Brenda's Wedding Blog

The Meadows Club is commencing work on phase two of its much awaited development. The expansion of facilities includes a new art gallery, world music lounge, new conference rooms and an outside landscaped garden for outdoor weddings and ceremonies to its already constructed banquet and convention center. 

The facility originally opened for business in May 2007.  “We had to take a hiatus in our phase two plans due to the uncertain economy last year”, said Mr. Madan Kulkarni, the Principal and CEO of The Meadows Club. “However, things are on an upswing now, and we are glad to be able to move ahead with our plans.” 

Bookings and events are off to a great start in 2010 and the venue now has many events booked through 2013.The addition of conference rooms will supplement the existing facilities of this state-of-the-art Convention Center. Brides-to-be will be delighted to know that a lovely landscaped garden for outdoor weddings and ceremonies will be constructed in time for their summer weddings.

“Everyone is looking forward to the additions in the coming year, especially the completion of the world music lounge and art gallery,” stated Swapna Sathyan, Executive Vice President of The Meadows Club.  Swapna has been involved with the development since its inception and design stages.

Echoes World Music and Jazz Lounge will offer 10,000 square ft. of specialty acoustics, lighting and interiors designed by both acousticians and leading interior designers.  The art gallery will host showings and work from top artists from around the world as well as masterpieces designed close-to-home in Chicago.

Completion of the various projects of the phase two construction will be staggered between June 2010 and June 2011.  The Meadows Club has been host to weddings, banquets, trade shows and corporate events since May 2007. 

News of this economic development comes at a great time to the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.  The Wyndham Hotel-O’Hare in Rosemont and Sheraton Chicago Northwest Hotel in Arlington Heights both had announced their closings as recent as December 2009.  While the surprise closings brought more unemployment to the area they also left wedding planners and event holders in a lurch as reported by various news agencies that month.The Meadows Club has already added more employees to manage its increase in business and market share and plans to bring on more staff members with phase two of its development plan. 

Information regarding The Meadows Club can be found on our website.

In Midcoast Maine, stunning weddings come naturally

Imagine walking down your wedding aisle on a mountaintop that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean or exchanging vows on a sailing ship as you float along a rocky coastline dotted with historic lighthouses.

 “When you’re standing on Mt. Battie in Camden Hills, you look out and there is the ocean, stretching as far as you can see. You can see the town of Camden nestled in the harbor, and it really feels like you’re standing in the middle of a fairy tale,” says Kristin Wadsworth, who lives in the Camden area and helps couples find the wedding resources they need through the Chamber of Commerce.

Spring and summer are the most popular seasons for getting ready for weddings, and brides are planning right now for their 2010 and 2011 ceremonies. Few locations have as much to offer these couples as the alluringly beautiful Midcoast of Maine.

The best way to understand what the area has to offer is to visit for yourself. Wedding-specific resources will be showcased at the annual Midcoast Wedding Expo on April 18, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Point Lookout Resort in Northport, Maine just north of Camden. The event is being produced jointly by the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville and Penobscot Bay Area Chambers of Commerce.

From historic mansions and world-class resorts to charming inns, ornamental gardens and intimate islands, the towns of Midcoast Maine offer every kind of setting for a dream-like wedding and an abundance of highly skilled wedding professionals to ensure that every couple experiences their perfect day.

Location choices and planning resources are essential in any wedding endeavor. The Midcoast area is a home to dozens of beautiful venues and a large variety of experienced professionals in catering, photography, videography, wedding planning, flowers, accommodations and more.

To learn more about the Midcoast area for planning and experience a truly classic and beautiful wedding, visit our website.

The Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership association that serves businesses and organizations from 54 towns and seven states who actively seek to support business and community in the Camden Hills region of Maine.

The Madalin Group Will Launch First Wedding and Event Season This Spring 2010

Joe Cicileo, proprietor of the celebrated Madalin Hotel and Table, announced today that The Madalin Group was officially designated as the exclusive catering and event management team for the newly re-opened Montgomery Place.

Starting May 1st, The Madalin Group, under the banner “The Madalin at Montgomery Place,” will be up and running with all the accoutrements to host events ranging from elegant wedding affairs to corporate celebrations – and everything in between. The 434-acre Hudson River estate, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, can accommodate parties of 100 to 600 plus and is one of the most sought after sites in the Hudson Valley.

