Changes to travellers with children entering Mexico

Below you will find an update to family members travelling with children in and out of Mexico.  It has been a challenge for single parents or grandparents travelling with children because of the need for a letter form the parents who are not attending the trip.  Below was posted directly from Mexico Tourism:

Destination Weddings – travel agent, wedding planner where to we begin?

Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style

You sat down as a couple, made the decision and know you want a destination wedding, now where do you turn? Ads and billboards are everywhere and suddenly everyone is a destination professional. Every family member and friend is more than whiling to share their experiences and opinions. This can be an over whelming to a couple, and the true essence of a destination wedding is to have their wedding away, leaving the stresses (and possibly winter) behind.
As a couple, take some time to find out what you both are hoping for while you are away. Are you looking for adventure, relaxation, culture, luxury or all of the above? Often the first thing every couple says is, “We imaged something different than everyone else’s wedding we have seen”. The hardest challenge is: What do you define as “different”? What would make your day truly distinctive? Write a list of the most important items you would hope for and get ready to explore your options.

A lot of couples desire “off the beaten path” destinations. When exploring these options, it is important to make note of a few key points:

• If it is not a regular vacation spot for your gateway (i.e. Winnipeg), there is a chance their may not be direct flights. Are direct flight very important to you? Are you whiling to over night for a connection in order to get to your destination?



• The more the location is “off the beaten path” the more costly it may be. It may be so because of lack of volume for airlines and vacation companies to bring people from your gateway to that location. Are you whiling to pay a little more? Are your guests whiling to pay a little more?



• Depending on the location, the area may not be as prepared for weddings or costs may be much higher because weddings that are held there are simply more exclusive. A lot of the Caribbean islands can have a higher prices tag vs. the more typical spots we are used to seeing.

Once your research has been completed and priced by a travel professional, you may come to a cross road. Simply, the options may not be to your liking or budget. Costs may be high or travel too long when you consider your guests. Don’t allow this to be a road block, but rather a stepping stone. A suggestion is to go back to why you chose the area and what drew you to it in the beginning.

The next suggestion is to sit with your destination wedding professional and map out your best options so you can find the most viable locations and resorts to fit your criteria. Hiring a professional who is both a licensed travel agent and wedding planner is simply invaluable. A seasoned travel agent would have the experience to direct you towards alternative travel options so you may choose a different destination that can fit your budget and offer better flight plans. A destination wedding planner would be able to guide you as a couple to what you can do in order to make your wedding distinctive and unforgettable on budget. An experienced destination wedding planner has accumulated the knowledge of different wedding packages abroad, how to change them to fit you specifically, and your desired look. They also can suggest which resorts to choose so they can offer you the best options that would suit your wedding vision. Both areas of knowledge are necessary when choosing the best location for your special day. Compromising one of these services may not be a corner you wish to cut in order to receive the guidance you desire.

A destination wedding requires more than simply travel arrangements, and a wedding deserves attention and dedication. Having professionals helping you in every area will ensure your wedding will be nothing less than what you always hoped for.

Distinctive Destination Weddings – Tips on Decor

Written By Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style

Destination weddings at resorts are can give couples mixed feelings. If it is important to the couple to find a way to set themselves apart from everyone else who has explored the path of the same wedding package, they may feel over whelmed. The question that is asked is, “How may I make our day, OUR day without looking like everyone else?” Also, where do you begin? A suggestion would be to work closely with your destination wedding professional and takethe base wedding package and make it so much more!

The base wedding packages for destination weddings, at most popular resorts, really cover the bare essentials for what a wedding should begin with. You may have the basic bridal bouquet, boutonnière for the groom, and a centerpiece plus one tier wedding cake for the reception. That is hardly wedding calibre of what a wedding should be if you where wanting more. So how do you obtain that without breaking the budget? Simple, work with someone from home and add on!

The basic wedding package is basically that, the base. There are 2 options available: 1. Adding on with the resort and not worrying that you have to bring anything with you but your clothes and love and 2. bringing the extras to make it yours! Both answers are perfect for the right couple. To have the piece of mind that you are taken care-of and nothing needs to me carried with you is peace of mind in itself. If you where planning to organise everything through the resort, the areas of compromise are that colours may not match through out the wedding, nor florals my not be cohesive or even be on the colour scheme you are requesting. Tropical countries offer natural flowers that are bold and vibrate in colour and they may not always keep with a theme. Example: many bouquets are filled with local tropical flowers, but you may end up with a bouquet of orange, yellow and vibrant fuchsia together. It is all in one’s taste on whether or not you embrace the location’s charm and what they have to offer. Now if you prefer to have more control on the over all look of the wedding it will take a little more planning.

