Trash the Dress Cayman Islands Style

Following on from our real wedding feature on Friday, we wanted to share this couple’s trash the dress session with you!  It looked like SO much fun and they even got a few others involved!!

photo credit :: Rebecca Davidson Photography

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Jillian and Bryan

Happy Friday!  Today we’re sharing Jillian and Bryan’s wedding with you.  This one is full of DIY, Love and F-U-N! 

We had a chat with the Bride about the details and here’s what she said…

CBWS ::  Why did you choose Cayman as the destination for your wedding?

Jillian :: Grand Cayman, in our opinion, is unlike any other island destination.  You cannot go anywhere else and find the same hospitality, environment, and beautiful, natural surroundings.  We both have very small families so we wanted to go away to a place that would still feel like home.  We found that in Grand Cayman at the Marriott Beach Resort and Grand Old House.  We recommend these two places to any couple thinking of marrying in Grand Cayman, and we certainly recommend the island for any couple unsure of a destination wedding location.

CBWS ::  Tell us about finding the wedding dress?

Jillian :: This is a memory that will stick with me forever.  Because my mother and sister do not live very close to me, Bryan and I actually did a little dress shopping on our own.  It was just so difficult to get everyone in one place.  I actually found a dress that I loved.  Much more casual than the one I ended up with.  When we were finally able to schedule a time that we could all be in the same place, we set up a couple of appointments, one at the location of the dress that I had originally liked, Nicole Miller, and then one at Priscilla of Boston (per my sister’s recommendation).  We went to Priscilla first.  My mother brought her close friend Yolanda.  She came equipped with Sharpie’s and paper plates.  She proceed to make judging cards (putting 1-10 on each of the plates).  When I would try on dresses, they would rate the dress.  When I put on the (I think 6^th) dress, before they could display their score, they all began to cry, as did I.  Slowly they all raised “10”s.  It was a wonderful moment.  After the paperwork was signed, I called the other location and cancelled.  I knew as soon as I put THE DRESS on at Priscilla that it was the dress that was meant for me!

CBWS ::  What was your most memorable moment from your wedding day?

Jillian :: The most memorable part of our day was probably our vows.  We both wrote our own and did not share them with each other or anyone else until the Ceremony.  It was a very emotional moment that we were able to share with our guests.   My favorite design element was really all the decorations that my sister created.  The Grand Old House did a wonderful job with providing her with the canvas, and then she was able to take it to the next level.  The centerpieces, programs, chair décor, place cards, guest book table, etc. all fell into place and matched our personalities well.

CBWS ::  In retrospect, do you have any thoughts you would like to share with our readers?

Jillian ::  We had the wedding of our dreams thanks to all parties involved.  We seriously do not have one thing we would have changed.  I never thought a wedding could run so smoothly or be so beautiful, but it was all we wanted and more.  To all the soon-to-be Brides and Grooms out there, Grand Cayman is the place to get married…hands down!  You can’t go wrong with staying at the Marriott, marrying at the Grand Old House, and having Rebecca Davidson capture all the special moments!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Accommodation ::  Grand Cayman Marriott and Beach Resort

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Venue, Food and Beverage ::  Grand Old House

**All decor, invitations, place cards and menus designed by the Bride, Groom and Family members.

Cayman Islands Photographer :: Rebecca Davidson

I have had quite a few requests to learn more about the photographers we feature on Crystal Blue.  We thought we’d start by re-posting their introductory features just in case you missed them the first time!  Today, we’d like you to meet Rebecca Davidson!

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I’m so excited to introduce this Cayman Islands photographer to you today.  If you couldn’t tell by her profile photo, Rebecca is FUN with a capital F!  I have worked with Rebecca on countless weddings and always have such a great time with her!  So, without further delay….

Crystal Blue:  Rebecca, how long have you been photographing weddings?

Rebecca:  Can you believe it–15 years! 

Crystal Blue:  That’s incredible.  I know the word passionate doesn’t even begin to describe how you feel about your work.  How do you keep things fresh and new?

Rebecca:  This is challenging.   A lot of brides will say, “I love this shot on your site, I want that!!!!”.  So, what I do is tell the bride and groom I want to create something new and different and specific to them.  I encourage them to let me know what they love and what they are passionate about.  Then the ideas just start flowing.   A few weeks ago I shot a bride and groom and he pulled out his golf shoes for a shot.  The bride wasn’t having any of it!   Anyhow, I convinced her to take a few shots of just their shoes under the dress (the bride with her gorgeous shoes and the groom with his dirty old golf shoes).  They loved one of the shots so much, the ended up using it for their thank you cards!   

Crystal Blue:  That’s fantastic!  Tell us more.  How would you describe your style?