For the last five years, Montgomery Place has been closed to the general public. Therefore, the re-opening is highly anticipated by brides and event planners alike. The extensive grounds and large porches surrounding the historic house (with spectacular Hudson River views) can be used for all events. As is the case with most historically designated homes of this caliber, the interior of the house is not available.

The Madalin Group is best known for the restoration of the former turn-of-the-century Morey Hotel. The once dilapidated property has become a real tasty story, with a critically acclaimed thriving restaurant and 11-room hotel that has received kudos from both the media and its devoted clientele.  The Madalin Group will provide all manner of menus, florists and décor; and it all comes with a priceless setting – the Montgomery Place riverfront estate.  Plans for jazz Fridays and Sunday brunches on the riverfront are still in the planning stages.

Montgomery Place will be available starting this May 2010 through October of each year.

For more information regarding availability and event planning, contact: Joe Cicileo, president of The Madalin Group at the Madalin Hotel 845-757-2100 or visit our website. For views of Montgomery Place, please visit www.HudsonValley.org and click on the “Montgomery Place” link.

It is estimated that thousands of couples honeymoon along the Amalfi Coast each year; but most pass through the gateway city of Naples without a pause, ultimately missing chances for memorable moments. Recognizing the romance potential of its home, Romeo Hotel has taken on the role of “amore ambassador” seeking to educate new brides and grooms on the experiences that await outside the airport walls and beyond the docks of the port.

From foodies eager to exchange glances while exchanging tastes of penne pomodoro to fashionista wives and husbands who revel in expanding their shared closet, the hotel’s concierge team has created a list of “must- trys” for every type of honeymooner: 

For Gourmands:

1. Savor re-invented Neapolitan classics at a candle-lit table for two while soaking up views of Mt. Vesuvius at the rooftop restaurant Il Comandante in Romeo Hotel

2. Sip samples from a wine menu of more than 700 labels during a tasting designed just for two at the hotel’s Cristallo Bar

3. Treat your sweetheart to something just as sweet: hand-made chocolates from, Gay-Odin, Naples’ premier chocolate shop named after the owner and the assistant he fell madly in love with

4. A heated debate can often ignite sparks; hold a personal pizza tasting contest at Pizzeria Sorbillo’s to uncover which of their 21 types of pizzas is tops

For Culture Seekers:

1. Expand your minds together contemplating the work of contemporary masters at MADRe, the city’s first museum of contemporary art

2. Shed tears together for the star-crossed lovers Violetta and Alfredo during a performance of La Traviata at Teatro di San Carlo, the world’s oldest continuously active opera house, which recently underwent a complete restoration

3. Purchase a mandolin, the classic instrument of Neapolitan romantic music at Liuteria Calace and learn how to sweetly serenade your spouse for years to come

For Aficionados of the Finer Things:

1. Pamper each other with an afternoon of complete relaxation at Romeo Wellness, the hotel’s recently expanded spa and book a couple’s massage to enjoy the time side-by-side

2. Create fashionable souvenirs as unique as your loved one with a visit to top tailor Rubinacci; dress him in a bespoke suit and her in a dapper dress before heading out for a night on the town

To ensure couples have enough time to enjoy all of the above, Romeo Hotel has created a special just for them. Available year round, the Honeymoon Package includes: a room with a sea view, Italian Breakfast daily, in-room gifts of chocolate and sparkling wine, spa treatments at Romeo Wellness (the hotel’s exclusive spa) and late check-out at 4PM.  Rates begin at EUR 400.  For more information please visit our website.

About the Romeo Hotel:

Designed to reflect the new face of Naples, the eighty-three room boutique hotel is literally a work of art. The manifestation of the melded visions of renowned architects, designers and artists, Romeo Hotel reflects the dual personalities of its home as both a historic city and lively commercial center.  Conceived by famous architect Kenzo Tange and created by his son Paul, it showcases quality design from the glass paneled façade to the TABU wood finishes in each room. Rare and commissioned pieces from top, internationally-known contemporary artists and Neapolitan photographers are found throughout capturing the essence of the city.  From classic Neapolitan fare in Il Comandante to traditional Japanese sushi in Zero Sushi Bar, dining at Romeo Hotel is an international affair, while the Cigar Room and Cristallo Bar provide social spaces for mingling and cocktails. Offering a place to escape the hectic pace of Naples, the hotel also features a spa that juxtaposes the themes of water and fire. An outdoor pool deck that seems to blend seamlessly with the Bay of Naples in the horizon completes the experience.

