Gay Weddings from Pride & Groom Issue 3

ISSUE 03 – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 FLORIDA EDITION |

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A SLICE OF HEAVEN WEDDING ETIQUETTE DRESS TO IMPRESS HAWAIIAN HONEYMOONS PRETTY IN WHITE

WWW.PRIDEANDGROOM.CO

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Special Summer Pricing from Florida’s Most Popular Wedding Venues Award-winning Service From Puff ‘n Stuff Catering Creative Menu Options Using Quality Ingredients Bar Set-up and Service For Clients Purchasing own liquor Buffet Table, Linen, Décor Enhancements, and Service Ware Fresh Floral Centerpieces Cake Design Selections Menu Tasting Flexible Payment Options Guest List Manager and Planning Tools Access to Additional Bonus Savings Brought to you exclusively by:

For availability please visit puffnstuff.com Tampa 813.712.7833 • Orlando 407.629.7833

COVER PHOTO BY

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Welcome to Issue 3

We are t hr il l ed to be sha ri ng i ssu e 3 of P ri d e & Gro o m w ith yo u, fil l e d w ith lo ads of he l pf ul ti p s, rea l wed d i n gs, a nd i d ea s that w il l ho pe ful ly ins pire and e nc o ura ge you to get hitched !

In t his issue we bri n g you our venu e sp eci a l , w he re w e have hand s e l e c te d so m e of t he top setti ngs a rou nd Fl ori d a for yo u to ho s t yo ur w e dding.

We ’v e also gon e a hea d a n d chosen a d esti n at io n hot s pot if yo u’ re l o o k ing to g o all o ut to cel ebrate your n upti a l s. Bri d al gur u, Kat de So uza j o ins us fo r a g re at Q &A on every thi ng hot i n the worl d of br ide s , and w e ’ ve e ve n t hrown in a l ittl e hi story for you too - check o ut the l as t page !

So fo r now, w hy not sit ba ck, rel a x a n d h a ve a brow s e thro ugh o ur m agazine and re m e m ber, be wi l d if you wa nt a n d thi nk o uts ide the box to c re ate yo ur uniq ue and p ersona l wed d i n g but a bove a l l , be yo ur s e lf – afte r al l it is yo ur spe c ial day!

Happy P lanning, Giorgio GIORGIO SEVERI - EDITOR

GIORGIO@PRIDEANDGROOM.CO

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W H AT’S I N T H E M AG A N D W H E R E TO F I N D I T!

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C o nt e nt s

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se nd who o ut a bi g congot gratu l ati ons a wedded We couples recently married in to our

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h o s t of neSunshine wly we ds whoof ha ve ti ed the kn ot i n the beautiful State Florida!

Rath thanbouquet c ho o s ing a colorful traditiojeweled nal m ar r iage , bling er to your with insects.

s u n s h ine state !

Bri a n

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CONGRATULATIONS! CWe O Ngive G R AT TO CO U Pto L E some S aSshout out of the newly

BEHIND THE BOUQUET R E A L garden WEDDIN G / PA RT Y very I N P Upopular E RT O this With style being

L Lone A RTA year weVA go step further by adding a splash of

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bea utiful Pue r to Val l ar ta c o m pl e te w ith tac o DELICIOUS DESSERTS

HERE COMES THE GUIDE!

A Celebrity S L I C E O FWedding H E AV E N& Event Planner, Jamie

sta n d and po o l as paraty.

As well wedding cake why not treat

Chocomposes o sing t he ac ake i s on e of th e most f u n O’Donnell comprehensive timeline to

your guests to an array of delicious treats? Chef

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ETIQ U E T T E /Hands T H A Non KIN G YO Uexplains R G U E S Tall.

S Marie from Tampa’s Sweets

par t sallofofoyour rg anizing yoplans ur wed d i ng soon we of fer keep wedding and tasks track. s o m e he lpful hint s to gu i d e you i n the ri ght

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Tak ing tim e o ut to w r ite thank yo u c ards

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dire ct i oSTYLE n.

FILE / THE RING

wi l l a d d STYLE the final to uc he s DRESS to yo ur w e dding. We FILE / THE

Jeweler & designer Rony Tennenbaum takes

ha ve a fe w gre at inte r s that w il lcan m ake yo ur Looking forpo that perfect dress be really

D Eto S Texplain I N AT I O N W E Dyou D I Nneed G H Oto TSP O T / when time out what know

job just that ie r. exciting, but bit alsoe as stressful, so we have collected

P Ufor E RT O VA L L A RTA shopping that perfect wedding ring.

some top tips to help you on your search.

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K n own as o ne of t he m ost p op ul a r d esti nati on s

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i n Me x i c o fo r t he LG BT c ommu nity we d elve i nto

SUMPTUOUS SETTINGS

D R E S S T O I M P R E S S W I T H K AT D E S O U Z A Br idal w e ar gur u Kat de So uza ans w e r s

STYLE FILE / WHAT TO WEAR?

t h e to p v e nue s to c e le brate you r n upti a l s with

questi o ns fro m w hat to w e ar if yo u are having

a ll yo u r fr ie nds and fam i ly.

year, we share some awesome wedding table trends

a bea ch w e dding to how to w e ar yo ur hair and

and designs to get those creative juices flowing.

wh at to achelp c e s swith o r ie swhat to add yo ur hand to to wear to gow that n. big event.

With the color aqua being en vogue this

When it comes to wedding dress codes, it

can be confusing, but Dominique Brilliantes is on

THE P&G TEAM: GROUP PUBLISHER RO C JJ E EFFFF CCR CK KEETTTT

M E D I A

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EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR RDI C DH YG AH MAI R AD N CBHRAOUW NR IN

I ORRGGIIO O S GGI O SE EV VEERRI I

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR TEP NN DD OO NNAALLDD SS T PH HEENNSSOO

ADVERTISING SALES CCAARRLL O M MEENNDDEEZ Z

P R I D E & G R O O M M A G A Z I N E P U B L I S H E D B Y G & J M E D I A - P O B O X 3 2 5 , P LY M O U T H F L , U S A 3 2 7 6 8

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STYLE FILE / THE BOW TIE

REAL WEDDINGS / WEDDING DAY WISH

B U D Gties E T Bhave R E A Khad DOW Bow aN big revival recently,

thei r stoWe r y of how theyat pro po s e d, the ir Dwayne’s w e dding take a look Jonathan and

Ro sypart Usmof ani, Puf flook. n Stuf f events especially as thefrom wedding Brent Kraus

at su ns e taby thecelebration w ate r and ir w e dding wedding, true in how color,the with rainbow

a n d cate r ing ,delves offe r sinto so me great iof d ea s bow on htie. ow from Ella Bing the history the

d rea ms c am e tr ue . flags, a jazz band, drag acts and a mini pride parade!

yo u can b e a m o ney sa vvy coup l e wh i l e sti l l

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e n j oy i ng t he planning of /you r ma rri a ge.

REAL WEDDINGS FACEBOOK FATE

After meeting online through mutual friends,

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E A L WKevin EDDIN G / Dusty B A C K YA D B L Ithey S S met we hearR from and onRhow

R E A L WEDDING W E D D I N G // SOFTBALL N AT U R I S T SOULMATES REAL N E W LY couple W E D S Jane and Christina fell in Sporty

Movi to Flwhilst o r ida w as a big de is iosame n fo r softball Andre a love n ing Italy competing in cthe

ssy and Ashley kn ew th ey in wa nted to and theirJe sunset proposal whilst camping the Keys.

a nd Ja phia, but ly the ight special c ho ic eday! as championships, we de getfinite the scoop of rtheir

g e t m ar r ie d fro m t he fir st ti me th ey met. With a

th ey d e c ide d to ge t m ar r ie d he re to o . We he ar

lit t le h elp fro m t he/irTHE m others a nd a n ot so sma l l STYLE FILE 40s LOOK

th ei r sto r y of how they m e t, the ir big day, and HEAVENLY HONEYMOONS

b ack ya With rd, t he c o uple a bl e to to evoke ha ve th e many bridesw ere choosing the

th ei r nee to ge t bac to nature .

Ifdyou like thekidea of crystal clear waters

we d d i ngstyle of tfor he irtheir dre am s a nd day, a bl eour to wa l k d own vintage wedding photoshoot

and stunning white sands then look no further as we

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H AWA AN HO N E Y M O O N destinations.

S have found fourI Igreat honeymoon

toozes h e is le asHollywood Mr s. and glamour Mr s. El l er!

Old to inspire your look.

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R E A L WEDDINGS W E D D I N G //BIN E APLANNING CH BRIDES REAL

hon eym o o n? Why not c ho o s e Haw aii? We s e l e c t

To nya Bay andresidents, Haley kn ew and f rom th eshare d ay Tampa Sam Emily

RELAXns & HAVE someSIT g reBACK, at de s tinatio to s pe A ndBROWSE yo ur s pe c ial

of t hthey e ir efirst ng agmet, e m e nt t hat th ey wa nted totheir get how their pinky promise and

THROUGH OUR MAGAZINE AND GETe d to tri p on a var ie ty of the is l ands guarante

m ar r ie d their in fab ulo us Key West. The gi rl s tel l us plans for impending September wedding.

a d d the ro m anc e to yo ur tim e aw ay fo r tw o .

