ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

Promotions for “June is Romance Month” will end on a high note this year with Antigua and Barbuda scoring a top designation from BRIDES Magazine and the launch of the Barbuda Moons Romance  Package. The promotion also includes the staging of two destination weddings and an official engagement announcement.

The promotion will wind down with a second Destination Wedding next weekend. Daphne Hoytt and Ralph Dickerson, one of two couples selected as year's winners, will exchange nuptials at Blue Waters Resort. The wedding will exude all of the flavors of the destination and will be supported by the Ministry of Tourism, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) and other key stakeholders.

The New York couple will be accompanied by 50 guests who will enjoy several Carnival themed activities and attractions planned around the wedding celebration. A welcome reception at La Bussola Restaurant, the annual White Fete at Sand Piper, and the legendary Sunday barbeque at Shirley Heights are just some of the activities on the itinerary. Most guests will spend 5 nights at the Blue Waters Resort and enjoy recent upgrades that have been made to the property.

Derede Samuel Whitlock, US Director of Tourism, said "The sunset wedding will showcase our hospitality, beautiful beaches, cuisine, music and culture. Activities will be covered by two US publications and several online blogs. We expect to create a new batch of “brand ambassadors” within this guest list, who will help spread the word about all that the destination has to offer.”

The wedding will utilize local talent and resources and showcase the latest trends in cake design, flowers, photography hair and makeup, jewelry and entertainment. The wedding bands will be provided by Colombian Emeralds, photography by Photo Fantasy, flowers by Exotic Flowers, hair and make-up by Mingles. Tourism officials, stakeholders and sponsors will be in attendance and the event will be carried live on local television station ABS.

BRIDES Magazine recently ranked Antigua and Barbuda 11th among the top 20 honeymoon destinations in the world and third within the Caribbean region, behind the Bahamas and Bermuda. Antigua and Barbuda has been authorized by BRIDES Magazine to utilize this prestigious designation in its wedding and honeymoon promotions for the next year.

Now in its fifth year, the destination wedding underscores the twin islands’ strengths as a premier weddings and honeymoon destination.  Since the promotion’s inception there has been a significant boost in visitor arrivals during the month of June, the shoulder period between the end of the high season and the start of the low season. Antigua and Barbuda’s competitive advantage with no residency requirement to get married and a range of modern amenities, services and special promotions offer couples an expedited, stress free, spectacular wedding experience.

Winners of the fourth annual Destination Wedding in 2010, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Singer