B Ocean Fort Lauderdale Invites Engaged Couples to "Race To The Altar" and Win a Free Wedding

 

Registration Now Open For Olympic-Style Beach Competition 

Newly engaged couples can compete to win a complimentary wedding on the white sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach, hosted by the new B Ocean Fort Lauderdale, immediately following the A1A Marathon on Sunday, February 19 at 11 a.m.  Taking place in front of the hotel at Sunrise Boulevard and A1A, B Ocean’s “Race to the Altar” will feature a variety of fun-in-the-sun relay races and games designed to test couples’ commitment.  The grand prize giveaway will be a free “B Wed™ Intimate” wedding at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale, which can be held anytime in 2012. 

“Since opening our doors nearly a year ago, B Ocean has quickly become a favorite venue for brides and grooms-to-be with our beachfront location and breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean from our event space, B On Top,” said Veronica Miranda, the hotel’s B Experience Manager. “We thought this would be a fun opportunity to give local, engaged couples the chance to have their wedding at B Ocean and to experience all the hotel has to offer.”

Ranging from an intimate fete for two to an ultimate gathering for 200 people, B Wed™ weddings start at just $999 at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale.  The lucky couple who wins the February 19 “Race to the Altar” event will receive a “B Wed™ Intimate” celebration, which includes all of the following for up to 20 guests:

* Ceremony Area
* Non-denominational Officiate
* Bridal Bouquet and Groom's Boutonnieres
* Bottle of French Sparkling Wine or Non-alcoholic Sparkling Wine
* B Wed Exclusive Five-Course Dinner at B'stro On The Beach™
* Wedding Cake
* Photographer to Remember the Day - Two hours includes hi-res DVD

Spanning the hotel’s entire penthouse floor, B On Top™ boasts 8,000 square-feet of flexible function facilities with stunning, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway and Fort Lauderdale skyline.  Ceremony and reception space at B On Top™ includes:

Infinity Ballroom – an impressive space that accommodates up to 250 people

Horizons Junior Ballroom – perfect for small wedding receptions or cocktail hours, accommodating up to 150 people

Impression – a flexible pre-function and meeting area ideal for rehearsal dinners and small receptions

Other ceremony locations at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale include the white sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach and the hotel’s private Breeze Terrace. 

Couples interested in participating should act fast and register for the B Ocean’s “Race to the Altar” by visiting http://www.rsvpmenow.com/rsvpbeta/?id=23359.  Those wishing to attend as a spectator do not need to register in advance and will have the chance to win a variety of other prizes during the event.

For more information, visit www.BOceanFortLauderdale.com or call 888-66BHOTEL.

About B Ocean Fort Lauderdale

B Ocean Fort Lauderdale features 240 guestrooms and suite, each boasting breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean.  All rooms feature The Blissful Bed™ by B Hotels & Resorts®, white leather-front designer furnishings, a 37” or 42” HD LCD television and more.  The hotel features SAIA™, a signature sushi teppanyaki restaurant that creates a harmonious experience of the senses in a modish Southeast Asian style, B’stro on the Beach™ offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and wine bar, an infinity edge pool, Quench Pool & Patio Bar, free wireless internet throughout all guestrooms and public areas and complimentary use of iPADs.

Headquartered in South Florida, B Hotels & Resorts® brand is a fresh and innovative alternative for today’s travelers, of both business and leisure. The brand upgrades today’s run-of-the-mill lifestyle hotel characteristics with unique elements that invite a broad spectrum of dynamic guests, no matter if 30 years old or 70. 

The B Signature features are consistent across all B Hotels & Resorts® properties and include the following:  B Ambiance™ (a custom sound, lighting and scent program); B Social™ (incorporating communal seating and gathering spaces);  B in Touch™ (with complimentary Internet access throughout all public spaces and guestrooms); B Active™ (a fitness center where guests can exercise and re-energize); B Indulged™ (a Spa Suite featuring an invigorating variety of treatments so guests can B Pampered and customize their own experience.)

Valentine's Day Vow Renewal at W Scottsdale

This Valentine’s Day, W Scottsdale invites married couples to renew their vows with the hotel’s honorable (and ordained) general manager, Ren Hirose. The group vow renewal ceremony will be held at 9:00 p.m. on the hotel pool’s WET deck, accompanied by a live musical performance, champagne toast and a striking backdrop of the Arizona sun setting over nearby Camelback Mountain. The ceremony is open to the public, costing you just one kiss!

