Now Jade Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa

Now Jade, a setting of splendor on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, features 550 spacious, contemporary suites. Each suite, inspired by the turquoise hues of the Caribbean Sea, offers the following amenities:

• King size bed or two double beds
• Private balcony
• Jacuzzi for two
• Marble floors
• Bathrobe and slippers
• Gilchrist & Soames luxurious bath amenities
• Hair dryer
• Direct dial phone
• Cable TV
• Mini-bar refreshed daily
• Electronic safe box
• Electronic keyhole
• Alarm clock with MP3 player
• Air-conditioning with individual control
• 24-hour room service
• Coffee and tea maker
• Iron & Ironing board

The dining atmosphere at the Now Jade is amazing. With 5 premier specialty themed restaurants, as well as a buffet, a bistro and a cafe with no reservations required. Dining works on your schedule not someone elses.

Cin Cin - Mediterranean gourmet cuisine. Adults only
Carnival - Buffet-style cuisine with a variety of international specialties
Spice - A fusion of Pan-Asian delicacies
Tamarindo - Delectable Mexican cuisine
Capers - Fresh Italian specialties
Mercure - French cuisine
Castaways - Lunch Specialties/Beach front snack bar
CoCo Cafe** - Premium coffee and deli snacks

A private candlelit, seaside dinner for two provides an extra element of romance.

Ready to Play?  The Now Jade offers a wide variety of beach, land and water activities including:

• Tennis
• Golf** (nearby)
• Kayaks
• Hobie cats
• Windsurfing*
• Snorkeling
• Sport fishing*
• Deep sea diving*
• Eurobungee**
• Ocean trampoline**
• Ocean iceberg**
• Bicycles
• Nightly movies under the stars.

The Now Jade Resort and Spa is a great choice for your destination wedding. They offer three wedding packages that cover everything from the service of a judge or minister to romantic turn down service that evening with rose petal drawn jacuzzi bath, bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries!!

As for the honeymoon, they have you covered there as well. The Bliss Package provides things like a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival and discounts on all treatments at the Now Spa by Prevonia and so much more.
The Do Not Disturb Package boast fresh flowers and exotic fruit platter in room on arrival and even a couples massage treatment that last for 50 minutes and that's just part of what you get.

In the end, the Jade Now Resort has everything needed to create that once in a lifetime setting for your special destination wedding or honeymoon.
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Muriel MacRae is an associate wedding coordinator, a design consultant and event choreographer, and a destination wedding coordinator with Creative Weddings and Occasions and the owner of a boutique travel agency called Del Sol Travel.  She is a certified wedding planner and destination wedding coordinator through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada. Getting to know and understand her clients is critical in helping turn their ideas and vision into a unique and memorable masterpiece when creating their dream wedding. Located in Calgary, Alberta, she plans weddings, destination weddings, and honeymoons for couples in and around the Calgary and Banff area and throughout North America. For more information about planning your wedding, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, please contact her at muriel@creativeweddingsandoccasions.com or phone 403-477-0643

The Essence Fiji - Qamea Resort and Spa

The jewel of Fiji's northern islands, Qamea is a breathtakingly beautiful island of dramatic lush, green, tropical jungle clad hills and white sand beaches.

Qamea Resort and Spa is an exclusive tropical destination for discerning travelers seeking a truly unique and authentic Fijian experience without sacrificing luxury or service. From the moment you step onto the island, you will feel as if you have entered a Fijian village set in a South Pacific tropical paradise.

Qamea Resort and Spa has a ongoing commitment to providing affordable luxury accommodation and is just one of the reasons why they received numerous awards such as one of the "Top Ten Hideaway Resorts in the World" by the Robb Report, and more recently the only resort in the South Pacific to be nominated for Conde Nast's highest award for 2008, "Most Excellent Resort in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific Islands."

The cuisine at Qamea can best be described as South Pacific Rim, which is similar to California Cuisine. Their fruits and vegetables are organic, and if not from Their own gardens, are flown in three times a week from New Zealand. All of the seafood is local, caught daily by two Qamea fishermen. The beef and poultry is also flown in from Australia and New Zealand.

Once a week, usually on Sunday afternoon, guests are invited for a wine tasting at the Bure Kalau. Featuring fine Australian and New Zealand wines.

This is a perfect opportunity to sample exceptional wines from our neighbours in the South Pacific and meet other guests. It also helps  in selecting new wines to add to our ever growing wine cellar.

What could be better than exchanging your vows on the beautiful island of Qamea? Whether you want your Fijian wedding to be a private affair or full Fijian cultural experience, their wedding coordinator will make sure your wedding is an occasion you will cherish for the rest of your lives. At Qamea Resort and Spa, they have designed three wedding packages which meet the requirements of most guests. Customized wedding packages are also available.