Rebecca:  It is actually hard to pin point a specific style as I would want to list everything I do, emotional, photojournalistic, artistic, traditional, fun etc. and I feel it is almost best to say I adapt to the bride and groom, hugely influence them and bring out their fun and creative side. I guess I would like to be considered their ‘story teller’.  Can that be considered a style? Story Teller!

Crystal Blue:  Well if it wasn’t before, Story Teller is a style now!  What is your favorite part of any given wedding?

Rebecca:  The emotion! Absolutely, hands down. I love it when the bride looks up for the first view in the mirror of her dress, her mother watching from the back.  I love capturing the look when she puts on her shoes. I love love love it when the groom cries or the father of the bride cries. (Or the planner!!!!  Hahaha Yes, I have seen you cry, Danielle! )  It really is an amazing experience and by the end of the day, you really feel part of their family.   Then….. you get to show them their images and they get to relive the whole thing over again.  I love that part!!!  Is that too many favorite things????

Crystal Blue:  Hahhaa, no–you can have as many as you’d like!  And yes, I do get teary at almost every wedding!   You have such a warm and fun loving personality, but since more couples are not used to getting photographed to the extent they are on their wedding day, how do you get them to relax and be themselves?

Rebecca:  I’m a very laid back person, so that immediately relaxes them.  I want to have fun with the bride and groom but I also know it is important to be in the background to allow the natural flow of the family and friends with the couple allowing me to capture those emotions as they unfold.  When I have the bride and groom to myself  is when we have a blast!   After all the fun and creative shots are done is not uncommon for them to say, “That was so much fun!!!We feel like rock stars!”.

Crystal Blue:  That must give you a lot of job satisfaction!  If you could give one piece of advice to a couple looking for a photographer, what would it be?

Rebecca:  When you look at the photographers images, you need to be moved emotionally and be excited by what you see.  Connect with the photographer and make sure you feel comfortable.  Finally, don’t just settle for a cd! This is the most important day of your life!  Let the photographer help you create a ‘piece of art’.  

That’s more than one piece of advice right? Am I in trouble now? Okay one last one…. My favourite slogan….. “Invest in an artist….photography is forever”. Do I talk to much?

Crystal Blue:  You are too funny Rebecca!!!  Thank you SO much for taking the time to chat with us and let our readers get to know you better!  To see Rebecca’s work, click here.  Rebecca was also the featured photographer on yesterday’s Cayman Islands Real Wedding of Marizen and Jamie.

Cayman Islands Engagement Shoot at Camana Bay

Welcome back from the weekend!  Hope you all enjoyed yourselves and are geared up for another great week.  Today we wanted to share with you this fun engagement shoot at Camana Bay in Grand Cayman.  Camana Bay is the newest town on the island and it is just such a beautiful place.  For photo shoots there are so many great little nooks from the gorgeous mosaics to the fun water features to the beautiful gardens–all of which are open to the public and are perfect for an engagement shoot or some wedding portraits!

This couple today just looked like they were having so much fun!  Not hard to do when you’re in love and it doesn’t hurt that the fun filled Rebecca Davidson was on the other side of the camera.  I hope you enjoy!!

photo credit ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Cayman Islands Inspired Story Board :: The Green of Rainy Season

Some people might disagree, but in Cayman we do have seasons.  Currently we are in our rainy season.  It sounds bad, but typically we just get some tropical showers here and there and it doesn’t interrupt your day too much.  Living here we love rainy season because during the “winter” it doesn’t rain AT ALL  and for those of us who have plants (or try to have plants) or gardens we like a little bit of rain.  Anyway, it struck me yesterday how green everything is and yes, folks, that’s thanks to rainy season!

photo credit ::  All except two on bottom left (people, bouquet), Project Wedding;  People and bouquet photos, Rebecca Davidson Photography

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Heather and Ryan

I have been dying to post this wedding for so many reasons.  Could it be the beautiful couple?  Yes.  The gorgeous decor?  Yes.  Three different dresses?  Yes.  Basically, it’s everything!!!  I hope you enjoy!

This lovely couple chose Cayman for their destination wedding after many years of visiting Grand Cayman as a family.  The Bride’s family are regular visitors to Cayman and introduced the groom to this amazing island just a few years ago.  He fell in love with it just as quickly as she did, so when it came time to get married, they just knew. 

The couple chose the Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman for their wedding location.  Seven Mile Beach was the backdrop for their ceremony, following on to the Grand Terrace for the dinner and the Grand Ballroom for the dancing.  All of their guests wore white which further illustrated their love and support for the happy couple.

No detail was left to chance and special touches were everywhere.  Above, the cake topper from the Bride’s parent’s wedding was on display next to the guest book-scrapbook.  The place settings were complete with a personalized, letterpress menu for each guest.

