Lifestyle

Robert & Eileen Honored at the Radisson Resort

Lifestyle Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Recently, at the Radisson Resort, vacationers were presented with honorary titles created by the Ministry of Tourism as a token of appreciation to guests visiting Aruba for 10 and 20 consecutive years. Special friends of Aruba, enjoying ten or more annual vacations here are given the Distinguished Guest certificate and those with twenty consecutive years are awarded the Ambassador of goodwill title. The recent honoring was effected by the Aruba Tourism Authority Associate Ricardo Croes at the Radisson Resort they call their home away from home.

Robert & Eileen Glowacki were honored as Ambassadors of Goodwill after visiting Aruba for 20 years .

Pictured: ATA Rep. Ricardo Croes together with Robert & Eileen and staff from the Aruba Radisson Resort.

Story courtesy of Aruba Today

Scottish Couple Brings Homeland Traditions to Aruba Wedding

Lifestyle Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts’ certified wedding planner executes flawless beach wedding.

It was fate that Julie Anderson and Keith Hay of the Shetland Isles in Scotland would eventually marry after living down the street from each other most of their lives. But it was tradition and the simple significance of the number eight that made their union so unique. Keith proposed on Julie’s birthday – July 8, 2008 – after eight years of dating. They tied the knot exactly two years later on July 8, 2010.

“A friend recommended we look into Bucuti weddings,” Julie said. “We researched the resort on the Internet and it looked like heaven. We didn’t bother looking anywhere else. Bucuti’s website is amazing; we could see it would be a perfect fit for us”

The couple enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere the friendly and helpful staff was able to create for their big day. They worked with on-site wedding planner Nashette Wouters to create the perfect beach wedding they had always envisioned. Wouters is professionally trained by The Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and is the island’s only Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professional, one of the highest distinctions in the industry.

An Aruban Fairy Tale Renewed – Kyle & Yesenia Fox Renew Decade of Marriage

Lifestyle Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Kyle & Yesenia Fox celebrated their love for one another with the exchange of vows of eternal love for one another with a romantic blessing on the beach. The newlyweds of 10 years exchanged vows and celebrated a circle-with-no-end ring blessing officiated by Rev. Robert Gibson and coordinated by Indira Maduro of Aruba Fairy Tales at the Divi Aruba Phoenix Resort.

After the exchange of vows and kisses, Kyle and Yesenia continued with a romantic photo shoot with our professional photographer, a champagne toast and private dinner on the beach catered by the Divi Aruba Phoenix Resorts’ signature restaurant Sunset Bistro. Although this is the first time since the birth of their children Alexander and Joshua, that Kyle and Yesenia have had the opportunity to re-honeymoon on Aruba, they plan to bring their children back with them on their next visit to their home-away-from-home Aruba.

Story courtesy of Aruba Today
Photos by Julia Renfro

From Boston to Aruba’s Occidental Grand Resort: Toes-in-the-Sand Wedding for Tiffini & Michael

Lifestyle Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Tiffini Torres & Michael (Mike) Mercier of Boston, MA were married this past weekend on August 7th, 2010 with family and friends as witnesses. Tiffini and Mike chose Aruba because they fell in love with the island while on vacation two years ago and they both instantly knew that they wanted a beach wedding at sunset.

Tiffini stunned her husband-to-be with her beauty as she walked down the sandy white aisle drizzled with flower petals. The officiator Robert Gibson delivered the romantic sermon as Tiffini and Michael exchanged vows and rings. The sunset was a perfect backdrop for their wedding day in paradise with toes in the sand and ocean alongside.

Immediately following, Bella Aruba Photography took the newlyweds and guests for their “Once in a Lifetime” photo shoot. “We were both so excited and incredibly happy. We were so fortunate to be able to celebrate our wedding day with our closest family and friends. Everything was perfect,” stated Tiffini and added “We would like to thank everyone who made our wedding day possible.”