As with any wedding choosing the base colour scheme is intrical. Next would be to find out what the resort can offer as far as guaranteeing that themed colour so it is cohesive. It is important to note that bouquets are not always the image of perfection as they are here. A great alternative is to have a local floral designer make up bouquets for your wedding party from high quality “real feel” flowers. The key with faux is that any colour is achievable and transportable. If quality faux flowers are chosen, they also can be taken home and remade into something you will see everyday in your future home. If packed correctly, they will travel impecitively and will look fresh even in intense heat. You also have the added bonus of using your bouquet again if you have planned your day after shoot.

Here are a few other tips on how to work with your resort to create your special look: Tiffany Chairs (what we locally call Chiavari chairs) are now available at most 4 – 5 star resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. They add elegance to a room without a tremendous amount of fuss. Another tip is to add additional centerpieces to add to the look. One of the more standard centerpieces at resorts right now are the 24” cylinder vase with a floating candle. They are either trimmed with a colour ribbon or steamed faux flower submerged in the water. Depending on the size of the reception and number of guests, seating is more often long rectangle tables, with a family style set up. This usually is a result to not having enough guests for multiple circle banquet tables. One cylinder or tall rectangular vase can easily be lost on a table of that shape. Adding a few additional cube or smaller height vases filled with flowers gives texture, colour, and contrast. For those who want to add even more onto the look, bring long steamed faux orchids or exotic flowers and rent vases from the resort. Adding 3 tiers of height completely changes the look.

Another way to make the reception’s look more distinctive is adding linens and Tiffany chair covers as you would at a wedding locally. Most resorts offer a few options for linens. Overlays or runners are now being offered additionally as well, but are not always very affordable if rented threw the resort. But why not rent from home and add to the look? Locally we have amazing options, and thinking ahead will give a finishing touch. Elegant over-lays bring colour to the room, while custom tiffany chair covers as a final look of elegance to an already gorgeous look. Both pack small and light. Renting locally and bringing to the resort is a great way to combine the local charm with something more current and tailored. It is important to mention that there may be special deposits with local rental companies to make such arrangements.

The last fun item to consider for your destination wedding is practical fun items such as coloured parasols and fans. Giving fans to all attending guests at the ceremony gives a little touch of colour throughout the crowd and comfort to everyone. Parasols are a fun way to have as an alternative or addition to bouquets for bridesmaids and possibly attendees. They are both elegant and functional.

Destination Weddings do not have always have to have the look that they where chosen from a catalogue. It is always important to find an experienced professional who can make your wedding, your wedding. Travel and Events with Style has dedicated their services to find ways for couples to have a wedding abroad tailored to their individual tastes with quality and with style. Between offering services in house or finding the best possible suppliers, it comes down to planning your day and making it full of wonderful memories.

Sources:
Photography: Sugar and Soul Photography
Event Planner and Design: Travel & Events with Style
Floral Design & Rentals: The Little Flower Shop
Cakes & Pastries: Cake-ology
Linens: With Style Designs
Invitations & Stationary: With Style Designs
Venue: La Fiesta Cafecito

Save for Travel – Rainy Day Account?

Written By Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style Over the past week this same idea has come up over and over again and finally it dawned on me when another fellow wedding/travel planner ask a simple question about saving money. So I thought I should actually write up on this money saving practice I have doing for a while now that has had a lot of overall benefits! The hardest part of this commitment is being diligent and committed.

What I am referring to is having a “rainy day account”. Now this is far from being my idea, but this is really a great way to save and find the extra dollars so you can splurge and travel with your family!

This is what I started doing and I can say it really does work.. but you HAVE to be committed. I am one of those who enjoy a “coffee house” coffee more than now and then, and I slowly started to see my waist line expand from one too many whip creamed topped tasty treats. So as a way to convince myself to watch what I ate I started taking that money and putting it into an account separate from my regular savings or chequing accounts. The money started accumulating, but not exactly as fast I really wanted so I then took it one step further, I started doing it with every temptation I could apparently afford. Three great things happened! One: I started realizing how much money I was really wasting on silly things; Two: I actually started LOOSING weight, and Three: I had some extra mad money!