INSPIRED FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY!

GET IN TOUCH!

/PGWeddingMag

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@PGwedding

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@Pride0333

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+PrideandGroom

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C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S | |

C ongratulations To another fabulous collection of wonderful couples who have made the exciting decision to tie the knot here in the Florida.

If you would like to see your wedding featured here, please email pics of your special day to woohoo@prideandgroom.co Chris & AJay Livehappystudios.com

Kelly & Katie J e n n i f e r - j u n i p e r. c o m

Mark & Joey A.HarrisPhotography.com

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Brandi & Nikki A.HarrisPhotography.com

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David & Sean A.HarrisPhotography.com

Ashley & Jennifer Livehappystudios.com

Bob and Jeff A.HarrisPhotography.com

Leslee and Jammie www.livehappystudio.com

Glynne and Corrine www.livehappystudio.com

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C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S | |

Ashley and Aimee w w w . t i d e t h e K n o t B e a c hWe d d i n g s . c o m

Brandy and Bianca A.HarrisPhotography.com

C a t h y a n d Ly n n A.HarrisPhotography.com

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Jessica and Georgia w w w . t i d e t h e K n o t B e a c hWe d d i n g s . c o m

Brian and Gino‫‏‬ w w w . t i d e t h e K n o t B e a c hWe d d i n g s . c o m

Jason and Roberto www.livehappystudio.com

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A SLICE OF HEAVEN

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A slice of

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heaven

Let the wedding cake be a statement of who you are as a couple and turn it into one of your ‘WOW’ features of the day leaving your friends and family drooling for a slice.

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Wh e n it c o m e s to plann i n g a wed d i n g, few

col or fo r a w e dding c ake , but c ho c o l ate and

de cis io ns are as de lig htf ul a s choosi n g you r

ti nted f ro s tings c an be j us t as e l e gant.

we d d i ng c ake . Afte r all , wh at cou l d be better

For a l e s s fo r m al w e dding, yo u c an c e r tainly

t h an s a m pling slic e afte r sl i ce of d el i ci ous ca ke?

embra ce the unc o nve ntio nal . The c ake c an be

As e ag e r as yo u m ay b e to l et the ta ste testi n g

i ced p l ayful ly w ith s w ir l s of m e r ingue o r s tre w n

b e g i n , taking t im e to e nvi si on the ca ke of you r

with f l ow e r pe tal s that fal l w he re they m ay. O r

dre a ms will g iv e yo u t he sweetest resu lts.

you ca n fo rgo a s ingl e c ake alto ge the r and o pt

Th e c ake ’s de sig n sho ul d match the a esth eti c

for a tr io of s m al l e r c ake s o r e ve n c upc ake s ,

of t h e day. A fo r m al wed d i ng gen era l ly ca l l s

d ou gh nuts , o r pas tr ie s dis pl aye d o n tie re d c ake

fo r

sta n d s fo r an im pre s s ive e ffe c t.

a

st r uc t ure d,

m ultiti er

ca ke;

it

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be

e la b o rate ly o r sim ply decorated , so l on g a s its

Reme m be r, ide al ly, yo u s ho ul d o rde r yo ur c ake

s t y le im plie s so m e t hing ceremon i a l a nd gra nd .

si x months be fo re the w e dding, s o it’ s be s t to

Th e s e cake s are ofte n roun d , but squ a re or even

sta rt co ns ide r ing w hat yo u w o ul d l ike as s o o n

h e xag o nal shape s are more u nexp ected -- a nd

a s you’ ve c ho s e n yo ur re c e ptio n s ite and the

t h e t ie rs c an b e stac ke d for a sol i d l ook or set

sty l e of yo ur w e dding. Lo o k fo r photo graphs in

o n pillar s fo r an air y g race. Wh ite i s th e cl a ssi c

ma ga zine s and bo o ks o r o nl ine fo r ins piratio n. &

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Pho to gr a phy ki ndl y suppl i e d by E l e ga nt Che e se c a ke s - For mor e i nfor ma ti on a bo ut the s e be auti ful we ddi ng c a ke s, pl e ase vi si t w w w.e l e ga ntc he e se c a ke s.c om o r c o nta c t Susa n@ e l e ga ntc he e se c a ke s.c om or a l te r na ti ve l y c a l l S usa n a t 6 5 0 728- 2248.

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V E N U E S P EC I A L / P U E RTO VA L L A RTA

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Puerto Vallarta

Nestled against the Pacific Ocean with stunning bay and mountain views, Vallarta is home to some of Mexico’s highest rated resort towns. The area exudes traditional Mexican charm, with plenty to do both in town and on the water. Actively promoting itself as a gayfriendly destination, this is a natural choice for same-sex wedding celebrations and honeymoons, and happy couples looking to celebrate their union can find a wide variety of LGBT-owned hotels, large gay-friendly properties and a host of gay friendly wedding planners.

The fact that same sex marriage is not legal in that area of Mexico doesn’t stop us as many couples get married in their respective countries first, and then move on to Puerto Vallarta to live it up and have the party of a lifetime – Viva le fiesta!

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L A M A N S I O N VA L L A RTA Perfect fo r yo ur w e dding par ty, Vil l a La Mans io n sits oce anfro nt w ith a l arge pr ivate m an-m ade bea ch a nd be autiful po o l are a. Indo o r s , the ho m e i s a d orn e d w ith m ar bl e fl o o r s , c ante r ra til e s and i ntri cate s to ne w o r k thro ugho ut and is finis he d of f

with

go rge o us

s taine d

gl as s

and

dé c o r

f rom the ow ne r ’ s trave l s aro und the w o r l d. It i s withi n ve r y s ho r t w al k ing dis tanc e to Pl aya Ga rza Bl anc a, o ne of the m o s t be autiful be ac he s i n Puerto Val l ar ta.

For more info pl e as e vis it www.ca s agar zabl anc a. c o m

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V E N U E S P EC I A L / P U E RTO VA L L A RTA | |

CASA KARMA BOUTIQUE R E S O RT Th i s b rand ne w, luxur io u s resort hotel , situ ated in Pu e r to Vallar ta, is a perfect ocea nf ront ven ue fo r yo ur spe c ial day with sp a ce for up to 200 g u e s t s . The e nt ranc e from th e d ressi n g room ca n b e co m e a dram at ic and bea utif u l entra n ce d own t h e s tairc ase o nto t he l ower terra ce where the we d d i ng par t y and g ue s ts wi l l be watch i n g a nd wait i n g fo r yo u. All 3 terra ces ha ve roma nti c fo u nta i ns and lush land sca p i ng a n d th e ga rd en te r race is a b e aut iful setti n g for p h otogra p hs b e fo re o r afte r t he we d d i ng. If you a re l ooki n g fo r t h at WOW v e nue fo r you r wed d i ng then l ook n o fu r t he r.

Fo r m o re info ple ase v isit www. ca sakar m a.ne t

T h i n k i n g o f c e l e b r a t i n g y o u r u p c o m i n g n u p t i a l s i n P u e r t o Va l l a r t a ?

T h e n w h y n o t d r o p Ta l b o t R o s s E v e n t s a n e m a i l . W i t h o v e r 2 0 y e a r s of experience, they can create and design the perfect wedding for you. How about hosting your bash on a sky terrace over looking the ocean? Maybe you like the idea of a more private and intimate gathering with just close friends and family? Whatever your ideas, the team will go out of their way to discover what kind of dream you want your wedding to be. From an extensive list of venues and f l o r i s t s t o c a t e r i n g a n d d e s i g n a e s t h e t i c , Ta l b o t R o s s E v e n t s t r e a t s e v e r y w e d d i n g a s a t r u l y s p e c i a l m a g i c a l a f f a i r.

Please visit www.talbotross.com for more information on what they can provide for your wedding, or send them an email at Ta l b o t r o s s e v e n t s @ g m a i l . c o m

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R E A L W E D D I N G S / P U E RTO VA L L A RTA | |

Robert and Br ian Brian

Robert

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o b er t and Br ian m e t on Ap ri l 17, 19 9 8 at the n ig htc lub in Calg ar y, Al berta , Ca n a d a . Bri a n i s fro m Calg ar y and Robert wa s i n the city

fo r a sho r t te r m o n b usi n ess a n d fate wou l d h a v e it t hat t he t wo c o nnected . Thei r jou rn ey of 1 7 ye ar s to g e t he r b e fo re ma ki n g the d eci si on to g e t m ar r ie d was an e asy on e a s it wa s a mutua l pro po s al.

As Pue r to Vallar ta, Mex i co i s thei r h ome for 5 m o nt h s of t he ye ar it was a n atu ra l f it to h a ve th e we d d i ng in Me xic o . A g uest l i st of 35 fa mi ly a n d fr ie n ds fro m Canada and 35 f ri end s f rom Mex i co an d ot h e r plac e s was an i nti mate gath eri n g that b ro u g ht to g e t he r so m e of the i mp orta nt p eop l e wh o h a v e b e e n a par t of Robert a nd Bri a n’s l ife to g e t h e r. It was a nice ba l a n ce to rep resent t h e co m b ine d life of livi ng i n both Ca n a d a a nd Me x i co .

