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FLORIDAEpicurean, Tampa

You say you want your fete catered by a James Beard

Award nominee? Done. Chad Johnson helms Élevage, the restaurant at this 137-room boutique, which boasts a

culinary amphitheater for a wedding-party cooking class. Marry on the pool deck or the

rooftop, where mixologists sling craft cocktails to cool down your guests before or

after the vows. Finish with an over-the-top chocolate des-

sert table from in-house patis-serie Chocolate Pi. Rooms

from $159; weddings from $154 per person. — Holly V. Kapherr

MEXICOEl Dorado Royale,

Riviera Maya Food kudos start with the

Karisma brand’s “gourmet in-clusive” concept featuring star chefs, beach paella parties and more. Plus, the 478 suites come

with 24-hour room service, and guests can savor tastings,

pairings and dinners during the monthly Jackson Family Wines

Culinary Series by Karisma. Couples should book the

“bride’s dress rehearsal” scout-ing package to sample recep-tion menus and cakes. Rooms from $241 per person; Always and Forever wedding package

free. — Vicky Hodges

Eat, Drink& Be Married

hAppEnIngs

GROUNDBREAKINGFive neW AnD uPDAteD reSortS in hot SPotS ArounD the gloBe vie to hoSt Your Big DAY.

opened December 2013 40 minutes from Cabo San lucas, Mexico, the 500-suite Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf and Spa Resort (right) exudes tranquil-lity. After a cer-emony in the gazebo with views of the Sea of Cortez, celebrate in the ballroom, on the terrace or right on the sand. … After a multimillion-dollar renovation of Maui, hawaii’s land-mark Kapalua Bay hotel, Montage Kapalua Bay debuted in June 2014 with just 50 suites and the open-air Cliff house event space, set on lava rocks overlooking the Pacific ocean and the neighboring islands of Molokai and lanai. … in December 2013, Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas (right) re-vealed its new-est wedding space, ocean’s edge, perched on a sand dune. the venue holds up to 150 on an outdoor deck, patio, lawn or glass-walled pavilion. ... the luxe Four Seasons brand unveils a new Florida outpost in Au-gust 2014: the 443-room Four Sea-sons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, where celebrations on its terrace, lawns or lakeside pavilions come with a lush tropical backdrop and a dash of Disney magic. ... The Brando (right) premiered July 2014 on the private atoll of tetiaroa, 30 miles north of the island of tahiti. Choose your own pristine beach for a traditional tahitian cer-emony by the lagoon. the 35 villas flaunt eco-chic design, thatch roofs and private plunge pools. — Ivette Manners

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3 MEXICO ➸ Couples who wed at Rosewood Mayakoba receive a “bridal trousseau” with mono­grammed robes, a shaman bless­ing and free anniversary nights.  

5 FLORIDA ➸ Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach’s Wedding Dream Team, made up of designers like NYC stationer Ceci Johnson, in­spires two customizable packages.

2 BARBADOs ➸ Thanks to a new promotion from the Barbados Tourism Authority, brides fly and stay for free when booking their wedding at a participating hotel.

4 CARIBBEAn/LAtIn AMERICA ➸ Marriott Resorts’ new Worry­Free Weddings program includes checklists, timelines and info on local customs, currency and more. 

1 CALIFORnIA ➸ Couples who marry at Carmel Valley Ranch plant their own “love tree,” marked by a wooden ornament engraved with their names.

wEDDING REpORtJusT­aNNouNCeD big­DaY oFFeriNgs

For JeT­seTTiNg Couples.

AngUILLACuisinArt Resort &

Spa, Rendezvous BayYes, that CuisinArt, inventor of the food processor. Produce is sourced from the onsite

hydroponic garden; tokyo Bay’s sushi chef trained at nobu;

italia’s Chef Massimo hails from Parma, italy. Arrange a group

tasting with sommelier garmon greenaway, whose cellar and reserve have almost 10,000

bottles — and zero spit buckets. Wedding highlights include bleach-white sand, an ocean

lawn (with gazebo) and custom gourmet reception menus, obvi.

Rooms from $420; weddings from $2,450. — Erika Hueneke

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Food is hotter than ever, from top Chef to home cooks on Instagram. Try these three venues for a succulent celebration.

What’s the vibe? ➸ Seven Mile Beach, meet Grace Bay: Turks and Caicos Islands’ an-swer to Grand Cayman’s stretch of white sand and turquoise water. And, like the Cayman Islands’ rep for world-class diving, TCI is a hot spot for coral reefs, like the North West Point wall. The main island of Provo draws boldface names like Mark Zuckerberg and is now more acces sible than ever, thanks to a $10 million airport overhaul, set to conclude by year’s end.

The secreT’s ouT abouT The caribbean’s laTesT

celebriTy hideaway.

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Where to wed ➸ Grace Bay Club introduced luxury to Turks and Caicos when it opened in 1993, and the 22-suite hotel still attracts a well-heeled clientele (Stevie Wonder’s daughter held her wedding here in 2013). Cel-ebrate with signature blue martinis by starlight at the black-marble Infiniti Bar — at 90 feet, it’s the longest in the Caribbean. Rooms from $620; wedding packages from $2,700. Seven Stars Resort is another chichi option; in case of rain,

its tented wedding pavilion, debuted in 2013, is so pretty, it doesn’t even feel like a plan B. Rooms from $337; weddings from $2,800.Add a local touch ➸ Conch is king, especially pulled right from the water for a fresh ceviche or fritter. Pair it with chilled rum punch or ice-cold bot-tles of Turk’s Head Amber, a local beer. — Brooke Showell

clockwise from top: Trashing the dress in the aqua sea; pool time and

an intimate wedding reception at seven stars;

chilling at da conch shack, a must-visit beach bar.