I am not really seeing a down side to this so far. I am now on my way to fit into that bathing suit I wanted to sport on a white sand, turquoise water beach, and I learned a lot about my spending habits. Let’s just say I nipped a few things in the bud now.

So this may not be for everyone, and it may not equal thousands of dollars unless you are really saving the money you where going to use on a few designer shoes or handbags, but it CAN be the difference between a regular room and the Deluxe Ocean Beach Walkout room I have had my eye on for sometime. Let’s just say I am waiting a bit longer and maybe first class can be worked in too..

So happy travels and more power to you on self control!

Manitoba With Style - Elkhorn Resort and Spa

Written By Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style
Information and location credit: http://www.elkhornresort.mb.ca
Photo credit: Sugar & Soul Photography: http://www.sugarandsoulphotography.com/

Destination Weddings have been become a passion of ours as a company and we can’t wait to find more and more locations to make these little trips and wedding-moons in one a true reality. Quite honestly, not everyone wants to travel very far, but everyone deserves an unbelievable dream day wedding. This is where a resort such as Elkhorn Resort and Spa is one of the most perfect resorts right here in our beautiful prairie province of Manitoba!

Elkhorn Resort and Spa is nestled on the edge of Riding National Park and across the highway from Wasagaming, MB (Clear Lake). Everything in this area is something straight out of a post card. From crystal clear waters to green rolling hills, the geography of park is breath taking! Now add a Resort with awarding winning gourmet cuisine, an new huge equestrian stable, and a spa that can take you away. You can have an unbelievable vacation, honeymoon and WEDDING in one! The best part is.. you are in Manitoba!

The meal options at the actual resort include the Mountain Grill and the Buffalo Bar. From the elegant gourmet cuisine paired with unprecedented wines to a relaxed low key meal both restaurants can satisfy any guest. The new riding stable has been built to the size of 85x200’ which features a type of fabric covered roof that allows for natural light. The way it was described by Elkhorn, was that the building was set up for spectators and can accommodate various events. Lastly, the Solstice Spa.. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing the spa is! From steaming in the change rooms, to wading in the Equinox Pool and hot tub to the spa services.. I can’t even do it justice! I have been fortunate enough to experience a few of these luxuries and have been left speeches. All my experiences at the spa and resort overall have been simply amazing.

Beyond my personal visits to the resort (which can be up to 3 in a year!) I and A few other wedding planners and photographers (which by the way are pretty brilliant in their own respects), had the pleasure of touring the wedding side of this vacation spot. The on-site event coordinator Kris and her counter part Nicole from the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg where gracious hosts. I can only imagine how wonderful they would be to work closely with on an event such as wedding. It would take hours to write step by step what a couple can do to arrange the perfect wedding at this resort, but I can do one better, simply call me! I am happy to let you know all about it, and how it can be something you can enjoy. Elkhorn has it all and is whiling to tailor things to their guests. This service, along with the gourmet cuisine and attentive service in every professional area really would make for a wedding day, done With Style!

Consider Hiring the Professionals, They are Professionals for a Reason
Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style
Photo credit to: Kamp Photography: http://www.kampphotography.com

Most people are savvy enough to book a holiday by themselves on the internet and do so on a regular basis. But if you are considering a destination wedding for your day, more thought should be put into it to make it everything you dreamed, even if it is last minute. When it comes to your special day, a word to the wise would be to consider hiring the right professionals to make your day, not just memorable, but rather a full success. Hiring a travel professional, a certified destination wedding planner, a photographer, and possibly a makeup artist/hair stylist can make a destination wedding everything it should be. It is understandable that with financial trying times upon us, our instincts are to draw away from consulting with professionals and try to “do it ourselves”, but something to remember is that these professionals have taken the time to educate themselves on the very thing you want... to make a dream wedding, at a dream location, and do it on budget.


