Jetsettersblog

Toronto-based tour operator Goway established a new honeymoon registry that provides a mechanism for people to donate to their newlywed friends’ honeymoon trips as wedding presents. Using the online registry, couples can register to create a channel for friends to make donations to their trips or other special travel-related purchases such as romantic dinners or spa treatments. There is no charge for use of the registry.

After honeymoon couples have booked their trips, they can post the information of the trip on the registry. Goway also provides the couple a free wedding website. Goway’s trip planners can create custom wedding packages, honeymoon trips and destination weddings to order.

Geringer Global Travel is offering a 14-day Ultimate Honeymoon package built around a tour through India. The package includes stays at luxury hotels, such as The Imperial, Delhi; Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra; Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur; Chhatra Sagar Luxury Tents, Nimaj; Taj Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur; The Leela Hotel, Mumbai; Taj Vivanta Bekal Resort, Mangalore; and Vivanta by Taj Bekal, Bekal.

Special romantic experiences include dinner under the stars at the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra with live traditional Indian music and a menu created by master chef from the Mughal rulers Royal kitchen; an elephant safari and lunch at Dera Amber; a Puja wedding ceremony at a Hindu Temple; and a private riverside dinner at Taj Vivanta Beekal.

At the onset of the tour when the honeymoon couple arrives in Delhi, the newlyweds are met with a special wedding garland and are transported to The Imperial Hotel in a traditionally florally bedecked wedding vehicle. Other sites visited include the Raj Ghat memorial, Jama Masjid Mosque; the Akbar Mausoleum; the Taj Mahal; Agra Fort; Old Agra; and Fatehpur Sikri. The package is priced from $10,145 per person double occupancy, and includes luxury accommodations, intra-India airfare, meals per the itinerary and activities throughout the planned stay.

On April 23, Air Tahiti Nui hosted a wedding at 30,000 feet. Alex Pelling and Lisa Gant were en route from Paris to Tahiti via Los Angeles when they walked down the aircraft aisle, the bride led by an Air Tahiti Nui attendant, all the rest of the passengers watching intently. Near the first row of Economy, an ATN purser recited the ceremony in English and French before presenting the couple with tiare flowers to put behind their ears, in true Tahiti fashion.

The couple received a certificate of ‘the first air marriage’ from Air Tahiti Nui, then were invited into Business Class for Champagne and sugared almonds. The couple landed in Tahiti soon thereafter to start their Tahiti honeymoon.

The Saint Lucia Tourist Board is teaming up with wedding and bridal company David’s Bridal to launch a yearlong, multi-channel strategic campaign designed to promote Saint Lucia as a preferred destination for honeymoons and destination weddings.

Running through October 2013, the campaign will use print ads, in-store literature and online banner ads and e-newsletters to promote Saint Lucia as the ideal destination for honeymoons and destination weddings. Couples also have the opportunity to enter to win an all-inclusive honeymoon getaway to Cotton Bay Village in Saint Lucia through Oct. 20, 2013.

Geringer Global Travel is offering a 14-day Ultimate Honeymoon package built around a tour through India. The package includes stays at luxury hotels, such as The Imperial, Delhi; Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra; Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur; Chhatra Sagar Luxury Tents, Nimaj; Taj Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur; The Leela Hotel, Mumbai; Taj Vivanta Bekal Resort, Mangalore; and Vivanta by Taj Bekal, Bekal.

Special romantic experiences include dinner under the stars at the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra with live traditional Indian music and a menu created by master chef from the Mughal rulers Royal kitchen; an elephant safari and lunch at Dera Amber; a Puja wedding ceremony at a Hindu Temple; and a private riverside dinner at Taj Vivanta Beekal.

At the onset of the tour when the honeymoon couple arrives in Delhi, the newlyweds are met with a special wedding garland and are transported to The Imperial Hotel in a traditionally florally bedecked wedding vehicle. Other sites visited include the Raj Ghat memorial, Jama Masjid Mosque; the Akbar Mausoleum; the Taj Mahal; Agra Fort; Old Agra; and Fatehpur Sikri. The package is priced from $10,145 per person double occupancy, and includes luxury accommodations, intra-India airfare, meals per the itinerary and activities throughout the planned stay.

The 24-carat gilded Ballroom at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London is London’s most prestigious location for weddings, where town meets country at one address.

This year, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has partnered with leading wedding first dance Choreographer and Director of WeddingFD Izabela Rai, to offer couples the opportunity to dance in the footsteps of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who learned to ballroom dance in the historic Ballroom with her sister Princess Margaret. Couples who book their wedding at the hotel will receive three complimentary first-dance lessons with Izabela.