Th e Lo c at io n of all the festi viti es wa s h i gh ab ov e the c it y of Pue r to Va l l a rta at Ha ci en d a de Lo s Santo s, a pr iv ate resi d en ce i n Rea l d e Co n ch as Chinas wit h a sp ecta cul a r vi ew of the e nt i re cit y and Bay of Ba n d era s. As a d esti nati on we d d i ng all t he de tails were i mp orta nt to Robert an d Brian and it was necessa ry for them to fin d mo re t han an av era ge wed d i ng p l a nn i n g co mpany o r pac kag e , t h ey h a d to f i n d a creati ve we d d i ng pro duc e r ! !

Rat h e r t han c ho o sing to d o th e tra d iti ona l g e t mar r ie d and he ad a way on a hon eymoon, Ro b e r t and Br ian planne d a fa mi ly Mexi ca n f i esta co mple te wit h tac o stand , a p ool p a rty B B Q a nd co ck tail g at he r ing s so a s to be a bl e to sp end a s m u ch t i m e wit h fam ily a nd f ri en d s who tra vel l ed t h e dis tanc e to b e par t of th ei r bi g d ay.

Th e

c o m m it m e nt

c eremony

wa s

sp eci a l ly

wr it te n and offic iate d by Robert a n d Bri a n’s best

frie nd

fro m

Calg ary

and

a

cu stom

l i ve

pe r fo r manc e was inte g rated i n th e ceremony a n d t h ro u g h o ut t he e nt ire e ven i n g by the Argenti ni a n du o Bo he m ia Viv a. To say what wa s th e hi gh l i ght of t h e ir b ig day…. we ll it wa s th e fa ct th at they we re a ble to g e t m ar r ie d, to be a bl e to ca l l ea ch ot h e r husb and and to be su rrou nd ed by fa mi ly an d fr ie nds to c e le b rate a nd create a sp eci a l m o m e nt fo r e v e r yo ne . & | W W W. P R I D E A N D G R O O M . C O

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ETIQUETTE | |

Thanking your guests So you’ve tied the knot and your happily settling in to married life, its time to put pen to paper and write those thank you letters, after all, there is nothing more special and appreciated than a lovely handwritten thank-you note. Here are some tips on turning this obligation into a pleasure.

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8 Tip 1 Co nt rar y to po pular my th, the ha p py cou p l e d oes n ot h ave a ye ar ’ s grac e pe r io d in w hic h to wr ite t he ir note s. All th a n k-you notes shou l d be written w ithin thre e m o nths of the re c e ipt of t h e gift . Ide ally, a re s p on se sh oul d be written on th e d ay yo u re c e ive a w e dding gift. If that’ s n ot po ssib le , se t a da i ly goa l . It’s a l ot ea si er to write thre e o r fo ur note s a day than to have to wr ite a hundre d notes i n a month af ter th e wed d i n g!

8 Tip 2 Fir s t of all, stat io ne ry i s the op erati ve word h ere: No fil l-in-the -bl ank c ards , no pre -pr inte d ca rd s, no pho ne c alls , no ema i l s, a n d n o generi c p ost on yo ur w e bs ite ! Pe r s o nal s tatio ne r y o r s to re- b o ug ht t hank- you ca rd s a re best.

C re at ing a c ard wit h a p hoto f rom you r wed d i n g i s a n ic e ide a, but the tim ing is tr ic k y. Do n’ t de lay wr it ing note s for gif ts recei ved before th e wed d i n g, and ar range to have the c ards m ade q u i c kly, so t hat g ift s gi ven at the wed d i ng or ju st af te r w o n’ t be ke pt w aiting. If yo u re al ly want to hav e yo ur photo on th e ca rd s, consi d er usi n g a photo fro m an e ngage m e nt s ho ot o r ot h e r spe c ial o c c asio n i n stea d .

8 Tip 3 Th e p e o ple inc lude d i n you r tha nk you l i st sh oul d be: l Anyo ne who g iv e s you a n en ga gement, shower or wedding gift, e ve n if yo u have thanke d t he m in pe r so n. Ind i vi d ua l n otes shou l d be written to pe o pl e w ho c o ntr ibute d to a gro up g ift . l Anyo ne who g iv e s a gif t of money : ca sh, checks, co ntr ibutio ns to s avings ac c o unts , and do nat io ns to c har iti es. Menti on i n g th e a mount i s optio nal , but it do e s l e t the pe r s o n k now t he c o r re c t am o unt wa s recei ved . You shou l d menti on w hat yo u pl an to do w ith the m o ney. l Yo ur at te ndant s. A wa rm p ersona l note atta ched to yo ur gifts to yo ur atte ndants w il l l e t t he m know how m uch you a p p reci ate th ei r ef forts a nd s uppo r t o n yo ur be half. l Anyo ne who ho ste d a p a rty or shower for you . Id ea l ly the s e note s s ho ul d be w r itte n w ithin t w o days of t he e v ent. Ea ch h ost or hostess sh oul d be thanke d individual ly w ith a note and a thank yo u g ift . l Pe o ple who ho use or enterta i n you r wed d i ng gu ests. A note and a s m al l gift s ho ul d be s e nt to anyo ne who ho uses or enterta i ns out-of-town wedding gue s ts . l Pe o ple who do kind n esses for you . The nei ghbor who a c c e pts de l ive r y of yo ur gifts w he n yo u are at wo r k; t he c ousi n who su p ervi ses th e p a rki ng at the re c e ptio n – anyo ne w ho as s is ts yo u b e fo re , dur ing or af ter you r wed d i n g. l Supplie r s and v e nd ors. You d on’t h a ve to write everyo ne yo u hire fo r s e r vic e s , but anyo ne who e xc e e ds yo ur exp ectati ons wi l l a p p reci ate a cour te o us note of thanks . l Yo ur pare nt s o r wh oever i s hosti n g you r wed d i n g.

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Q&A / K AT D E S O U S A

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Impress Dress to

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In an ever-changing world of bridal fashion it is very easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing that perfect gown. Unless you have always had your dream dress in mind, then finding the outfit that not only makes you feel a million dollars, but that is also stylish can sometimes be challenging.

To assist you on your quest, we chat with wedding stylist Kat de Sousa who shares with us over 15 years of knowledge within then Bridal industry about what designs are in fashion, colors, fabrics used and even how brides are wearing their hair for their big day.

What sty l e s of w e ddin g dresses are in th is

ch oosi ng

year and how d o they differ from last year?

comp l e xio n and w e dding c o l o r s as o ppo s e d

Th i s ye ar we are se ei ng si l hou ettes that f it

the

clo s e r to t he b o dy, less cri n ol i n e or “ p oof ” i n

a

t h e skir t , and m o re sleeve a n d stra p opti on s.

ch a mp agne s and bl us h, to m o re o n tre nd

Th e f it s are all m o re roma nti c with that l i ght

col ors s uc h as grey and m e tal l ic s . Our m o s t

flow ing fe e ling . A lot of th e bea d i ng i s more

l oved gow ns c o m e in a c o m binatio n of ivo r y

s u bt le and b le nde d c reati ng a n atu ra l sp a rkl e

a n d café o r al m o nd. It c o m pl im e nts a l ot of

a s o ppo se d to v e r y o bvi ous bl i ng. We a re a l so

bri d es and photo graphs w e l l o utdo o r s . The s e

s e e i ng a lot of lac e a nd l ayered l a ce l ooks,

col ors al s o s how off the de tail in the gow ns

w h ic h

va ryi n g

so mu c h m o re . Intr ic ate be adw o r k and l ac e is

te x t ure s of fab r ic overl a i d i n th e ski rt to

more eas ily s e e n and appre c iate d as o ppo s e d

cre ate m o re dim e nsion tha n th e tra d iti on a l

to bei ng l o s t in a m o no c hro m atic w hite o n

s at in/t ulle /lac e c o m bi nati on . We even ha ve

wh ite gow n.

is

whe re

we

h a ve

severa l

tra ditio nal

va rie ty

of

that

w hite o ptio ns

c o m pl e m e nt

or

ivo r y.

ranging

the ir

We

have

fro m

s oft

a fe w soft ly r uffle d d resses for Sp ri n g! It i s

Col or s al s o have the ir ow n tre nds as w e l l .

a m uc h m o re o rg anic feel to th e overa l l l ook.

Th i s co m ing s e as o n q uite a fe w gow ns are

Last ye ar we saw a l ot of ba l l-gowns a s

a va i l a b l e fo r o rde r in a s e a m is t bl ue , m is ty

w e ll as fit - and-flare d resses, wh i ch a re much

grey a nd s ilve r.

fu lle r t han a t radit iona l merma i d or sheath .

Ev e r yt hing was b e aded with rh i n eston es a n d

As th is i s a s t at e w it h lot s of be ac he s , w hat

cr y s tals o r he av ily r uched f rom the bod i ce to

wou ld be yo ur re c o m m e ndat i o n fo r br i de s

t h e low hip re m inisc ent of the ol d Hol lywood

wh o w ant to ge t m ar r i e d o n t he be ac h as

g la mo ur.

opposed to i n a v e nu e ?

