ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

 

Jennifer Stewart and Daniel Duguay received the wedding of their dreams as winners of the 2013 Destination Wedding. Last Saturday, the Canadian couple selected as this year’s winners of the annual wedding contest, exchanged vows in the presence of friends and family, as well as tourism officials and stakeholders.
 

“Villa Vows” was the theme for the 2013 Destination Wedding promotion that highlights Antigua and Barbuda’s diverse assets as a hassle free wedding and honeymoon destination.

 

 

This year’s opulent ceremony was held at Villa St. James at Mamora Bay, and highlighted villas as one of many venue options available in Antigua and Barbuda. Villa Weddings allow couples to host their ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon and family reunion all in the same locale, while offering a higher level of intimacy, exclusivity and flexibility that some couples desire for their celebrations.
 

The event utilized a number of independent resources coordinated by event planner Tracy Guerro of Indigo Events. Among the local sponsors were: Colombian Emeralds, Exotic Floral, Sweet Dreams, Stacey Humphreys of MUAH, Harmonites Steel Orchestra, Island Provisions and Gourmet Basket and Raise the Bar Gourmet Foods. The wedding was officiated by Mrs. Cleo Percival and photography by Nez. The couple and their guests also experienced a number of adventure tours including the Rainforest Zipline and OnDeck.
 

Celebrity Chef Kevin Cottle, host of Taste of Today on NBC Connecticut and former contestant on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, was the guest of honor at this year’s event. Cottle collaborated with local Chefs, Calvin Francis of Chefs 2 U and Chef Curtis Joseph, private chef at Island Provisions and The Gourmet Basket. The culinary trio prepared a diverse menu that incorporated the couple’s preferences as well as local dishes, utilizing some of the best produce and spirits available on island.
 

Segments of this culinary collaboration will be featured on Chef Cottle’s NBC Show later this year. The accomplished chef will demonstrate how planning an independent event in Antigua and Barbuda can be an exciting, yet cost effective and hassle free experience by forging effective local partnerships.

 

Commenting on this annual promotion that is now in it’s 7th year, US Director of Tourism, Derede Samuel-Whitlock, said, “This year’s promotion was extremely special and allowed us to really showcase an array of local talent. The influence of reality television has heightened the appeal of villas and in hosting the ultimate romantic events. Villas have that rock star appeal but still offer personalized service and local hospitality. No matter what a couple’s style or budget for their dream wedding or honeymoon, Antigua and Barbuda has many options to suit every pocket and taste.”
 

To increase exposure for Antigua and Barbuda’s destination wedding and honeymoon offerings, four travel professionals from North American were also in attendance at this wedding. Each year, images from the Destination Wedding promotion are integrated as a core part of the marketing collateral and used to promote the destination as the “Romance Capital of the Caribbean.”
 

Today, 2 in 10 weddings in North America are destination weddings. Antigua and Barbuda’s ability to host "same day" weddings, with no residency required for couples to obtain a marriage license, gives the destination a unique and competitive advantage.