Inventive Twist on Destination Weddings and Proposals Offers Unprecedented Desert Adventures for All Members of the Wedding Party Including Western Horseback Ceremony, Mountain Bike Vows and a Wedding Rodeo

The newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain north of Tucson has introduced a comprehensive destination wedding program designed to showcase the 850-acre recreation, golf and spa resort’s true spirit of adventure. Future brides and grooms have the option of exchanging vows reflecting a different approach to the traditional wedding ceremony, and incorporating some of the desert Southwest’s most coveted and exclusive outdoor adventures.

 With options available for marrying couples, families and bridal parties from the very intimate to more grand in size, Desert Wedding Adventures at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain pioneers a new approach to southwest nuptials. Under the program, guests can turn their investment in wedding attendance into a personal vacation that not only breaks the mold for destination weddings but also provides a memorable Arizona experience rarely available to the savviest of independent vacationers. In particular, exclusive package components have been designed to deliver an uncommon, hard-to-access entre to the mystical Sonoran Desert surrounding the resort, showcasing authentic experiences that are uniquely true to Arizona’s rich cultural and natural history.

Desert Wedding Adventure options at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain include:

Native American Nuptials
- Guests hike to legendary Lower Javelina and Wild Burro trails to a private outdoor ceremony
- Native American flutist performs a wedding song
- Ceremony ends with a Native American sage blessing
- Return to the Honeymoon Casita, where a customized bridal dinner awaits

Mountain Bike Vows
- Guests ride into the pristine Tortolita Reserve (bikes provided)
- Desert ceremony vows take place amidst the beauty of a true high Sonoran location
- Celebratory wine and cheese fortifications are provided to all in attendance
- Guests return to the hotel for an interactive dinner in Core Kitchen and Bar
- An outdoor couple’s massage and romantic breakfast is included on the following day

Western Horseback Ceremony
-  Bride, groom and guests depart the hotel resort before sunset
- Officiant on horseback awaits on the beautiful Wild Burro Trail
- Ceremony is followed by an acoustic guitar performance
- The sunset ride continues after the ceremony through the unforgettable beauty of the desert
- Guests return to the resort for a special western reception or casita dinner for two

Wedding Rodeo
- Guests venture to the famous and exclusive White Stallion Ranch
- From the ranch, guests enjoy a scenic trail ride through a lush landscape of saguaro cactus and rare desert flora and fauna
- A cowboy minister performs the “western” ceremony
- Guests return to White Stallion Ranch for their own Wedding Rodeo, where cowgirls and cowboys rope and ride
- A western barbecue reception follows, customized for the wedding group
- The wedding party returns to Honeymoon Casita where champagne on ice awaits the new bride and groom

Four-Wheel Wedding Adventure
- Guests share in a Jeep tour into the Saguaro National Park
- Ceremony takes place at “the corral” overlooking thousands of saguaro cacti and a lush Sonoran desert landscape
- Mariachi music punctuates the desert silence
- Champagne and strawberries are provided as the sun sets
- Guests return to the resort for a customized tasting menu with paired wines

About Weddings at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain:
At The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, wedding guests can experience the best of the high Sonoran Desert, the Wild West, Native American culture history, Southwest flora and fauna, and a mystical sense of place -- all at the same time, all in the same wedding or honeymoon vacation. For those wanting to embrace their inner adventurer, venture into the surrounding canyons for hiking, canyoneering, birding, geo-caching, stargazing, rock climbing, and archeological touring. Younger wedding guests can enjoy many of the above activities, as well as their own water adventures and eco-tours providing an up-close-and-personal introduction to many notorious “critters” of the desert. Wedding and honeymoon guests have unique access to an adventure menu that is unprecedented among contemporary southwest bridal venues.

About The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain:
Nestled in the high Sonoran Desert is an invigorating 850-acre playground where the adventurous can explore the lush desert along the Tortolitas Mountains and majestic Saguaro forest. The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain features a 253-room hotel, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa, acclaimed dining, and luxury homes at The Residences. The resort also features adventure programming and world-class hiking, and is host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships each year in a striking canyon setting. This is a place where adventure and a gracious spirit of hospitality come to life. For reservation information, please call 1-800-241-3333, contact a travel professional, or visit our website