Arranging Your Destination Wedding
Travel Agents and Destination Wedding Planners:
When looking for the right professional to arrange your destination wedding, it is ideal to look for someone who can arrange your travel and your wedding. Look for a travel agent who is familiar in the type of wedding you want to book and choose a wedding planner who has the certification to arrange your details. When looking for a travel agent, find out how much experience they have. You may want to ask if they are certified destination wedding planners as well and where is their certification from. Finding one with both certifications will keep your planning moving smoothly with little back and forth. Some travel agents may not want to get involved with the actual wedding planning, but have the invaluable experience of arranging travel and accommodations for many destination weddings. Having the resource of a certified destination wedding planner in your home city can make the difference of having a wedding somewhere just far and away, to be something you never imagined possible. Their expertise is to do research to help you obtain the small details that you may not have been able to do on your own. Being able to express your wants and needs to your local wedding planner can take off stress, as they will be the ones to communicate with your chosen location. Your local wedding planner can assist with the communication through the course of the planning process and can communicate between you and the planner at the resort if there is one. You may feel deterred on hiring a professional wedding planner because of the cost, but remember, their job is to keep your wedding costs in check. They can negotiate with the resort and keep things on budget by keeping your best interests at heart. Remember, they work for you, not the resort.
Bring your own entourage. Why not bring your Wedding Planner, Photographer, and Hair Stylist/Makeup Artist to your wedding location

Wedding Planners:
By bringing along your wedding planner, you are able to have a liaison between you, the resort, and anything else your wedding may require. You will be able to spend less time making sure all the small details are being taking care of and the little extras are being done correctly. Most resorts offer their own local wedding coordinators, but these coordinators often have to arrange multiple weddings at a time throughout the week of your stay. Bringing your wedding planner will allow for the two planners to make sure all the arrangements are being done as you the couple would have wanted.


Photographers:
Hiring an experienced photographer locally, that can attend your destination wedding to take your wedding photos, can be the insurance you need to keep your memories for a lifetime. It does come with its price, but your photos are your memories for years to come, and something to pass down generations. Most resorts can offer to arrange a local photographer, but the quality is often unmatched to those we can trust here. By hiring someone locally, you are able to see the quality of the photographer’s work prior to the date. It is recommended that if you are whiling to bare this expense, you should look for someone who has had the opportunity to take such photographs. Ask your potential photographer if they have shot that type of climate, as each location can have different elements that can affect how the photographs should be taken. Another added bonus is that you may be able to have multiple opportunities for photo sessions. Most “trash the dress” photo shoots are taken a day or two after the wedding and you may want additional photo sessions while being on excursions during your stay. Hiring a photographer locally at the resort will not usually allow for these added bonuses. Experience over time has proven this to be worth its price and more. And to those who are considering entrusting their photo memories to their attending guests, do you really want the pictures your “Uncle Jim” with will take from his simple point and shoot camera after he has had one too many strawberry daiquiris? Are they the type of photos you will want to keep as your wedding album memories?


Hairstylist/Makeup artist:
Now this may seem like you are pushing the card, but having a hair stylist/makeup artist can really take care of the finishing touches on the bride and her wedding party’s look. Consider the elements that are involved when making yourselves up on that day. Humidity, time, maybe too may daiquiris yourself? Most brides feel that they will be able to take care of their makeup and hair, but the day comes and there is something unexpected along the line. Most resorts offer hairstyling and makeup, but remember, they don’t know you and your style. If you are considering this service at the resort, it is advised to make an appointment prior to the big day to do a trial. Once you do a trial, take a picture with your digital camera and bring it back on the wedding day. There have been cases where the same stylist is not available.


Let’s get it on paper: With all arrangements of a wedding, make sure you have all professionals under contract and make sure the contract clearly states what is expected during your time away. Another important reminder would be to clearly state what is expected of them time wise while during your trip. Have a pre-established time line on what time of day and what days you will require them for their duties on the contract. You may have paid for room and meals, but even though they are hired, they do need down time as well. If the time is stated on the contract, there is less chance of miscommunicated expectations. Remember to protect your investment! When arranging the travel for your professionals in attendance, make sure extra travel insurance has been purchased. Professionals travel with more equipment to enable them to do what they do. So a comprehensive plan will ensure that they are covered for cancellation, health, emergency, and their baggage is insured as well. Quality insurance agencies, such as RBC Travel Insurance, will even have “riders” that will cover them if there is a misconnection in flights, and they are not able to attend the wedding in time because of it.

Remember, this is your wedding, the less you have to stress about when you are away, the more time for fun and enjoyment!

Screw caps no longer for just cheep wines
Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style
Image credit to: With Style Designs, Locations: Gray Monk and Quail's Gate Estate Winery

We recently had the pleasure of enjoying various estate wineries in the Okanagan region. We made our way threw the area, and the two that stand out in my mind the most where Gray Monk (http://www.graymonk.com) and Quails Gate (http://www.quailsgate.com). Both are grand estates and both offer amazing wines. You can definitely taste the elegance and fine artwork. Both have lovely restaurants that I encourage people to take the time to enjoy, especially if you have taken the time to take their tours and participated in their wine tastings.

