New York City buzzed with “I Dos" last week as Sandals Resorts kicked off wedding season with a star-studded, interactive bridal experience at Grand Central Terminal in New York City, hosted by special guest emcee, Randy Fenoli, star of TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress and Randy to the Rescue. Sandals Resorts transformed Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall into a tropical paradise in celebration of its new Your Wedding. Your Style. program. Sandals Resorts’ all-new destination wedding concept that allows couples to personally style and execute their dream wedding at any Sandals Resort. Complete with Caribbean cocktails, island cuisine, spa pampering, virtual golf, and trip giveaways, nearly 1,000 vacation-seeking New Yorkers and brides-to-be gathered in Grand Central to “Say I Do” to Sandals Resorts.

From augmented reality videos to Insta-Share™ photos, guests got into the “Sandals WeddingMoon®” frame of mind, sharing photos and videos of their paradise wedding on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Sandals culinary ambassador Chef Walter Staib was on hand to give guests a taste of the Caribbean with samplings of island cuisine and Sandals’ signature hot sauces while professional spa therapists from Sandals’ Red Lane Spa® revived visitors with mini-massages and skin mapping courtesy of Dermalogica®. 

Toasting his new TLC show, Randy to the Rescue, the event commenced with a live “Randy to the Rescue” experience where the famous gown guru, Randy Fenoli, met with consumers for one-on-one bridal gown consultations and photos. The first 100 lucky attendees also received autographed copies of Randy’s new book It's All About the Dress! 

The wedding bells continued to ring, but come afternoon, there was a patriotic tune in celebration of National Flag Day. Partnering with the USO, Sandals Resorts invited military couples to join the festivities by participating in the “Ultimate Bouquet Toss”, where a sea of brides-to-be gathered before Randy to catch a bouquet that would win them their dream WeddingMoon®, as well as an elegant wedding dress and tuxedo from After Six® Formalwear. Maria Yates, who traveled all the way from Fort Dix, NJ with her husband Jason, a member of the U.S. Air Force, caught the bouquet and won the wedding of their dreams. To express Sandals’ sincere appreciation for the U.S. Military, Sandals’ Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart and CEO Adam Stewart took the stage and surprised all attending military couples with a well-deserved tropical honeymoon of their own.

During a special luncheon for travel agents and an evening cocktail party for members of the media, Sandals Resorts’ CEO Adam Stewart and Director of Romance Marsha-Ann Brown unveiled the new offerings and Sandals’ innovative, new online Destination Wedding Designer, a interactive planning tool that allows couples to design every aspect of their destination wedding.  The presentation also featured a surprise fashion show, where Sandals brought the online Destination Wedding Designer to life. Models sashayed down the runway in colorful gowns designed by Rubin Singer, with the dresses symbolizing the customizable design options available through Sandals’ carefully curated style galleries.

WeddingMoons®, the concept of celebrating your wedding and honeymoon in the same beautiful location, was first conceived and created by the family-owned Sandals Resorts, the leaders in Caribbean vacation experiences.  Throughout the company’s 30 year history, these celebrations have long been a staple occasion at each of the 14 Luxury Included® Caribbean resorts. Especially designed for two people in love, Sandals Resorts is an expert in setting the mood for undeniable romance and providing stunning settings for unforgettable moments. To learn more about Your Wedding. Your Style., and the online Sandals Destination Wedding Designer, please visit www.sandals.com/weddingmoons/.

Event sponsors included:

• Beringer® Vineyards
• Scratch Weddings®
• Dermalogica®
• Kinect™ for Xbox 360®
• El Dorado Rums
• Greg Norman Golf Course Design
• After Six® Formal Wear
• Colombian Emeralds® International
• Red Lane® Spa
• Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours
• WCBS-FM 101.1 - New York's Greatest Hits

To see all the fun had at the Say “I Do” to Sandals Experience in New York, visit: 

Sandals Resorts Facebook page

Sandals Resorts Google+ page