Destination Wedding Takeover

Five Resorts Perfect for Large Wedding Parties

One of the biggest perks of choosing to do a destination wedding is the option of enjoying your chosen location beforehand with your closest friends and family. However, with loads of fun activities and dozens of loved ones, the logistics of it all can start to get a little complicated. We’ve found some gorgeous places that are a one-stop-shop when it comes to organizing the lavish affair that is your wedding. Prepare for your very own wedding take-over!

A Grand Invasion
Words by Jennifer Stein

On the island of Grand Cayman, just steps from the Caribbean Sea, is the ultimate wedding take-over destination, the Cotton Tree. With four gorgeously appointed plantation cottages and ocean-front access, this luxury retreat is a “Dearly Beloved” pick for 2011.

If you have ever considered doing the home-away-from-home destination wedding, this is the place to do it and do it in style. Each cottage offers designer décor with spot-on color choices, lavish kitchens and baths as well as the option to work with on-site chefs and sommeliers to complete your experience.

Amidst the tropical landscape, inclusive of fruit and cotton trees (of course), your intimate wedding take-over can truly have a life of its own. Sleeping a total of 18 (total property buyout), the Cotton Tree works with the island’s finest wedding planning company, Celebrations, to make sure your event is the best it can be.

Personalized concierge service including spa appointments, grocery shopping, on-site cooking and art classes are all available at the Cotton Tree. You will also find a refrigerator stocked with breakfast items, fruit and snacks inclusive of your stay. The entire kitchen has state-of-the-art appliances and supplies, so it won’t feel like most rentals (the ones with high-end zip codes and furniture, but you are forced to use a $10 toaster).

Owner, Heather Lockington opened the hotel (the first of its kind) in 2009. Her vision and passion for Caribbean culture, design and giving visitors a “sense of place” brought Cotton Tree to fruition. “The cottages are as private as a home, but of course not like home at all, unless one lives virtually steps from the beach and has a personal chef and sommelier!" says Heather.

The thought of renting out the entire property for a wedding is as natural as the setting it’s in. It’s only a short car ride from the major sites and activities on the island, yet it gives the solitude and flexibility you can only get from a private property.

Offering the perfect blend of luxurious accommodations, seclusion, flexibility, small boutique hotel feel and that personalized service so many couples long for, the Cotton Tree in Grand Cayman is one of our favorite hot-spots for 2011.

Reunion Resort – The Perfect Orlando Luxury Golf Getaway
Words by Jeffrey Brakhage

For golf connoisseurs who are looking for a peaceful getaway or a place where their entire wedding party can be at home in the midst of the Orlando excitement, Reunion Resort is the ideal spot. The resort is located only six miles from Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, but one would never know it. When the gate lifts and the car enters the Reunion Resort property, the bustling Orlando scene is left behind. Luxury accommodations begin with one and two-bedroom villas, continue to three-bedroom estate homes and peak at eight-bedroom estate homes: perfect for any size wedding party!    

Inside the resort, there is something for every member of your party, which makes planning events for a destination wedding at Reunion a breeze. Reunion Resort is home to three signature golf courses. Each one is designed by one of the greats-Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. Looking for a great groomsmen or bridesmaids’ outing? A lesson by one of the resort’s golf-pros is ideal: the resort is home to the Annika Academy. After golf, every guest will find a way to relax, whether at the boutique spa, the five-acre water park, one of the nine pools or an adventure to one of the nearby local attractions.

And what about the actual ceremony and reception? Reunion offers a vast array of beautiful venues to make the wedding perfectly unforgettable. Venues range from an intimate setting on one of the greens to an elegant tent next to the waterfall at back of the Reunion Grand overlooking the beauty of the courses.

Most impressive about the resort is their willingness to make each destination wedding unique. Nikki Lindgren, Director of Public Relations, comments, “We are able to customize the wedding experience for every couple. Accommodating the wishes of the bride and groom will ensure an unforgettable event.”

