Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Award-winning places for destinatio­n wedding events

- JUAN ANTONIO (OSO) OSECUERA

If there’s a wedding in your future, there are many decisions to make. Have you already decided on the dress, the banquet place and the party list? If you are in the middle of all these details, it’s also a time to dream about what comes next: the honeymoon.

When planning a wedding, picking a location is probably high up on the priority list.

Whether you are getting married in a civil ceremony or a church, or if you’re looking to have an unforgetta­ble honeymoon after the wedding, consider these destinatio­ns that received a Travvy Award 2022 edition.

BEST WEDDING DESTINATIO­N: OVERALL

Jamaica (Gold); Riviera Maya (Silver); Hawaii (Bronze)

Make it official with a destinatio­n wedding in Jamaica. Then make it unforgetta­ble with a romantic honeymoon that starts immediatel­y after the ceremony.

There is little doubt that Brand Jamaica has captured the hearts and minds of travelers across the globe. Rich cultural heritage, warm, friendly people, outstandin­g gastronomy, riveting sounds of the one-drop reggae beat, world-class athletics, and beautiful land and seascapes are just a few of the things that come to mind when you think about Jamaica.

To fully experience Jamaica is to know the intimate spaces of the island; it is to taste the delicious land crab steamed with escallion, thyme, pimentos, and pepper served with corn and coconut bits that have been sold along Heroes Circle for generation­s. It is to be delighted by the artistic reawakenin­g of downtown Kingston. It is to recognize the people’s essence, laughter, and cries. The story begins in the capital city of Kingston, the cultural and entertainm­ent mecca and, indeed, the island’s heartbeat.

BEST WEDDING DESTINATIO­N: CARIBBEAN

Aruba (Gold); Jamaica (Silver); Puerto Rico (Bronze)

Celebrate your love on a peaceful, romantic and blissful island! Getting married in Aruba is an experience like none other. There are endless venues and plenty of fun and romantic ways to experience the island. Whether looking for romantic strolls on the beach, eating by candleligh­t at a beachfront dinner, discoverin­g Aruba’s natural beauty, or going on an adventure for two, couples can craft an unforgetta­ble time together on the “One Happy Island.”

Every year, Aruba receives hundreds of inquiries about getting married on the island. Whether you tie the knot on the beach, during a private sunset cruise, or at a lush tropical garden, getting married in Aruba is a beautiful way to add exotic romance to your wedding day. Many properties on the island have complete banquet facilities for your reception, and many of Aruba’s fine restaurant­s offer elegant private rooms for special occasions.

BEST WEDDING DESTINATIO­N: CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

Costa Rica (Gold); Belize (Silver); Panama (Bronze)

Every couple has dreams of walking hand-in-hand along a perfect paradise of a beach, feeling the soft sand between their toes as the nearby ocean sets the tone for romance. Costa Rica’s multicolor­ed beaches are the perfect wedding scenery under the sun and the moon.

Many memories are to be made: the underwater world and diving experience, sailing, kayaking, fishing, golfing and natural reserves filled with lush greenery. The passion and romance are hidden in the beautiful sunsets.

BEST WEDDING DESTINATIO­N: MEXICO

Riviera Maya (Gold); Los Cabos (Silver); Puerto Vallarta (Bronze)

The Riviera Maya is a paradise of abundant nature, diversity of flora and fauna, and lush jungle that surrounds the entire destinatio­n making it perfect for enjoying many eco-tourist activities for those who want to celebrate their wedding.

The beaches of the Riviera Maya are the most popular, beaches of fine white sand, turquoise blue waters, and large coconut palms.

BEST HONEYMOON DESTINATIO­N: CARIBBEAN

Saint Lucia (Gold); Barbados (Silver); Aruba (Bronze)

Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her coastline. Always evocative, she welcomes visitors with her soothing waves, warm beaches and hospitable people. The island personifie­s adventure and inspiratio­n as the only sovereign nation to be named for a woman. Her visitors invariably find themselves reluctant to leave and eager to return.

Imagine yourself walking on the sandy beaches and enjoying your honeymoon. Saint Lucia has soaked in the volcanic mud baths of Soufriere, ziplining through lush rainforest­s, indulging in authentic island food, club-hopping on the Rodney Bay strip, and riding ATVs through the countrysid­e.

BEST HONEYMOON DESTINATIO­N: MEXICO

Cancun (Gold); Los Cabos (Silver); Puerto Vallarta (Bronze)

Cancun is recognized worldwide for its spectacula­r beaches of fine white sand, its fascinatin­g turquoise blue sea, and unusual weather, as well as excellent air and land connectivi­ty and a first-class hotel infrastruc­ture that places it as one of the best destinatio­ns for tourists in the world thanks to everything it offers to its visitors: Outdoor activities, adventure tourism, archaeolog­ical sites, Mayan culture and history, a variety of gastronomi­c experience­s, spectacula­r shopping centers and seductive entertainm­ent offers. Cancun is the perfect place to kiss, enjoy, relax after a wedding party and have a lovely honeymoon.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States