Most celebrated for her role in the third series of the popular BBC television programme Strictly Come Dancing, and as professional ballroom dance partner to Brendan Cole, Izabela can choreograph a dance routine for all levels of experience, that can include an elegant beginning, unique and fun freestyle moves, timeless Waltz and Foxtrot steps and a classical ending or a spectacular lift as an option. Izabela has professionally choreographed the ‘first dance’ at weddings for celebrities, high society couples, business leaders and sport stars in London, New York, Paris and Los Angeles. “I am delighted to have formed a dancing relationship with Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. This hotel is very special to me, as my own wedding took place in the beautiful Ballroom. I absolutely love to see people enjoy dancing, especially on the most special day of their lives”.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s new 2013 Wedding Package, starts from £21,000 for 120 people, and includes:
Pre dinner canapé reception including one glass of Champagne per person
3 course wedding breakfast including half a bottle of wine and mineral water per person
3 first dance classes with Izabela Rai as well as a copy of WeddingFD DVD (www.weddingfd.com), the leading Wedding First Dance programme
MO crockery, cutlery, table linens, glassware, tables and chairs
Menu printing
One night stay in a Mandarin Junior Suite on the wedding night with breakfast
10% service charge
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London offers a one-stop-shop for every bride-to-be, with an in-house wedding expert, award-winning cuisine and gracious service. Dedicated Wedding Expert Kelly Hunt is on hand to help plan each event from start to finish, and to alleviate the stress of ‘wedmin’ in the happy pursuit of the perfect day to remember. Under the guidance of Executive Chef Chris Tombling, the dedicated team of Chefs can offer an authentic culinary journey and eclectic mix of flavours from around the world, and includes specialists in Western, Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern cuisine. The hotel can even play host to an “after party” on the Lower Ground Floor, with dedicated event spaces offering a late night licence until 3am.

With an impressive Victorian façade and enveloped between the glitz and glamour of Knightsbridge and leafy Hyde Park, The Ballroom at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has long been the setting for many opulent weddings and extravagant parties including the Queen Elizabeth II’s reception on the eve of the royal marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. With both a private Knightsbridge entrance as well as its own Royal Entrance, from which the Bride and Groom may enter with permission from the Crown Estate, The Ballroom is set against the country garden-like backdrop of Hyde Park. The Terrace provides a tranquil, outdoor setting for a drinks reception.

About Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
With bustling Knightsbridge on its doorstep and leafy Hyde Park at its rear, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is London’s most prestigious address. Blending sumptuous guestrooms with a world-leading spa and a stylish bar, it is the definitive destination for a luxury escape. And with two award-winning restaurants including Bar Boulud, London and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, the first London restaurant for one of the UK’s most renowned chefs, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park stands at the culinary centre of the capital.

About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts. The Group now operates, or has under development, 45 hotels representing 11,000 rooms in 28 countries, with 19 hotels in Asia, 13 in The Americas and 13 in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. In addition, the Group operates, or has under development, 14 Residences at Mandarin Oriental connected to its properties.

Photography of Mandarin Oriental is available to download, in high and low resolution, in the Photo Library of our Media section, at www.mandarinoriental.com.  Please join us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MandarinOriental) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mo_hotels)

Visit Destination MO (www.destinationMO.info), the online version of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s bespoke publication, MO. News about our award-winning hotels, the best dining experiences, spa treatments, travel retreats and interviews with the Group’s celebrity fans is now just a click away.

Whether it’s time to pop the question, celebrate a big birthday or simply declare unconditional love to that someone special, make 2013 the year to remember and do it in style. Revel in romance and whisk the other half off with Sun Hotels & Resorts to the Maldives where even the coolest of characters will be swept up in all things hearts and love.

For an unforgettable proposal, Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort is the ultimate romantic destination. Sprawled across the entire expanse of Meedhuffushi Island in the South Nilandhe Atoll, this luxury four-star resort is the perfect backdrop for getting down on one knee. What’s more, the attentive staff at Vilu Reef are connoisseurs at adding personal touches to help create an everlasting memory. Let the resort organise a jet-ski experience followed by dinner on a secluded beach and ask for her hand as the sun sets over the lagoon, or take a sunset dolphin cruise and enjoy these fascinating creatures play in the Indian Ocean before proposing in front of the glowing horizon.

Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort is another romantic island retreat, with stunning beaches and abundant sandbanks, its own house reef and the new Sand Horizon destination dining experience. With seats dug into the sand for a magical dinner on the beach and ambient candles and lanterns surrounding the table, it’s guaranteed to be a memorable proposal under the Maldivian moonlit sky.

