As thoughts turn to Valentine’s Day and perhaps of popping the question, couples are considering the up and coming trend of destination weddings. Miami, Florida proudly takes a prime position on that list.
“Marry Me in Miami” month features on Miami’s June calendar but ideal South Florida weather seasons include most spring, winter and fall months.
A hot spot
With average temperatures in the 70s or 80s Fahrenheit much of the year, outdoor weddings and beach weddings are more than just a dream in Miami. Imagine delightful evenings with romantic dining al fresco under a starry sky and strolling beneath that proverbial moon over Miami. A fun round of golf, a dip in the Atlantic, a trendy nightclub, luncheon served in your private poolside cabana are all on the cards. “When it comes to romance, Miami takes the cake,” touts the local tourist board.
A dream come true
The popular online site for brides, TheKnot.com partnered with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau last spring to offer a competition for a $150,000 complete weekend wedding package at The Biltmore Hotel in Miami’s pretty Coral Gables. From a pool of 10,000 entries, five finalist couples were flown to Miami for an outdoor race along balloon-decorated Miracle Mile, including such timed skills as cake-eating, flower arranging, the men placing a garter on their fiancée using only the teeth and scrambling to find a ring hidden among 100 boxes. Hailing from West Hartford, Connecticut, the winners tied the knot at a stunning wedding at the Biltmore in front of 150 guests last October and become instant mini-celebrities in both cities. But if you do not win it, plan it!
Planning a destination wedding
No wonder that Florida is ranked number one for destination weddings by TheKnot.com. Due to its appeal, many Miami hotels have destination wedding experts on their catering team to assist brides with organizing all aspects of a wedding away from home, including rehearsal dinners, menus, decorations, favorable guest room rates and allocations for family and friends. Quite often, there is a suite upgrade with champagne provided for the newlyweds. The Biltmore has a full time event design team to help coordinate wonderful weddings at their historic landmark Mediterranean-style resort which overlooks the spectacular pool, billed as the largest among all hotels in the continental U.S. Why not pull up in a vintage white Rolls Royce, look royal perched in a horse-drawn carriage, exchange vows at charming Church of the Little Flower or by the mosaics at the Italianate Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, cater for strictly kosher, dance the night away under the palm trees?
A honeymoon add-on
Many couples add on a honeymoon from Miami, either extending their Miami stay as Mr. & Mrs. or taking a quick jaunt to nearby Florida hot spots such as laid back Key West, adventure land Orlando or to those tropical Bahamian breezes offshore. What’s more, as anniversaries roll around, couples who return to their Miami wedding hotel venue will likely find themselves on the receiving end of a VIP treatment for many years to come.