Located on a beautiful 60-acre oceanfront property on the Island of Duck Key, Hawks Cay specializes in destination weddings and more specifically, wedding take-overs.  Their accommodations can house up to 350 guests with the choice of staying in first-class guest-rooms or keeping the entire group in one of their newly remodeled villas.

Activities ranges from an action-packed time with plenty of water sports, fishing and swimming to a bicycle ride on the island or even just a quick nap by your own private saltwater lagoon. An incredible sunset cruise is also available for your entire group, or consider a visit to the Calm Waters Spa. A key ingredient at Hawks Cay is the fresh seafood, which is usually expected in such a destination, but when most of the conversation over dinner is about how good it tastes, you know the chef has worked culinary magic.

One of Hawks Cay’s specialties is their Hook’n Cook. This may be of particular interest to a group of fishing enthusiasts or a wedding party simply wanting to spend a whole day on a boat in the Keys. What you catch, you cook at the evening barbeque. If you catch nothing, no worries, the kitchen will help you out.

Last but not least, a favorite at Hawks Cay is the Dolphin Connection. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience! At Hawks Cay they have a dolphin research facility located in their own marina. The facility is open to reservations and after instructions by one of the marine biologists you get swim with the dolphins! How do you make a dolphin laugh? Well, that's something you will have to find out for yourself.

Casa de Campo
Words by Carolyn Steere

Situated on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo is a Caribbean destination where wedding dreams become reality – without leaving the doorstep of your exotic tropical villa! With 7,000 beautifully landscaped acres, villas are available in styles and sizes to fit almost any wedding budget without sacrificing your nuptial vision.

Villas range from three to six bedrooms, many overlooking the ocean or golf course with every amenity imaginable either onsite or steps away at the Casa de Campo resort.   A perfect takeover option is the oceanfront villa Casa Hacienda, with its picturesque beachfront ceremony setting and expansive reception lawn. Picture romantic bedroom suites with water-front views, columned walkways, lush decorative gardens and inviting areas where you and your wedding guests can congregate and create memories you will treasure for a lifetime. The Casa de Campo wedding experts are also at your service to make planning easy and ensure your event will live up to all of your expectations.

Private maid service, villa stocking services, airport transfers and daily breakfast are options that can be added to make your experience stress-free. Also, for a very reasonable add-on, the ability to enjoy the resort’s amenities, restaurants, room service, bars and activities complete the vacation experience. The four passenger touring cart provided with your villa is a fun way for you and your guests to explore the grounds and access the wide range of activities found onsite including the spa, sport shooting, award winning golf courses, beaches, tennis, biking and other water sports. Nearby, Altos de Chavon and La Marina will satisfy the shoppers in your group who are searching for treasures created by local artisans.

Coupon Key: The Ultimate Private Retreat
Words by Jennifer Stein

Seclusion and convenience is every bride’s favorite combination. When asking guests to travel to a destination wedding, couples are often trying to make the experience something to remember by holding it in out-of-the way places.

Coupon Key is located only 30 minutes from Key West, yet gives the feeling of complete isolation. “First of all, it's beyond gorgeous. It is a one-of-a-kind private island in the Florida Keys with its own nine bedroom home and the opportunity to make it your own,” says Kate Bentley, wedding planner and owner of Kate Bentley Designs located in Key West.

Not only does the home comfortably sleep 20 plus, but the island can accommodate up to 50 for a wedding or private event - ideal for a wedding take-over. If couples are wanting to experience Key West for day excursions, Coupon Key has transportation completely dialed in. “There is a private boat that taxies people as they arrive, plus a private parking lot at the ferry dock. In addition, there is a chauffeur service available to drive guests to and from Key West making it the perfect getaway for those looking for a retreat in the Florida Keys,” says Bentley. Have dinners catered in, enjoy a casual barbeque with your own recipes or even hire a private chef. The entire island is yours, so the opportunities are endless.

With 4,500 square feet, 360 degree sundeck, stunning beach, fully equipped state-of-the-art kitchen and rooftop bar, guests can spread out and enjoy the private home, “It is a completely unique venue where you can enjoy the atmosphere and truly be ‘away from it all’,” says Bentley.