On Friday, I started talking about the Vero Beach “familiarization trip” I attended for destination wedding planners. On our first day there, we attended a “Welcome Reception” at the Vero Beach Hotel and Club (a Kimpton Hotel), which provided us with an opportunity to get acquainted with each other over hor d’oeuvres and cocktails to the sound of steel drums being playing in the background.

Where is Tabitha? I’m in the background in my signature color, “turquoise” in the 3rd photo (top row).

The Vero Beach Hotel and Spa is a very charming and elegant beachfront resort, which would be perfect for hosting a modern, yet traditional style wedding among your closest family and friends.

The property is magnificent and they offer several options for hosting a lavish wedding ceremony, including exchanging vows beach side on their patio or under their gazebo, as well as an indoor space for an elaborate wedding reception for up to 200 guests.

Following our “Welcome Reception,” we were whisked away by Magic Carpet Ride,a family owned motor coach company who provided transportation for us over the course of our trip, to our after party.More to come in another blog post. Stay tuned by subscribing to my blog.

Photo Credits: PS Photography (1,2); Vero Beach Hotel & Spa (3)

Last week, I had the honor of attending the “Discover Love” Familiarization Trip in Vero Beach for destination wedding planners courtesy of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce. They hosted 40 of us from across the United States to learn more about their area as a destination wedding location.

Let’s just say that I felt in love with the area from the time my flight landed in Melbourne, FL and I hopped into a town car for the 40 minute ride to Vero Beach. My host hotel was Costa D’este Beach Resort and Spa, owned by Emilio and Gloria Estefan. The resort is very modern, zen, and it suited me very well.

The ambiance is just fabulous. Truly, you can escape from it all while residing at this resort. The moment I stepped into my room, I turned the air condition off and open up the sliding doors so that I could hear the ocean and feel the breeze. Even when it stormed that evening, I left the doors to the balcony open as I got ready for our Welcome Reception at the Vero Beach Hotel and Club. Everything about the style and furnishings of my room at Costa D’Este resort was zen.

The bathroom was fabulous, especially the shower and the bed slept heavenly. Of course, it’s truly about the details. Each evening when I headed back to my room, my secret elf had sneaked in and pulled the bed linens back, placed a bathrobe across the bed, dimmed the lights, and left me a “sweet treat” of chocolate. If you will take look at the flower artwork in the headboard on the bed in the photo above…this actual lights up with very dim lighting. This is one of the things my secret elf would have had turned on each evening. Talk about creating an atmosphere that nurtures love and complete relaxation.

Brides and grooms, this is a beautiful place to host not only a wedding, but your honeymoon. More details from my trip to Vero Beach to come, including detailed information about hosting a destination wedding in Indian River County. Please stay tuned by subscribing to my blog.

Photos Courtesy of PS Photography (1); Nathalie Cadet-James (2); and Costa D’Este (3 & 4)