During the tour at both estates, I was very interested to hear the both estates will be moving into Stelvin® screw top bottle closers for most of their wines after this harvest season. Now their wines are far from being considered “cheep wines”. Both estates have won many medals. Gray Monk’s 2008 Gewurztraminer won Double Gold at All Canadian Wine Championships, their 2008 Latitude 50 White also won Gold, and their 2007 Odyssey White Brut won Silver. So there is something to be said when estates such as these make such a change.

From my understanding, most wineries are concerned about the damage that has occurred to the world’s cork trees and this is one of the many reasons to make this change over. As the world becomes more and more aware of our impact we have on it, this becomes just another example of making a positive change. Most wineries will continue to use the “cork” corks for the longer aged wine as they allow for the appropriate oxidation which is imperative for these wines to ferment and “age” to their full potential.

Some other wineries have experimented with synthetic corks, but what they have found is that these corks may have an inability to oxidize the wine correctly, thus have significantly shortened the wine’s life. There is also a concern of certain toxins slowly seeping into the wines since there is a significant amount of time they are in the bottles. The overall outcome has been less than desirable.

The most recent change over will be to use the Stelvin® screw caps on a regular basis (http://www.stelvin.com ). It has taken some time for the research to take place to really analyze the effects on the wines, but considering the alternatives it appears a lot of estates are ready for this change.

So please, when you are considering your next wine choice, please do not be under the assumption that the wines on the shelves are not up par just because of their choice of closure. These artisans have truly taken years and generations to accomplish their medium of art. So when in doubt, ask the store clerk or estate shop representative for guidance. It is would be such a same to miss out on something that could be truly enjoyed.

Salud!

Special thanks to all the lovely service providers at Gray Monk Estate Winery & Quail's Gate Estate Winery!

Getting the Best Price for your Destination Wedding in the Caribbean or Mexico

Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style

As more couples look for that dream destination wedding in a location such as the Caribbean or Mexico they often do not know where to begin or how to make their dollar stretch. No one wants to sacrifice quality, but everyone wants to get the best value for what they pay for. Being in a departure city such as Winnipeg gives less options for departure dates if their wish is to have direct flights to their destination.
Where to begin: It is ideal to start planning a year in advance, but taking a few extra steps in the planning process will aid in getting the most ideal price. Here are some tips on how to get the value for your up and coming nuptials in paradise:

1. Start looking at areas that you can see yourselves going to and look at what type of resorts might interest you. Are you looking for adults only, adventure, family orientated resorts, closer to larger city centers for more tour options, or smaller city centers for more privacy?
2. What would be your potential dates? If you are planning on leaving from Winnipeg, you may want to consider leaving between January and the end of March if you dislike connecting to different flights. Our prime winter vacation season starts just before the December holidays and usually ends at the end of March.
3. Once you have an idea what you might like, start collecting travel brochures or looking at them online at larger vacation companies. Remember, prices will change for the new year, but familiarizing yourself will give you an idea where to start your budgeting.
4. Be realistic about your budget. What are you willing to pay to go to the resort? What are you whiling to pay for your wedding? As the bride and groom, there are more costs involved. Consider your guests and their budget. What are they whiling to pay to attend your wedding? How many do you think will attend as guests?
5. Sit down with your destination wedding travel professional and discuss your likes and dislikes. The areas you are interested in and not interested in. Where do you envision yourselves, and what would the wedding look like. If they are experienced in destination weddings, they can start making suggestions. Often times, if a resort has under gone a lot of renovations, or a new resort has just opened, there may be additional sales you can take advantage of. One thing to remember is that if the resort is new, it may come with challenges. Some areas of the resort may not be fully developed or they may be understaffed until they know what their true needs are to function smoothly. If this is not a concern and you are aware of the risks, these resort options may be something worth looking at.
6. Send out save the date cards a year to 9 months in advance to get your group ready prior to June. Often times the bride and groom will assure that at least 30-40+ people will be booking the group rate, but when the time comes to put down the deposit , they barely are able to get 10 people to commit by the deadline. The month of June is an excellent time to secure your space with the vacation company for your destination wedding as they are just trying to project what their new travel season will bring sales wise. Usually there are large early booking bonuses, and final payment dates are often within 2 months. The vacation companies utilize this information when they contract the flight carriers to give them an idea of how many seats they may need to request for that particular destination.
7. As destination weddings increase in this area of the world, vacation companies are increasing their competiveness. Ask your travel professional what vacation companies offer specials such as ”bride flies free”, “guarantee one time reprice”, “no hassle cancellation wavers”, “book ten, hold ten seats”, etc. Signature Vacations is an excellent example of these group promotions. Some of your potential guests are often leery of booking early in case the price drops at the last minute. Some larger vacation companies are offering new options that are opening repricing doors so the unsettled feeling is put to rest. It is refreshing that we are now experiencing wedding groups that where able to have their entire wedding group repriced a few months in advance to departure and received additional savings to what was initially quoted. Also, new “no hassle cancellation wavers” are being offered where a person can cancel for any reason and receive all funds back minus deposits and insurance costs. If too close to departure, they can receive a credit for future travel. Depending on dates you choose, last minute may not always be available nor is it always the most inexpensive anymore. Most February and March dates fill up with popular destinations because of spring break and prime travel season. Booking early has now proved large savings and insurance that guests will be able to attend.
8. Now once you have decided on the basics such as approximately when and where, ask your travel provider to get group quotes and be flexible once you receive the quotes. Remember you will often pay more on the second week of February because of university “reading week” and Valentine’s Day. If you are interested in hearing optional dates such as the end of January, or the beginning of February you may be able to save a few hundred a couple!
9. Once you have your options, look to see what resorts offer pre-established wedding packages and look at their costs and what is truly included. Remember, a “free” wedding is often not totally free. Consider items such as extra guests, flowers, linens, music, etc. when you want to make the best decision of which resorts will take care of your needs and the needs of your guests. Some resorts will not just charge a surcharge for the extra guests, but may charge a surcharge premium for all the guests in attendance just because you went over the total permitted for that package.
   

Instinctively, we are often motivated by highly advertised low priced holidays. Remember, this is your wedding. You will want to find a balance between low cost and high quality. Even though you want to shop around for the best price, try to find out at the beginning if you think you will have a good relationship with your destination wedding travel professional. You are planning a wedding, you will want to work together as team to make your day unbelievable!

Okanagan Spring Wine Festival – 2010 – Apr 30-May 9

Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, owner of Travel & Events with Style
Information Credit to: http://www.thewinefestivals.com/

It is the time of year again. The spring air kisses the gorgeous Okanagan Valley and the dewy mornings start with fresh crisp air and by mid afternoon the land fills with warm sunshine. Tourist flood to the Okanagan Valley to enjoy the region’s "fruit of their labour". There are millions of opportunities to enjoy amazing wines and culinary works of art.

Being one who has enjoyed this festival for ourselves, we can say the entire Okanagan Valley is filled with amazing scenery,and the city of Kelowna is somewhere near and dear in ours hearts personally. So much so, I must return at least once a year. It breaks my heart not to be there again during their spring wine festival! I have seen a lot of places in my life and this is one I am compelled to return to on a regular basis!

Here is a direct quote from the Okanagan Wine festival website:
" The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival is a perfect marriage of wine and culinary tourism. For the first ten days in May each year, it offers a tantalizing experience for anyone who loves fabulous wine accompanied by fine cuisine. And what better way to announce the grape growing season than to hold a Festival during bud break!.
Guests can choose an incredible 100 plus events throughout Okanagan Wine Country at a time of year when it is absolutely delightful to savour Spring in the warm sunshine. The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival has been described as "one of Canada's best small festivals" and it is no wonder that its success continues to grow.
Experience a wide range of culinary treats from light lunches to gourmet dinners served at many fabulous locations, what better way to visit Okanagan Wine Country during the first weekend in May.
A great way to enjoy the spring air by exploring Okanagan Wine Country, tasting the fabulous new wine releases, enjoying fine cuisine and tasting the wines famed around the globe. There are over 100 events to enjoy over the weekend.”

There are many tours to enjoy all the sites and go to various wineries. I highly recommend taking at least one or making a reservation at one of the wineries dinners and wine tastings.