One t hing t hat rema i ns consta nt i s th e

Fl ori d a is hot – the re is no ge tting aw ay fro m

s e arc h fo r a g own that i sn’t l i ke a ny thi ng

that! It do e s n’ t s e e m to m atte r the tim e of

u s u a lly

a re

yea r, the re is alw ays the c hanc e fo r he at

tra d iti ona l

a n d h um idity to affe c t yo ur gow n c ho ic e .

s t raple ss g owns and goi n g for somethi ng a

Th i s d o e s n’ t m e an a br ide m us t c ho o s e a

lot mo re uniq ue .

si mp l e c hiffo n gow n. She de finite ly ne e ds to

se e n

d e finite ly

in

pr ior

v e e r ing

sea son s.

a way

Bri d es

f rom

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gow ns

con si d er if he r w e dding is o n the be ac h, ne ar

Ha v e c ol ors of w e d din g dresses ch an ged at

the bea c h, w il l s he ne e d to w al k al o ng w ay

a l l ? Or are b ri de s sti ll wearin g wh ite?

to rea ch the c e re m o ny s ite and w hat w il l be

We a re se e ing a lot more col or! Bri d es a re

the gow n that fits he r pe r s o nal w e dding

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ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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Q&A / K AT D E S O U S A | | |

Accesso r i zi ng a dre ss – w hat s ho u ld a br i de be

s t y le t he m o st .

We are se e ing m any s ty l es that a re sti l l f ul l

th in kin g of addi ng to he r dre ss to m ake t he

an d ye t soft . Tulle ski rts with not a s ma ny

most of w hat she i s w e ar i ng?

laye r s and are e asy to d a n ce th e ni ght a way i n.

Th i s i s a to ugh c ho ic e . I pe r s o nal ly l ove bl ing. It

We als o se e ing b o dy- huggi ng l ow ba ck d resses

just d epe nds o n the gow n and w hat fe ature yo u

t h at s pe ak of a c it y inf l u en ce without bei ng

wa nt to s how off the m o s t. So m e gow ns w ith

to o fo r m al fo r suc h a setti ng. Somethi ng th at

no bea ding are the pe r fe c t c anvas fo r bl ing!

will b u r st wit h spar kle at a sun set wed d i n g i s a

Ch a n d el ie r e ar r ings , go rge o us w r is t c uffs and

de fi n ite m ust .

d rop p ed bac k j e w e l r y is s o m e thing w e s e e a l ot with ou r unbe ade d l ac e gow ns o r unbe ade d l ow

Are vei l s i n at the m om ent an d if so wh at kin d of vei l s are you se e i ng most brides ch oosin g?

ba ck d re s s e s .

Gowns w ith be ade d s l e e ve s o r s traps do not

Ve i ls h av e c hang e d a lot i n the p a st yea r. We

need m uc h o n to p, e ar r ings and a he adpie c e to

u s e d to re c e iv e a lot of requ ests for fa sci nators

comp l i me nt and not c o m pe te w ith the gow n are

an d b irdc ag e v e ils. Now our bri d es wa nt bea d i n g

best.

an d fu l le r lo ng e r v e ils t hat f ra me the gown a n d b r ide fo r t hat walk down the a i sl e.

But s o m e tim e s l e s s it not m o re , s o m e gow ns a re a l l abo ut the bl ing and ne e d that e xtra in the

a ccesso r ie s to finis h the Cinde re l l a e ffe c t.

Wh at are bri de s w e arin g on th eir h ead to

a c c ent u ate the dre ss?

An d fin ally Sho e s – w hat s ho e s sho u ld a br i de

We a re se e ing fe we r ti a ra s a n d more ha l os.

be looki ng at – s ho u ld she hav e m o re t han o ne

Th e re a re t he flowe r c row ns f it for a ‘boho’ bri d e

pair??

as w e ll as c r ystal and r hi nestone ha l os th at a d d

With a s m uc h that go e s o n dur ing the w e dding

m o re g lam o ur to a ro m anti c h a i rstyl e. Bra i d ed

d ay it i s be s t to aim fo r o ne pair of s ho e s that

h a i r s t y l e s are st ill g o ing strong a nd a l ot of ha l os

a gi rl m ay w e ar al l day/night. Altho ugh that

an d s m alle r hair pins ac cent these sty l es without

d oes n ot alw ays w o r k o ut, a l ot of br ide s o pt

addin g to o m uc h to a b r i d e’s overa l l l ook.

for a m o re c o mfo r tabl e if not pre tty s ho e fo r

the rece ptio n w he n photo s are not fo c us e d o n

Wh at s ty l e s are i n at the moment with regards

the a cc e s s o r ie s and m o re o n the pe o pl e . A l ot

to t h eir hair, up dos or down an d flowin g?

of bri d e s do o pt fo r s tunning e m bro ide re d o r

Half u p – half down is sti l l a very p op u l a r tren d

bl i nged o ut s ho e s . We s e e a l ot of highe r e nd

wit h b ride s. It allows o ur gi rl s to keep thei r ha i r

d esi gn e r s ho e s in a c o l o r fro m Be nj am in Adam s

o ut of t he ir fac e and sti l l ha ve sof t wa ves or

to Ba d gl ey Mis hc ka. So m e br ide s us e the ir s ho e s

cu r ls to c o m ple m e nt t hei r gowns.

a s some thing bl ue o r as an adde d po p of c o l o r

We u s ually se e an updo or someth i n g p u l l ed to

to a cce nt the gow n. Me ttal ic go l d, bl us h, and

t h e s i de wit h b r ide s who wa nt to sh ow of f thei r

red h a v e alw ays be e n gre at go to c o l o r s . We are

low b a ck o r g owns wit h some sort of op en a nd /

a l so see ing a fe w o m bre dye d s ho e s in pur pl e s o r

o r i nt r ic ate b ac k de sig n.

bl u es for o ur c o l o r ful w e ddings . &

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VENUE SPECIAL / ORLANDO | |

Orlando Getting married in the sunshine state is a dream come true for many of us and with so many venues to choose from, we really are spoilt for choice. From beachfront weddings to vintage style affairs, Florida has it all! Here, we focus on bringing you some of these stunning locations to give you some ideas of where you could celebrate your union in front of all your friends and family.

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THE CASTLE HOTEL ORLANDO Constru c te d

l ike

a

re al

c as tl e

w ith

tur re ts

a nd p ointy ro of, The Cas tl e Hote l O r l ando is a d i sti n ct ive and une xpe c te d e xpe r ie nc e fo r al l wed d i ng c o upl e s and the ir par tie s , l o c ate d in the h ea rt of Inte r natio nal D r ive . Fro m be autiful ly a p p oi nte d

bal l

ro o m s

and

s o phis tic ate d

ye t

mod ern inte r io r s , to he ate d o utdo o r po o l and tren dy c o c k tail l o unge , this hote l pro m is e s to of fer eve r ything yo u c o ul d e ve r w ant to c e l e brate you r bi g day in s tyl e , and j us t inc as e yo u do have a sp eci al re q ue s t, the w e dding pl anne r s w il l be th ere to as s is t yo u e ve r y s te p of the w ay.

For more info pl e as e vis it www.ca s tl e hote l o r l ando . c o m | W W W. P R I D E A N D G R O O M . C O

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ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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VENUE SPECIAL / ORLANDO | |

THE GRAND BOHEMIAN Vote d as a “ To p 2 0 Hote l s in Fl o r ida” by

Co ndé

Nas t

Trave l e r,

Grand

Bo he m ian Hote l O r l ando do e s not fail to im pre s s . Lo c ate d o nly m o m e nts aw ay

fro m

ge m s ,

s po r ts

ve nue s ,

and

dow ntow n’ s and

c ultural

e nte r tainm e nt

O r l ando

are a

the m e

par ks , this is a pe r fe c t s pot to ho s t yo ur

unio n.

To

c o m pl e m e nt

the

ar tis tic ae s the tic of the hote l , e ac h w e dding at Grand Bo he m ian Hote l O r l ando is a m as te r pie c e that w il l be tre as ure d fo r a l ife tim e . Expe r t pl anne r s w il l w o r k the ir m agic to ins ure yo ur s pe c ial day is e xe c ute d as s m o oth as a br idal gow n. Fro m l arge gathe r ings to a m o re intim ate c e re m o ny,

the re

are

an

ar ray

of

pac kage s to c ho o s e fro m , w ith a fo c us o n yo u and c e l e brating yo ur w e dding w ith o o dl e s of c l as s .

Fo r m o re info pl e as e vis it w w w . grandbo he m ain. c o m | ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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PUFF ‘N STUFF / ORLANDO VENUES

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HERE ARE SOME OTHER UNIQUE VENUES IN ORLANDO TO CELEBRATE YOUR WEDDING, BROUGHT TO YOU BY PUFF ‘N STUFF CATERING & EVENTS. With over 30 years of experience within the marriage industry, Puff ‘n Stuff Catering know how to pull off a great wedding, no matter how big or small, giving you the confidence and time to sit back, relax and enjoy your big day.

B A L L R O O M AT C H U R C H S T R E E T Fro m t he m o m e nt you step i nto d owntown O rl a n do’ s mo st

dist ing uished

venu e,

you

wi l l

be

i n sta ntly

capt iv ate d by it s cl a ssi c el ega nce, gl a mou r a n d ch ar m .

