Spring may be just around the corner, but for those of you getting a head start on planning a winter wedding for the 2010/11 season, here’s a little inspiration for a head start. Photographed by Erin Hearts Court, a husband and wife photo duo from LA, these American love birds, who have been known to fly north for that other Thanksgiving weekend, chose their fav Canadian respite for their wedding locale: Whistler, BC.

Both from big families, and therefore big celebrations and holidays, Sara and Reno spent their first vacation alone over Thanksgiving by escaping to the Great White North for a little skiing and alone time. It was where, Sara says, they really fell in love. Returning two years later they secured the spot as their ’special place’ on a second visit and then Reno proposed on a trip to Barcelona.

Despite some grievances, the couple chose to marry each other surrounded by the snow and the mountains where they’d always loved to escape together. Despite a little grief from family and friends (who were literally spread out across the US) an intimate group of about 30 people ended up attending the wedding for what Sara called, a “double elation” because it gave people and excuse to take a mini-break as well as celebrate the marriage.

This December, on their first anniversary, they plan to return again to the spot to re-live the memories of that special weekend.

Notes: Sara reported that finding the right professionals was easy – she’d known Erin (Erin Hearts Court) since her freshman year in university and the dress was the first one she tried on (the bridesmaids’ dresses were a little tougher however but came together beautifully with wraps from Anthropologie), they settled easily on the Fairmont’s Chateau Whistler for their location and from there, it was essentially word of mouth to find people like event planner Roxanne (Celebrate Events) and Rembrandt Designs Co. for flowers.

No matter what your budget is, there are many, many options for a spectacular and quality honeymoon. Creating a trip that provides high adventure in the wilds, serious R&R, or a taste of culture is all possible, but depending on your budget, may require a little creativity in terms of when and where and for how long you honeymoon. We asked two local travel experts, Shannon Coyle, senior travel consultant at New Wave Travel and Gilbert Manza, the owner of Executive Travel Services Ltd. to provide us with a spread of travel options, based on current honeymoon trends. Shannon had a $2,000 budget, while Gilbert’s was $20,000.

Shannon, who predicts the ongoing success of boutique and luxury hotels, in particular the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, has said her most popular destinations requested this year by couples looking for both destination weddings and honeymoons have been Europe’s Greece and Croatia; Thailand, Cambodia and Laos and the South Pacific for Asia and Jamaica, Barbados and St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Her first suggestion for a $2,000 honeymoon budget would be Costa Rica’s Hotel Punta Islita, which has been on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List of destinations for the last four years and is a member of the SLH and the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism. A “Surrender to a Storybook Escape” promotion is in effect at the hotel which includes: one Couple’s Tandem Massage and the choice of an eco-adventure (Canopy Zip-Lining, Hiking, Horseback Riding) for $989 USD per couple for three nights, add on about $800 for flights and you’re winging your way to a long weekend of bliss.

A second option is the Pink Beach Club in Bermuda, another Small Luxury Hotel and designed as a cottage colony. With their current promotions a three-night stay includes an Ocean View Junior Suite, and meals including a five-course gourmet dinner daily for $1185.00 USD per couple. Flights are approximately $350 each.

Shannon’s third option is the Inn at Manitou, a spot two hours north of Toronto, which she calls “our very own hidden secret.” For $1794 year-round, a couple can spend three nights with all meals including afternoon tea and have access to all facilities. All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Afternoon Tea) daily at the Winner of the 2009 World’s Best award from Travel & Leisure.

Gilbert estimates that the average honeymoon budget he works with is between $7,500 and $14,000 and that close to 15% of his honeymoon clientele plan to spend between $15,000 and $20,000 on their post-wedding travel. His European itinerary begins with flying business class to Paris for three nights at the left-bank Esprit St.Germain hotel before flying to Barcelona and staying another three nights at the Arts Hotel. From Barcelona, he’d recommend taking a Royal Caribbean 12 night Mediterranean cruise.

