Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Kate and Kevin, Part 2

Thanks for coming back to check out the rest of Kate and Kevin’s fantastic day!!  Let’s get going with Part 2!

After the Ceremony, the couple and their guests walked down the beach to LUCA.  Here they enjoyed an amazing dinner and of course this group had a ball dancing the night away!!!

Hold it right there—did you think I was finished with this gorgeousness!!??  Not quite my dears….here is a video clip from their day!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation and beach ceremony venue ::  The Beachcomber

Coordination and design ::  Octopus Events

Decor, event rentals and floral ::  Celebrations

Photography :: Rebecca Davidson Photography

Music ::  STEELATTITUDE (Cocktail hour), One World (DJ for reception)

Reception ::  LUCA

Stationery ::  Studio Two Sixteen

Videography ::  Picture This

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Mallory and David

How is everyone’s first week of the new year going?  This week is always a busy one in my household…holidays finishing up, three birthdays (yes, all of our birthdays are in one week!) and just the usual urgency to renew that any new year brings.  All in all, though, it’s been a great year so far–hope you feel the same!

Love the yellow accents so much–understated but cheerful.  The shoes too, the pattern on the napkins, the programs…ok, ok…I love everything about this wedding!!!!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation and venue ::  Westin Casuarina Resort and Spa

Coordination, decor, floral, event rentals ::  Celebrations

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Music ::  One World (reception)

 

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Josephine and Stephen

I’ve been browsing through some “blasts from the past” and came across this wedding I posted a long, long time ago (about a year and a half ago).  I just love it–I’ve always loved it.  The colors, the opulence and the gorgeous couple–I felt the need to share with you again!  Hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!!

First, the couple…HELLO magazine models (well, actually the bride is).  Second, the colors–WOW is really all I can say about that…just too beautiful! 

Let’s get you started with some of this eye candy by Aaron Rebarchek :: 

Isn’t that aisle just beautiful?  I told you it was different than what we usually show here!

Josephine’s favorite design element was the bridesmaid bouquets.  Check them out below!  Lime green mums with teal ostrich feathers against the bright purple dress–again, I say, WOW!  It’s not often that you see weddings with this amount of color and I love it!

No detail was left unnoticed at the reception.  Lush linens, peacock feathers. chandeliers, candelabra and more.  Each of the tables were named after famous couples from history as opposed to the standard table numbers. 

Providers who made this day happen :: 

Cake ::  Celebrations

Ceremony Venue ::  Church of God Chapel

Design and decor, floral, event rentals and coordination ::  Celebrations

Hair ::  Spa To Go

Photography :: Aaron Rebarchek Photography

Music ::  Suite Elite and One World

Reception Venue :: Grand Old House

Transportation :: Grand Limousine

Video ::  Picture This

 

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: SURPRISE! , Part 2

So I mentioned earlier, but just in case you missed it, this was a surprise wedding (for most!).  The guests thought they were attending this couple’s engagement party but when they arrived, SURPRISE!  WE’RE MARRIED!!  As if that wasn’t enough of a reason to boogie down and celebrate there was one more surprise in store for these folks…A BABY IS ON THE WAY!!  What a great evening and a fun way to share all of this great news with friends and family!!

I would’ve been all over this candy bar, fyi…and aren’t you just loving that martini centerpiece?  That has fun written all over it!!

This has got to be one of the CUTEST photos of all time.  I love when all of the guests are down with the Crazy Booth!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Coordination and Design ::  Octopus Events

Event Rentals ::  Massive Equipment

Florals ::  Every Bloomin’ Thing

Lighting ::  Intec Research

Music ::  One World

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Transportation :: Grand Limousine

Venue :: Agua (Reception)

 

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Brittain and Brian, Part 2

Welcome back to this tropically festive fabulous wedding! 

Crystal Blue ::  There are so many lovely details in this wedding.  What was your favorite design element?

B&B ::  Scrolled messages in a bottle gave everyone their table seating. The table names were of Essie nail polish colors related to wedding names liked “Happily Ever After” and “Wedded Bliss.” Each woman had the nail color of their table at their seat.

At the end of the evening, all of the sudden, fireworks went off!!  They weren’t planned for the wedding but a nearby location had them for an event and luckily everyone at the wedding benefited from the spectacular display!  As my Dad said, timing is everything!!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation ::  Grand Cayman Beach Suites

Beauty ::  Spa To Go

Coordination, Design and Decor ::  Octopus Events

Event Rentals and Floral ::  Celebrations

Lighting ::  Intec

Music ::  One World

Photography ::  David Wolfe Photography

Venue ::  Ceremony, Grand Cayman Beach Suites; Reception, Brittania Golf Club

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Anita and Krishnan

I know I’ve said this before but I absolutely love Indian weddings.  From the traditions to the colors to the jewels and more…every time I see one, I am just awe struck!  This one is no different and with the amazing Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman thrown in the mix, you can tell it was just perfection!