Fro m it s inv it ing , bri ck-p a ved entry, f l oor-to-cei ling s taine d- g lass

wi n d ows,

gra n d

sta i rca ses,

outdo o r

co ur t yard, to it s s tun ni ng cha nd el i ers, Th e Ba l l room at Churc h St re e t is t ru ly on e-of-a-ki nd .

THE MEZZ Th e M E ZZ i s an e xpans ive 7,000 s q uare fo ot venu e

featur ing

w raparo und

fl o o r-to -

cei l i ng wi n dow s providing a s w e e ping vie w of th e bea utiful br ic k -l ine d s tre e ts be l ow . An i mp ecca bly fur nis he d dé c o r fe atur ing m o de r n a rt, i nn ovative LE D l ighting and the s tate of-the-a rt s o und s ys te m are s ure to l e ave a l a sti n g i mp re s s io n o n yo ur s pe c ial day.

ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER Whe t he r yo ur wed d i n g i s rusti c or mod ern, t he Or lando Sc ience Center of fers severa l v e r sat ile and uni qu e event sp a ces. Ti e th e knot unde r an o ld oa k tree overl ooki n g the s e re ne Lake Fo r m osa . Di n e with the d i n osa urs o r danc e unde r the sta rs on th ei r outd oor te r rac e

t hat

provi d es

stu nn i n g

vi ews

of

downtown Or lando’s gl i mmeri ng skyl i n e.

H E AV E N E V E N T S C E N T E R Fe at ur ing a b lank ca nva s a nd op en f l oor p l a n, you r w e dding w il l s o ar to ne w he ights at t he He av e n Ev ent Center. Ad orned i n white sati n drape s and Ital ian l e athe r c o uc he s , t he ir in- ho use L ED l i ghti ng a l l ows you to si mp ly cus to m ize the e ve nt s pac e to s uit any c o lo r sc he m e . |

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BUDGET BREAKDOWN

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Budget

breakdown Wo r d s b y R o s e n a U s m a n i

You don’t have to break the bank to have a memorable wedding day. Here are 5 simple ideas on how to be a savvy couple, while still enjoying the planning process.

Id e a 1 : Re se arc h, Research , Research

Here i n Fl o r ida, yo u c an typic al ly find the hotte s t

Sco u r t he Inte r ne t fo r c heckl i sts a n d a sk a l l you r

d ea l s f ro m June to Se pte m be r.

fr ie n ds t hat hav e b e e n ma rri ed for p l a n ni ng adv i ce . Fo r m o st c o uples, th ei r wed d i ng i s the

Ide a 4 : Sav e t he Sp lurge

larg e s t e v e nt t hey have ever coord i nated so

A commo n m is take m ade by tho s e ne wly e ngage d

b e i n g info r m e d is yo ur best wea p on to sa vi n g.

is

Ed u cate yo ur se lf o n t he a vera ge cost for ea ch

wed d i n g purc has e . They have n’ t ye t re al ize d

e le m e nt and lo o k fo r c reati ve a lternati ves.

that eve r ything is 5 x m o re e xpe ns ive than they

ru nn ing

o ut

and

s pl urging

on

the ir

fir s t

thou ght. Save the s pl urge fo r afte r yo u’ ve had a Ide a 2 : Ta lk th e Talk

ch a n ce to re s e arc h c o s ts fo r al l m aj o r e l e m e nts

Afte r yo u’v e do ne t he resea rch , ta l k to you r

of you r w e dding.

fian cé and de te r m ine th e “ must-h a ve” items t h at are im po r tant to ea ch you . On ce you h a ve

Ide a 5 : Do t he Mat h

cre ate d yo ur list , talk to th e key d eci si on ma kers

When it c o m e s to yo ur gue s t l is t, it’ s al l abo ut

ab o ut a re alist ic b udg e t for the enti re wed d i n g.

nu mber s . The m o re pe o pl e yo u invite , the m o re p eop l e that w il l c o m e . Multiply that by 2 and it

|

Ide a 3 : Date Savvy

sta rts to add up q uic k ly. Es pe c ial ly, if m o s t of

Wh e n it c o m e s to se le c t in g you r p erfect wed d i n g

you r gue s ts do n’ t l ive in Fl o r ida, and are l o o k ing

date , t he re are t wo ways to sa ve. Fi rst, con si d er

for a re as o n to c o m e vis it. We k now it’ s hard,

a n o n-Sat urday, fo r e v e n bi gger d ea l s, a sk a bout

but keeping yo ur gue s t l is t to o nly the m o s t

Th u r s day and yo u will be a stoni sh ed . Second ,

i mp ortant pe o pl e in yo ur l ife w il l have a l arge

lo o k fo r o ppo r t unit ie s duri n g n on-p ea k months.

i mp a ct o n yo ur ove ral l budge t. &

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It all started with 5 simple wishes...

In the mid 17th century, Europeans celebrating weddings and special occasions would offer their guests five almond dragĂŠes.

Centuries later, Les Cinq Amandes continues this sweet tradition by offering outstanding designs, innovative flavors and the five wishes of Health, Happiness, Longevity, Peace, and of course...Love!

V E N U E / H O L LY W O O D | | |

Lavan Events

W

ith

a

combined

stunning

décor

12,000 and

square

feet

ambiance,

of

Lavan

with sound, video and light systems equal to ones you’d find in the best South Florida nightclubs.

events is the perfect backdrop for your

nuptials.

Tropical

landscaping

and

With an extensive menu to choose from, it

dramatic

comes as no surprise that their quest to be top-

lighting make the Courtyard a versatile wedding

of-the-line extends to the kitchen as well, where

locale. Stone walls, a waterfall and a draped

old favorites get a new spin and the Middle

arbor, and you’ve got just the right ambiance for

Eastern-influenced

a romantic ceremony, with plenty of room for

every dietary requirement you or your guests may

dinner and dancing afterwards. The Italian villa

need.

cuisine

can

accommodate

exterior of this newly built venue offers a serene charm,

while

inside,

the

5,000-square-foot

Ballroom with ornate chandeliers is equipped

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ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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VENUE / NAPLES | | |

T

The Edgewater Beach Hotel he

Edg e wate r

Be ach

Hotel

p rovi d es

a

s t u nning Gulf-fro nt setti ng for a roma nti c Naple s

we dding .

O verl ooki n g

th e

white-

s an d s ho re s of t he Gulf of Mexi co, th e Ed gewater b o as t s 125 spac io us suites a nd stu nn i n g Na p l es we d d i ng v e nue s t hat re f l ect the ca su a l el ega n ce of t h e i r b e ac hfro nt se tti n g. Excha nge vows i n t h e i r q u aint Be ac h Cot ta ge, wh i ch of fers seati ng fo r u p to 60 g ue st s indo ors a n d ca n be combi n ed wit h a white te nt fo r ad d iti on a l outd oor sp a ce.

Th e h ote l also has se v era l el ega ntly a p p oi nted v e n u e s re ady to b e t rans formed for you r wed d i n g re ce pt i o n.

Un de r t he g uidanc e of th ei r Executi ve Ch ef, Ed g e wate r Be ac h Hote l wi l l treat you r gu ests to an unfo rg e t tab le c ul i na ry ex p eri en ce d u ri ng yo u r we dding c e le b rat ion . You a n d you r gu ests will dine fro m c usto m- created men us i nf l uenced by

g lo b al

c uisine s

and

a rtf ul ly

p resented

to

co mple m e nt yo ur uniq ue th eme a nd styl e.

Fo r m o re info ple ase v isit www. e d g e wate r naple s.com | ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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Eq Eq tt rig rig

secu sec for for ga ga

Come celebrate your Come celebrate your Come celebrate your special occasion with special occasion with special occasion with Marriage Equality USA. Marriage Equality USA. ®

®

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We are honored to help you create a personal We are donation honored registry to help for youany create a personal and special occasion.

donation for any occasion.

Weand arespecial honored to helpregistry you create a personal andWedding special donation registryHoliday for any occasion.

Birth / Adoption Events Wedding / Adoption Holiday Events In Memory Birth of a Loved One Memory of in a Loved Birth / Adoption Holiday AnyWedding special Inoccasion yourOne life. Events

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In Memory of a Loved One

Any special occasion in your life.

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AA DD VV EE RR TT II SS EE HH EE RR EE

II NN FF OO @@ PP RR II DD EE AA NN DD GG RR OO OO MM .. CC OO

R E A L W E D D I N G S / B A C K YA R D B L I S S | | |

Jessy & Ashley J E S S Y A N D A S H L E Y – N A P L E S, F LO R I DA PHOTOGRAPHY BY NEW GROUND PHOTOGRAPHY W W W. N E W G R O U N D P H O T O G R A P H Y. C O M

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R E A L W E D D I N G S / B A C K YA R D B L I S S | |

“And she s m e l l s go o d… …”

That is the o nly thing As hl ey c o ul d think to say th e fir s t tim e s he w rappe d Je s s y in he r ar m s a nd f rom that day fo r w ard As hl ey w o ul d w ait

ey Ashl

i mp ati e ntly fo r the ne xt tim e s he c o ul d fe e l Je s s y melt i nto he r.