A second option Gilbert provided was 10 days at either The Veranda (an all inclusive resort which even includes international calls) or The Somerset in Turks and Caicos. While airfare and the resorts add up to $10,000+, this is a great spot to plan each day as you want, from shopping to adventure trips, sightseeing and lounging. Setting up camp for a nice stretch of time in one place can be relaxing and give you the opportunity to explore the place to its fullest (and squeeze in a little romance for good measure!)

Notes: These ideas were all based on current rates at the time of publishing this post, and while we suspect there will almost always be a special package for honeymooners, be sure to double check before counting on these ideas specifically when setting your budget. Images courtesy of The Veranda, Esprit St. Germain, Arts Hotel, L’Express & Hotel Punta Islita.

Yesterday, in Welcome to the Country, we posted a photo of our welcome bag idea for a wedding in Prince Edward County. Today, we’re dishing on just how easy it is to create something so pretty and personal (and how cheap).

To start, we’re going to presume you already have some kind of image you want to use, ours was a free online image that we added the word Picton and the date to complete it, but yours could be anything: your names, your monogram or an image of an icon which identifies those in the know with your big day. It can be created on any software from Illustrator to Word, whatever you have available to you but we suggest picking something with a solid border that’s easy to trim closely.

Materials:

-Canvas tote bag (ours is from Creative Bag $1.40).

-Iron-on Printer Transfer Sheets for Light Fabrics @ any local craft store (approximately $13.99 for 5 sheets).

-Tissue or shredded paper for packing (optional)

Steps:

-Run a tester of your image by printing it onto regular paper and testing to see if it’s the size you want.

-Set your printer’s options to Mirror Image or horizontally flip your image, and print it again on transfer sheet, there are instructions on the back of the package for correctly using the transfers.

-Allow ink to dry.

-Set iron to Cotton setting and turn any steam function off.

-Cut out design , leaving an even ¼ inch margin around image.

-Place transfer sheet on your bag with the print side facing downwards.

-Using a dry iron (with no steam) press transfer for 15-20 seconds on a hard surface.

-Allow it to cool completely, and then peel off the release paper on back.

-Stuff your bags with the tissue or shredded paper and add your gifts, a ribbon and a tag you’ve printed or handwritten.



When it comes to putting a wedding together at a distance, the lines of communication need to be open at all times. And you need to be as upfront and early as possible with guest-related information as possible. The earlier you can nail down your dates, recommend a hotel and suggest what activities people can plan for, the more likely you’ll get your full guest list ‘on-board.’

Hint: Hotel, flight and a rough idea of the events you’re planning should be made clear to your guests at the 6 month mark, either with the save the date or as a separate package!

Destination weddings to tend to be less formal than their at-home counterparts and there’s no better way to convey your lightness-of-heart and excitement for the big day than through your invitations — your official and easiest way of communicating with your guests. I just love this classic idea of the passport-style invitation, not only does it evoke the sense of travel (obviously) but it shouts ‘lets go have fun’ and also includes LOTS of space for important information, from hotels, to maps, to planned activities to flight numbers and dress codes. The boarding pass save-the-date is also fun, and again, can convey a whole bunch of important information in one {cute} fell swoop.

Recently, there has been a little buzz about a newly rediscovered destination spot within Ontario that has left people intrigued — once populated by the earliest United Empire Loyalists, Picton is emerging as an important historical and architectural, not to mention cultural hotspot, and a popular location for a local destination wedding.

By Stephanie Sturino

Couples and planners are discovering the beauty and charm of the small town feeling and intimate splendor of Prince Edward County. Situated at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, this island county has plenty to offer vacationers and wedding guests alike, including 800 kilometers of shoreline and a variety of heritage sites. The County is becoming better known for their culinary advances, wineries and breweries that all offer a treat for the senses, as well as their list of festivals that include a Jazz festival and Art festival during the summer months.

Picton, the county’s main town, has become a place to be and becoming a great local destination spot for couples who want to venture out of the city and experience the intimate charm of the county life, where the likes of Chef Jamie Kennedy have taken up residence for its local flavour and rural appeal.