The Dream Come True wedding was coordinated by Wedding Coordinator Kimberly Dammerman and her talented staff. The cocktail party and Reception was held on the beach under Aruba’s starlit skies. The newlyweds danced their first dance, cut the wedding cake, toasted to champagne, dined and danced all night long with the great sounds from the DJ.

Congratulations from Occidental Grand Resort and Aruba Today.

Story courtesy of Aruba Today
Photos by Julia Renfro

A Repeat In Aruba Isn’t A Repeat Without Aqua Grill

Lifestyle Friday, August 6th, 2010

Repeat guest Sal Leggid celebrated his 70th birthday this past Thursday at local seafood savvy restaurant, Aqua Grill. “They always make us feel so welcome. The Aqua Grill team is staffed with gracious people, and the food is unlike any other.” Sal, joined by nearly 20 family members and friends, was seated outside of the restaurant on their back patio.

Aqua Grill’s award-winning chef offers a menu of classic and contemporary dishes. The fresh seafood is prepared in a variety of regional styles, melding local island charm with the traditions of New England, the spices of Jamaica, the zesty flavors of Italy, the mystique of Indonesia, and beyond. In addition to a selection of authentic dishes, your seafood can also be prepared wood-grilled, broiled, poached, steamed, or pan-fried upon request. Complimenting the menu is the island’s largest raw bar and a generous wine list of over one hundred selections.

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts Introduces Eco-Chic Weddings

Hotels, Lifestyle Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts, Aruba’s premier resort for romance, has launched a new Eco-Chic Aruba Wedding Experience for couples looking to go green on their big day. Bucuti has been committed to sustainable tourism for more than 25 years and has incorporated both environmentally friendly and locally influenced elements into its Eco-Chic Aruba Wedding Experience including:

A location on one of the “Dream Beaches of the World” that provides spectacular scenery, reducing the need for air conditioning and lighting
A ceremony and reception at the same location, or within close proximity to limit travel impact and expenses. If the distance between venues is too great to walk, earth-friendly options can be arranged. A horse drawn carriage is efficient, romantic and it doesn’t burn gas. Group transportation can also be arranged.
Locally inspired décor including centerpieces made from recycled wine bottles and indigenous flowers or cacti in terra cotta pots
Do it yourself (DIY) indigenous favors such as handmade boxes tied with palm leaves
Reception menus including locally produced, grown and organically prepared food; authentic local dishes can also be incorporated
Authentic Aruban entertainment such as a renowned steel pan player, Aruban waltz dancers and a crank operated piano known as Kah’I Orgel or a Tingilingi Box
Traditional Aruban wedding favors like the “Bolo Preto” or “Black Cake” which is similar to a groom’s fruit cake
Programs and place cards printed using recycled paper and non-toxic ink
Palm leaf confetti instead of rice, which can be harmful to wildlife

Brides and grooms can rest assured that they have minimized the carbon footprint of their nuptials by choosing one of the greenest resorts in the Caribbean for themselves and their guests. Bucuti has an exhaustive amount of water and energy saving practices in place, sponsors several local environmental groups and has been certified Green Globe 21 since 2000 and ISO 14001 since 2003. Click here for a full list of environmental initiatives.

“At Bucuti, we are passionate about preserving the environment so we can share our spectacular island with brides and grooms well into the future,” said owner and CEO Ewald Biemans. “We look forward to many new couples immersing themselves in the natural beauty of Aruba through the Eco-Chic Aruba Wedding Experience.”
For more information on the Eco-Chic Aruba Wedding Experience, couples can contact Bucuti’s in-house wedding coordinator Nashette Wouters at weddings@bucuti.com. Nashette is trained by the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants and holds one of the highest distinctions in the industry as a Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professional. Weddings start at $920.

Celebrating Love with Marriage at Tierra del Sol

Lifestyle Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Mike Mohamadi & Cathy Campesi celebrated their love for one another with the exchange of wedding rings symbolizing a circle with no ending and vows of love for one another forever and ever. The celebration was officiated by Rev. Robert Gibson and coordinated by Indira Maduro of Aruba Fairy Tales in the Garden of Tierra del Sol Resort, Spa and Country Club for an intimate ceremony with family and friends.