Qamea Resort & Spa was selected as one of the top ten "Best Luxury South Pacific" resorts for 2006-2008 by TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards. It is defiantly a resort worth looking into for your destination wedding plans

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 Muriel MacRae is an associate wedding coordinator, a design consultant and event choreographer, and a destination wedding coordinator with Creative Weddings and Occasions and the owner of a boutique travel agency called Del Sol Travel.  She is a certified wedding planner and destination wedding coordinator through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada. Getting to know and understand her clients is critical in helping turn their ideas and vision into a unique and memorable masterpiece when creating their dream wedding. Located in Calgary, Alberta, she plans weddings, destination weddings, and honeymoons for couples in and around the Calgary and Banff area and throughout North America. For more information about planning your wedding, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, please contact her at muriel@creativeweddingsandoccasions.com or phone 403-477-0643.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff!

I must admit, even though I had a beautiful Mexican Wedding that lived up to every expectation, not everything went exactly according to plan!  As with almost every bride out there, I totally wanted every detail to be perfect. And as almost every bride out there finds out, perfection isn’t realistic! I quickly learned that the best way to enjoy my wedding was to stop sweating the small stuff.  The weather cannot be controlled, the resort will most likely misplace something, and not all of your guests will be on their best behaviour.  Despite all of this, you are the bride, and as such, you are entitled to a freak out (or two, but please, not in front of your guests!). Here are some of the minor things that went wrong on my wedding day, and how I dealt with it:

1)    The Weather

My wedding in May was just bordering on the rainy season in Mexico. While the weather was pretty much gorgeous the entire time our guests were there, our wedding day was windy, and I mean WINDY! We’re not talking a light breeze, but full gale-force winds (or so it felt when I was walking down the aisle with my veil whipping in my face!).  My nicely arranged hair and aforementioned veil were everywhere. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade the wind looking back! The pictures turned out great (and very dramatic!) and the wind actually helped cool down a very hot day. If your destination weather doesn’t choose to cooperate with you fully, don’t sweat it. You still look beautiful, everyone is having a good time, and you’re still marrying the man of your dreams!

Yes- that’s me holding my veil! On the upside, the wind made the ocean backdrop look amazing!

2)    Misplaced reservation

The Grand Velas Resort where we married was wonderful helping me arrange all of the restaurant reservations in the evenings.  However, they did misplace our reservation for the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. Horrors! Not really... but as a nervous bride to be, it meant a few tears. My dad and fiancé were amazing however and quickly stepped in with hotel management to figure out a replacement location right away. While I was upset that my original restaurant choice was booked, we managed to get into another great venue almost right away. My emotional state was a bit shot, but to be honest, my guests had no idea about the change in plans.  The best part of the mix-up was how loved I felt by my family. They all rallied around me to consol and cheer me up. Is there anything better than having your loved ones so close for your most special day?

Cocina de Autor – the beautiful Spanish restaurant at our resort and was voted as one of the top
Restaurants in Mexico by Travel & Leisure magazine.

3)    Inappropriate guest behaviour

Destination weddings can sometimes be a wild card in terms of guest behaviour. When you think about it: unlimited alcohol + sitting in the sun all day + tons of cute hotel staff and guests = some scandals! Don’t worry- this is totally in the norm.  One of my very good friends turned out to be a bit of a gossip magnet because of her behaviour in the week leading up to our wedding. While I totally understand that it was her holiday too, alcohol should be consumed within reason throughout the day. There is a time and place for certain things, and our wedding was not that time or place! In the end, I did sweat this issue a bit, but to be honest it added to the fun of the wedding.  People are still talking about the crazy scandals that went down in Mexico last May!

Unexpectedly awesome! At the end of the wedding night, our groomsmen all stripped down and jumped in the pool! (Don’t worry- they’re wearing boxers)

At the end of the day, it’s important to put everything into perspective.  The weather, the resort and your guests are not things you have total control over, so let it go! Enjoy your day and all the things that did go right, and try not to sweat the small stuff when your drunken Uncle takes over Karaoke at the after party.  Remember, imperfections are what make your wedding memorable!

  

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Adeline Schickedanz is a graduate of the Wedding Planning Institute of Canada, and team member of Creative Weddings and Occasions and Del Sol Destination Weddings.  With a background in Visual Design and a true love of planning weddings, Adeline is a great choice to have on your wedding design team. She is also a destination wedding specialist, working with couples who desire to wed in various picturesque dream locations throughout the world. For more information about planning your own wedding please contact Adeline at info@delsoldestinationwedding.com.

Real Wedding in Hawaii

Lisa and Kent just got back from their wonderful wedding at Marriott Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Their wedding reception was a Hawaiian luau. Here is a peak at some of their fantastic pictures.

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Muriel MacRae, is the owner of Del Sol Travel and has formed a new company called Del Sol Destination Weddings with Cathy MacRae. She has been helping couples plan and organize their dreams weddings throughout the world in exotic locations, such as Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. An expert in terms of dealing with some of the challenges of group travel, she is well versed in finding resorts that perfectly match the needs and wants of her clients. Furthermore, her expertise in wedding planning makes her more than just your regular travel agent. Contact Muriel at 403-477-0643 or e-mail at travelinfo@delsoltravel.ca.

Ten Tips To Ensure That Your Guests Have a Blast at Your Destination Wedding

Photo Credits: Muriel MacRae

Every couple who is planning a destination wedding worries about getting their guests to attend their destination wedding. Will they like the location? Does it cost too much? Am I imposing on them to expect them to travel so far? Will they have a good time?