The happy couple can then extend their romantic rendezvous and book the hotel’s Valentine’s Day package, starting at $355 per night, which includes a $50 dining credit at Sushi Roku, overnight accommodations in a Spectacular Room, where a split of champagne and sweet celebration amenity awaits, as well as complimentary breakfast in bed the next morning. The offer is valid February 10-18, 2012.

To book or learn more, please visit www.wscottsdalehotel.com/specialoffers or call (877) 782-0104. To RSVP for the vow renewal ceremony, please call (480) 970-2101 or email wscottsdale.events@whotels.com.

Love’s Commitment in Wine Country

Authentic, picturesque, and ideally located, Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery is the ultimate venue for a genuine Central Coast destination wedding.

Nestled among rolling hills on a 100-acre sustainably-farmed vineyard and olive grove in Templeton, Pomar Junction is a family owned and operated winery that prides itself on hosting magical weddings with a touch of country.

“Pomar Junction is different from your typical Central Coast wedding venue,” says General Manager Matt Merrill. “The property is remote yet accessible, so there’s a true sense of getting away from it all.  Also, we are an estate winery, so bridal couples can plan their ceremony anywhere on the vineyard that they choose, whether that’s on the hill overlooking the vines at sunset or under the giant oak tree by the tasting room.”

One of the most popular options for weddings at Pomar Junction Winery is tractor-pulled gondola rides for guests throughout the vineyard, especially in the summer or fall, when the vines are at their colorful peak.  For the reception, couples often choose to celebrate on the property’s central lawn.  The grand oak tree can be decorated with hanging lanterns or candles for an evening wedding, and a stage is available for the wedding party, DJ, or a live band.  A dance floor can also be constructed for dancing the night away with family and friends. 

Bridal couples have the freedom to select the caterer of their choice to use the full-service Pomar Junction kitchen, located in the estate house where the wedding party can dress, relax, and prepare for the big day.  The kitchen or the large oak-pit barbecue also make for an uncomplicated rehearsal dinner on the estate, amid the vines and under the stars.

While Pomar Junction doesn’t provide set-up, they can suggest local caterers, rental shops for tents, chairs, linens, and the like.  The maximum recommended number of guests for a Pomar Junction wedding is between 200 and 250 people.  The cost for use of the venue is $2,500.

Lodging options are plentiful in Templeton, including several bed and breakfasts just a stone’s throw from Pomar Junction.  Less than a mile away lies the Hidden Hills Bed & Breakfast, which offers luxurious comfort, a gourmet house-made breakfast, a wrap-around veranda overlooking a peaceful swimming pool, and arrangements for wine tours and private tastings across Central Coast wine country.  Also nearby are the Carriage Vineyards Inn, and the Bike Lane Inn, which hosts bike tours to regional wineries.

Owned and operated by the Merrill Family in the Paso Robles AVA, Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery highlights a legacy of eight generations of Central Coast farming through deeply characterful estate wines.  With a rich heritage of sustainable practices in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar, Pomar Junction guides estate fruit from vine to glass with a narrow focus on purity of flavor and varietal integrity.  The winery name refers to the Merrill Family’s concurrent lineage of railroad engineers as well as to bygone days when the Southern Pacific Railroad was responsible for the development of the picturesque Central Coast.  For more information about Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery, call (805) 238-9944, or visit their website.  The Pomar Junction vineyard and tasting room are located at 5036 S. El Pomar Road in Templeton, CA 93465.

Pop The Question in Portland with a Leap Year Engagement Package at Hotel deLuxe

According to Old English law, there is one day every four years when women can take the initiative and propose. This year, Hotel deLuxe, an award-winning bastion of romantic Golden Age Hollywood glamour in downtown Portland, invites Leap Year lovebirds to seize that day, February 29, with the “Take The Leap” engagement package for a retro-inspired proposal that is sure to elicit an emphatic ‘yes.’

Those who book the Take The Leap package will be greeted with two champagne cocktails from the Driftwood Room, Hotel deLuxe’s famed classic cocktail lounge, as they check into a spacious and luxurious King Feature Suite. In the evening, they will enjoy a private three-course, in-room dinner catered by Gracie’s restaurant, a delectable cheesecake from local bakery Papa Haydn’s inscribed with “Will You Marry Me?” and romantic rose petal turndown service. The next day, the newly engaged couple can relax with a late check out before taking their $2,000 certificate to Portland’s Gilt jewelry shop and picking out the perfect vintage engagement ring.

