Sandals Resorts coined the term "weddingmoon" — a combination wedding-plus-honeymoon getaway. Today, 16 percent of weddings take place in a destination away from home. In this exclusive interview, Joann Delgin, Sandals' director of wedding strategy, kindly answered questions about the new weddingmoon/destination wedding dresses.

Why has Sandals branched into wedding dresses?
John Lynch, evp of sales worldwide, was empathetic to brides standing in the Caribbean sun with full tulle ball gowns and gloves.

He became passionate about offering dresses designed with the Caribbean climate in mind, allowing brides to feel elegant yet without the weight and heat of a traditional wedding gown.

How many destination wedding dresses bear the Sandals brand?
We currently are able to offer five designs from the collection, each unique in style.

Who is the designer of Sandals' destination wedding dresses?
Vivian Dessy Diamond of The Dessy Group captured the beauty and carefree spirit of a destination wedding with her dress collection. They are casual but "island elegant" — chic, stylish, and fresh — what today's destination brides are seeking. Attention to detail includes special touches such as a jeweled brooch or lace-up back through crystal rings. Some feature slight "sweep" trains.

Where are these destination wedding dresses available?
On the Sandals Web site or by visiting one of the more than 200 fine retailers in the US, Canada, and the UK carrying the collection. Wedding dresses also will be available on-island at Sandals and Beaches resorts.

What is the price range?
The destination wedding dresses retail at $499.

What considerations should a woman take into account when selecting a dress for a tropical destination wedding?
The warm climate as well as the location (i.e., will she sink her feet into the sand alongside the splash of the ocean?). It is also important to consider how well the dress material will travel and how easy it will be to carry while embarking on planes and automobiles.

Are there certain dress fabrics that work better? Ones to avoid?
This collection was designed with lightweight, breezy fabrics such as chiffon and charmeuse with tropical settings in mind. The wedding dresses are cool and comfortable and the fabrics are light and wrinkle-resistant for ease of travel and packing. Each has a stretch knit lining that is designed for easy alterations. The best part of all is, they are washable. So there is no need to worry about sand and water affecting the look of the dress.

Fabrics to avoid in a destination wedding dress would be anything that stains easily or tends to be heavy. While a crinoline is pretty, it probably won't travel well, nor feel good on your skin while standing in the warm Caribbean sun.

What about destination wedding dress styles? Any musts to avoid?
The dress should be soft and fluid, not clingy, lightweight, and easy to pack. You cannot go wrong with a dress made of a fabric that fits and moves with the body. You'll be less stressed traveling and won't have to deal with finding someone to steam your dress upon arrival. I would certainly stay away from heavily jeweled or beaded dresses.

What should the bride wear at a destination wedding if this is not her first wedding?
Every bride should wear a dress that makes her feel spectacular! Our collection is offered in white or ivory. A bride should pick the color she feels she looks and feels best in.

What wardrobe advice do you have for the groom at a tropical destination wedding?
The groom will look dapper in a light linen suit or lightweight shirt and pants. A formal tuxedo is typically made of heavier materials not forgiving in the Caribbean heat. The groom should be smiling in the soft Caribbean breeze as his bride cascades toward him...not sweating!

What about shoes for the couple?
Most of our brides are happy in a strappy sandal and low heel. It also is common to see the bride barefoot with decorative jewelry around her ankle. The groom typically follows suit with a lightweight sandal or bare feet.

What's the best way to transport a wedding dress to a destination wedding location?
If you can avoid it, do not check the dress with your luggage. I suggest using a lightweight carryon bag that will hang in the first class garment bin. If that is not an option, I suggest keeping it close to you in the overhead carrier bin.

Is there anything you'd like to add?
We are so pleased to be able to offer brides this extraordinary collection and feel these wedding dresses are the final touch in Sandals' wedding Dream Team.

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Away from the glare of television cameras that have beamed other first family weddings into American living rooms, Jenna Bush's outdoor wedding at the family's ranch in Crawford Texas Saturday reflected her family's penchant for privacy and her preference for the casual over grandiose.

After the event, the White House released the following photos.

The table setting for Henry and Jenna Hager is shown prior to their wedding reception Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Prairie Chapel Ranch. (AP Photo/The White House/Shealah Craighead)

In this photograph released by the White House, the daughter of President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, Jenna, during the marriage to Henry Hager, at the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas

The daughter of President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, Jenna, celebrates with her new husband, Henry Hager

The daughter of President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, Jenna, poses with her new husband Henry Hager, following their marriage.

President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, left, pose for a family photo following the marriage of their daughter Jenna and Henry Hager, center, at the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas, Saturday, May 10, 2008. At right are John and Maggie Hager, parents of the groom. John Hager is the chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, a former lietenant governor of Virginia, and served in President Bush's Education Department.