Or for the more extravagant, Olhuveli can organise for a loved one to be whisked off on a 30 minute speedboat, taking in breathtaking scenery before arriving on the sandy shores in style, just in time to be wined and dined at an intimate beach set up. Alternatively, take to the skies in the comfort of a private seaplane and tour the island from above before landing to ask the all-important question looking out to sea.

For those seeking a holiday-of-a-lifetime to celebrate a milestone birthday, there are plenty of romantic options that will make the day special. Wine lovers will enjoy being treated to an exceptional meal at Olhuveli’s Four Spices restaurant. Perfect for big occasions, this over-water pavilion offers a Wine Pairing menu with five-courses, each one complemented by an expertly chosen wine to maximise flavour and get the taste buds tingling.

Finally, old romantics looking for the ultimate way to say those three special words will be spoilt for the choice by the resorts’ indulgent spa and pampering experiences. Both destinations boast tranquil Sun Spas which offer carefully designed treatments to make guests feel special and cared for. With a range of packages including ‘Chocolate Delight’ for couples or a nourishing aromatherapy massage for her, there are endless ways to make them feel loved. Prices for couples’ treatments start from US$270, while massages start from US$60.

Travelbag (0871 703 4240 / www.travelbag.co.uk)  offers seven nights at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort from just £999 per person and Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort from £1,059 per person. Book by 20 February for selected departures in June, the price includes return flights from London with Etihad, accommodation on a half-board basis, transfers, taxes and surcharges.

WEB: www.proudafricansafaris.com

Proud African Safaris Announces Tanzania Honeymoons and Romantic Getaways
Create Your Own Dream Destination Wedding, Proposal, or Honeymoon in 2013

ARUSHA, Tanzania—Proud African Safaris, a specialist in luxury travel experiences throughout Tanzania, is announcing customizable honeymoons, destination weddings, and engagement vacations throughout Tanzania for the 2013 season. Proud African Safaris’ romantic getaways give couples the chance to experience authentic Tanzania, which is world-renowned for its variety and density of African wildlife, luxurious accommodations, and fascinating cultures.

Couples can experience the romance and thrill of a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti Plains, or sweeping views of the Tanzania landscape during a fully-catered sunset dinner at the edge of the historic Ngorongoro Crater. With Proud African Safaris’ fully customizable itineraries, couples can choose from a variety of relaxing and romantic activities or heart-pumping outdoor adventures.

Guests can book a rejuvenating couples’ massage, request champagne breakfasts in the bush, and enjoy accommodation in luxury boutique lodges or traditional tented safari camps. More adventurous guests can choose activities like hiking through the lush Ngorongoro Highlands Forest, canoeing to observe hippo families and other wildlife, participating in night game drives, bird watching, nature walks, bicycling, and more.

Travelers also savor made-to-order gourmet meals and fine wine pairings in Tanzania’s finest camps and lodges.

In addition to romantic getaways, Proud African Safaris can create an unforgettable destination wedding in Tanzania. Whether couples want a more traditional wedding in an exotic locale with an “African twist”, or a ceremony that includes ancestral Massai ceremonial components, PAS can create a day that will never be forgotten.

A Tanzania safari also offers the perfect setting for a surprise engagement. Whether the groom-to-be wants to pop the question during a private picnic at the edge of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater followed by a champagne toast, or ask his bride for her hand while on a game drive amongst the abundant wildlife on the endless plains of the Serengeti, Proud African Safaris can arrange an engagement setting that she will never forget.

PAS will be sure that the big engagement day ends with a romantic candlelit dinner, rose petals in the room, champagne, and more, all with the backdrop of the spectacular Tanzania landscapes.

Proud African Safaris’ private romantic getaways offer guests authentic and highly personalized travel experiences that are tailored to the individual interests and passions of each couple.

With Proud African Safaris, travelers can also enjoy extras that only a private African safari would afford: An expert naturalist guide to accompany them, a private 4WD game vehicle with unlimited mileage for game drives, an itinerary that offers flexibility and freedom, personal insights into the local culture and wildlife by locals who have intimate knowledge, exceptional customer service, and an incredible value.

Proud African Safaris also subscribes to a “road-less traveled” philosophy: Guides aim to take guests to places where there are fewer crowds and more exclusive game-viewing opportunities using their expert bush skills, instinct, and experience for a more authentic and exciting experience. Unlike other safari companies that might offer trips in several African countries, Proud African Safaris operates solely in Tanzania and are true aficionados of this spectacular country. PAS’s itineraries are strategically designed to take advantage of seasonal animal migrations so that guests are afforded the most unforgettable wildlife viewing experiences possible. Because of their intimate knowledge, guests are also offered truly unique cultural experiences that wouldn’t happen elsewhere. Best of all, there is no “middle-man” as there are with companies that operate outside of Tanzania, so important details won’t get lost in the shuffle.