HELLO–look at those flowers!  The word amazing doesn’t even do them justice!  Flowers by the fab team at Celebrations.

Want more eye candy?  Check out their slideshow!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation, venue, food and beverage ::  Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman

Coordination ::  Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman (local); Spotlight Style (off-island)

Design, decor, flowers, event rentals ::  Celebrations

Music ::  One World (Reception)

Photography ::  Amy Strzalko of Picture This

Rehearsal Dinner ::  Grand Old House

Videography ::  VIP Productions

Meet Craig, Cayman Islands DJ, Part 2!

Now, let’s get down to the nitty gritty and how the party becomes a party! 

Crystal Blue ::  What advice to you have for couples in the planning stages of your wedding when it comes to their music?

Craig ::  The first thing that comes to mind is, during the dancing/celebration portion of the evening, keep the slow dance songs to a minimum.  Of course there will be the special dances and a short-list of slow-dance tracks to be played when the dance is ready to take a break, but one of my goals and usually the clients’ is to keep people interested and energised, so be warned that too many of those tracks can be damaging to this goal.

Another fun piece of advice is, unless it’s a song that will really spoil the moment for some reason, be open to certain tracks that are legendary for celebrations, that you may want to put on your ‘do-not-play’ list. Songs like ‘Celebration’ & ‘Shout’ really hit the button when people are really happy for a couple and really want to express how they feel with them. Often, a bride will even come and ask for a track from the ‘do-not-play’ list because she will be feeling this way. Sometimes fun is just plain and honest, uninhibited cheesiness!

But with regards to giving the DJ the right tools to successfully deliver the kind of reception they envision, here are some tips ::

-Even if you are relaxed and really just want the DJ to play whet he thinks is best, offer the DJ a background of yourselves and what kind of music you like, as well as that of members of the group, and the group in-general. This will allow the DJ to present the right kind of music for the crowd right away, rather than possibly playing totally wrong music and realising it afterwards. Some groups, for example, love Country, and some hate it…this kind of information would be valuable to a DJ.

-Provide a list of music genres you and your group like, as well as any other info that may help the DJ understand what kind of music they will like.

-Provide a break-down of the vibe you want the DJ to create at the various stages of the event. For example, soft & jazzy during dinner, uplifting love songs during cocktails, and a mix of classics and pop during the dance, with some breaks for slow dances…or whatever you envision. Certainly if the client needs the DJs help deciding, I can do so by offering options and advice, as well as even sending sample playlists.

-Provide a list of at least 10 very special tunes that the bride & groom would love to hear.

Thanks, Craig for all of the information and helpful hints!!!  Readers, do you have any question for Craig?  If so, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them answered for you!

Cayman Islands DJ…not your typical wedding DJ :: Meet Craig

So you are in the midst of planning your Cayman Islands wedding and it comes to the music.  You know you want people to dance the night away but the thought of a cheezy, stereotypical wedding DJ that forces people to dance the hokie pokie is not your idea of fun.  Look no further and rest assured…Craig and his crew at One World throw an unbelievable party!  We sat down with Craig so you can learn more about him….

Crystal Blue ::  How long have you been a DJ and what got you into it in the first place?

Craig ::  The simplest and most straight-forward thing I can say as to why I got into Djing is because it reflects a very big part of who I am and what I do…I am the kind of person who likes to enjoy life and do things to help people celebrate it. My entire family is like this…caterers, restaurateurs, and people who like to throw great parties in general. I get my drive to be involved in entertainment from my background, so when I am at a wedding, the bride and broom can rest-assured that I am there for them.  It is truly my #1 objective to do whatever I can to make sure that I deliver the event that they dreamed of and leave happy.

Crystal Blue ::  What is your favorite genre of music?

Craig ::  GOOD music, if that can be a genre! I really do not have a specific genre I prefer, other than the fact that Classical Music is definitely my favorite music. I really like all music forms, but appreciate music within all forms that is well-written and just sounds good. I’m not a big fan of “cheesy music”, but can certainly have fun with it.

Crystal Blue ::  I’ve obviously seen you work and you have a great knack of getting EVERYONE up and dancing by the 2nd or 3rd song…how do you do it?

Playlists, especially ‘must plays’ on playlists given to me from the couple, are a useful tool for these times.  There are literally millions of tracks out there, so it can be dangerous to think that what works for one group will work for others. With this in mind, if I need to get people on the floor and I see that the couple are in the room to enjoy their must play tracks, I will often turn to one of them.  9.5 times out of 10, those tracks will strike a cord with many of the guests and the dance floor takes off from there.

