Ana Milena Varona & David Baynes August 23, 2013 • P hotographer Ca milo
S ola rte
Dream destination weddings by amy ja mes
With whimsical save-the-date notes proclaiming, “Join us in the sand and sun where we two will soon be one,” destination weddings are an increasingly popular option for couples. For Ana Milena Varona and David Baynes, a destination wedding allowed the fairy tale wedding of Ana’s dreams to come true in her hometown of Popayan, Colombia. For $3,000, the couple’s dream wedding included everything from Ana’s dress to the carriage ride. They rented a villa where they enjoyed a five-course five-star meal including a wedding cake complete with edible flowers. Ana was able to pick the colours she wanted, orange and green, for flowers and linens, and the beautiful location offered
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a lush background for photos. Being in Colombia meant the couple fully enjoyed the outdoors, from the open church to the scenic villa surroundings. Since Popayan is Ana’s hometown, all of her family and friends were able to attend, whereas it would have been much more difficult for them to travel to Canada. David recalled, “It was a good choice all around. The cost was reasonable and first-class all the way. In Popayan, you can rent your dress, tuxedo, flower girl dresses, and a suit for the ring bearer. Everything is so well priced. We even started our honeymoon right after and stayed in a two-floor penthouse suite, and did it all for much less than we could have here.”