Jessy

Ash l ey and Je s s y fir s t m e t in 2 01 2 in Winte r Pa rk, weeks

FLo r ida.

The

be fo re

go ing

c o upl e

date d

s e parate

fo r

w ays ,

s e ve ral

how e ve r,

n either e ve r tr uly got pas t the othe r. In 2 01 3 both fou nd t he m s e lve s s ingl e and the re w as no w ay th ey woul d s q uande r anothe r o ppo r tunity to be together.

Jessy and As hl ey w e re both re ady fo r m ar r iage a nd l ate r that ye ar the c o upl e de c ide d to take th ei r rel atio ns hip to the ne xt s te p and pl an a ceremony to c e l e brate the ir l ove , w ith an e pic p a rty to fo l l ow .

Littl e did they k now that The State of Fl o r ida woul d pro gre s s al l ow ing the m to be c o m e m ar r ie d at th ei r w e dding.

The

o nly

pl ac e

the

c o upl e

c o ul d

im agine

sha ri ng this m o m e nt w as o n the 44 ac re s of l and Jessy ’s pare nts l ive o n in Fo r t Mye r s , Fl o r ida.

Ash l ey a nd Pam (Je s s y’ s m o m ) to o k to pl anning a n a bsol ute fair ytal e w e dding w he re the c o upl e s mothers w al ke d the m dow n the ais l e to s tar t th ei r fore ve r as Mr s . and Mr s . El l e r.

The gir l s had 1 65 gue s ts and al l the ir fr ie nds a nd fa mil ie s c am e to ge the r e ffo r tl e s s ly!

On | ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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the ir |

w e dding

day,

As hl ey

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c o ul dn’ t |

| | |

i ma gi n e not having gotte n re ady w ith Je s s y. The tra n sform atio n w as the m o s t be autiful thing s he h a d ever s e e n.

The

gir l s

al s o

tr uly

e nj oye d

having

the ir

mothers as s is t the m o n the day, he l ping the m get i nto the ir dre s s e s and be ing w al ke d dow n the a i sl e by the tw o s tro nge s t w o m e n they k now .

Sh a ri n g the fathe r daughte r danc e w as al s o a tru ly m e m o rabl e m o m e nt as both gir l s w e re sp u n a n d tw ir l e d l ike tr ue br ide s s ho ul d be !

Ash l ey and Je s s y w e re tr uly bl e s s e d w ith am azing bri d esmaids (and br ide s m e n) w ho m anage d to keep the c o upl e c al m thro ugho ut the day and sha red be autiful w o rds at the c e re m o ny. The wed d i ng c o ul d not have be e n m o re m agic al . & | W W W. P R I D E A N D G R O O M . C O

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VENUE / KEY WEST | | |

Fur y Water Advent ures

I

f you l ike the s o unds of s aying yo ur vow s as

you

s ail

su rrou nding

on Key

the

c r ys tal

We s t,

the n

bl ue Fur y

w ate r s Wate r

Ad ventu re s m ight j us t be the pe r fe c t ans w e r.

Of feri n g a huge ar ray of w ate r-bas e d s po r ts , Fury a ls o c ate r s fo r w e ddings and s pe c ial events.

With a Catam aran o r gl as s botto m bo at to choose fro m , l ive bands , and al l the am e nitie s you n eed o n bo ard to have the w e dding of a l ifeti m e , yo u c an be w his ke d aw ay w ith you r f ri e nds and fam ily o n the ultim ate s e a a d ventu re and l ite ral ly s ail into the be autiful Key Wes t s uns e t.

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REAL WEDDINGS / BEACH BRIDES | |

Tonya

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Tonya & Haley

Hayley

W

e 13

l ike

to

s ay

w e ’ ve

ye ar s ,

j us t

on

a

be e n

to ge the r

1 0-ye ar

fo r

s abbatic al .

Som e tim e s it j us t take s us that l o ng to

rea l i ze w hat w e ne e d is r ight in fro nt of us . A gym workout in 2 01 2 re m inde d us of that and w e have been toge the r e ve r s inc e .

Once w e de c ide d to ge t m ar r ie d the q ue s tio n ca me u p of w ho pro po s e s to w ho m . What gir l d oesn’t w ant to be pro po s e d to? We both did.

As soon as the fir s t o ne pro po s e s , the re is a ve r y a wkwa rd tho ught e ve r y day go ing fo r w ard of “ i s it my tur n ye t.” We bo r row e d the ide a fro m our cl os e fr ie nds and s e l e c te d an “e ngage m e nt d ay” - July 1 2 , 2 01 4.

To nya ge ts the m o r ning.

Hay l ey ge ts the afte r no o n. Eac h gir l pl ans he r own sp e c ial w ay to po p the q ue s tio n. We k ne w that we w ante d to ge t e ngage d and ge t m ar r ie d i n Key We s t: o ur favo r ite pl ac e . This o ne s ingl e i sl a n d has o ur he ar ts fo re ve r.

Tonya

pro po s e d

at

Sm athe r ’ s

Be ac h

and

Hay l ey pro po s e d at Fo r t Zac har y Tayl o r State Pa rk. Ne ithe r o ne of us had be e n to Fo r t Zac h a n d qu ic k ly k ne w this is w he re w e w o ul d ge t ma rri ed ! We pic ke d o ur c e re m o ny s ite that day.

A p l a n ne d e ngage m e nt day al s o m e ant w e w e re a bl e to final ize s o m e w e dding de tail s dur ing the sa me Key We s t tr ip. Our w e dding, o ur l im ite d bu d get, o ur dre am s , o ur de c is io ns . | W W W. P R I D E A N D G R O O M . C O

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ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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REAL WEDDINGS / BEACH BRIDES | |

t h e ce re m o ny site de c id ed , n ex t stop recepti on lo ca le .

Ke lly’s Car ib b e a n Ba r a nd Gri l l h a s it

all: a m azing histo r y, bea utif ul roof top vi be, g re at fo o d, and sim ply p ut - Fa bu l ous. Ra chel Li g o n photo g raphe r, Key West Ca kes, Love i n Blo o m flo r ist , Do ub le t ree Gra n d Key Resort: a l l m aj o r de c isio ns we re g etti n g ch ecked of f before we le ft t he island. Back at h ome, the vend ors m ade it so e asy to plan f rom th ousa n d s of mi l es away.

Ou r be aut iful we dding took p l a ce at su nset on May 1 6 , 20 15 wit h an am azi n g group of our cl osest fr ie n ds and se le c t fam ily members. Our guests lov e d c o m ing to Key We st for the f i rst ti me ever o r fir s t t im e in de c ade s . They ma d e a va cati on o ut of it ! Fro m adv e nt ure tou rs, bi ke renta l s, ba r h o p i n g , po o l dr inking , a n d the best d ra g sh ows.

Ev e r yo ne had a b last and ha s requ ested reu ni ons t h e re ! Fo r us t he b e st memori es f rom ou r d ay are s ay ing “I Do” by t he water with th e soun d of a s te e l dr um , b e ing b lown a way by th e roof top re ce pt i o n, and of c o ur se jump i n g of f th e p i er in o u r we dding dre sse s. Th e p i ctu res remi n d us e v e r yday of how o ur wed d i n g d rea ms ca me true - Can we do it ag ain? &

T O N YA & H AY L E Y – K E Y W E S T, F LO R I D A PHOTOGRAPHY BY RACHEL E. LIGON W W W. R A C H E L E L I G O N . C O M

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PUFF & STUFF / TAMPA VENUES

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WHETHER YOUR PERFECT DAY IS AN INTIMATE GATHERING OR A CELEBRATION WITH FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, PUFF ‘N STUFF CATERING BRINGS YOU THE TOP VENUES LOCATED THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY.

T P E P I N ’ S H O S P I TA L I T Y C E N T R E Co nv e nie nt ly sit uate d in ea st Ta mp a Bay, th i s s o ph i s t ic ate d v e nue fe atu res 10,000 sq. f t. of e v e nt s pac e . The Grand Ba l l room a ccommod ates u p to 5 0 0 g ue st s and incl u d es a bu i lt i n ‘l i ght up’ dan ce flo o r, state - of- t he-a rt l i ghti ng a nd ca n be cu s to mize d to e xe c ute a ny cel ebrati on, l a rge or s m all.

T H E W E S T LY Tucked aw ay w ithin a gate d c o m m unity dotte d with

pal m

tre e s ,

the

We s tly

Eve nt

Ce nte r

(formerly k now n as Mains ail ) fe ature s ove r 1 7,000 sq. f t. of e l e gant e ve nt s pac e .

From the w ar m w e l c o m ing grand e ntranc e , to th e outdo o r te r rac e ove r l o o k ing a tranq uil po nd a nd ca s c ading w ate r fal l , this hidde n ge m bo as ts a n i nviting ye t s o phis tic ate d s e tting to ho s t yo ur wed d i ng . |

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PUFF & STUFF / TAMPA VENUES

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T H E PA L M E T T O C LU B Tu r n m o m e nt s into m e mori es at Th e Pa l metto Cl ub wh e re ch ar m

meets

m o de r n

op ul ence.