Jennifer Lawrence trips adorably at awards shows, she self-deprecates — she’s Katniss, for crying out loud. And she wears cool wedding jewelry — namely, a Three Jane New York personalized map necklace from her sis-in-law Carson Massler Lawrence (all 11 bridesmaids got one). Each

necklace is designed to mark a sentimental location of your choice with a delicate diamond. Steal JLaw’s style and get one for each of your gals too

(plus one more for yourself). $150 each. — Jenna Lindsey

24 destinationweddingmag.com

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YOU CAn LIvE LA DOLCE vItA ➸ in San Diego, The Grand Del Mar resembles a tuscan estate; couples love its Aria lawn and Moroc-can Pavilion (left) for open-air affairs. or say i do on the garden terrace of La valencia hotel, la Jolla’s famous “Pink lady,” which bursts with european élan thanks to mosaics, foun-tains and a Moorish-tiled dome. A serenaded gondola ride through the Coronado Cays with The Gondola Co. is the perfect photo op.

gEntLE wAvEs sUIt sURFIng nEwBIEs ➸ For an activity your guests will never forget, arrange a group lesson (for parties of six or more) through Coronado Surfing Acad-emy, based at loews Coronado Bay resort. Just bring your mojo: Wetsuit and board are provided. — Maryann Hammers

sAMpLE OnLY-In-CALI EAts ➸ Stop for hand-dipped, chocolate-covered frozen bananas (shown left) on newport Beach’s Balboa Island — the treat was invented here. harbor views and luau buffets (slow-cooked pork, island mahimahi) make Buster’s Beach house & Long-board Bar a great rehearsal-dinner choice. Bid farewell to guests with an epic brunch at hotel Del Coronado.

sAn DIEgO RAIsEs thE BAR — LItERALLY ➸ exchange sky-high vows at Andaz San Diego’s roof-

top600 (above). For more rooftop revelry, ride Manches-ter Grand hyatt’s elevator 40 floors to top of the hyatt, a glass-walled lounge with views to Mexico. or gather your

girls ’round the rooftop bonfire at W hotel San Diego.

California’s juju — weather (warm), scenery (cool), vibe (chill) — shines brighter in

San Diego and Newport Beach.

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hIkE OR BIkE FOR An EAsY gROUp OUtIng ➸ la Jolla’s Coast Walk (above) rambles past wooden benches under twisted pines, foaming waves, pelicans flying in formation, and seals basking on craggy rocks. in newport Beach, admire blufftop views from Back Bay ecological preserve. or arrange a group ride along scenic Silver Strand Bikeway in Coronado — ocean on one side, bay on the other. rent wheels at Action Sport Rentals.

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Cruise News TREND #1

sUpERsIzE ItBig ships mean big fun. When 4,180-passenger Quantum of

the Seas joins royal Carib-bean’s fleet this fall, it will feature several cruise-ship

firsts: north Star, an observa-tion pod that extends 300

feet above the sea; a full-size bumper-car ride; and ripCord by iFly, a sky-dive simulator. Another action-packed new ship: the 3,969-passenger

Norwegian Getaway, flaunting five water slides, a Svedka ice Bar (parkas and gloves pro-

vided; drinks served in glasses made of ice) and the largest

ropes course at sea.

TREND #2

wINE AND DINEif it’s a dining trend, cruise ships have it covered. For cocktail culture, check out Molecular Bar on 3,046-

passenger Celebrity Reflec-tion, with inventive libations created by the liquid Chef,

Junior Merino. on new 3,560- passenger Regal Princess, en-joy a bibs-required rehearsal dinner of steamed crab claws and clams at Crab Shack; then

tuck into an italian-theme reception meal in Sabatini’s.

And on 3,502-passenger MSC Divina, there’s an outpost of new York’s eataly, plus cap-

puccino and gelato. Yum.

TREND #3

sEt sAIl sOUthCruise lines are heading

south — from culture-rich Southeast Asia to sexy South Pacific motus. Both locales

are hot, with Windstar Cruises sending 148-passenger sailing

yacht Wind Spirit to ta-hiti year-round (where it joins 332- passenger Paul Gauguin),

while its newly christened 212-passenger Star Pride will

cruise Asia this november with port calls in thailand, vietnam,

Singapore and beyond. An-other option: 686-passenger

Azamara Quest, with ports of call like Bali, Malaysia and

Cambodia. — DH

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Considering a high-seas wedding or honeymoon? Here’s a trio of top trends to keep in mind.

www.aruba.com

AMSTERDAM MANOR BEACH RESORTWarm smiles, friendly staff, spacious fully-equipped

studios & suites, romantic dining on the beach and great amenities.

1-800-969-2310 www.AmsterdamManor.com

ARUBA MARRIOTT RESORT & STELLARIS CASINO

Enjoy a sophisticated, adults-only experience at the perfect wedding destination. Experience H2Oasis, our new adults-only pool, and ultra-exclusive Tradewinds Club. Find out about our destination wedding offers.

weddings.arubamarriott.comabigail.vanderlinden@marriott.com

OCCIDENTAL GRAND ARUBANestled into the white powdery shores of Palm

Beach, Occidental Grand Aruba provides the perfect backdrop for a romantic all-inclusive

destination wedding or honeymoon.1-877-622-9337

www.occidentalhotels.com

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