Here are ten ways to get you guests to not only attend your destination wedding but to

have a fantastic time while they

are there :

1. Once you have decided on the location and the date of the wedding, send out a “Save the Date” e-mail or card. For best results, try and do this a minimum of 12 months prior to your wedding so guests can prepare and plan accordingly to attend. The more time your guests have to plan ahead and save, the more likely they are to be able to join you for the celebration.

2. In choosing a location, make sure that it is one that your guests will enjoy. Consider the cost, the travel time to get there, and the activities available for the guest once they do get there. You may enjoy the rustic Eco Lodge in the middle of nowhere but your guests might not. Try to plan a location where the travelling time is within three to eight hours and with a limited number of flight connections whenever possible. Many of your friends and family will not want to spend two out of seven days sitting on a plane or in airports waiting for flights. You might have always dreamed of staying at a certain five-star luxurious resort, but if the price is astronomical, a lot of your guests will not be pleased. Be sure to also check that a variety of activities will be offered at the resort or can at least be found in the nearby area. For example, if most of your female friends love shopping, and the closest shopping area is 75 miles away, some girls could go into withdrawal. Your golfing friends won't be happy either, if they have to go without a game for seven days.

3. Work with a travel agent who is familiar with destination weddings and planning travel associated with destination weddings. Such a person can arrange group rates for your entire party as well as give you valuable advice in making your special day fantastic. You may think that the resort you saw on the internet is a real find, only to find out when you get there that the service is terrible or the food is really bad! You can do it all yourself, but is it worth it? You have heard the horror stories where reservations were dropped by the hotel or passengers have missed flights because there wasn't enough time left for proper connections. You don’t want that to happen to you or any of your family members, especially at your destination wedding! Make sure there is someone who will be looking after you and each of your guests in case something goes wrong.

4. Think about saving money for your guests by choosing an All-Inclusive package which includes airfare and hotel accommodation as well as food and drinks. It is usually way cheaper than purchasing these items separately.

5. Try to choose a resort in the area that is more economical as some of your guests will not have the resources to stay at the pricey resort you have chosen for your wedding. They will appreciate the fact that you have given them an option. Although many of you want to keep costs down for your guests, you do have to remember that there is often a huge difference in resort ratings between here and in the Caribbean and Mexico. While a three-star resort in the United States or Canada might work perfectly well for that budget-conscious couple, few people would be satisfied with less than 4.5 stars in the Caribbean or Mexico.

6. Keep your guests updated about your wedding. Send out frequent updates. You may even want to create a free wedding website complete with wedding details, personal stories, registry information, and a photo gallery. Use a free site such as the link for Honeymoon Wishes on either Del Sol Destination Weddings or Creative Weddings and Occasions websites, http://www.ewedding.com/, or The Knot Wedding website at http:/www.theknot.com. As well, a lot of couples are using a Facebook Fan Page and finding that also works well.

7. Arrange to have the resort hand out an itinerary to your guests at check-in time or be hand delivered to each room by a member of your wedding party. It is also recommended that you hand out a special welcome bag as a special "thank you for coming” which can include such items as flip-flops, suntan lotion, mosquito repellent, bottles of water, candy, small mementos, fun items, or a local craft.

8. Plan activities which your guests will enjoy. You are asking your friends and family to spend a fair amount of money as well as giving up their vacation time to be with you so you want them to enjoy themselves. Create an itinerary that is suitable for all age groups. Plan some fun activities and add a surprise or two during the week. Make sure that the events you plan do not always start early in the morning as many of your “night hawk” friends will wants to catch some extra shut eye. Also make sure to give everyone some free time so they can do some things on their own.

9. Plan a welcome party with local food and music as a great way to get everybody to meet each other and begin the week in a fun-filled way.

10. Be a gracious and thoughtful host. Remember that the people you have invited to your wedding are your guests and it is your job to ensure that they enjoy themselves and have a good time. They have given of their vacation time and resources to be with you on your wedding day, and you want to make sure that they know how much you appreciate them for being there. Thank them for coming and tell them how much it means to you both. Don’t be resentful that you do not have of lot of private time as a couple. You have the rest of your life to spend together. Include a surprise during the week to add to the excitement.

Enjoy this special time in paradise sharing your vacation with your best friends and family. Remember to thank people for all of the things they have done for you. Make this event memorable and one that will be talked about for years when your guest tell others what a “blast” they had at your destination wedding.

If you want your guests to have a great time at your destination wedding and are not sure where to start, let Del Sol Travel  help you with your travel arrangements and planning by calling 403-477-0643 or e-mail travelinfo@delsoltravel.ca to set up your FREE initial consultation.

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Muriel MacRae, is the owner of Del Sol Travel and has formed a new company called Del Sol Destination Weddings with Cathy MacRae. She has been helping couples plan and organize their dreams weddings throughout the world in exotic locations, such as Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica. An expert in terms of dealing with some of the challenges of group travel, she is well versed in finding resorts that perfectly match the needs and wants of her clients. Furthermore, her expertise in wedding planning makes her more than just your regular travel agent.