Excha nge

vows

on

an

e n ch ant ing half- ac re of ma ni cu red ga rd en s a d orned w ith s e re n e wate r fo untains . Di ne a n d d a n ce the ni ght a w ay u n de r o r nate c r ystal c ha n d el i ers fou nd th rou gh out the Gra nd Ballro o m .

FA N TA S Y O F F L I G H T With over 100,000 s q . ft. of c o m bine d s pac e , this ve nue c an a ccommod ate f rom 5 0 to 5 ,000 gue s ts . Say “ I Do” in fro nt of a p i ctu resqu e, l a kesi d e s uns e t. Enj oy c o c k tail s in the be autiful ly a d orn ed Art Deco Com pas s Ro s e ; par ty into the e ve ning ins ide one of our sp a ci ous h angar s o r ke e p it s im ply e l e gant in o ne of our vi nta ge themed l o c atio ns . |

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Eq E t rig rig

sec sec for for ga g

Come celebrate your Come celebrate your Come celebrate your special occasion with special occasion with special occasion with Marriage Equality USA. Marriage Equality USA. ®

®

Marriage Equality USA. ®

We are honored to help you create a personal We are donation honored registry to help for youany create a personal and special occasion.

donation for any occasion.

Weand arespecial honored to helpregistry you create a personal andWedding special donation registryHoliday for any occasion.

Birth / Adoption Events Wedding / Adoption Holiday Events In Memory Birth of a Loved One Memory of in a Loved Birth / Adoption Holiday AnyWedding special Inoccasion yourOne life. Events

Any special occasion in your life.

In Memory of a Loved One

Any special occasion in your life.

For more information please go to www.marriageequality.org/registries For more information please go to

www.marriageequality.org/registries For more information please go to www.marriageequality.org/registries

VENUE / ST PETERSBOURG | | |

L

The B irchwood

o cate d o n Be ac h D r ive i n the l a i d ba ck hu stl e

a

an d

Th rough s o ar ing w indow s o r o n the s pac io us

b ust le

of

downtown

St.

Petersbu rg,

F L, The Birc hwo o d i s a h i stori ca l p rop erty

sp ectac ul ar

ba l cony,

The

s e tting

Grand

fo r

yo ur

Bal l ro o m

c e l e bratio ns .

al s o

de l ive r s

offe r in g supe r b am e nit i es for wed d i n g p a rti es

en ch a nte d vie w s of Tam pa Bay, Be ac h D r ive ,

of all s i ze s.

the d ow ntow n St. Pe te r s burg s k yl ine and the

O r ig inally b uilt in 1924 a s the La ntern La ne Apar t me nt s, t he Me diterra nea n Styl e bui l d i ng

p ea cef ul tre e to p do m e of Straub Par k . What cou l d be m o re ro m antic fo r yo ur w e dding day?

w a s re de v e lo pe d in June of 2013.

Go ab ov e and b eyo nd for you r p a rty i n the Bi rchwo o d’s

Grand

Ba l l room,

| ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

whi ch

|

creates

50

For more info pl e as e vis it www.the birc hw o o d. c o m

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R E A L W E D D I N G S / N A T U R I S T N E W LY W E D S | |

Andrea & Japhia

keen to create an experience and choose a venue

A N D R E A & JA P H I A – S T P E T E R S B O U RG, F LO R I DA PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIDE THE KNOT BEACH WEDDINGS

that would give their guests an understanding

W W W.T I D E T H E K N O T B E A C H W E D D I N G S . C O M

and feel for why they had chosen to ground their

A

lives in Florida. ndrea

delivered

a

surprise

proposal

to

After their amazing wedding, the newlyweds

Japhia on January 5, 2014. After almost 6

took off for their honeymoon to another paradise,

years together, Andrea chose a very special

Sayulita, in Mexico, which is about 1 hour south

and personal setting of Honeymoon Island in

of Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast. They

Dunedin, FL. The couple had embarked on a life-

stayed in a beautiful, private, nature paradise

move adventure in 2012 from Baltimore, MD to

resort tucked away through Jungle roads on a

find their paradise and they found it on the Gulf

hidden beach.

Coast of Florida. Honeymoon Island was a special

Some of the many highlights of their wedding

ingredient in this discovery, as Andrea loves to

day were being surrounded by so many of their

beachcomb for treasures.

dear and treasured friends. Feeling all of that

The duo were married on Fort De Soto beach

love and energy among their guests who also took

in St. Petersburg, FL and had their reception at

meaningful parts in the ceremony and overall

St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club which is an

creation of the day. Walking down the beach

incredible historic landmark of community in

hand-in-hand and arriving to the ceremony site

downtown St. Pete. They wanted a casual, fun

to the sound of cheers from their guests. Sharing

celebration where their most loved friends and

their vows with each other. They also loved all of

family 4could just be together and celebrate

the hugs that they got from everyone throughout

without any of the traditional trappings. They

the whole day, dancing at the reception (this

had food trucks for the food, Florida beers,

is big coming from Japhia who is typically a

shuffleboard play, and lots of dancing under the

wallflower) and ending the evening in the pool

moon.

at the hotel with family and friends “we jumped

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right in without even taking out the bobby pins from our wedding hairstyles!” & |

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re And

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a

Jap

hia

ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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V E N U E / C L E A RWAT E R | | |

The Kapok

I

f in

a

Co uple

is

Cle ar wate r,

c e le brati n g t he n

you

thei r ca n

n upti a l s

a l most

From

the

s um ptuo us

Euro pe an

o utdo o r

be

ga rd en s to its be autiful bal l ro o m s , Kapo k has it

g u a ra nte e d t hat t hey a re h osti ng it at the

a l l , i n c l uding a s tairc as e that is a re pl ic a fro m

Kapo k , a t r uly uniq ue wed d i n g sp ot wh ere th e

the Titanic , and its l o c ate d l ite ral ly m inute s

i m ag in at io n c an r un wild . With its p erfect mi x of

f rom the be ac h, m ak ing this a gre at ve nue fo r

e cle ct ic st yle s o n offe r, it wou l d be h a rd to f i nd

you to s ay I do to yo ur l ove d o ne !

a n ot h e r v e nue like t his th at ca n work for a l most a ny s t y le o r we dding t heme th at you l i ke – even

For more info r m atio n pl e as e vis it

i n pe r i o d c o st um e !

www.kapo ks pe c ial e ve nts . c o m

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It’s your special day.

We’ll make it extra special.

You’ve always had a vision for your wedding day. Let the wedding professionals at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa help make your dreams come true.

Featuring sophisticated style and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico, we offer the perfect setting for the celebration you’ve always imagined — whether it’s an intimate event or a ballroom ceremony followed by a grand reception. Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount when you book and hold your wedding with us by December 31, 2016.

For more information, contact one of our wedding professionals at 727 373 4444 or visit clearwaterbeach.hyatt.com.

HYATT REGENCY CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT & SPA

301 South Gulfview Blvd.

Clearwater, Florida, USA, 33767

Offer is valid at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa through December 31, 2016. Offer is based on availability and blackout periods including holidays may apply. Offer includes a ten percent (10%) discount off of published 2015 Wedding Packages. Offer is valid only for newly contracted weddings in accordance with the Catering Contract. The ten percent (10%) discount is applicable only on eligible food and beverage (on non-labor costs) associated with the event. Other incidental charges incurred at any hotel restaurants and shops are not covered by this offer. Qualifying charges do not include any surcharges, gratuities, hotel fees, taxes or third-party charges by contractors (i.e.: florists, equipment rental, in-house A/V company, simultaneous translators, or event/venue decorators etc). Offer is subject to availability of function space at time of booking. Offer is not valid in conjunction with previously booked weddings and may not be combined with any other offers, incentives, discounts or promotions. Blackout dates may apply. For details about hotel availability and blackout dates, please contact the Catering Department. HYATT name, design and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2015 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

D E S T I N AT I O N H O N E Y M O O N S / H AWA I I | |

Hawaiian

Honeymoons L

e t s fac e it - It ’s hard to go wron g with Ha wa i i for that al l am azing tr ip fo r tw o . With s o m any b e a ut iful de st inat io ns to choose f rom, you a re su re to find o ne that re al ly s e ts the pe r fe c t b ackdro p fo r t hat perfectly roma nti c h oneymoon, a n d he re is a s e l e c tio n w e have c ho s e n, that

mig ht j ust t ic kle yo ur fancy!

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The Fair mont Orchid t he big Island T

he

Fair m o nt

a cres

of

O rc hid

pe r fe c tly

s pre ads

ac ro s s

m anic ure d

32

garde ns

a l on g the Pac ific . Vas t gro unds and o pe n

p l a n en s ure that the re ’ s alw ays a gre at vie w .

Sp orty ne wlyw e ds e nj oy the 1 0,000-s q uare -fo ot swi mming po o l , the 2 c ham pio ns hip go lf c o ur s e s , a nd the 1 0 te nnis c o ur ts . The hote l e ve n has its own l a g o o n, c o m pl e te w ith re s ide nt gre e n s e a tu rtl es.

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS Coup l es

w ho

e nj oy

ge tting

pam pe re d

s ho ul d

try the o utdo o r Wate r fal l Mas s age , w he re they ca n l ounge in a hal e (pr ivate hut) ove r l o o k ing waterfal l s and a ko i po nd.

