many photos that can help me say this.

The view is spectacular from the roof deck. For dinner, you can enjoy delicious tapas outside on the roof garden. The artifacts, paintings, and statues are unique and intriguing. The bedrooms are impeccably decorated and fit for royalty.

If you are considering an intimate wedding this is the best place. They can accommodate a small wedding or a large cocktail party. Your guests and you can enjoy everything the Gallery Inn has to offer. With the attention to detail, this place makes you feel at home (Fun fact: this boutique inn is the owner’s home).

The owner has her own kiln, which she uses to make all the dishes for the inn. She even makes custom chargers for the wedding.

It is definitely a place you won't forget. With this amazing decor and art you actually forget that you are in Puerto Rico. For more information on this place go to www.thegalleryinn.com

Hidden Jewel of the Caribbean

I love when clients choose exotic destinations for their weddings because it gives everyone an added sense of great adventures. Iceland is a fantastic choice for any couple who loves hiking and cooler weather. However, the warmer destinations can be just as exotic and intriguing.

A true jewel of the Caribbean is the tiny island of Canouan. While this island isn’t the easiest to get to, you might have to take 2 or 3 flights depending on where you are coming from, it is a beautiful place to host a wedding.

It’s part of St. Vincent & the Grenadines and sits below Barbados, which is where you fly to and take a smaller plane to Canouan. This island is not very well known, not even my Word spell-check thinks it exists, underlining Canouan with that red line!

But this place exists, even if it you feel like you are in a dream while you are there! In the green mountains and valleys of the gorgeous island, sits the beautiful Canouan Resort that has breathtaking views of the bright blue water.

This resort is appealing to any couple because they can accommodate from a small getaway up to about 100 guests. The suites and villas add a touch luxury for this relaxing environment.

My favorite thing about this resort is the feeling I get when I’m there: complete calmness. There is a Zen tone to this property. If you want to relax and sit in the sun all day, go ahead! For those who want to play golf, there is an 18-hole championship, which happens to be part of the Trump International Golf Club. The views from each hole vary, but they are all spectacular.

One of my favorite features of this resort is their 17th century chapel. This is perfect for couples who want to host the ceremony there instead of the beach.

The resort has an amazing pool that it boasts as the largest in the Caribbean where you can host amazing cocktail parties. There are other options for cocktails; they have three restaurants that are all great spaces. You can even maybe host a party on the golf course.

The world-class spa is amazing. You can take the tram up the mountain to the individual treatment bungalows or take a boat out to the water and have a spa treatment in one of the huts sitting in the ocean.

The best way I can put this, is that it’s a tropical paradise that makes you feel like you have arrived in Bali but with less jet lag. It is certainly one of my favorites!
http://www.canouan.com/resort.asp

Getting Married in Bermuda? My pick...

Pink sandy beaches, short flight from the United States' East coast, 180 islands connected by bridges, motor scooters and pastel-painted houses describe the friendly island of Bermuda.

From cozy Bed and Breakfasts to large hotels and world-class golf courses this English paradise offers visitors a host of options. One of my favorites is the Fairmont Southampton, this amazing hotel sits on the hill and overlooks world class beaches. This hotel is on 100 tropical acres outlined with lush bougainvillea and towering palm trees.

The Fairmont Southampton's guestrooms, most with sweeping water view and many with private balconies, have walk-in closets and marble bathrooms. For grand service reserve a room on the Fairmont Gold Floor, a hotel-within-a-hotel that pampers guests with its dedicated concierge, complimentary continental breakfast and complimentary canapés served daily in a private harbor view lounge.

An 18-hole par three golf course, a 31,000-square-feet Willow Stream spa, and some of the island’s finest restaurants including the historic Waterlot Inn, housed in a large traditional Bermuda cottage and winner of the prestigious AAA Four Diamond award.

