T H E S E T T I N G S

The four ceremony venues and six reception venues run the gamut

from intimate to natural to European chic. What’s truly unique is how each location blends seamlessly

with the rolling hills and architecture. “Everywhere you turn,” says a prominent

Central Florida photographer, “you find another great backdrop.”

Real Escapea t T H E M I S S I O N I N N R E S O R T & C L U B

W E D D I N G S I S S U E

“A SLICE OF EDEN TO

START OUR LIVES

TOGETHER.”

THE SETUP QUESTION Why do so many couples get married at Mission Inn? More than 125 couples a year decide to

celebrate the biggest weekend of their lives on the 1,100 acres of Mission Inn property. “You ask what it was like to have our wedding weekend at Mission Inn?” says one couple. “It was everything.”

M I S S I O N I N N E A R N E D T H I S P R E S T I G I O U S A W A R D F O R 2 0 1 7 F R O M R E V I E W E R S A T WeddingWire.com

T H E F L E X I B I L I T Y

“To us, each wedding is a singular, special event,” says Mark Kingsdorf, Mission Inn’s Director of Weddings.

“There is no such thing as ‘one size fits all.’” The wedding specialists listen to

each couple’s stories, personalities, and wish lists. Then they open the 1,100 acres as a canvas to create an

original: the only wedding of its kind.

T H E F R E E D O M

There’s a deep-seated belief at Mission Inn that a wedding should be enjoyable, not stressful. The wedding

staff dials in every detail because all the necessities are here: the

venues, the chefs, the activities, the lodging, and the ambience. “It was so easy,” says one couple, “like we were

living out the script of a fairytale.”

COUPLES’ CHOICE AWARD

IF YOU CAN DRE AM IT …There’s a perfect spot for anything you can imagine.

Ornate wedding? There’s a ballroom for it. Traditional wedding? Yep, there’s a sanctuary. “It seems like we’ve seen it all,” says Bri Marbais, Mission Inn’s Wedding Sales Manager. Laid back. Formal. By the water. In the forest. “That’s what makes our jobs exciting, to help bring dreams to life.”

7. No Passport Required → Add the theme of “tropical” to the menu of available photo backdrops.

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Real Escape a t T H E M I S S I O N I N N R E S O R T & C L U B

U N F O R G E T TA B L E

A few standouts and standbys from 50 years of weddings.

1 Air-and-Water Arrival → Couples have arrived at Marina Del Rey by boat and by seaplane. They idle up to the dock and take a magical walk to the altar under incredible 100-year-old cypress trees (page 6).

2 From the Sky → One couple showed up for their rehearsal dinner by skydiving onto the first fairway at Las Colinas. “It took the guests by surprise,” says a member of the Mission Inn staff. “But at least there’s plenty of space here for soft landings.”

3 A Classic Sendoff → Couples have ridden into the sunset in golf carts and limos, but a request becoming more

frequent is the departure in a vintage car or truck.

“These open roads,” says the owner of a 1935 Mercedes-Benz,

“are perfect for post-wedding rides like that.”

4 Special Delivery → The bar for “spectacular” was taken up a few notches for a Chinese-Indian ceremony. For that, the bride arrived at Plaza de la Fontana on an elephant. “I’ve never seen anything so grand,” says a Mission Inn chef. “The elephant walked her over the bridge and into the courtyard. You wouldn’t think of doing that at many places.”

5 Hint of Scotland → Among the photo ops is the stone bridge at the bottom of a hill on El Campeon. It’s one of several spots that’s reminiscent of European scenes.

6 Where You Sleep → The rooms and suites (and one penthouse suite) are tucked into the quiet Spanish-style resort. Says one couple: “Everything is so convenient, and everyone is as close as you want them to be.”

“From certain angles,” says one photographer, “the waterfall looks like it could be in the Caribbean.” But it’s here, in the hills.

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STEP INTO STUNNING

“The architecture made my daughter’s dress more beautiful and the bouquets more colorful.”

You ’d never know from this picture on the left what is within 100 feet of the fountain at Legends Courtyard. That’s the point. “The flowers and trees secluded the outdoor wedding venue,” says the mother of a recent bride, “so everyone felt as if they had totally escaped.”

When the ceremony ends, step under the shade trees, through the manicured pathways, around the flowers … and escape again. This time to the four-diamond buffet, bar, and banquet room at Nickers Restaurant. It’s the definition of a seamless transition.

“We had guests flying in from around the world, so having the whole weekend here

was ideal. It allowed us to be together and not worry about logistics and details.”

— L AU R E N, R EC E N T LY M A R R I E D AT M I S S I O N I N N

↑ Legends Courtyard: Capacity 140

R E H E A R S A L D I N N E R AT N I C K E R S R E S TA U R A N T

Main Course: Fall-off-the-Bone BBQ chicken

Dessert: Cheesecake any way you can think of

FA R E W E L L B R U N C H AT L A PA L O M A

Main Course: Made-to-order omelets and an endless buffet

Drinks: Mimosas and … more Mimosas

W E D D I N G R E C E P T I O N AT L E G E N D S B A L L R O O M

Main Course: Filet and lobster Dessert: Mission Inn’s

famous bread pudding with white bourbon sauce

M ADE-TO-ORDER RECEP TIONSDown home, or far from it, the chefs can transport the palate anywhere.