For more info pl e as e vis it www.fair m o nt. c o m /o rc hid-haw aii. c o m | W W W. P R I D E A N D G R O O M . C O

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D E S T I N AT I O N H O N E Y M O O N S / H AWA I I | |

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Four Seasons Maui at Wailea/ Maui

F

o r c o uple s who t r uly l ove th e f i ner thi ngs i n l ife, the Fo u r Se aso ns Maui at Wa i l ea ca n p rovi d e a l ux uri ou s and ro m ant ic at m o sphe re on th e shores of Ma u i . The res o r t

b o as t s o ne of t he c o untry’s top -rated sp a s a n d th ree of Hawaii’s m o st c r it ic ally a ccl a i med resta u ra nts.

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS A co n cie rg e c an he lp wit h a ny roma nti c request, but the res o r t fe at u re s t wo po pular opti ons. For the Bou ga i nvi l l ea Trail o pt i o n , g arde ne r s handp i ck bouga i nvi l l ea f rom the grounds an d s e t up a t rail fro m d oor to bed , comp l ete with ch i ll e d ch am pag ne . The Ult im ate Roma nti c Di nn er bri ngs p ri vate , fin e d i ning to t he b e ac h. The Fou r Sea sons Resort Ma u i che f cre ate s a fiv e - c o ur se mea l for coup l es at a p ri vate ta bl e o n t h e b e ac h se t wit h fine cry sta l , si lver, chi na , a nd trop ic al flowe r s .

Fo r m o re info ple ase v isit www.fo ur se aso ns.c o m /ma ui .com | ISSUE 03 - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

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D E S T I N AT I O N H O N E Y M O O N S / H O N O LU LU | | |

Kahala Hotel and Resort

T

he

Kahala’s

6.5

acres

cre sc e nt

b e ac h,

g arde ns,

and

seem

far

re s o r t

waterfa l l s

re m ov e d,

is

o nly

Ho n o lu l u’s at mo s phe re .

of

trop i ca l

but

m inutes

the f rom

c o sm op ol ita n Fiv e

b ottl enose

do lph i ns fre q ue nt t he p ri vate lag o o n — b ut t hey aren’t the re s o r t ’s

o nly

c e le b r iti es.

A

walk t h ro ug h t he hote l’s p h oto g alle r y shows t hat The Ka h a l a h a s h oste d e v e r yo ne from US pre s i de nt s to ro c k star s.

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS Th e Ka hala’s “K issing Poi nt” i s o n e of t he m o st b e aut iful sp ots on

the

island

to

watch

th e

co lo r fu l Hawaiian sunset.

Fo r m o re info ple ase v isit www. kahalare so r t .c o m

T

K o’a Kea / Kauai

his

l ow -key

hote l

on

Po ipu

Be ac h s k ips ove r the m an-m ade trappings of othe r re s o r ts and

ins te ad e m phas ize s the s e re nity of its s ur ro undings . Al l ro o m s fe ature l anais ,

most

w ith

aw e -ins pir ing

vie w s .

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS The s pa he re has five ro o m s s pe c ial ly c o ns tr uc te d fo r c o upl e s . Fo l l ow an indul ge nt tre atm e nt w ith an e ve nm o re

de c ade nt

dinne r

at

Kauai’ s

be s t hote l re s taurant, Re d Salt.

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H

D E S T I N AT I O N H O N E Y M O O N S / H AWA I I

|

|

Grand Wailea/ Maui o n eym o o ne r s

v isit in g

Gra nd

Wa i l ea

wi l l

e n j oy a par t ic ular c ombi nati on of d eca d en ce an d

Hawaiian

c ulture.

No

ex p ense

wa s

s pare d dur ing c o nst r ucti on : some $30 mi l l i on wo r t h of o r ig inal ar t wo rk d ecorates th e grou nd s, m u ch of whic h was e xp ressly created for th e h ote l by Hawaiian ar t ists. Th e h otel a l so boa sts a far m- to- tab le dining se ri es, th e on ly sp eci a l i zed s cu b a po o l in Hawaii, a n d the l a rgest a nd most re s p le nde nt spa o n Maui , a 50,000 squa re-foot m ar b le

paradise

wit h

th un d eri ng

waterfa l l

s h ow e r s, Japane se furo bath s, mi n era l soa ki ng t u b s a n d ot he r luxe fe at u res.

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS Th e Gra nd Waile a’s sig nature resta ura nt f l oat ato p a m an- m ade lag oon; some cou p l es enjoy fis h i n g fo r t he ir own lobster, stra i ght f rom the wate r s b e low.

Fo r m o re info ple ase v isit www. g randwaile a.c o m |

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D E S T I N AT I O N H O N E Y M O O N S / H AWA I I | | |

Travaasa Hana/ Maui

A

t th e e nd of the s pe c tac ul ar ro ad to Hana is a re s o r t that c an o nly be de s c r ibe d as l uxur y i n it s pure s t fo r m . The adults-o nly Se a Ranc h

cotta ges he re are dow nr ight he ave nly, fe atur ing p l u sh be ds w ith o rganic l ine ns , bam bo o fl o o r s , d eep soak ing tubs and fl o o r to c e il ing s l iding d oors

that

o pe n

o nto

s pac io us

l anais

(m any

with a pr ivate hot tub). Ac tive c o upl e s l ove the Tra v aas a be c aus e the ge nuine ly ho s pitabl e staf f sets up doze ns of adve nture s (m any at no ex tra co s t) fro m arc he r y, to ho r s e bac k r ide s p a st wate r fal l s , to l e ar ning how to throw a tra d iti o nal Haw aiian fis hing ne t. The o n-s ite s pa ha s been vote d “ Be s t in Haw aii”.

HONEYMOOCN HIGHLIGHTS Th i s

is

the

o nly

al l-inc l us ive

re s o r t

in

the

Ha wa i i a n is l e s , s o tho ugh it’ s pr ic ey, o nc e it’ s p a i d for (pe r haps by yo ur fr ie nds and fam ily. . . hi nt, hi nt) yo u w o n’ t have to w o r r y abo ut c o s ts on the h o neym o o n its e lf.

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P I N K - PA R E N T I N G . C O M F O R T H E M O D E R N FA M I LY NEW & IMPROVED SITE LIVE NOW!

THE WHITE WEDDING DRESS | | |

Pretty in white

Wed d i n g tra d iti ons may ha ve rel axe d in re c e nt de c ade s , but o ne thing s tays the sa me: th e bri d e wea rs wh ite . Sure , the re are pl e nty of o ptio ns o ut th ere for the more ra d i ca l s a mo ng us . But as of l as t ye ar, c o l o re d gow ns a ccou nted for only 4 to 5% of sa l e s at po pul ar re tail e r David’ s Br idal .

Li ke a ny nu mber of tra d iti on s, the w hite w e dding dre s s c o m e s to us stra i ght f rom the Vi ctori a n era— in fac t, fro m Que e n Vic to r ia he r s e lf, wh o wa s ma rri ed to Pr inc e Al be r t of Saxe -Co burg and Gotha, 175 yea rs a go. Yet w he n s he c ho s e w hite s il k -s atin fo r he r wed d i n g, th e c ho ic e w as al m o s t as radic al as it w o ul d ha ve been for Cathe r ine Middl e to n to w al k dow n the a i sl e i n bri ght re d.

Red wa s i n fa c t a ve r y po pul ar c o l o r fo r br ide s in Vi ctori a’s d ay, but the yo ung q ue e n bro ke w ith the s tatus quo a n d i n si sted on a l ac y w hite gow n. Me m be r s of the c o ur t thou ght it mu ch too restraine d in c o l o r, and w e re mys tifie d that sh e sh un ned ermi n e a n d e ve n a c row n, o pting ins te ad fo r a s im pl e ora nge bl ossom wreath .

Vi ctori a wa s n ot the f i rst royal to c ho o s e w hite fo r he r nuptial s— severa l oth ers, i n cl u d i ng Mar y Que e n of Sc ots in 1 5 5 8 , pre c e de d he r— but Vi ctori a i s th e one wi d e ly c re dite d w ith c hanging the no r m .

Al on gsi d e p urity a n d si mpl ic ity, Vic to r ia’ s gow n p roved to a l so be econom ic al re pur po s ing the l a ce

f rom

her

d ress

again

and

again,

e ve n

resu rrecti n g it for her Diam o nd Jubil e e 5 6 ye ar s l ater.

Tod ay’s bri d es may n ot s hare this thr iftine s s , but th ey d o ta ke af ter Vi c to r ia in s tyl e . With its fitte d bod i ce a n d f u l l , f l oor-l e ngth s k ir t, the typic al contemp ora ry wed d i n g gow n l o o ks a l ot m o re l i ke Vi ctori a’s d ress than it do e s anything e l s e i n th e bri d e’s wa rd rob e . &

Pride & Groom Magazine is a publication of G&J Media LLC. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by G&J Media LLC of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. The editorial content in this publication does not necessarily represent policies or recommendations of G&J Media LLC. This publication is not intended to be exhaustive. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, G&J Media LLC shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. © 2015 All copyright G&J Media LLC unless otherwise stated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from G&J Media LLC is strictly prohibited.

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W W W. P R I D E A | NDGROOM.CO

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ISSUE 03 – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

2015

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