For a romantic dinner, reserve a table at the elegant Newport Room designed to look like luxury yacht and winner of the AAA 5 Diamond award. For a more of a casual Bermuda dining experience and a family feast, visit Bacci for authentic Italian cuisine, which sits on the golf course or visit the. Jasmine Lounge serves wonderful martinis, tapas and other light fare at its lobby setting. Wickets is a great place for a casual poolside lunch, and in the mornings, grab a seat at Windows on the Sound for breakfast with a view of the Great Sound. This room is one of my favorite rooms to host a wedding. The wonderful patio that wraps around this room is perfect to host a sunset cocktail hour and dinner inside this all-windowed room allows the nighttime to fall and still see the glistening of the island lights.

For weddings, the ceremony can take place on the pink sand beaches to the terrace of the Windows on the Sound dining room overlooking the vista of the Atlantic Ocean. Or host your ceremony on the deck of the Waterlot and let the sunset be your backdrop. Share a kiss under the traditional Moongate - native to Bermuda.

Bermuda offers you a wonderful destination that is only 1.5 - 2 hours from NYC. You can get to Bermuda in the summer faster than you get to the Hamptons in Long Island ....

This island is a true gem off the East’s coast.

"Sempre Amore" in Santa Caterina, Amalfi

Italy is the country that is home to a romantic language, food, and people. Located in the amazing seaside town of Amalfi, sits a hotel high on the bluff called Santa Caterina. This family-owned hotel offers guests luxurious comfort with amazing views of the Amalfi seaside village.

One of the best meals, from being in Ravello, Sorrento, Rome and Amalfi, we had was at their restaurant with award-winning cuisine. I was served the most amazing stuffed zucchini blossoms I have ever tasted. I also tried this homemade ravioli dish with the most delicious lemon alfredo sauce. Honestly, if we could have licked the plate, we would have!

For a romantic night a great dinner is key but amazing scenery always helps. The glass enclosed restaurant overlooks the glittering lights of the seaside village below. The wrap around terrace for breakfast is awe-inspiring.

The hand-painted mosaic-tiled floor invites you to a lobby filled with smiling staff who are all quick to help you find a great local restaurant or tour of the area.

The rooms are well appointed, with the suites that are larger than most rooms in the states. Many rooms have patios and balconies all overlooking the ocean. The bridal villa is this little retreat tucked away from the main hotel. It has a private infinity pool, duplex apartment with lower level sitting room and an upstairs bedroom, truly one of the most romantic little hideaways I have ever seen.

The Al Mare Restaurant at the lower level of the hotel is accessible by riding a glass elevator, through the mountain to the bottom of the mountain. There, the doors open to a grotto feeling area and then you enter the pool deck where the Al Mare Restaurant is nestled amongst lemon trees.

Cocktail can be hosted on the terrace and reception can be hosted in either the Al Mare Restaurant or the upstairs dining, next to the terrace. I’ve worked in Italy many times, and this would be my choice as a venue to use for your cocktail and reception if you are staying in Amalfi.

What a great place to celebrate the tradition and passion of love! Sempre Amore! Always Love!

Cabo, Mexico is the Place to Go

On the Western Coast of Mexico sits a little oasis, in the area of Cabo San Lucas ... a place where peace and tranquility are no stranger. Esperanza is a world-class resort that offers their guests amazing accommodations, award-winning, Mediterranean-influenced cuisine and embodies the relaxed lifestyle of the Baja Peninsula. Tequila tasting is great, too!



This magical setting offers amazing ocean views. Esperanza is a place that really finds it important for any event to reflect each couple. The open-area terrace can comfortably hold 100 guests. The backdrop from the ceremony area will take your breath away.

Accommodations range from large suites to gorgeous Casitas and amazing villas. Thus offering guests a variety of rooms in all price ranges.

Travel and Leisure Magazine recently voted the Cabo Spa at Esperanza number 1 in Latin America. The spa offers 14 treatment rooms, a couple suite, and a large soaking pool. This relaxing experience will be remembered for a long time



My favorite thing about Cabo is where it is on this planet. Because it has a sub tropical climate, the weather pattern offers guests 350 days of sunshine, in a wonderful dry climate, that always gives ladies a wonderful hair day. The average temperature is mid 70's making it picture perfect weather for any wedding almost year round.



http://www.esperanzaresort.com/the_resort/

"I do" as the Romans do...

