Page 30 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – March/April 2022

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
St. Petersburg
Weekend
After three years of waiting to attend my friend’s destination wedding in St. Petersburg, Florida, we were finally able to make it happen. Taking the proper precautions ahead of time, we boarded our flight. We had been looking so forward to attending this event, not only because it was for our friend who more than deserved
to have her special day after two years of
postponing, but also because it was our
first traditional Indian wedding.
The events took place at The Vinoy
Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf
Club, which has made the official Historic
Hotels of America registry. Opening on
New Year’s Eve in 1925, the former Vinoy
Park Hotel dons a famous coral façade that
stands out from the other resorts along
Tampa Bay. Previous guests include Babe
Ruth, Calvin Coolidge, Joe DiMaggio, Herbert Hoover, Marilyn Monroe and now me. Almost 100 years after
its glamourous debut, the luxury hotel boasts a AAA Four-Diamond designation and a distinction in “Best of Housekeeping.” The grounds are so expansive that my friends and I got lost several times while trying to explore and had to ask for help.
Our first event was the pre-wedding tradition of the Sangeet, from the Sanskrit word meaning “sung together.” This was held in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom and was meant to get the party started. Everything was beautiful, including the several dances performed by friends and family to help celebrate the happy couple. We also were able to participate in the Mehndi party, customarily a
Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club
pre-wedding ceremony where the bride’s closest friends and family have henna tattoos applied to their hands and feet, symbolizing a rite of passage.
The next morning some of us went out to explore the city’s promenade a bit. Even though we were visiting during Florida’s winter cold snap, we could
still appreciate the clear blue water, rows of palm trees and stunning architecture. Stopping to grab a bite at The Wooden Rooster, we enjoyed warm, artisanal lattes and a delicious breakfast with a low-key ambiance. For lunch, we were treated to a couple of popular, local food trucks. I got the chicken tacos from the St. Pete Taco Lady. Yum!
Saturday’s festivities started at 4 p.m. with the Baraat, a custom where the bridegroom
is accompanied to the marriage ceremony by members of his family. Guests of the wedding gathered by the water and escorted the groom (who was riding on a white horse) in a grand procession to the hotel, complete with festive music, dancing and, of course, a drum. This was a unique and fun experience for us to be a part of. The Baraat was followed by the wedding ceremony and reception in Vinoy’s Palm Court Ballroom.
I’m not sure if it was the setting, the beauty of the Indian tradition or the sheer happiness of being able to celebrate together, but I’ve never been so emotional
at a wedding. St. Petersburg in the winter with great, longtime friends was exactly what I needed to start 2022 the right way.
30 I MARCH/APRIL 2022
Emily Gnacik is the Editor of AAA Every Day Magazine.