Westworld Alberta

vallarta adventures S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 | W E S T W O R L D A L B E R T A 23 Culture of Love Members Shauna and Sunil Patel merged traditions for their Puerto Vallarta beach wedding S hauna and Sunil Patel had planned to marry in Edmonton, but when the logistics and the guest list grew too big to manage, the pair opted to take things abroad. AMA wedding specialist Cristina Fedor made travel arrangements for around 60 of the Patels' friends and family members, who gathered at Now Amber in Puerto Vallarta last April. Shauna booked a Hindu pandit, or officiant, who flew in from Pennsylvania to conduct a graha shanti – a traditional Hindu pre-wedding ceremony – and Hindu wedding. A Western beach ceremony and reception followed. e resort's wedding planner went above and beyond to accommodate them, says Shauna, including sourcing two drummers and providing dinner for a group that was largely vegetarian. "All I had to do was tell her what I wanted and she did it," Shauna says. "Afterward, when I saw the pictures and the video, it was so beautiful. It all turned out perfectly." W WEDDINGS Members Shauna and Sunil Patel held two wedding ceremonies at Now Amber resort in Puerto Vallarta last April: one Western and one traditional Hindu. "Afterward, when I saw the pictures and video, it was so beautiful. It all turned out perfectly." –Member Shauna Patel Three Engagement Ring Trends The diamond solitaire may reign supreme, but a few new styles are causing brides' eyes to twinkle: 1. The halo. This is a round- or princess-cut diamond bordered by smaller dia- monds that bring the bling. "Almost half of our engage- ment rings have halos. It makes your centre diamond look larger and it's abso- lutely stunning," says Chau Lui, director of operations for Paris Jewellers. 2. Touches of rose gold. White gold and platinum are still all the rage, but threads of the pink-hued metal have appeared in recent designs. "We're seeing flashes of colour come back," says Lui. "Rose gold gives a softer look to the ring." 3. The invisible-set princess cut. This type of centrepiece consists of four princess-cut diamonds, set together in a square, to give the illusion of a larger spar- kler. "People are getting that big look they want and they're able to stay in their price range," says Lui. Three Three Save 25% on regu- lar-price, in-store jewellery and 10% on custom designs at Paris Jewellers. AMARewards.ca/ ParisJewellers

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