During dinner, the guests were entertained by fabulous band, Bona Fide then worked their way into the South Beach themed ballroom to dance the night away!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Coordination, Venue, Food and Beverage ::  The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman

Hair :: Spa Esprit

Music :: Ceremony, Eugenio Leon (Harpist); Cocktail hour, Mike Lamay (Steel Drummer); Dinner, Bona Fide

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson

Rehearsal Dinner :: The Wharf with decor by Celebrations

Videography ::  Picture This

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Julia and David

Today’s real wedding is a mixture of fun colors, tradition and a whole lot of class.  I love the details of this wedding (and I know you will too), so let’s get to it!!

The ceremony was held at one of the cutest churches ever, Elmslie church.  I personally love ceremonies here–the church is so quaint and, I guess, just a nice change from the beach.

After the ceremony, the couple took off in the Cayman Carriage, horse and cart.  So adorable and romantic!!!  All they need now is a bit of snowfall and a big red blanket and it would be a scene out of a movie!

The reception is loaded with details from a clear top tent with crystal chandeliers, to beautiful centerpieces, coordinating stationery and the cake…can you tell I’m in love???

Wishing you two all the happiness!  Thank you for sharing your day!

Providers who made this day happen ::

Catering ::  Mise En Place

Design and decor ::  Lions Productions

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Transportation ::  The Cayman Carriage Company

Ceremony Venue :: Elmslie Memorial Church

Reception Venue :: Private home

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Ashley and Andrew

Today’s wedding is choc-o-block with gorgeous detail and beautiful colors!  Espresso Brown, Lime Green and a splash of burnt orange really worked for the decor–and it doesn’t hurt that the couple is absolutely stunning!! 

The ceremony took place on Seven Mile Beach with the reception at the Wharf Restaurant.  Celebrations did another beautiful job with the decor and flowers–I just love those roses!!

The couple looked after every detail from coordinating menus and programs to even the cute birdcage card holder for their well wishes.  The tables were dressed with coordinating linens and napkins and no detail was left without thought.

Thank you, Ashley and Andrew for sharing your day with us! 

Providers who made this day happen :: 

Design and decor, floral ::  Celebrations

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Venue ::  The Wharf

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Vanessa and Darren

Hey kiddos!  Hope you’re all having a good week!  Today we’re featuring Vanessa and Darren’s wedding from just a few weeks ago.  I know a lot of the weddings we feature have some similar elements, namely the beach background, but it is really gorgeous–isn’t it?  Bottom line is, people who get married in the Cayman Islands like to get married on the beach, so what is a gal to do???

Today’s wedding is also from Seven Mile Beach at a complex called The London House.  Rebecca Davidson was the mastermind behind these images and really captured some fantastic moments along with some fun artistic shots!

The couple completely embraced the modern–skyped with friends who could not be there and texted each other love notes before the ceremony–while still keeping with meaningful tradition. 

The day was perfect!  Love was definitely in the air…

And the flower girls wanted to be where the love was…

Beautiful day you two–congratulations!!!

Photo credit ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Cayman Islands Real Wedding :: Trish and Grant

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!  We are kicking off the week with Trish and Grant’s wedding full of fun color and fun people!  Not only did these two get hitched in Grand Cayman but they also got engaged in Grand Cayman!  As if it wasn’t easy enough to choose Cayman as a wedding destination, they now had a meaningful link to the island which made it all the more special to Trish and Grant.

As a photographer herself, the hardest decision for Trish was choosing a photographer for her wedding.  When she came across Rebecca Davidson’s work, she knew Rebecca would be the right person to document their day.  Based on what I’ve seen, I think so too!!

During the ceremony the couple had a sand ceremony.  In non-beach speak, this is similar to a unity candle ceremony without the pesky candles blowing out!  As you can see the couple chose blue and green sand and will have this memento to keep and remind them of the commitment they made to each other. 

A first for me, this couple also had a rock ceremony.  Color coordinated rocks with inspirational words such as “trust”  and “love” were used to symbolize all of the many intricate parts of a marriage. 

The ceremony took place on the beach next to the Wharf and the group enjoyed a beautiful lunch and dancing to the musical stylings of Musical Crew.  Most stayed at The Marriott Beach Resort with a few staying at Turtle Nest Inn and everyone enjoyed a day swimming with the stingrays and playing with the dolphins!  They all had a truly amazing visit in Cayman!

Providers who made this day happen :: 

Coordination, decor and equipment rentals ::  Celebrations

Hair and makeup ::  Focus

Music ::  Musical Crew

Photography ::  Rebecca Davidson Photography

Venue, Food and Beverage :: The Wharf

Videography ::  Aaron Rebarcheck

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