For those couples who want to create a weekend celebration with their guests, Picton and its surrounding towns offer a great selection of activities. A great idea to introduce wedding guests to any destination location is a welcome bag full of information and treats from local companies, ours includes locally-made County Crackers and County Cider to tide guests over between meals or when they arrive and give them a flavour of what’s to come throughout a weekend in the county. It allows guests to become acquainted with the location and help them find and enjoy things they like, especially when you insert maps, local magazines and tourist booklets.

For our bag, I’ve also created a Weekend Itinerary*, detailing what’s happening when. Even though all the events taking place during a destination wedding are probably outlined in the invitation, it’s always nice to provide guests with additional copies and further details once they arrive.

Sample Weekend Itinerary

Friday

Rehearsal Dinner at The Claramount Inn 7:00pm
97 Bridge Street
—

Prince Edward County Jazz Festival at The Regent Theatre 9:00pm
224 Main Street

Saturday

Spa Treatments at The Claramount Spa 11:00am – 1:00pm
97 Bridge Street
OR
Beer Tasting & Tour at Barley Days Brewery 11:30am – 1:30pm
13730 Loyalist Parkway
—

Wedding Ceremony & Reception at Huff Estates 3:30pm
2274 County Rd #1
*Coach bus to be at the hotel for pick-up to wedding site 3:15pm

Sunday

Brunch at The Waring House 11:00am
221 Main Street
–

Antique Shopping along Main Street

*Note: if putting together your own itinerary or timeline of events proves tough, consider Ottawa-based Tagz, a stationery company which has a great collection of timeline products from day-of to week-long

Couples looking for a bit of adventure mixed with an ample amount of luxury and class on their honeymoon might want to shoot for Toronto’s Butterfield and Robinson and land among a stellar constellation of travel opportunities.

After leading a student biking tour in France forty-four years ago, George Butterfield, his wife Martha and her brother Sidney Robinson knew they were on to something good. Their pioneering trip evolved into the premier active travel company Butterfield and Robinson, a company that really knows what it means to travel the world and experience its pleasures. Based on the slogan “slow down to see the world,” B&R offers travel adventures in categories of biking, walking, boating and also custom designed trips around the globe. The point is simple, to experience and explore your surroundings by taking it slow and soaking it in while traveling, something we all at least aim for during our travels.

With assistance from expert guides, who range from historians, athletes, interpreters and sommeliers, B&R offeres travellers an experience beyond an average vacationer’s grasp. And with trip itineraries for Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, as well as North and South America, B&R clients have a range of choices. Travel adventures, like walking atop the mountains of the Amalfi Coast, along the celebrated “Path of the Gods” in Italy, or biking past Southern China’s grand karst formations in Gullin, or exploring the breathtaking Wadi Rum while on a camel at sunset is just a few of the activities the company offers. B&R’s travel advisers also help those first time travelers by rating the activity levels of the designed trips in difficulty and experience, making it worry free.

As honeymoon destination trends are leaning towards the unexpected, spots like Croatia and Thailand are becoming increasingly popular with couples who are looking for something different and creative. Butterfield & Robinson’s private bespoke trips are custom-tailored and personal, which is great for a dream honeymoon or special anniversary celebration. There’s nothing like star service when you’re feeling VIP!

Note: All pictures courtesy of Butterfield & Robinson (who just happens to have a very wicked website)

I have been so excited to show this wedding off. Jessica Blaine Smith emailed me a link to her blog a few weeks back to check it out and I just love the glowing dinner party {see the last picture!}. This is a gorgeous example of a not-so-far destination wedding near Huntsville, Ontario last June where Nienke and Derek rented a large cottage for the week to host a petite celebration.

Jessica wrote, “Their ceremony took place on a dock on the lake and they then had a beautiful dinner that took place as the sunset. Nienke’s Dad acted as the officiant for the ceremony. Her grandparents flew in from South Africa for the celebration. The wedding was a beautiful, intimate one but they still went all out in terms of decor and attire.” Sadly, Nienke’s grandmother passed away not long after the wedding and so the photographs of it along with the intimate and very personal feel of the wedding have become even more important to the family.

