Hotel Online
News for the Hospitality Executive


advertisement


Marriott International's Certified Wedding Planners Share the
Latest Trends In Destination Weddings

Bethesda, MD -March 22, 2012- The Certified Wedding Planners at JW Marriott, Renaissance, and Marriott Hotels & Resorts plan thousands of weddings each year. These men and women are on the front lines of the wedding planning business and have identified some noticeable trends with regard to destination weddings. Most of the planners agree that one of the most notable trends is the addition of "afterglow parties" following the reception which are usually held in a different space and enable guests to party long after the reception is over.

Nedra Peterson, Senior Catering Sales Executive at The Lodge at Sonoma, a Renaissance Resort & Spa, notes that destination weddings tend to be smaller and more intimate, with about 50 to 70 guests total. "We are finding that the typical destination wedding client is often a couple who has a connection to the destination and who want to incorporate that into the story of their wedding." Ms. Peterson notes that destination weddings often include the bride and groom's thoughtfully arranged itinerary so that friends and family get to really experience the area with tours, biking, golf, etc. Typical destination wedding events include welcome receptions on the day of arrival, afterglow parties with drinks and snacks following the wedding, and a post-wedding brunch so that all guests can gather together one last time before departure.

Joe Ibarra, the Wedding Event Manager at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa in Oahu notes a marked increase in Indian and Korean weddings as well as commitment ceremonies. "'We are also seeing an increase in 'afterglow parties' to extend the socializing phase of the event," notes Mr. Ibarra.

Tracy Flanagan of A Dream Wedding; Maui Style LLC who works at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa notes that "The wedding itself becomes the 'icing on the cake' and the highlight of everyone's trip, but it's also about the fun activities they do as a group (e.g., whale watching, snorkeling, ziplining, golfing, etc.) that create those special memories that everyone is talking about for years to come." Ms. Flanagan adds that couples who are shopping their destination wedding dollars are much more sophisticated and savvy these days with regard to what they are looking for and what they expect and they have also done a significant amount of research beforehand to educate themselves.

Amber Palmer, Senior Catering Sales Executive at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa sees an increase in more driveable destination weddings. "For our location in San Diego, we are seeing weddings from Los Angeles, Orange County, and even Arizona. We are close enough for their guests to drive, but yet they can still experience an island ambiance that makes attendees feel like they are on a tropical vacation." Ms. Palmer notes that more and more couples are also opting for outdoor receptions versus in an indoor ballroom and afterglow parties that enable dancing, late night snacks, and drinks well into the wee hours of the morning.

Natalie Hall, Senior Catering Sales Executive at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa notes a significant increase in weddings booked on days other than a Saturday. "Many brides are selecting a Friday, Sunday, and in some cases even a Thursday to reduce overall costs. Also heavy reception stations (action, carving, sushi) are becoming more popular versus your standard sit-down dinner." She also notes that 90% of the weddings held at the resort involve a non-denominational wedding in an outdoor setting as today's bride wants something truly unique.

Alexis Castle, Catering & Events Manager at the Hutchinson Island Marriott in Florida, notes that a high percentage of today's engaged couples are paying for all or most of their wedding reception and related expenses and therefore want the biggest bang for their buck. "One of the first things they will do away with is an open bar in favor of a cash bar. With 100 guests, that's an estimated savings of $4,000." She also notes that couples are choosing domestic locations that offer the "feel" of a destination weding without the expense of travel to another country. Ms. Castle adds that "second or third timers — regardless of age — typically want a less formal affiar and will host a brunch buffet or cocktail party with stations as opposed to butlered hors d'ouevres or a sit down dinner."

Engaged couples who are looking for a great value on a destination wedding, should consider the Vow to Get Away at Marriott promotion, where they can earn up to 150,000 Marriott Rewards ® points – enough for a free honeymoon. Participating hotels include JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Florida, Hawaii, Arizona and California. For more information, visit www.marriott.com/vowtogetaway.

Visit Marriott International, Inc (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. For more information about our sustainability efforts, visit www.marriott.com/environment.