Though finding inspiration in the past, modern lovers are no longer bound by tradition, especially in eclectic Portland.  This romantic package is perfect for everyone - women proposing to men, women proposing to women or, even, for men who want to buck convention and let Hotel deLuxe orchestrate a picture perfect Leap Year proposal.

The Take The Leap package is priced at $2,349, plus tax, and available only on February 29, 2012. To book, call 866-986-8085 or visit our website.

About Hotel deLuxe
Located at 729 SW 15th Avenue in downtown Portland, Ore., Hotel deLuxe – one of Conde Nast Traveler’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Top 200 US Hotels – offers glamorous accommodations that channel the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema just steps from the city’s best shopping, restaurants and night clubs. 130 guest rooms boast indulgent but essential amenities like Portland’s own Mada bath products; Portland Roasting coffee and Smith Teas; Provenance Hotels’ signature Pillow, Spiritual and iPod menus; and a “Make It So” button on every hotel phone for the most whimsical desire or typical need. Hotel deLuxe can be found online at www.hoteldeluxeportland.com, www.facebook.com/hoteldeluxeportland and www.twitter.com/hotel_deluxe. Reservations are available online or by phone at 866.986.8085.

Indulge this Valentine's Day at the St. Regis Bora Bora

With Valentine’s Day’s approaching sooner than we think, it is not too late to plan your trip to sunny Bora Bora. Indulge a little this upcoming Valentine’s Day and let your honey take you to where it’s sunny…at the St. Regis Bora Bora with the ultimate Couples Retreat package.

Experience the exclusive romance of Bora Bora with five nights in an elegant deluxe overwater villa with an upgrade to a premier overwater villa or from a pool beach villa to premier oceanfront retreat villa. Additional amenities include daily breakfast for two with signature Bora Mary on weekends, 50 minute couples massage at the Resort’s Miri Miri Spa, one flower turndown service, a flower bath and Tahitian Black Pearl guaranteed to make your hearts flutter. Welcome champagne and sweet treats will be served upon arrival by your very own St. Regis Butler (courtesy of executive chef Sebastien Le Gall from the Resort’s four dining options including Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten). Guests celebrating their wedding or wedding anniversary at the Resort will receive a personalized gift.

The Resort is also offering guests with an epicurean delight…a special Valentine’s Day menu at Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Rates begin at USD$1,194 per night, minimum five nights stay is available until March 2013 (special Valentine’s Day dinner is only available on February 14, 2012).

Rates do not include taxes, and is based on double occupancy per Villa per night. Based on availability and black out dates apply.

Use booking code: CPL. For reservations email: reservations@stregisborabora.com or visit www.stregis.com/borabora.

Direct reservations accrue double SPG points.

Story Idea: Gifting a honeymoon

In 2010, 88% of engaged couples set up either a wedding or honeymoon registry. With this in mind, The Westin St. John Resort & Villas has released their newly launched honeymoon registry.

What sets The Westin St. John Resort & Villas Honeymoon Registry apart from traditional cash based registries is that these gift monies are sent directly to the couple’s honeymoon property and placed in the couple’s Starwood room folio. This unique feature assures that gifts to the bride and groom will in fact be enjoyed and makes it easy for the honeymoon couple to enjoy their honeymoon gift during their time away.

This offer is made possible by partnering with the leading honeymoon registry company, HoneymoonWishes, which was created on the basis that many couples today already had their toasters and towels. Founder, Kristen envisioned a bridal registry centered on honeymoon specific gifts and experiences which will create memories that couples will cherish for a lifetime.

Gift choices include honeymoon room contributions, sunset sailings, snorkeling adventures, spa treatments, island tours, SCUBA, kayak tours and much, much more.

The Westin St. John Resort & Villas is set on a crescent-shaped beach on Great Cruz Bay and is surrounded by 47 lush, tropical acres.  The resort offers 174 guest rooms with two Westin Workout rooms, three one bedroom suites and five townhouses housed in low-lying structures and decorated in delightful island pastel colors.  One hundred and forty-six fully equipped vacation villas, many with private waterfall pools, are also available for rent.  There are four dining and entertainment venues, 24-hour room service and seasonal entertainment. The quarter-acre fresh-water swimming pool with a pool bar, a Jacuzzi and a decorative waterfall is the largest in the USVI.  The Spa at The Westin St. John Resort provides facials, body treatments and massage.  Activities abound with six lighted tennis courts, snorkeling, diving, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, parasailing, fishing, a full-service fitness center, jeep rentals, and hiking in St. John’s extensive Virgin Islands National Park, which covers 2/3 of the island.  Golf is available via ferry on St. Thomas.  The charming port of Cruz Bay and the sleepy town of Coral Bay are nearby.

