Recommend June 2016 - (Page 14)

The Treehouse at Maui's Hotel Wailea. TRAVEL ADVISOR CORNER Weddings Away from Home Susan Farewell Chances are, your clients planning destination weddings are Millennials. These "kids" are digital natives. They've grown up with technology. They're also a generation of travelers. Many studied abroad, and possibly lived overseas. Their friends are from all over the globe; and their worlds are increasingly borderless. How you fit into their universe is key. They're busy. They want their weddings to be in places that speak volumes about who they are. They know what they want and they want it to happen seamlessly. Making this happen requires elite travel planning skills, but also an ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with your clients. You need to be engaged with them, and have an ongoing dialog. You also have to get their feedback every step of the way and answer their questions within 48 hours. Most importantly in the whole process is to steer clear of what you think they want and listen carefully. Try to meet with both of them (live, if you can) and understand not only what each of them wants, but what they truly want as a couple for their wedding. "She gets it," should be the words they utter to each other when they walk away from that first meeting with you. And from then on, your job is to stay on the beam. Fail along the way and they'll simply move on. You are totally replaceable. Thrill them with your resourcefulness and can-do spirit. Make magic happen and you will learn that each newlywed couple is a door into an enormous network. They are huge influencers. Make them feel unique, personalize the relationship, and make them look like superstars, and you will succeed. Susan Farewell is the owner of Farewell Travels LLC (FarewellTravels.com), a travel design firm based in Westport, CT. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @FarewellTravels. 14 june 2016 A Horseback Wedding A wedding ceremony followed by the bride and groom being whisked away by horseback sounds like the makings of a movie romance, but at Arizona's Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, couples can do just that. Let me paint the picture: The wedding would be set up at the Sierra Estrella Sunset Lawn, and just as the sun begins to set over the western Sierra Estrella mountain range and the couple have said, "I do," two Mustang horses approach the wedding lawn to whisk the bride and groom across the river that flows behind the ceremony lawn and into the sunset on either a private carriage or on an individual horse. Following the horseback ride, the couple joins their guests for a reception on the Wedding Terrace (ceremony plus horseback is approximately $3,000, depending on the season; reception is based on guest count and is anywhere from $8,500 to $14,500). And to add just a little more oomph to that fairytale story, the following day the couple can take advantage of the offerings in the Wild About You package, which includes deluxe overnight accommodations, a 50-minute companion massage at Aji Spa, two prickly pear mimosas, an exclusive hand-painted gourd bowl by local artisan Aaron Sabori with a special story of love depicted through art and a special blessing for guests' journey home, a bottle of massage oil, a custom fragrance, a romantic 3-course Chef's Tasting dinner at Kai, and a 60-minute Margarita Sunset horseback ride by Koli Equestrian Center ending with cowboy margaritas on the rocks plus chips and salsa. Package starts at $579 per night; ask for rate plan WLDABTU. The property, which offers desert views, plenty of outdoor wedding venues, a 17,500-sq.-ft. spa, 36 holes of championship golf, fine dining, and an onsite equestrian center, has all the ingredients for the making of a unique wedding, with lots of bragging rights. Couples also earn triple Starpoints when their guests stay at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, while guests earn Starpoints on the eligible nights. Plus, the couple also receives special rewards and bonus Starpoints for booking their wedding at the property, which can be used immediately towards honeymoon nights. A Treehouse Wedding Couples opting for more intimate nuptials can opt for a ceremony in the Treehouse at Hotel Wailea in Maui. This grand Treehouse, suspended over the canopy in the property's mango and avocado orchard, offers views of the coastline, and for a truly magical moment, recommend the sunset nuptials. Weddings at Hotel Wailea can be reserved along with onsite wedding planning services by the Maui Wedding Company. The hotel itself is the first and only Relais & Chateaux property in Hawaii, offering a European-inspired elegance mixed with relaxed island luxury. The all-suite property completed a $15 million renovation in January 2015, transforming it into an intimate adults-only escape featuring 72 suites. Accommodation rates start at $499. Contact Information Conestoga Ranch: conestogaranch.com Hotel Wailea: hotelwailea.com Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort: omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island-plantation Rockies Heli Canada: rockiesheli.com Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass: wildhorsepassresort.com/chandler-wedding-venues recommend.com http://www.conestogaranch.com http://www.hotelwailea.com http://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island-plantation http://www.FarewellTravels.com http://www.rockiesheli.com http://www.wildhorsepassresort.com/chandler-wedding-venues http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend June 2016

Editor’s Notes
Romance Travel Forum: Where Education Prospers
Out-of-the-Box Weddings
Travel Advisor Corner: Weddings Away From Home
Honeymoon Adventures
Onsite Review: Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa: Weddings & Romance By the Sea
New Ways to Get Married
Moon Palace Jamaica Grande Delivers on Destination Weddings
4 Very Different Honeymoons
Onsite Review: CHIC Punta Cana & Club Med Zen Oasis
Wedded Bliss in Paradise
A Honeymoon for Every Taste
Adventure-Filled Honeymoons
Wildest Dreams
“I Do”– Today and Tomorrow
Iconic Islands = Idyllic Honeymoons
Eco-Friendly Honeymoons

Recommend June 2016