Harrison Hotel Offers Free Honeymoon

O. Henry said, "It couldn't have happened anywhere but in little old New York."

Although the writer died in 1910, newlywed couples of 2009 might find themselves telling friends and family a similar story. That is, the couples who exchanged vows at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison.

Featuring a promotion that ran from December 2008 to the end of this year, the Renaissance offered a free honeymoon package to those who held their Saturday wedding reception in the Grand Ballroom of the Westchester Hotel. The promotion promised couples one complimentary hotel room every year for life—yes, for life—after exchanging vows at the Renaissance.

Peter Maruzella, director of  sales at the Renaissance, declined to give the specific number of couples who received a free honeymoon, but said the deal attracted couples native to the tri-state area as well as newcomers.

"The Westchester Renaissance is a beautiful location to shoot. As the photography studio frequently chosen for Marriott events, we see a lot of weddings there, and we always have satisfied customers," said Karen Yee of Bella Pictures, the preferred photographer for Marriott Hotel and Resort events.

Of course, the free honeymoons don't hurt, either.