It may have taken Karina and Mark four years (four years!) to set a wedding date, but they knew within seconds that their big event would take place on a beach. “That was the dream,” says Karina, who first envisioned Jamaica but, after considering the logistics, decided on California as an ideal destination.

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On the sandy shores of Laguna Beach lies Surf & Sand Resort, a property frequented by Karina and Mark. “It’s so close to the ocean that the shoreline literally disappears nightly and the waves crash right under your balcony,” says Karina. “We already knew and loved the space so we thought, Why not do it there?”

Surf and Sand Resort

Of course, weekend weddings are booked up to two years in advance at the popular resort, so Karina and Mark have decided to get hitched on a Thursday. They figure most of their guests will be coming from Toronto, so a weekday wedding will make little difference to them, and their LA-based friends can easily make the one-hour drive to Laguna long before the sun begins to set.

Surf and Sand Resort

Day 30 - 30 -Day Bride Day 29 -The Date Is Set Day 28 -The Location Day 27 - Brace Yourself For The Unexpected Day 24 – The Photographer Day 23- The InvitationsDay 22 – Dance Lessons Day 21 – Dance Lesson #1 Day 20 – Décor Part 1 Day 17 – The Dress Day 16 – Needs Your Help Day 15 – Sort Of Jewish WeddingDay 14 -Things Change Quickly Day 13 –  Off to California Day 8- Their Back Day 6- The Cake Is Ordered

With guests flying in from as far as Australia, Kerri and John took the opportunity to make the logistics of travel fun and stress-free so as many guests as possible could make it to their July 4^th wedding.

Travel Document Invitation

Kerri and John were planning a Muskoka wedding and consulted with Julie Gibb and Christian Morrison from Pantry Press to create a letterpress invitation that would set the tone for an entire week full of activities and celebrations.

Save-the-date boarding pass

This invitation set has 12 different components to it and everything was created in-house from the whimsical illustrations to the cutting of the document folders and assembly.

Entire wedding invitation set

Included in this Travel Document invitation are: save-the-date boarding pass with envelope, ceremony/reception invitation, two separate pieces describing in detail the week’s itinerary, two RSVP cards for pre-wedding activities, a wedding registry card, map, RSVP return envelope, folder to keep everything organized and last but not least, a  mailing envelope to get all the pieces to their invited guests safely . (Pantry Press designed the ceremony program as well.)

Few weddings will have as detailed an invitation as this but be inspired to take what you like and make it your own!

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.

By Stephanie Sturino

An 1978 map of Picton, Prince Ed. Co., drawn and published by H. Belden & Co., Toronto and found in the Illustrated Historical Atlas of the Counties of Hastings and Prince Edward, Ontario, Canada

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

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.

Venice to Verona Biking & Romance

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.

Journey to Jordan's Wadi Rum and ancient Petra

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!

South China Biking

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

Having made it to the ripe old age of 40 never having said “I do” I thought I could stay happily un-married-ever-after with someone I loved for the rest of my life. Yes, it’s hypocritical, but maybe I am a traditional non-conformist. Luckily, I met a woman who felt the same way. And the two of us were perfectly happy remaining a commitment-phobic committed couple – completely in denial, but completely in love. {blogged by Lorien Gabel}

When Lorien, who is a Toronto native and the CEO of Pingg, an online invitation site, discussed a wedding with his girlfriend Jessica, her response was: “The only way you could get me to show up at my own wedding is if I didn’t know it was a wedding.” “Sheer utter genius!” he wrote in his blog, and while their plan started with an elopement and an after-party, it developed into something a little more unique. “We knew we wanted people to see a part of our ceremony, but not necessarily sit through it in real time. We knew we wanted to celebrate with people, but we didn’t want the first dances, the toasts, the cutting and smearing of cakes,” Lorien’s blog post continued…

The final idea- we got married in Vegas in the middle of a desert, surrounded by sand, wind, rusted cans and a 3-person camera crew. We invited everyone to our combined 30th/40th bday parties (which was true), and using pingg, created what we thought was a unique invitation that symbolized us and our relationship. And we kept that momentum throughout. The day of the party, we showed our closest 170 friends a David Lynch meets Oliver Stone scripted movie with the surprise ending—footage of our actual ceremony. The place erupted. And my wife (whew, deep breath) and I, who didn’t even cry at our own ceremony, were brought to tears by ours and our friends’ reactions. The video looped in the background as 200 more people came to the party. And our night and marriage was complete. “We did.”

“It was [the] idea of taking something so firmly entrenched in tradition—a wedding invitation—and twisting it a bit, adding a bit of [our] own flavor and style, that allowed us to have the wedding invitation, wedding video, and ultimately, the wedding party we had always, yet never wanted to, imagine.” Lorien wrote.

Film crew: The Sibs

Party planners and caterers: Silk Stone

The house from the front

Recently opened to the public to stay, the house has been the Butterfields’ personal escape and has often featured on their tours of Burgundy area. The hideaway, designed for a maximum of two adults {and up to two children} looks like an enchanting home away from home where possible day trips will definitely outnumber your days. If the actual place is anything like it’s super gorgeous website then you’re definitely in for a treat.

Part of the gorgeous, private grounds included with the house

For availability click here and to contact Juliette about the property click here.

The living room was once a greenhouse and includes a fireplace for cozy nights in