Whisked Away to Reunion
By Erin Kelley
As seen in Virginia Bride Magazine
Have you been dreaming of a wedding away from home? Maybe you’ve thought of finding someplace where you can get the whole family together away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, to enjoy a little relaxation and a few days of down time, while celebrating your big event.
In addition to being one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations, the Orlando region has also become one of the most popular wedding and honeymoon sites. And in one location, the Reunion Resort captures many of the reasons couples and families travel to the region.
Reunion is a Salamander Golf and Spa Resort located within minutes of all the theme parks and attractions that make Orlando famous. The vast resort consists of an array of residential apartments and luxury vacation homes, of varying sizes, surrounding the eleven-story Reunion Grande, a hotel that towers above pristine golf courses.
The Grande isn’t just any hotel though. The facility offers two-bedroom suites, with spacious living areas and en-suite baths, featuring walk-in showers and luxurious soaking tubs. Each suite really is a small apartment. Fully-equipped kitchens and full-sized washers and dryers make taking care of the family a breeze.
A variety of restaurants are located on site, each offering its own individual charm. The first-floor rustic Italian bistro, Forté, features a full array of Italian dishes, both new and classic. Stone pillars and richly colored walls create an intimate and cozy atmosphere, perfect for a quiet dinner for two or a rehearsal dinner with family and close friends.
Eleven, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, offers a unique vista of surrounding golf courses and the greater region. Gather around the adjoining pool and enjoy an evening cocktail, while watching the nightly fireworks from nearby Walt Disney World, before digging into any of the culinary delights on the steakhouse menu.
Outdoor activities are often the biggest draw to Florida, and Reunion’s three golf courses designed by luminaries Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus provide quite the challenge for anyone looking to hit the links. Additionally, the resort now offers footgolf, a youthful hybrid game that requires players to kick a soccer ball into the cup in as few shots as possible.
Also for active families, the resort boasts a massive water park featuring a lazy river and water slides, as well as an additional 10 pools scattered throughout the resort’s 2,300 acres.
While the kids are kept busy for a while with all those activities, why not relax with a massage at the full-service spa. Free shuttle transportation to and from all on-site locations makes planning and facilitating easier for the whole family.
In addition to the Grande, Reunion offers a host of apartments and free-standing luxury homes for vacation rentals.
But let’s not forget what we’re here for. The plan was to get you hitched. The terraced lawns across the street from the Reunion Grande form the perfect location to set-up for an intimate ceremony. A free-standing arch, which can be decorated with seasonal flowers, is a wonderful focal point for the event.
After the ceremony, gather friends and family into a tented space just behind the hotel, for cocktails, dinner, and to dance the night away. Whatever you can dream up, the folks at Reunion are sure to be able to provide.
Reunion Resort
7593 Gathering Drive
Kissimmee, Florida
(407) 662-1000
Speaking of Disney, no trip to the Orlando region would be complete without a visit to see the mouse, would it? Even if you’re not up for the full theme park experience, be sure to drop by Disney Springs. A virtual theme park for foodies, Disney Springs offers up a mix of unique shops, lively entertainment, and, of course, one-of-a-kind and celebrity restaurants.
What’s on the menu? If you’re looking for Asian food, drop by Morimoto Asia. Best known as one of the iron chefs from Iron Chef America, Japanese Master Chef Masaharu Morimoto offers a new take on Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes that is sure to make for an unforgettable dining experience. Try some sushi or the blistered shishito peppers. The Portobello mushroom fries were spectacular.
Celebrity chef Art Smith offers up a range of southern food specialties at Homecomin’ Kitchen. With a particular emphasis on farm to table cooking, the restaurant features real comfort foods like Church Lady Deviled Eggs and Chef Art’s famous fried chicken (a favorite of Oprah’s). Save room for dessert, because the chocolate cake is worth fighting someone for.
If you are planning a wedding in Roanoke Virginia, Richmond Virginia, Fredericksburg/Northern Virginia, The Shenandoah Valley, Coastal Virginia or in Charlottesville Va, we can help with your wedding planning and ideas.
