OFTIG 2012 - (Page 46)

SOUTH FLORIDA SHOWCASES A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VIBE FROM THE REST OF FLORIDA... ...you can feel it, taste it, and smell it in the air. It’s vibrant, it’s multi-cultural, it’s a place where dynamic cities with uberluxury resorts co-mingle with laid-back towns that offer up cozy beachfront B&Bs. Getting married in this part of the Sunshine State is all about the wow! factor, and whether your clients are looking to get married alongside dolphins, have a traditional Cuban soirée, maybe get married on a floating chapel, in a lighthouse, in an inventor’s estate or even alongside the circus, South Florida delivers. And honeymoons here aren’t too shabby either, with beautiful Old Florida inns to topof-the-line oceanfront resorts rolling out the red carpet for straight and gay couples alike. But beyond all its offerings for the destination weddings and honeymoons niche market, South Florida itself is an alluring place, with an array of things to see and do, and never a dull moment. You’ve got the Florida Keys, which even for South Florida locals is still a place to get away from it all—with its “anything goes” attitude, it’s here where visitors can watch glorious sunsets, visit Hemingway’s house, and reach the “southernmost tip of the U.S.” Farther north, Miami and its spectacular beaches lure visitors the world over, and why not? Here, newlyweds and their guests cannot only party till the wee hours, but they can dine on fabulous culinary delights, bask in the sun alongside the rich and famous, or join in on the artsy environment that’s infused the area in the last few years. Fort Lauderdale is just as dynamic. Here, new highend resorts overlooking the shoreline are just one of the many assets this “Venice of America” can claim. “With more than 3,000 hours of sunshine and year-round 77 degree temperatures, Greater Fort Lauderdale has the perfect backdrop for that special day,” says Aly Zelaya, Ambassador of Bliss for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. 46 SOUTH south Palm Beach, too, does not disappoint with a lavish lifestyle that’s fit for a discerning bride and groom—in fact, The Palm Beaches and Boca Raton claims to be “the first resort destination, established in 1894.” A long lineage indeed, sprinkled with some of the state’s best golf resorts, as well as charming B&Bs and glamorous hotel suites. The west coast offers a more laid-back feel, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less alluring. Here, couples can get lost in out-of-the-way islands, become one with nature, and let the day wander away without a care in the world. Along Paradise Coast, there are miles of pristine shoreline and those Gulf of Mexico waters, oh do they beckon…. Nature enthusiasts will be giddy, and as JoNell Modys, public relations and communications manager for the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, says, couples can “enjoy a walking tour of the barrier island beach, a serene area that is virtually untouched by man.” Sanibel, Captiva and Ft. Myers, too, are a Mother Nature wonderland, with miles of shoreline and a deeprooted history, including the home of one Thomas Edison and his buddy Henry Ford. But South Florida’s appeal continues in Sarasota, where Ringling made his home and we’re not just talking about “the circus coming to town.” The Ringling Estate offers one of Florida’s finest museums, and Sarasota itself offers delightful inns and five-diamond resorts, as well as cottages sitting right on the shores of a lagoon in Siesta Key. Can it get any more dreamy? Indeed, because Anna Maria Island—known, in fact, as Florida’s Wedding Capital— coupled with Longboat Key are charming destinations with great beaches, award-winning dining, and a true romantic ambiance, making it, along with every other destination in South Florida, an ideal setting for any toes-in-the-sand wedding or honeymoon experience. 2012 Official VISIT FLORIDA Specialist Program: Destination Weddings & Honeymoons 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OFTIG 2012

North
Central
Agent Resources
Exam
South
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Ritz-Carlton
Marriott International
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Walt Disney World Weddings
Honeymoon Tours

OFTIG 2012

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