We have had the pleasure of enjoying an amazing multi-course meal and wine parings at the Gray Monk Estate Winery and their gourmet restaurant “The Grapevine”. It was beyond fabulous! The ambiance on their terrace was like being in the Mediterranean Riviera. The evening was blissful while we sipped their Latitude 50 wine, which is excellent for cocktail hour. Once we where guided into the dinner, each course was served to us and with it was an unbelievable pairing of their finest wines. I could not even begin to describe the meal. The chiefs are award winning and their culinary skills show their every talent. Dessert was no exception and was also paired with their ice wine! There was entertainment and we had the pleasure of being seated with one of the owner’s sons who is now taking over a portion of this family business . The winery is one of the longest family owned wineries in the region, and are owned by the Heiss family. Their dedication to quality is seen and tasted in everything we have had the pleasure of experiencing. It is definitely an experience everyone should take the time to enjoy as well!

Future Spring Wine Festivals:
2010 – Apr 30-May 9
2011 – Apr 29-May 8
2012 – May 4-13
2013 – May 3-12
2014 – May 2-11
2015 – May 1-10

Additional information:
Gray Monk Estate Winery
1055 Camp Rd.
Okanagan Centre, B.C. Jul 1-Aug 31: 9am-9pm daily
Sept 1-Jun 30: 10am- 5pm daily
Jan 1-Marc 1 Closed Sundays
Grapevine Restaurant open Apr-Oct www.graymonk.com
mailbox@graymonk.com
ph: 250-766-3168

Destination Weddings - Is a Wedding far and away from home right for you?

Written By: Jaime Valdes-Riench, Owner of Travel & Events with Style

Most people are getting acquainted and comfortable with what destination weddingsa are. In one case or another, most have had the opportunity to have been invited or even attended one of these weddings and holidays raped up in one. Destination weddings by definition are weddings held a significant distance from the home town of the bride and groom, but often the first image that comes to most minds are the destination weddings that are held in tropical climates on white sandy beaches next to crystal blue oceans.

As you begin to plan your own wedding, has the thought of starting your new life together at one of these locations crossed your mind? How do you know it is right for you as a couple? Here are some questions you may want to ask yourselves to see if this option will make for a wedding day dream come true:

1. Make a truthful budget – one that you can live with after the wedding bells have stopped chiming. Now what is your true bottom line, so you do not go over it? Destination weddings at established resorts in the Caribbean and Central America often come with smaller price tags and guest lists verses traditional local weddings. To keep on budget, thought must be put into location, resort type and ranking, and the actual cost for the celebration.


2. Are you comfortable that there will be a lot of arrangements that are out of your control? Are you whiling to trust more to professionals to direct you in your choices verses seeing every item yourself done during the planning process? Are you the type of couple where the small details do not matter as long as there is sun, sand, and love abundantly?


3. Will this bring family together because they are too spread out? Are most of your guests comfortable with travelling? Are you comfortable without everyone in your family and social circle in attendance? Are you hoping for a smaller size wedding and were not sure how to obtain it if you had it locally?


4. Are you comfortable that you will be dealing with legal procedures outside your country? Are you comfortable not knowing the officiant prior to the ceremony? Or, as an alternative, are you comfortable with a private and brief civil ceremony prior to leaving in order to alleviate most of the “red tape” from the country of choice?


5. Does the idea of another culture, country, and climate inspire you or make you nervous? Are you the adventurous type that enjoys new things, and will embrace that your wedding location will have another culture inspiring your wedding cuisine, music and theme?

As with all things, there can be easy answers to all these questions and there can be some second guessing that can come with it as well. If this all sounds like it could be your dream, focus on the important things that can work for you. See if you can fix the areas in doubt and if so, stand back and look at it again. If you have found the answer for the area in question, Congratulations! You have just started the first part of planning you wedding! Here is an example of a challenge: If you are not comfortable in dealing with the legal procedures of another country and the correspondence that will come with it, consider having a civil ceremony locally prior to leaving. This way, once you are at the resort, you can have a renewal of vows, and the legal paperwork is done here in Canada. If having the legal ceremony here is an option, have an important person in your life such as a pastor or priest marry you prior to your departure (remember, all that is required to make a marriage legal in Canada is to have the officiant, the bride, the groom and 2 witnesses be in attendance and of legal age while the marriage vows are being said). Then you can still have your dream ceremony at the resort with all your guests in attendance. You will have the best of both worlds! If there is no one in particular you would like to request officiate your vows here in Canada, there is always the option of a Marriage Commissioner or Justice of the Peace.

A wedding is the beginning of two lives uniting together. The decision of the location should truly be that couple’s dream into a reality.