If I do not have a playlist and I had to try to get people dancing on my own, I would naturally look to tracks that are tested-and true dance tracks and select some based on what I know about the demographics of the group, as well as the level of energy that I feel the group is ready for. From there I would really be watching people’s feet and faces to see if they like what I am playing, and make selections from there. There are certainly a lot of tracks that I turn to that seem to always generate a dance floor, and some of those selections are: ‘Let’s get it on”, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love’, etc, that are nice medium energy tracks that can get people into the mood.

If I feel I need to bring the energy up, the I go to tracks like ‘I gotta Feeling’, ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’, ‘Girls Just Wanna have Fun’, ‘Celebration’, etc.. It may even be the case that people really want a slow dance, so I might even decide to go with something like Clapton’s ‘Wonderful Tonight’, and build from there, if I feel that’s what is needed.

Crystal Blue ::  So many people fear the stereotypical wedding DJ.  I know you are NOT one of them.  Can you describe your style?

Craig ::  Yes…we’ve all been to wedding where the DJ is one of those stereotypical Djs that does not mix tracks together and often announces each track before or after playing it, and even sits down on a chair during the dance.  You will never see that with me or any of the One World Djs! 

This is such an excellent question, because it really identifies why my company has excelled in today’s world of weddings and banquets. People today are so into music with videos, ipods, and the growing popularity of DJ-based entertainment, that they are growing to expect a ‘real’ DJ at their events. Oneworld is at the top of the curve, with regards to making sure that our clients receive a DJ that is actually a veteran bar and club DJ that can mix very well and that is very on top of current music.

Further to that and very importantly, I pride myself on being very skilled at identifying which tracks mix well together when making this change, and I beat-match them when I mix them so that people are still dancing and remain so during this transition.

Come back in a little while to find out what you can do to help make your party ROCK!!

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Agata and Reno, Part 2

I hope you enjoyed some of the details from Agata and Reno’s Cayman Islands wedding yesterday!  Today we’re going to share the portrait session with you along with some of the different and fantastic details that you might not see in photos! 

First, I mentioned yesterday that the vibe was Vintage-Punk.  You may have worked it out already but if not, Reno is in a band (an awesome band, by the way!) that I have gone to see countless times throughout my years in Cayman.  So, when I tell you that these two are rock stars, well, they really are!

Second, these two are vegans and also wanted to  incorporate as many eco-friendly elements as they possibly could.  Living on an island it’s VERY difficult to have a wedding or event with zero carbon footprint, but this couple did their best and made some fantastic choices.  Here are the details:

The sparkling wine we used was Cono Sur, a company that tries to minimize their carbon footprint in their daily operations and their sparkling is vegan (some wines use animal products in the clarification). The red and white were Cooper Hill, organic, bio dynamic, and also vegan.

Beer was strictly Caybrew draft to minimize bottles (CB side note :: Caybrew is a locally made beer who recycles their bottles and their waste-water). Any liquor bottles were crushed and used in some one’s garden. The few cups used were biodegradable/compostable corn product.

All food waste was seperated and composted on site.

For invitations the couple used a web-based invitation and R.S.V.P system instead of printed paper invitations.  Also, the favor was a donation to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand that the couple previously visited.  All of the bridal party steered clear of animal products in their clothing and the groomsmen even wore shoes made with recycled material.

The couple LOVES their dogs and so of course they had to be part of the festivities!  Afterall, they were there for the engagement so it’s only natural they be there on the big day!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Catering and Cake :: Mise En Place

Coordination ::  Parfait Weddings and Events

Design and Decor ::  Lions Productions

Event Rentals ::  Massive Equipment

Music ::  Ceremony, Cayman Violin; Cocktail Hour, Hi Tide; Reception, One World

Photography ::  Aaron Rebarchek Photography

Venue :: Sunset Bay

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Jennifer and Philipp, Part 3

Happy Friday everyone!!!  Hope you all had a good week and are looking forward to a fun weekend ahead!  Today we bring you the final part to the wedding of Jennifer and Philipp. (Which was actually scheduled for yesterday but technology got the better of us!!!)  We hope you enjoy and “see” you next week!

Gorgeous letterpress invitations by CECI New York really set the stage for this fabulous weekend!!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation and Ceremony Venue ::  Caribbean Club

Coordination ::  Octopus Events

Design, decor, florals and event rentals ::  Celebrations

Food and Beverage, Reception Venue ::  LUCA

Music, ceremony ::  Cayman Violin (string trio)

Music, reception ::  One World

Photography ::  David Wolfe Photography

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