by Monica Hill, WPICC, DWC
Instructor at WPIC and Owner of Aisle Plan Your Day in Edmonton, AB
On April 12-15TH, 2011, nine destination wedding planners from, The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada, travelled to the sunny island of Barbados.
This beautiful little island is nestled against the Atlantic Ocean and the Carribean Sea, where the sparkling turquoise waters captivated us the moment our plane flew over the island. From the rolling hills, to the gorgeous beaches & stunning coastline; we truly found a special place in our hearts for the Island of Barbados.
Day 1
Upon arrival to the airport, our group disembarked the plane on the airport tarmac. [Which to me; signifies the true meaning of a Caribbean adventure!] Our group was then greeted by the fabulous, Amina Dawe, of Platinum Service. We were given VIP service through Customs at the airport and then escorted to a private limousine for our group transfer to Almond Casuarina Resort [Our Host resort while in Barbados].
We were then escorted to our gorgeous oceanfront rooms; after a very simple check-in process with the hotel; in which upon arrival to our room we were treated to fruit & cheese trays in the room along with a “swag-bag” full of exciting goodies for us to enjoy on the trip!
After familiarizing ourselves with the beach and enjoying some local cuisine; we then proceeded to the cocktail reception at Almond Casuarina Resort in which we were greeted by Sue of Soulmates Barbados. After some cocktails and appetizers, we then proceeded to dinner at Enid’s Restaurant for a delicious a' la Carte Menu.
Day 2
We started off Day-2 in Barbados with a presentation by the Barbados Tourism Authority in which they outlined the specifics and legalities of weddings within Barbados. We then proceeded to a site tour of two Almond resorts: Almond Beach Club & Almond Beach Village. Both properties were very gorgeous with a limited number of room categories, while offering great pricing and amenities for guests. We even had the chance to visit with the local police authority and take some pictures through our tour.
FYI – Interesting fact about Barbados: It is illegal to wear any form of camoflauge unless you are police or military. [An important tip to advise your clients about!]
After our site tours of the Almond properties; we then embarked on our next great adventure with “Cool Runnings” Catamaran Cruises. It was a fun filled day on the ocean; including swimming with sea turtles, snorkeling over a shipwreck and enjoying delectable food & dancing aboard the Catamaran boat.
Day 3
Day 3 was truly one of our favorite days! We started our guided tour of Barbados with visits to some local landmarks.
We had the opportunity to visit Codrington College which is located in The Parish of St. John. This location overlooks the magnificent Atlantic ocean and it is the oldest Theological College in the Western Hemisphere and very important the Heritage of Barbados.
We then proceeded to St. John Parish Church which is considered to be the most English of all Barbadian churches. This church is over 150 years old and is situated on the edge of an 800 foot cliff overlooking the east coast of Barbados.
Visiting some of these landmarks sure opened up the possibilities to some fantastic wedding venues for our destination wedding clients and allowed us the opportunity to experience some of the history in Barbados.
We then proceeded to view the Crane Resort. This resort originally opened in 1887 and has since then expanded to a premiere, luxury beachfront resort. This particular property holds the distinction of being the oldest operating hotel in the Caribbean. Ground floor suites feature “infinity pools” while all two-bedroom residences on the upper floors feature individual plunge pools. This resort was nothing short of spectacular and is a true luxury oasis for guests.
We then proceeded to the Fairmont Royal Pavillion for a site tour and personalized WPIC menu sponsored lunch. This resort truly boasts an unrivalled beach-front presence with all rooms providing exquisite ocean views. There are 72 guest rooms, including brand new beachfront Junior Suites. The rooms boast soft-toned interiors and have glass front balconies for an uninterrupted view of the ocean.
Our trip concluded with an A la Carte Farewell Dinner at our host resort Almond Casuarina Resort followed by on evening of enjoying the local night life on the St. Lawrence Gap.
Planning the wedding of your dreams, or the perfectly romantic honeymoon, can be easy as saying ‘I do’ as Barbados has a long tradition of hosting weddings and honeymoons. And with recent legislation eliminating advance notice requirements to marry on the island, this allows couples to marry as soon as a license is obtained. Whether you are looking to have a traditional ceremony in an old country church, on a beach at sunset… the choices of romantic settings in Barbados are endless.
Awesome summary of the WPIC Fam trip! The ties between Barbados and Canada are long and deep. We look forward to working with all the WPIC Destination Certified Wedding Coordinators to ensure their destination weddings here in Barbados are fun, fabulous and flawless!