If You thInk the sIx receptIon venues have theIr own character (including rustic chic, modern Mediterranean, or the Spanish-terrace flair found at Plaza del las Palmas), you should meet the chefs. In fact, you have to meet the chefs. We spoke with six of them about what makes a great reception.

We thrive on weddings. We can be creative or put personal touches on traditional meals. We have chefs who have worked all over the world, which is a real plus for wedding parties.The most challenging requests? Braised goat and jerk chicken for a Jamaican party. Buttered chicken with spices

for an Indian wedding. Sushi for an Asian reception — and we mean, real sushi. This is a wedding, so the food has to fit the family heritage. It’s why we spend a lot of time with the family.The food tasting beforehand is a good test. We find out exactly what the couple wants. Then we research the request and experiment as much as necessary. It’s fun. And couples like it because they get a complimentary meal in a nice restaurant leading up to the big day — and they’re the boss.When a grandma says, “This is as good as back home,” that’s about the best compliment we can hear. Especially when they’re from somewhere we’ve only heard of.

3 SIGNATURE

MEALS

“We didn’t have to worry about the food. It was amazing and so were the views.” — K AT E, R EC E N T R EC E P T I O N AT P L A Z A D E L AS PA L M AS (A B OV E)

the founder of mIssIon Inn, nIck Beucher, was an adventurist. “He loved this place because he loved the outdoors,” says Nick’s son, Bud Beucher, now the resort’s general manager. All around the property are reminders of Nick’s legendary ride across Mexico on wild horses, when he discovered Spanish architecture and artwork that would inspire the resort’s motif.

Years later he would tap into another family passion.“The water,” says Bud. “Dad preferred boating over most

activities, so he bought the land at Marina del Rey and kept the family boat there. The area is so pretty that he had the land transformed into a venue for guests without disrupting nature.”

Today the marina, with the old cypress trees hanging over the banks of Lake Harris, is one of the most picturesque spots for weddings in Central Florida. And it’s a visual reminder of the adventures Nick Beucher loved, some of which can be experienced during a wedding weekend at Mission Inn.

“When we drove up to the marina, we knew it was the only spot for us to get married. We’ll be returning regularly to relive our day.” — S T E P H A N I E A N D R I C K E Y, R E C E N T LY M A R R I E D AT M A R I N A D E L R E Y

MORE TH AN A CEREMONYWelcome to the weekend your friends will talk about forever.

Marina del Rey: Home of lakeside ceremonies, an indoor venue (with space for 130 guests), and dramatic photo opportunities.

T H E N O -T E N S I O N Z O N E S

Three most popular activities before and after the wedding.

Spa MarbellaThe spa, like the surroundings, is the embodiment of peace. “People in a wedding party might not see each other much, so the spa is a prime place to connect,” says Spa Marbella manager Teresa Roberge.

“Something that really gets them going is making their own scrubs. That’s when the laughter erupts.”

Trap-and-Skeet RangeCompetition can be relaxing, too, even with firearms. Wedding Party vs. Wedding Party. Family vs. Family.

“There’s something about being outside and shooting at targets,” says range operator Steve Jones, “that loosens everyone up.”

Two Epic Golf CoursesArrive early the day before the wedding to play a round of golf or you’ll be looking from a distance with envy at two of the highest-rated golf courses in Florida. Las Colinas hosts national championship events every year and El Campeon is an historic 100-year-old course, with 85-foot elevations, wildlife and island greens. The courses are so well kept that wedding photographers reserve their own times on it to take advantage of the picturesque spots.

Real Escape at T H E M I S S I O N I N N R E S O R T & C L U B

“When we drove up to the marina, we knew it was the only spot for us to get married. We’ll be returning regularly to relive our day.” — S T E P H A N I E A N D R I C K E Y, R E C E N T LY M A R R I E D AT M A R I N A D E L R E Y

P R O D U C E D B Y S T O R Y I M P A C T M E D I A , L L C • S T O R Y I M P A C T M E D I A . C O M • A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D

Real Escape → 3 5 2 - 3 2 4 - 3 9 1 6 • W E D D I N G S @ M I S S I O N I N N R E S O R T . C O M

TELL US YOUR

WEDDING VISION:

↑D E S T I N AT I O N

W E D D I N G

“We live 30 minutes away, but some of our guests said they felt like they had come to a destination wedding.”

— A N N E, R EC E N T LY M A R R I E D AT P L A Z A D E L A FO N TA N A

PROFOUND POINT OF VIE Wplaza de la fontana courtYard sIts at the heart of the everything that has earned Mission Inn its status as “an idyllic outdoor sanctuary”: The 1,100 acres, the architecture, the four-diamond restaurants, the rooms and suites, and the natural foliage that one couple said “looks and smells so fresh that we didn’t really need ceremony décor.”

How can that be possible? We asked a member of the Mission Inn

landscaping team about the wedding and reception venues about how they’re kept so pristine, all year-round.

“I ask the same thing,” he says. “Truth is, we don’t have to transform much. What you experience here is natural, a reminder of God’s hand on creation. For weddings I like to think of it as a blend of power and peace. It’s no wonder that couples would want to be in a setting like this when they get married.”

O R L A N D O

35 minutes

TA M PA

80 minutes

JAC K S O N V I L L E

130 miles

J A C K S O N V I L L E

O R L A N D OTA M P A

Mission Inn Resort & Club