An Intimate Affair Destination Wedding Guide

INTIMATE AFFAIRS
2016
Ultimate
Planning
Guide
IF YOU AND YOUR BOO ARE CRAVING TRUE authenticity,
OF A HOME AWAY FROM home, A BOUTIQUE RESORT WEDDING
cheat sheet FOR A MEMORABLE GATHERING THAT’S SMALL,
INDIVIDUALIZED attention, STELLAR SERVICE AND THE COMFORT
MIGHT BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE AFTER. HERE’S YOUR
personal, HIGH STYLE AND anything BUT MAINSTREAM.
IntimateAffairs
BOUTIQUE
by SA RA H S E KULA
Gourmet nibbles. A private moment on a Florida boardwalk. Succulents and king protea trim tables in the Bahamas Out Islands. A family
weddings and eco-boutiques (2). Personal touches in the Florida Keys. An intimate celebration in Hawaii. Peachy-keen signature cocktails.
64 DESTINATIONWEDDINGMAG.COM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LARISSA
CLEVELAND PHOTOGRAPHY; BROOKE
IMAGES; CODY HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY
(CODYHUNTERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM) (2);
COSTA RICA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
(COSTARICAWEDDINGPHOTOGRAPHERS.COM);
ZACH STOVALL; JESSE LA PLANTE
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CLARY PFEIFFER PHOTOGRAPHY;
BROOKE IMAGES; COURTESY DEEP WATER CAY; ZACH STOVALL;
VITALIC PHOTO; DAMION HAMILTON; BROOKE IMAGES
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Breaking the ice at cocktail hour. Fewer guests = more cake for you! Guest cottages at Deep Water Cay in the Bahamas.
gathering at The Cove in the Bahamas. Crinkle fanfare. Vieques, Puerto Rico, embodies “off the beaten path.” Tulum, Mexico, is known for Maya
ULTIMATE PLANNING GUIDE 2016 65
INTIMATE AFFAIRS
2016
Ultimate
Planning
Guide
#LITEBITES
Couture
Cocktail Hour
1
#BOUNTYOFTHESEAS
Shrimp cocktail, clambakes and lobster boils
are naturals at an East Coast event.
KEEP IT
SMALL
Celebrating with just
your nearest and
dearest? Boutiques
reign supreme.
23%
UNDECIDED
Is bigger always better?
Ask a handful of engaged couples why
they opted for a boutique resort, and you’ll
likely hear words like cozy, intimate and
personal. Lobbies often look more like
living rooms, you encounter fewer hotel
guests, and events and amenities aren’t
as widespread as they would be at a larger
resort. Not to mention, staff members go
out of their way to cater to the small
number of guests, often greeting you by
name and making a note of any preferences (drink or otherwise) you have.
Boutique hotels don’t fit into a standard
box — and that’s exactly their appeal.
Some are 10 rooms; others are 100. For an
intimate wedding, consider choosing one
with 50 rooms or fewer. “It’s perfect for the couple who wants
to cut down on their guest count and only
invite people who truly matter to them,”
says Jessica Janik, founder of The
Invisible Bridesmaid consultancy.
The common
denominator uniting all boutique properties is the
charm factor. Surroundings beg to be
Insta-ed — expect local decor, carefully
curated antique collections, or lovingly
tended herb gardens. Plus, boutiques have
a smaller footprint, meaning you’ll find
them tucked away in historic buildings
or other quiet corners where a sprawling
hotel simply would not fit.
“Some of the boutiques I’ve stayed in
have had every room decorated differently;
some properties have artwork displayed
that comes from the owner’s personal
­collection,” says Susan Southerland, president of Just Marry! in Orlando, Florida.
“If you find one that matches your style,
Cause for charm
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GEORGE KORONEOS I GLK CREATIVE; CODY HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY
(CODYHUNTERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM); BROOKE IMAGES; DEAR WESLEYANN; SHUTTERSTOCK; THE GOODNESS (2)
RE YOU GO
JULIE HARMSEN PHOTOGRAPHY
O
KNOW BEF
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Jimmy and Alessandra invited
50 loved ones to celebrate with them on Hawaii, the Big Island.
Bonding around the bonfire in the Hamptons. Mismatched
reception chairs in the Out Islands of the Bahamas. Serving local
craft beer is the authentic way to “Find your beach.”
the entire wedding experience will exude
your personalities.”
Kelly McWilliams, owner
of Weddings by Socialites, suggests a
boutique resort when the couple wants to
have as much gathering time with their
guests as possible. “It seems to work best
for weddings that are just the right size
to take over the resort and for guests who
plan to stay for the whole weekend.”
Bonus: A buyout bumps up the flexibility factor that much more. “You’ll likely
be entitled to any space on property and
be able to make noise until the wee hours
of the morning,” says Aviva Samuels, owner of Kiss the Planner in South Florida.
Of course, a full buyout of a small resort
comes with a big price tag — the hotel needs
to bring in a certain amount of revenue in
order to turn away other guests. Plan to pay
Own the place
for all the rooms, plus maximum food and
beverage costs, even if your guests don’t fill
the whole property.
That said, going
smaller doesn’t
always mean you’re going to blow your
budget. “Some boutiques are less expensive
than a traditional resort, while others are
quite a bit more expensive,” says Southerland. “Figure out your budget, and shop for
the resort based on what you can spend.”
Additionally, if a boutique hotel is new,
is new to weddings, or hasn’t had great
success in filling all its rooms in the past,
it’s worth attempting to negotiate with
them — especially if you’re bringing them
big business, says Samuels. “They might
have the ability to deviate from standard
pricing. You won’t know until you ask.”
Another option: Book a big resort that
specializes in smaller, bespoke events.
