From September 26 – 29, 2013, Saint Lucia will host a roster of destination wedding experts during the first annual “LOVE Elevated” Wedding Symposium. Noted speakers include renowned New York based wedding planner Sarah Pease; Denise Favorule, Executive Vice President of the XO Group; Erika Hueneke, Senior Weddings Editor of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine; Lynne Leger, Vice President of Wedding Solutions at David’s Bridal; Charles Oster, Director of Sales and Marketing for MyWedding.com, along with other on-island wedding planning specialists.

Seminar topics will range from “Marketing to Brides; Best Practices” to “Creating the Ideal Destination Wedding Experience.” The weekend also includes site visits to idyllic locales around the island, a showcase of island wedding vendors hosted at Sandals Grande and the opportunity for attendees to observe a wedding at the iconic Pigeon Island. A sunset cruise cocktail reception and picturesque boat ride to the South of the island to see the natural mud baths of the Sulphur Springs and the UNESCO World Heritage Pitons, round out weekend activities.

Priced at 150 per person, the three-day Symposium includes all seminars, social events, site inspections and transportation from select hotels. A number of the island’s top hotels, including Bay Gardens, The BodyHoliday, Calabash Cove, Rendezvous and C’est la Vie, are offering discounted rates.

“The island’s natural beauty coupled with a number of world-class resorts has made Saint Lucia one of the most sought after wedding destinations in the Caribbean,” said Louis Lewis, Director of Tourism for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. “Building on our reputation as the most romantic island, we aim to make this event an industry leader and seek to attract the best minds, talent and innovation in the destination wedding market.”

Visit Saint Lucia, www.saintlucianow.com