Cayman .... Seven miles of Beach Beauty

Cayman islands offer the ultimate in hospitality and romance. You have the option of getting married in a smaller resort or a five-star hotel, this destination has the capability of producing events that reflect the style that a bride envisions.  The backdrop of this ocean is simply spectacular.

The Cayman Islands are located south of Cuba and it is known for its pristine 7 mile beach. The sunsets are unique and varied every night.  Once you arrive into the Cayman Islands, you step off the plane onto the tarmac and feel the rush of warm Caribbean air.

Guest activities:  your guests have plenty of options to select for excursions. For those who love to scuba dive, they have some of the best reef diving around. Stingray City is just a 10 minute boat ride away where you can swim and snorkel among the reefs.  The Turtle Farm at Boatswain's Beach, offers kids and adults the opportunity to see hundreds of giant turtles.



For the guest with a sophisicated palette this island offers a wide range of amazing cuisine. One must try
any of the following restaurants:

Calypso Restaurant, known for its wonderful sticky toffy pudding www.calypsogrillcayman.com

Osetra Bay, this Miami feeling restaurant has a fusion to it, served with by wonderful friendly waiters who are a joy to be around.  The food at Osetra is inspiring and wonderful. I think the drink master made this amazing www.osetrabay.com

Luca Restaurant: best seaside fine dining restaurant, set within the Caribbean Club. www.caribclub.com


   

Marriage license requirements:

 Residency requirements: none
 Necessary documentation: non residents need a marriage license, letter from authorized local marriage officer, proof of citizenship and age, proof of marital status, legal divorce decree, two witnesses

Places to stay:


Ritz Carlton, for those who love to have full service hotel, this is the perfect place for you. Ritz Carlton offers a variety of room levels, plus multiple restaurants. www.ritzcarlton.com/grandcayman

Caribbean Club: this exclusive boutique suite hotel, offers guests one - three bedroom private villas with common living room and full service kitchens. Great option for weddings and families. www.caribclub.com


 With pristine sand comes some great ideas for getting that sand off your toes after the ceremony ....

Cayman islands is one of the few islands without a waiting period for a  marraige license, so if you are so inclined to Elope - this is the perfect spot for that, as well.

Creative Welcome Bags for Destination Weddings

Welcome bags are part of the destination planning.  You want to make a great first impression when your guests arrive to the location.  Greet your guests with items that are native to the region in which they are traveling to.

The following items should be included in all welcome bags:

 Map of the Region
 Restaurant Guide
 Timeline of the weekend activities
 Bottles of water
 Salty Snack
 Sweet Snack

Be creative in your bag selection, the types of containers varies from tote bags, to white gift bags to gable boxes.

Tote bags, are filled with snacks, local items and items that represent the couple

Tag the bags with custom tags that match your theme of the wedding.

Add some after party hangover kits, filled with advil, alka seltzer, tums are just some suggestions

Create bags that are native to the area, in NYC we hand out 5th Avenue candy bars, pretzels and apples

In the Caribbean, for planned activities we included snorkeling equipment with sunscreen, aloe and candy native to the island

Palm bags are great, this bag was used a favor with a picture frame that we had photos taken of each guest

Towels are great for the bags, that are personalized with the wedding theme

Reasons to Consider a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings are probably the most memorable events of all. It allows you to spend quality time with your family friends over a longer period of time.  My top reasons to consider a destination wedding:

The location should be a true representation of your personality. Most couples will pick a location based upon their vacations or the location where they were engaged or even met.

 The most important people will attend, thus reducing your ever growing guest list by more than half. This upside not only helps with the overall budget but it gives the couples more quality time with close family and friends.

You are spending the money for a longer period of party time. Instead of spending the money
on a 5 hour event - you will get 3 days of fun with family and friends.

 The destination wedding is a vacation for the guests, you have now taken them away from their day to day routine and asked them to spend 3 unforgettable days away with you. If you give them 9 - 12 month lead time they will be able to schedule their vacation time around your wedding weekend.

 Embrace the destination, if you dreamed of a castle in Ireland, you will experience the beauty of the region around you.  Enjoy the culture, experience the food and have fun.

 Enjoy the experiences offered at the destination. While in Italy host some cooking glasses or wine tasting tours.  In the Cayman island, swim with the stingray, in Hawaii enjoy snorkeling.