Along the Southern coast of Italy, in the mountains, sits the town of Amalfi. Everyone stayed at the five star luxury Hotel Santa Caterina, which has a breathtaking view and some great spots to host events. The couple hosted their welcome party there, and if it wasn’t booked on Saturday, they might have held their wedding there. This hotel’s service is impeccable; everyone is willing to help you.

We arranged a boat excursion to Sorrento (about an hour and half). While in Sorrento, guests had about 2 hours to shop and eat. We would suggest a little more time because there are great little shops and places to eat, but it all requires taking the time to walk around. You can also arrange for a mini bus to take guests who are not interested in taking the boat.

The couple got married in this beautiful church in Ravello (about a 15 minutes drive from Amalfi), the next town over. After they said their I do’s, they walked into the piazza as two guitarists led them and their guests up the path to Villa Cimbrone. This is probably my favorite thing that really shows the culture of the area.

Although walking up (and down) to get there can be bear for your older guests, it’s still a memorable place. For the older guests, there is a man that has a motorized chair to help them up and down, but it takes 20 minutes per way and only one person at a time. We also shipped flip flops for the ladies to change into for the walk-up and down.

Villa Cimbrone is this gorgeous venue that has a terrace with one of the best views, ever. Cocktails were held in the gardens nearby the terrace. The reception was held in the Villa’s crypt that is literally carved into the side of the mountain. The crypt has these gothic-style arches that give this area incredible drama.

It’s hard for me to describe this beauty of Italy in words. Even these photos don’t do it justice. Italy is one of my top three places for a destination wedding because the guests are excited to travel to Europe and we usually choose a place that most people have not been to. It’s easy to do a wedding in Rome, but traveling south to Amalfi, people get to see the countryside of Italy, as well as the mountains. It is nothing like Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, or even Tuscany. This area has so much more character.

Viceroy Anguilla: My new favorite spot

Having traveled to Anguilla for the past ten years, I always have found the people of Anguilla to be extraordinary. Now I can say that this island offers an extraordinary resort. Most people who know Anguilla know it for its famous 30+ beaches to visit. This tiny island is also known for having some of the best beaches in the world.

I'm very impressed with this new luxury hotel on the island known as Viceroy Anguilla. This resort is simply amazing. When you arrive and drive down the palm tree-lined driveway, you get a sense of peace, calmness, and balance. You enter this gorgeous lobby where friendly, smiling staff waits to welcome you to this oasis. As you pass through the lobby and head toward the water, the infinity pool offsets the Sunset Lounge. It is just breathtaking.

The spa is probably one of the best that I have seen in a long time. The rooms all overlook the water and offer amazing services that help you relax so much that you could just fall asleep. My favorite is the Swedish massage!Sit back and relax because you have arrived at a luxury property that will not only enhance the island but the Caribbean in general. The resort sets new standards for the term “luxury.” From the accommodations, to the food, to the service, Viceroy Anguilla has surpassed my expectations. The hotel has 3 amazing pools, including a family pool, each with different views of the property and island.

I think my favorite part of this resort is the dining experience. There are the three restaurants, all with the service and food being perfect. The main restaurant has air conditioning. I know that sounds like nothing, but a lot of restaurants in Caribbean in general lack this luxury. It makes for an enjoyable meal when the weather turns hot, humid, and sticky.

Whether your wedding is as small as two people or as large as 200, this resort can accommodate your needs.

If it was up to me and I had weather cooperating, I would have an ideal set up of the following: ceremony hosted on the beach, cocktails around the pool, and dinner and dancing in the (air conditioned) restaurant. You can even host an after party around the family pool.

If weather didn’t cooperate, the lobby makes for a breath-taking space to have your ceremony or any of the other restaurants, for that matter.

I’m all about having the idea of being flexible due to unplanned surprises like weather. To me, The Viceroy has the knowledge, the capability, and the staff to get things done. It also has chic décor with the major influences of rest and relaxation. Viceroy Anguilla is definitely one of my top ten places I would recommend to host a destination-wedding-weekend.