Saint Lucia (July 31, 2013)- From September 26 – 29, 2013, Saint Lucia will host a roster of destination wedding experts during the first annual “LOVE Elevated” Wedding Symposium. Noted speakers include renowned New York based wedding planner Sarah Pease; Denise Favorule, Executive Vice President of the XO Group; Erika Hueneke, Senior Weddings Editor of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine; Lynne Leger, Vice President of Wedding Solutions at David’s Bridal; Charles Oster, Director of Sales and Marketing for MyWedding.com, along with other on-island wedding planning specialists.
Seminar topics will range from “Marketing to Brides; Best Practices” to “Creating the Ideal Destination Wedding Experience.” The weekend also includes site visits to idyllic locales around the island, a showcase of island wedding vendors hosted at Sandals Grande and the opportunity for attendees to observe a wedding at the iconic Pigeon Island. A sunset cruise cocktail reception and picturesque boat ride to the South of the island to see the natural mud baths of the Sulphur Springs and the UNESCO World Heritage Pitons, round out weekend activities.
Priced at US $150 per person, the three-day Symposium includes all seminars, social events, site inspections and transportation from select hotels. A number of the island’s top hotels, including Bay Gardens, The BodyHoliday, Calabash Cove, Rendezvous and C’est la Vie, are offering discounted rates. For hotel rates, a complete schedule and more information, visit http://stlucianow.com/loveelevated.
“The island’s natural beauty coupled with a number of world-class resorts has made Saint Lucia one of the most sought after wedding destinations in the Caribbean,” said Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. “Building on our reputation as the most romantic island, we aim to make this event an industry leader and seek to attract the best minds, talent and innovation in the destination wedding market.”
“LOVE Elevated” will be led by a roster of local and international wedding experts including:
- Denise Favorule, Executive Vice President, XO Group Inc., the largest media and marketing enterprise for brides, home and new moms, will present on “The Destination Wedding Industry” providing an overview of the business bolstered by current statistics and trends.
- Sarah Pease, Owner of The Proposal Planner and Brilliant Event Planning, creates dream weddings around the world and has built a reputation with her creative ideas, eye for design and impeccable attention to detail. Sarah will present “Creating The Ideal Destination Wedding Experience.”
- Erika Hueneke, Senior Weddings Editor of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons; Lynne Leger, Vice President Wedding Solutions, Marketing & Operations at David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading bridal retailer; and Charles Oster, Director of Sales and Marketing for MyWedding.com, a leading wedding planning website, will comprise a panel discussing “Marketing to Brides, Best Practices.”
In celebration of the first annual Wedding Symposium, on July 17 the Tourist Board launched the Saint Lucia Pinterest page in conjunction with a “Simply Beautiful Pin it to Win” sweepstakes. One lucky winner and a guest will be awarded an all-expense, four-night trip to Saint Lucia with accommodations provided by Rendezvous, the world’s first couples-only all-inclusive boutique resort in the Caribbean. For more details on the sweepstakes visit www.facebook.com/SaintLuciaTouristBoard.
For more information about the island of Saint Lucia call 1-800-456-3984, or visit www.saintlucianow.com.
About Saint Lucia
One of the Windward Islands of the West Indies’ Lesser Antilles, Saint Lucia (pronounced Saint LOO-sha) is nestled halfway down the Eastern Caribbean archipelago. The “Helen of the West Indies,” Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions, including the signature Piton Mountains – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a tropical rainforest and one of the world’s few drive-in volcanoes. Culturally rich offerings include the bustling marketplace in the capital of Castries, quaint fishing villages along the coastline, and the annual Saint Lucia Jazz festival. Saint Lucia’s wide range of accommodations includes world-class five-star resorts, all-inclusive resorts, intimate inns and value-oriented properties. Saint Lucia also is home to world class cruise and yachting facilities.