Contact:

Paula Butler
Phone: (240) 328-7207
Email: [email protected]



Receive Your Hospitality Industry Headlines via Email for Free! Subscribe Here  

To Learn More About Your News Being Published on Hotel-Online Inquire Here


Also See: Marriott International to Open Three Hotels in Sochi, Russia, Site of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games; To be Managed by Interstate Management Services / January 2012

The 412-room Boston Marriott Long Wharf in Massachusetts Completes Four Year $30 Million Renovation / January 2012

Marriott to Open 123-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotel in San Diego, California Completing an Extensive Renovation and Rebranding of the Former Holiday Inn Express; Owned by Affiliates of Clearview Hotel Capital and Managed by Interstate Hotels and Resorts / January 2012

The Cleveland Airport Marriott in Ohio Unveils its $22 Million Renovation / January 2012

Owned and Managed by Chase Hospitality, the 118-suite Residence Inn by Marriott Opens in Irving, Texas / December 2011

Hollander Investments and Marriott International Set to Open the 120-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Puyallup, Washinton / December 2011

The End of an Era, Bill Marriott Secedes CEO Role and is Elected Executive Chairman for Marriott International; Arne Sorenson Named CEO, Bob McCarthy Named COO / December 2011

The 171-room Courtyard by Marriott Moscow Paveletskaya Opens in Russia / December 2011

Residence Inn Brand Introduced in the Middle East with the Opening of the 80-key Residence Inn by Marriott Manama Juffair in Bahrain; Under a Management Agreement with International Trading and Investment Co. / December 2011

Marriott International Opens the 720-room Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre in Shanghai, China / December 2011

Lodgco Management and Marriott to Open the 67-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Midland, Michigan / December 2011

The Residence Inn Brand Debuts in the United Kingdom with the Opening of the 107-room Residence Inn Edinburgh in Scotland Managed by Gladevale Ventures Limited / November 2011

Marriott Opens First Residence Inn Extended Stay Hotel in Europe with the 125-room Residence Inn Munich City East in Germany / October 2011

Marriott International Debuts Three City Center Hotels and Three Brands in Doha, Qatar; Renaissance Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments and Saray Spa Offer New Accommodations in Qatar / October 2011

Marriott and Host Hotels & Resorts Unveil $39 Million Renovation of the 1,946-room New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square / September 2011

Marriott Names Neal Jones Vice President Global Sales Intermediaries and Europe / September 2011

Marriott Says Waikiki Owner Bankruptcy Self-Defeating and Will Ultimately Destroy Value of Asset; Marriott Will Vigorously Pursue Tens of Millions of Dollars in Damages / September 2011

Marriott Takes Back Operation of Waikiki EDITION After New York Courts Order Control be Returned / September 2011

Marriott Responds to Takeover of Waikiki EDITION by Owner Stating Action is Illegal and a Blatant Violation of Contractual Agreement; Will Aggressively Oppose Move; Remains Deeply Committed to the EDITION Brand / August 2011

Marriott Launches Hotel Stay Planning App for iPhone®, BlackBerry® and Android™ Devices / August 2011

Marriott International Opens its First JW Marriott Hotel in North India with the 165-room JW Marriott Chandigarh / July 2011

Marriott International Opens 413-room JW Marriott Hotel Ankara in Turkey Managed by Ozkar Insaat A.S. / July 2011

Marriott International Planning 12 New JW Marriott Brand Hotels to Open by 2012 in India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Maldives, Peru, Vietnam, UAE and South Korea / June 2011

Marriott Hotels & Resorts Adding to Global Pipeline Nearly 50 New Hotels and Resorts Over Next Four Years; Focus is on Worldwide Emerging Destinations / June 2011

Marriott International to Open 153-room JW Marriott Hotel in Cusco, Peru to be Managed by Inversiones La Rioja, S.A / March 2011

World's Largest JW Marriott, the JW Marriott® Indianapolis Downtown, Opens Completing the $450 million Marriott Place Development Project / February 2011

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Miami Opens as the 47th JW Marriott Property; Plans Include an Addtional 20 Properties Over Next Five Years / November 2010

The Soon to Open JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Miami Taking Amenities to Another Level with a Virtual Bowling Room, Virtual Golf Facility and a 10,000 sq ft NBA Basketball Court; Not to Mention Daniel Boulud's db Bistro Moderne and a Hotel within a Hotel, the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami / August 2010

357-room JW Marriott Miami Marquis Hotel Being Developed by MDM Hotel Group, LTD in Downtown, Miami; Will Include Daniel Boulud's DB Bistro Moderne / September 2009

The Metropolitan Miami Project in Downtown Miami Planning a 396-room Miami Met Marquis, a New Brand Addition to the JW Marriott Collection Hotels; Joins Daniel Boulud's DB Bistro Moderne / June 2007

Florencia Tabeni Appointed General Manager for the JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami / December 2009



To search Hotel Online data base of News and Trends Go to Hotel.OnlineSearch

Home | Welcome| Hospitality News |
Industry Resources

Please contact Hotel.Online with your comments and suggestions.