Jenna Bush, 26, daughter of President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, poses for photos prior to her marriage to Henry Hager at an outdoor ceremony on the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas, Saturday, May 10, 2008. Her wedding gown is by Oscar de la Renta, a top New York designer and favorite of the first lady's. It's made of organza, a sheer fabric, with embroidery and matte beading. Jenna has described the dress as "simple and elegant."

Jenna Bush, 26, daughter of President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, poses for photos prior to her marriage to Henry Hager at an outdoor ceremony on the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas

President George W. Bush and his daughter Jenna Bush, 26, right, pose for photos prior to Jenna's marriage to Henry Hager Saturday.

President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, pose with their daughters Jenna Bush, 26, right, and Barbara Bush, left, pose for photos prior to Jenna's marriage. Barbara was her twin sister's maid of honor.

Jenna Bush, daughter of President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, exchanges wedding vows with Henry Hager in an outdoor ceremony at the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas, Saturday, May 10, 2008. Rev. Kirbyjohn Caldwell, center, performs the ceremony.

Johansson's debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head is released on May 20 and she has two movies Vicky Cristina Barcelona and He's Just Not That Into You coming out this summer. 
She is currently filming New York, I Love You in her hometown of NYC, while Reynolds is currently making romantic comedy The Proposal with Sandra Bullock four hours away in Boston.

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The way he came into the store, the mood he was in, I knew this was very serious,' celeb blingmaster Jacob the Jeweler reportedly said of Nick's ring-shopping trip.

Mariah

While there was no official word at press time whether Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon have actually gotten married, People magazine reported on Friday (May 2) that Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God in Governor's Harbour in the Caribbean island of Eleuthera confirmed that he presided over their wedding. Petty provided no details except to say that he did not give a sermon.

Earlier on Friday, the magazine reported that Jacob the Jeweler, who reportedly made Carey's ring, confirmed the wedding. The magazine also cited an unnamed source as saying that the singer obtained a marriage license in Eleuthera, although a representative at the island's register's office told MTV News on Friday that she has no record of a license in Carey's or Cannon's names. However, Monique Gomez, a Bahamian attorney in Nassau who specializes in family law. told People.com, "The minister would make sure [the license] goes into the registry. It's still a valid marriage even if it's not filed. Anywhere in the world."

Eleuthera is located next to the island of Windermere, where Carey reportedly owns a home. The Web site of the island's register's office states that couples wishing to get married there need only spend one day in the Bahamas before submitting an application for a marriage license; they also must fill out the application together at the register's office, pay a fee of $40, and in Mariah's case, a certification of her divorce (from her ex-label head Tommy Mottola) must be produced. The license is valid for three months. People's report states that Carey herself obtained the license.

Some have speculated that Carey actually may have married or be marrying Mark Sudack (a member of her management team whom she has long been rumored to be dating), but TMZ.com claimed on Friday that those reports are untrue. Also on Friday, a rep for "The View" confirmed that Carey had been scheduled to tape the show on Monday (for a segment scheduled to air Friday, May 9) but had canceled.

Neither Cannon's nor Carey's spokespeople have returned calls for comment from MTV News, and Cannon evaded a series of questions from MTV News on the matter Monday.

However, a relative of Cannon's, Linda Cannon (her relationship to the singer was not detailed), reportedly told E! News on Thursday, "Yes, we know. He called us and told us all about it. We are happy for him. If that is what he wants then we are happy for him. I'm not going to give you any details, but we are happy for him."

Carey, 38 and Cannon, 27, reportedly have been dating for less than two months, which is half as long as Cannon was going out with Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks when he proposed to her with a 15-carat stone via a JumboTron in New York's Times Square. Cannon and Ebanks broke up in October.

Last week, Carey was spotted wearing a large diamond ring that began the speculation that she and Cannon were an item. According to The Associated Press, Jacob quickly put out a press release about the ring Cannon reportedly gave Carey, which described it as "crafted from platinum and features a square emerald cut fancy light pink diamond as the center stone surrounded by 58 intense pink diamonds and two half moon diamonds on each side. ... The total carat weight of the ring — center stone is 10 carats — is a jaw-dropping 17 carats with a value of $2.5 million."

On Friday, People.com reported that Jacob (whose last name is Arabo) told them, "The way he came into the store, the mood he was in, I knew this was very serious. He said 'Jacob, I'm in love. This is what I want to do.' He said he wanted something in pink, so he picked something in a light purple-ish pink. He was very involved and he trusted me to design the ring."

Arabo reportedly added, "He loves her. That's all I know."

A number of media outlets have speculated that this episode is a publicity stunt, though the couple have been seen in public numerous times since Cannon filmed a cameo in the video for Carey's new single, "Bye Bye," several months ago.