Notes: photos courtesy of Jessica Blaine Smith, and you can see more images from the wedding on her blog.

by Stephanie Sturino

Saja, the ultimate in ethereal and beautifully simplistic wedding gowns, has made its way across the border and into the hands of boutique owner Cynthia Martyn (Sash & Bustle). The effortlessly elegant Spring 2010 collection from New York designer Yoo Lee has made a lasting impact on the non-traditional gown, and is now at the fingertips of Toronto brides-to-be. “Charming, dreamy and romantic,” describes Cynthia, who fell hopelessly in love with the small collection and is proud to say that she is its exclusive retailer in Toronto.

Saja offers an 8-dress collection of soft, airy fabrics, sweet details and simple, elegant silhouettes. Sash & Bustle has six of the eight dresses for now, and is expecting the other designs soon. The collection is getting a great reaction and a number of the dresses have been selected by brides who are planning a local-destination wedding in Picton, an upcoming hot-spot within beautiful Prince Edward County.

Constructed from 100% natural fabrics; most of the styles are made from a warm ivory crinkle-sheer silk organza, which gives the gowns their airiness and ease.  That effortless look and flow makes the Saja gowns ideal for warm weather destination brides who are looking for a simple bridal alternative. The gowns fall slightly away from the body, making them comfortable in hot weather, but also forgiving and flattering to most body types. The fabric also lends itself to travelling well, as it folds with ease and only needs a quick steaming on the day of the wedding.

A part of the collection’s airy beauty is its light price tag. All the gowns in the collection are less than $1,500, making it a lot easier to snag that perfect dress!

Notes: All images courtesy of Saja where the whole collection is available for viewing, including their gorgeous bridesmaid dresses which aren’t available in Canada yet, also check out Sash & Bustle

Destination weddings can be hectic to plan, and the last thing any bride wants to overlook are the details involved with finding the wedding gown that’s right for her and her destination. Here are 5 items to consider to stay stress-free and looking beautiful from the first fitting to the last dance:

By Stephanie Sturino

Fabric: Though it depends on the destination, most weddings take place in warm weather climates where fabric choice is critical. First, avoid heavy fabrics like satin and synthetic materials such as polyester, they don’t breathe well and will leave you sweaty and uncomfortable. Fabrics like silk charmeuse, organza, chiffon and lightweight silk satins and laces will keep you more comfortable.

Style: As always, make sure your dress complements your location. Typically, destination wedding attire is more casual, however a destination gown can still be as formal, or as casual as you like, as long as it matches the atmosphere.

Shape: A large volume gown can be a hassle when it comes to comfort and logistics when travelling. Simpler shapes such as A-line, sheath, empire or mermaid silhouettes are great options.

Travel: A gown that can be folded without being excessively wrinkled and isn’t too heavy or bulky is the key. Contact the airline about what they can offer you when it comes to bringing the dress on the plane as a carry-on or being able to hang it up.  Or consider sending the dress via courier ahead of time. Be sure to ask the boutique where you bought the dress for advice on packing it.

Maintenance: Ideally, you want a dress that requires little maintenance, that’s when the right fabric is crucial. However, steaming might be avoidable. Contact the hotel or a reliable local cleaner and ask if they can press or steam your dress or see if you can steam it yourself.

Notes: Tips gathered with guidance from the following sources: The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss and Lisbeth Levine; Wedding Etiquette by Peggy Post, and photo courtesy of Saja

Taking your wedding on the road? Whether you’re getting hitched or simply hanging out after the big day somewhere that isn’t home, chances are you’re facing some really fun, if challenging issues. Welcome to a week dedicated to getting lost on The Daily News … we’ll bring you the latest in the best destinations, a wedding or two that was planned here but held there and some fun and creative ways to spend that honeymoon budget.

Because destination weddings are growing in popularity and can be held anywhere from Prague to PEI, we thought we’d start by laying the ground rules… and answer what exactly is a destination wedding? According to The Wedding Book, the bible of modern weddings, to be considered a destination wedding, the event will be planned by the bride and groom long distance, held somewhere that at least half of the guests are travelling to attend and the events take place over a weekend or longer.

Up first, a fashion file on a collection we love and later today five guiding principles to finding the perfect destination gown.

Notes: photo by Jessica Blaine Smith Photography