VH1 Star Steve Ward to Marry Two Gay Couples in the Heart of Times Square

NEW YORK, NY -- Occurring just once every one hundred years, Friday's perfect calendar reading of 11.11.11 is considered one of the luckiest days of the century and a wedding held on 11.11.11 promises love, good fortune and luck(1).

IHG's Crowne Plaza� Hotels & Resorts is celebrating the dreamy date by hosting 11 weddings for 11 couples, with VH1 star and Master Matchmaker Steve Ward presiding over the ceremony. The 11 lucky couples from across the country will say their "I do's" this Friday in New York City at 11:00 am EST at Crowne Plaza Times Square- Manhattan.

The hotel brand asked altar-bound couples across the U.S. why they are lucky in love through the Crowne Plaza "Marry Me 11.11.11" contest. Almost 600 couples shared their love story for a chance to win a once in a lifetime New York City wedding weekend.

This Friday, in front of family and friends these 11 couples will embark on a lifetime filled with love:
Aaron & Sabrina Chicago, Ill.
Amy & Wayne: Las Vegas, Nev.
Anthony & Bret: Cleveland, Ohio
Bob & Liz: Orlando, Fla.
Czarina & Jonathan: New York City
Dan & Myrna: Tucson, Ariz.
Dennis & Joey: Staten Island, NY
Jenifer & Kyle: West Palm Beach, Fla.
Joshua & Michelle: Youngstown, Ohio
Lazaro & Tania: Miami, Fla.
Melissa & Sheila: Tampa, Fla.

Each couple's lucky in love story can be found at www.facebook.com/crowneplaza.

"I'm honored to be a part of this special day -- the excitement of New York City and the romance of this magical date provide the perfect setting for an unforgettable wedding ceremony," said Steve Ward, star of VH1's 'Tough Love.' "This Friday we'll celebrate each couple's unique love story which serves as the foundation for the lifetime commitment they are making to each other."

A Romantic New York City Wedding Event

With Times Square as the backdrop, the non-denominational ceremony will start promptly at 11:00 a.m. EST. As guests of the couple look on, Ward will administer the vows for the 11 winning couples. The newlyweds will toast to their good fortunes and love-filled futures in a wedding celebration filled with family, friends and dancing.

Before they wed in Times Square, the 11 couples will share a day of romance in the Big Apple on Nov. 10, kicking off their big wedding weekend. The couples will enjoy a guided tour of Manhattan's most romantic spots, which includes taking in breath-taking views from the Empire State Building's observation deck, an authentic New York City culinary experience with an intimate lunch and a rehearsal cocktail party at the Crowne Plaza Times Square-Manhattan.

"The 11 lucky couples all have different love stories, but they will forever share a lucky wedding date and a wedding day at Crowne Plaza that they'll always remember," said Steve Ekdahl, director, U.S. Leisure Travel, IHG. "In fact, with our 'Honeymoon on Us' promotion, hundreds of other couples have also selected to have their wedding at a Crowne Plaza hotel on 11.11.11. They too will share this lucky date and their own unique memories with Crowne Plaza."

A Sweet Deal for All Couples in Love

The 11.11.11 wedding celebration is part of the brand's current promotion "Honeymoon on Us" which pays tribute to couples who are tying the knot. "Honeymoon on Us" offers couples who book their wedding reception at a participating Crowne Plaza property with a prepaid card valued at up to $1,250.

For more information about the "Crowne Plaza Marry Me 11.11.11" wedding and the "Honeymoon on Us" promotion, please visit: www.facebook.com/crowneplaza.

*See full terms and conditions at www.crowneplaza.com/honeymoononus.

(1)According to numerologists, when you add 1 and 1 together, 2 represents love, luck and good fortune. The repetition of the number 11 maximizes these representations.

IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories, and has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.

IHG is committed to gender balance throughout its business. We aspire to continue retaining a minimum of 25% female representation on the Board.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards.

For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.