After the exchange of rings, vows and lots of first kisses, Cathy and Mike continued with a fabulous cocktail party, a romantic photo shoot, then an exquisite dinner and champagne toast followed by dancing at Ventanas del Mar in the Tiera del Sol Country Club. Martin Haselhoef, General Manager of Ventanas del Mar and his excellent staff orchestrated the evening of love for the couple, their family and friends. The evening ended with the cutting of the cake ceremony then back to the Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino for more dancing and fun.

Mike vacationed on Aruba many times as a child with his family and convinced Cathy that Aruba was the perfect destination for their fairy tale Wedding. Cathy said loves Aruba and the wind was a little more than she expected, but that it gave her hair the perfect style for the island wedding she dreamed of.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mike and Cathy Mohamadi from Aruba Fairy Tales and Aruba Today.

Story courtesy of Aruba Today

Fairy-tale Wedding at Hyatt Regency Resort for Viviane and Kristof

Lifestyle Monday, July 26th, 2010

A fairy-tale wedding took place last week at the Hyatt Regency Resort when Viviane Alves from Curitiba, Brazil, gave her hand in marriage to Kristof Philipsen from Belgium. Every detail was perfect – from the gorgeous flower arrangements to the stunning beach setting, from the lovely bridesmaids and bridegrooms to the gifts for the wedding guests, from the elegant reception and dinner to the fabulous band and giant seven-tier wedding cake.

The setting sun colored the sky a myriad rainbow of amazing hues. When the bride’s emotions threatened to overflow, photographer Paul van Driel had the tissues ready and everything proceeded as planned. About eighty guests greatly enjoyed this stunning wedding, hailing from Brazil, Japan, the US, the Netherlands and Belgium. It was an international affair indeed!

How did a man from Belgium meet a Brazilian beauty? Internet! After receiving each others’ profiles, the two realized that they had a lot in common including their love for travel. As Kristof, who works for the US-based company Verizon, needed to travel for his job much of his time, and Brazil is not too far away from Belgium, the two saw each other more and more and love bloomed. Viviane currently lives in Belgium with Kristof; the dentist/doctor is getting her degrees validated for Europe which might involve some more studying at the University in Leuven.

Story courtesy of Aruba Daily Newspaper

Bill Sipp Celebrates His 70th At Playa Linda

Lifestyle Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Bill Sipp celebrated his 70th birthday on Friday July 16th in his beloved Aruba. He was surrounded by friends and family including his wife Marge Sipp, son Billy, daughter-in-law Lynn and grand-daughter Nicole. Of course, the friends from Staten Island as well as his Aruban friends were present at the Playa Linda Beach Resort where the celebration was held.

Bill and Marge are very devoted to Aruba which they have been calling their second home for the past 28 years. They have been coming to the island twice a year and still can’t get enough of this friendly happy island. The Aruba Daily wishes Bill a belated happy birthday and many more to come.

Story courtesy of Aruba Daily Newspaper

Jane & Ryan Enjoy An Unforgettable Kukoo Kunuku Trip

Lifestyle Monday, July 19th, 2010

Jane & Ryan met on the Kukoo Kunuku in 2004. It has been a fun ride ever since, they report. They spent the rest of their vacation in Aruba together, hooked up again in the US, then came down to Aruba to get engaged on the bus, naturally, a few years later; and finally celebrated Jane’s 30th birthday and their pre-wedding bash on board, Wednesday night.

Best Man Steve L. reports that the wedding party is staying at the Divi Golf Villas, and that the lovebirds will be tying the knot at sunset on Thursday, at the Tamarijn Beach Resort, toes in the sand, with a banquet at the Sea Breeze restaurant immediately after.

Hela & Victor, the colorful Kukoo Kunuku hosts stopped at the lighthouse for a champagne toast en route for dinner and three local bars, making sure the wedding party had a fabulous time. Pictured here, Jane & Ryan and their guests, in action, at sunset, at the California Lighthouse.