Celebrate the Holidays in the Warmth and Beauty of Cancun

Getting away from the cold and out to the beach has become even more tempting this holiday season! The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau invites you to celebrate all the various festivities at the end of this year with exceptional deals and exciting celebrations. Say goodbye to the 2011 year and welcome to the 2012 with extraordinary specials. 

Maroma Hotel is offering its Suite Dreams Package, available until January 15^th, with 25% off and includes a lavish breakfast buffet, wake-up in room coffee service, welcome drink upon arrival, and one snorkeling trip per person, per stay. From December 22^nd until the 31^st, the hotel will be offering special themed dinners from barbeque on the beach to La Cantina Night and culminating in a New Year's Eve celebration. For more information, visit their website.

The CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort and the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa are offering travelers special packages this holiday season. With the 'Christmas Stay for Breakfast' package, guests staying over the holiday will enjoy enticing buffet breakfasts. For a special way to celebrate the start of 2012, stay at either of these Marriott Cancun Resorts and enjoy some of the best New Year's Eve parties in Mexico. The 4-course gala dinner and New Year's Eve Party, complete with live music and DJs, will have you dancing into 2012. For more information, please visit their website.

The Omni Cancún Hotel & Villas offers special "Retreat & Relax” rooms, starting at only $126.65 usd per night, plus applicable taxes, or if you wish to enjoy the complete all-inclusive packages, rates start at only $290.00 usd per night for two adults with tax & service included.  The resort will have festive meals and themed dinner nights to celebrate the holidays, Cancun style. For more information, visit their website.

Fiesta Americana is offering guests who stay four nights or more over the Christmas holiday a special package that includes junior suite accommodation, champagne – buffet breakfast, Spa treatment, and choice of Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner at one of the hotel's renowned restaurants. For more information, visit their website.

If stepping out of the hotel is more your style, visit one of Cancun's best restaurants, El Mortero, for their traditional Christmas dinner, continental New Year's Eve dinner party complete with music and dancing, or luxurious New Year's Day brunch. For more information, visit their website.

The holidays a perfect opportunity to escape the cold and see all that the Mexican Caribbean has to offer, from the traditional 9-day Posadas celebration - where locals go house-to-house singing and reenacting the Virgin Mary's search for shelter - to the blow-out New Year's parties. With offers like these, there's no excuse to miss the holiday lights and events in Cancun, the perfect place to unwind after a very busy year.

About Cancun

Cancun is located in the northern part of the southeastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It is Mexico's number one tourist destination and is known all over the world for its spectacular beaches, unique beauty and breathtaking turquoise waters.

Cancun's shoreline recently underwent a $71 Million Dollar makeover, that featured 1.3 billion gallons of sand to renovating the Hotel Zone's seashore.  The most popular tourism destination in Mexico and Latin America has also added to its sun, beach, and nightlife, by creating a unique five-day route that will offer visitors a chance to experience adventure and interaction with nature. Cancun and the Treasures of the Caribbean invite travelers to discover the vast natural, cultural and gastronomical cultures of Puerto Morelos, and the four islands of the Mexican Caribbean: Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Contoy and Cozumel. Cancun is a multifaceted destination that combines nature, historical Mayan Culture, glamour, luxury and world class tourism with the seduction for adventure, the passion for paradisiacal nature and the enchantment of gastronomical magic.

For more information, visit the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau website at: www.cancun.travel. Follow us on Twitter @CancunCVB, "LIKE” us on Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/cancuncvbhttp://www.youtube.com/user/cancuntravel and share your pictures of Cancun on our Flickr site at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22572360@N07/.

$100K wedding giveaway - REGISTER NOW for Say I Do To Ocean Views

Wouldn’t It Be Nice… To Win a Luxury Waterfront Wedding?

The Waterfront Beach Resort has gathered together with Your Wedding Day California and Locale magazine to create an unforgettable destination wedding weekend for one lucky Bride & Groom and up to 150 guests! With a handful of the region’s most respected wedding professionals and votes from your family and friends, this dream wedding could be your reality!