Budget wisely
2
#SHELLSHOCK
A raw bar is on fleek. Slurp oysters at
the source: in the Florida Panhandle.
3
#HOTLIKEWASABI
Even your most unadventurous eaters can’t
resist trying sushi rolls this colorful.
WE ASKED
5%
VILLA
8%
LARGE
RESORT
WHAT DIGS 44%
ALLARE YOU INCLUSIVE
BOOKING FOR
YOUR BIG DAY?
20%
BOUTIQUE
66 DESTINATIONWEDDINGMAG.COM
Tiptop
Services
STANDOUT OFFERINGS
A STEP ABOVE THE REST.
MEXICO
TURKS AND CAICOS
SAINT LUCIA
JAMAICA
MAUI
The Viceroy Riviera Maya
Not long after you’re greeted
with a Maya blessing, a “soap
concierge” will visit your villa.
You choose the scent, and he
slices your personalized bars.
Beach House
Each suite comes with a
pampering pod on the beach.
Homemade frozen treats, foot
massages, beach picnics and
champagne all come to you.
Cap Maison
A champagne zip line whisks
bottles of chilled bubbly and
canapes (and the occasional
engagement ring) down to a
private wooden deck.
Geejam
Geejam has a recording studio
you can rent for the day.
Record a wedding album of
your friends and family
singing your favorite tunes.
Lumeria
Start the day with a guided
sunrise meditation sesh.
Then head to the water for
an hourlong Aqua Craniosacral
Therapy massage in the ocean.
4
#TASTESLIKECHICKEN
Chicken skewers are a crowd-pleaser. Season
them with local spices, a la jerk in Jamaica.
ULTIMATE PLANNING GUIDE 2016 67
INTIMATE AFFAIRS
2016
The couple’s best friends officiated the
ceremony of this villa wedding in Puerto
Vallarta, Mexico. During the vows, loved
ones holding candles formed a circle around
them. “We wanted our wedding to be a
love letter to each other and to our family
and friends who have been so supportive
of us,” says the bride.
Ultimate
Planning
Guide
ADVANTAGES
TOP
FIVE
REASONS TO
GO BOUTIQUE
1 EXCLUSIVITY
“You won’t
have to worry about
running into another
wedding party or a
corporate meeting,”
says Susan Southerland of Just Marry!
2 A LLOWANCES
“Often when you
book exclusively, you
can negotiate special
allowances like late
checkout, daily
continental breakfast,
and discounts on
recreation rentals,”
says Kelly McWilliams
of Weddings
by Socialites.
3 CHARACTER
“A boutique
resort offers a unique
­wedding experience
that doesn’t look
like a carbon copy
of everyone else’s
wedding,” says
Aviva Samuels of
Kiss the Planner.
4 JERRY YOON PHOTOGRAPHERS
P ERSONAL
SERVICE “Boutiques have fewer employees, so you’ll
see the same ones
during your stay,”
says Southerland.
68 DESTINATIONWEDDINGMAG.COM
5 S ECLUSION The
pool, activities
and amenities at
a boutique resort
won’t be packed with
hundreds of people,
says Southerland.
ULTIMATE PLANNING GUIDE 2016 69
INTIMATE AFFAIRS
N
TI
ION
WEDD
IN
CALIFORNIA
ENDLESS
GS
A
AT
2016
Ultimate
Planning
Guide
DES
List
pher
a
r
g
o
pho& t
OO
N
S
Love
HONEYM
CHIALI AND CONEY RENEW VOWS ON THE
MISTY SHORES OF SANTA BARBARA.
2
“
1
78 DESTINATIONWEDDINGMAG.COM
More Online! /REALWEDDINGS
3
4
1. DETAILS Chiali created her own balloon
bouquet from jumbo 36-inch balloons. 2.
BACKDROP An antique Baldwin piano
lent a photo op; Matthew has played since
age 4. 3, 5. FLOWERS Flower Lab
created all the florals, including boutonnieres
for father and son, as well as a ring pillow made
with moss, succulents and twine. 4. GOWN
Chiali looked stunning in a Nha Khanh gown
from RentTheRunway.com. 6. BOUQUET
The bride chose two bouquets; pictured here is a
loose cluster of Icelandic poppies. 7. SHOES
Chiali’s red heels were by Valentino; Coney
donned dress shoes from Bradshaw & Lloyd. 8.
ATTIRE Son Matthew, in a hat by J.Crew,
officiated the vows; his mother wore a vintage
dress from ShopGossamer.com.
5
6
7
photography by JEN HUA N G
Chiali and Coney met in Taipei, Taiwan, in April 2000.
They were engaged after two years of dating, and they
married on Valentine’s Day in 2003. Although they’re true
romantics, they didn’t really have a wedding at the time, just a
civil service. So they chose to renew their vows on June 10, 2015
(with their 9-year-old son, Matthew, as the officiant). Chiali and
I met years ago and became close friends, so they asked me to
document the intimate occasion with just the three of them.
Though the stylish couple has homes in Taiwan and Los Angeles,
they chose to have the ceremony two hours north of LA in Santa
Barbara because of the stunning scenery and pleasant weather.
The fun began around 5 p.m. when I photographed them at a private home. Next, we shot at the local courthouse. We incorporated
a gorgeous Porsche, which belongs to a friend, in the background
and captured several adorable shots of the family. Last, we headed
to Butterfly Beach, a tiny stretch of sand in Montecito, where
Chiali and Coney repeated their original vows.
Chiali’s vision for the special day was to capture not only
the love between her and Coney, but also the love between the
entire family. I think the only thing greater than love between a
couple is the love they have for their children, and I love how
Matthew’s personality really shines through in all the photos.”
— Photographer Jen Huang, as told to Sarah Sekula
8
ULTIMATE PLANNING GUIDE 2016 79