For more information about planning a romantic getaway in 2013 with Proud African Safaris, visit www.proudafricansafaris.com

There is no better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than at the home of Champagne. Treat your other half this Valentine’s Day with Grape Escapes’ Exclusive Champagne Tour in Reims. The two-night trip is an ideal celebration break, combining a mixture of Champagne vineyard tours and tastings at some of the regions’ most famous Champagne Houses with romance and luxury at the beautiful 5* Château les Crayères. Prices for this luxury getaway start from £1129 per person, excluding international transport and transport to and from the Château.

Located just 1½ miles outside the centre of Reims, the Château les Crayères was built by the Pommery family and provides the perfect setting for a romantic escape. Guests have the choice of a range of luxury rooms offering six different levels of luxury accommodation either in the Château itself or in the quaint guesthouse in the beautifully landscaped gardens. A gastronomic gala dinner in the Château’s double Michelin starred restaurant, “Le Parc” is also included in the price of the stay.

The tour starts with a visit to a small, family-run Grand Cru Champagne House, including a lesson in the Napoleaonic art of Sabrage (opening the bottle with a sabre.) Next is a visit to the hillside village of Hautvillers where Dom Pérignon lived and is buried, to enjoy a tasting of two Champagnes and a cheese/charcuterie platter.

Guests then visit a choice of their favourite prestigious Champagne House with options including Mercier, GH Mumm, Pommery, Taittinger, Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot. The highlight of the tour is visiting the estate of the iconic Prestige Cuvée, Dom Pérignon. This private visit includes parts of the cellars seldom seen by the general public, topped with a flute of Dom Pérignon served in the luxurious estate mansion.

Grape Escapes’ Exclusive Tours are not just a perfect choice to celebrate Valentine’s Day but are also available to book throughout the year and can be an ideal “Valentine’s Gift”. For further information, please visit www.grapeescapes.net.

BOUTIQUE Shropshire country house hotel, Fishmore Hall, are giving happy couples the chance to have the wedding of their dreams without the hefty price tag, thanks to their brand new 2013 wedding offers.

Those wanting an intimate affair can take advantage of the aptly named ’2013 Wedding for £2013′. For exclusive use of the bar and 3 rosette Forelles restaurant, plus six bedrooms – a package that would usually set them back £3360.

If it is the full fairytale experience the love birds are after, then for £10,000 the happy couple can share exclusive use of the hotel including all fifteen bedrooms with 80 guests. The big day will start with a civil ceremony at Ludlow Castle followed by canapés and Prosecco whilst the photographs are being taken. Guests are transported to Fishmore Hall in style by vintage bus, where Pimms and lemonade will be served and they can enjoy a delicious three-course wedding breakfast at the hotel’s 3 rosette restaurant.

The evening will also be taken care of with music provided by the Hall’s very own resident DJ and a two-course buffet.

Licensed for civil ceremonies both inside the hotel and outside in the beautiful gardens, and with its award winning restaurant, handsome Regency architecture and breathtaking scenery, it is the perfect setting for any wedding. That is why Fishmore Hall wants to give people the opportunity to experience all this and more without breaking the bank.

Owner and manager, Laura Penman explained: “The recession has meant that for most people these are increasingly difficult financial times. Forcing them to have to cut costs and make sacrifices.”

“Here at Fishmore Hall we believe that your wedding is the one day you shouldn’t have to compromise which is why we have put together these special offers to allow couples to have the big day they always wanted at a price that is affordable.”

To check availability and for more information visit www.fishmorehall.co.uk, email Fishmore Hall at reception@fishmorehall.co.uk, or telephone the hotel on 01584 875148. Please contact Kim if your numbers are over 80 guests as the hotel can accommodate up to 130 for a sit down meal and up to 250 guests for an evening do.

The ’2013 Wedding for £2013′ offer includes:

-Exclusive use of the bar

-Exclusive use of the three rosette Forelles Restaurant

-Exclusive use of 6 bedrooms

Food and drink is an additional charge.

For £10,000 ‘Your Castle Wedding’ offer includes:

-Inclusive package based on 80 guests

-Exclusive use of Fishmore Hall hotel, including all 15 bedrooms

-Transfers between venues provided by a vintage bus

-Civil Ceremony at Ludlow Castle

-Selection of canapés and Prosecco served by Fishmore Hall at Ludlow Castle during the photographs

-Pimms and Lemonade served on arrival at Fishmore Hall

-3-course wedding breakfast with coffee and petit fours and half a bottle of wine per person

-A toast drink of Prosecco

-Evening music provided by Fishmore Hall’s resident DJ

-2-course evening buffet

All rates Include VAT.