Travel Agent - August 27, 2007 - (Page DW14) Destination Weddings SPECIALIST 2.0 Another plus of the multi-island spot is that the couple can marry on one island and take off for a neighbor island for the honeymoon, leaving the guests to enjoy their vacation without them. Tahiti The colorful pageantry of a traditional Polynesian wedding is a highlight for honeymoon couples or those celebrating an anniversary or renewing vows in Tahiti. Ceremonies (not legally binding) can be as simple as a sunset ceremony with a Tahitian priest or as elaborate as a pageant with musicians and dancers, with the couple dressed in island garb. The groom, for example, may arrive at the wedding site via canoe while the bride is carried in on a rattan throne. Europe: Old World Romance W For couples who prefer the romance of the Old World to the sun and sea of the tropics, the Continent offers an endless variety of destination wedding venues. The United Kingdom echoes with storied royal weddings (and the benefit of no language barrier) while across the channel France — from Paris to wine country to the French Riviera — is almost synonymous with romance. Germany offers fairy-tale castles, Greece has its ancient wonders and Spain and Portugal are steeped in scenic beauty. Then there are the majestic fjords of Norway, the colorful tulips and windmills of the Netherlands, the Alpine splendor of Austria and Switzerland…as we said: the variety in Europe is endless. Italy, rated top honeymoon destination by travel agents, according to Modern Bride, offers hundreds of historic halls well suited for weddings in Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples and throughout the country. A civil service performed in Italy is legally recognized throughout the world. Religious rites can be celebrated (in accordance with all civil and religious requirements) in historic Catholic and Protestant churches or Jewish Synagogues. Italy has no residency requirement for marriages, so your clients can tie the knot and get on with their honeymoon in any location without unnecessary delays. In some cases couples can arrive and marry within as little as two days. Top: Le Maitai Polynesia, Bora Bora; Bottom: Grecotel Mykonos Blu, Cyclades, Greece Many of the properties along the Strip, complete with designated wedding chapels, offer wedding packages that can range from a simple ceremony to an extravagant affair, while more upscale properties offer the expert services of on-site wedding coordinators and a wealth of exquisite facilities. Wynn Las Vegas, for example, offers two wedding salons (seating 120 and 65 guests, respectively) and an outdoor courtyard with two fountains and a canopy of trees (seats 40 or 70 for a reception). MGM Grand boast a pair of luxuriously appointed wedding chapels and reception venues rang- ing from banquet rooms and a restaurant to the couples' own suite. Hawaii a Hawaii combines the romance of an exotic locale where a different kind of culture is present with the comfortable familiarity of being in the U.S. Couples can exchange flower leis along with their vows in the Hawaiian tradition and have the music of ukuleles strumming as they walk down the “aisle.” Hawaii is also a destination high on most people’s wish list and would be a major draw for guests. August 27, 2007 14 Destination Weddings Specialist 2.0 | Travel Agent |
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