Incorporate the culture into the plans and activities.  In Italy we love to hire a mandolin and accordian players to serenade our guests, in Mexico you must go Mariachi, in Hawaai, how can you miss out on a hula dance

Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice - Destination wedding

Iceland known as the "the land of Fire and Ice" offers an incredible range of biodiversity and geography, Iceland is a country, where you can find snow-covered glaciers and mountain ranges near thermal pools, hot springs and active volcanoes

For the couples who love adventure, those who get married in Iceland will find a playground for nature lovers and outdoor adventure types looking for something out of the ordinary, with endless interesting and surreal backdrops. This country is full of amazing activities, from white - water rafting in deep river gorges to whale- watching in the Nordic fishing village, or hike along the beautiful coast, an Iceland wedding is always spectacular.

Reykjavik is Iceland's capital and is considered the most northernmost city in the world. Reykajavik sees little sun during the winter, but its summers are endless, with the sun circling the horizon for 22 hours of daylight at a time.You will find hip and quirky museums, shops , and restaurants scattered throughout of the city.

We created this amazing wedding for 10 guests - that was both fun and gorgeous. We brought this small hearty group to an area that had the most amazing waterfalls that was the breathtaking backdrop for the ceremony.

Once this small ceremony concluded they dined on local cuisine at Hotel Ranga - a wonderful rustic hotel, set at the base of a volcano. 

The guests dined on wild mushroom soup, local salmon, reindeer and for dessert pineapple infused with raspberry sauce.

Indian grandeur in Newport

Grandeur, color, and fun are blended with culture and heritage in all Indian weddings. Indian weddings are probably the most visual of the weddings we have created over the years. They range in size from 100 to over 900 guests.  I love to infuse the event with lots of color and texture. Lighting is the key to transforming the space from simple to amazing. Creating visual memories and entertaining the guests makes for the most memorable events we work on.

The ceremonies are steeped in rituals and traditions that are a feast for the eyes. My favorite wedding was held in Newport, Rhode Island. This was a 300 person event, 2 days party, the Indian ceremony

was held beneath a gorgeous gold and red draped mandap that served as the backdrop for this

wonderful couple.

The barrat is the entrance of the groom to the ceremony. This groom arrived via helicopter and then joined the barrat in gold and white dressed horse and carriage that led him to the steps of the venue.  He was met by the parents of the Bride, who welcome him to family.  The 30 minute entrance was lead by the dhol player.

Typically ,Indian weddings are served either buffet style or family style. The culture is all about family and it it focuses on including everyone from young to old to celebrate with the couple. It is truly a party atmosphere.

This particular wedding we did a wonderful buffet with tandori ovens and chef creating dishes right before their eyes.  Mango Lasse's were passed as guests arrived and they were entertained 

by Dandiya dancers throughout the night. We draped the tent in fabric swags in reds, orange tones and had guests seated on low seating with assorted pillows placed around the carpeted tables. The colors were vibrant, fun and inviting.

Bahamian-Style Wedding

Sometimes honeymoons aren't enough, many couples decide to get married in their chosen destination spot to make their wedding even more memorable. 

Why wouldn't you want to get married at your dream destination, especially if your destination is the Bahamas. Beautiful sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and plenty of palm trees; it's truly the perfect paradise. 

 

In the Bahamas, you can choose to go with a very elegant style for your theme, but one of the most popular wedding styles is the traditional Bahamian style.  Throwing a Bahamian-style wedding can be very enjoyable since it's very relaxed and easy to engage with your guests.

 

 

Choosing the décor for a Bahamian wedding can definitely be more fun and simplistic opposed to the traditional style wedding.  Unless you have a separate theme in mind, then beach decorations are always one of the top choices.

 

If you didn't want the Bahamian theme for your actual ceremony, the theme makes for a great welcoming party or wedding rehearsal theme to help get your guests in the appropriate island mood.

 

 

 

When it comes to picking a location and theme for each of your events, there is a wide variety to choose from.  When you plan a destination wedding you get to pick the itinerary for the entire weekend.  From the welcome party, rehearsal, ceremony, reception, and any other added events; you have a wide array of different options for each event. 

 

One of the most common choices for a reception, rehearsal dinner, or welcoming party in the Bahamas is a beach-barbeque theme.  You can add interactive activities for your guests, enjoy the beach, and taste traditional Bahamian cuisine. 

 

 

 

 

 

For entertainment why not throw in a little extra to the event with adding Bahamian residents to help wow your guests.  The Bahamian residents are known for being friendly and enjoy entertaining their visitors.

 

 

Depending on each separate event, you can get a little fancier and maybe host a semi-formal brunch or an early formal dinner.  The key is that there are plenty of options for each individual event and we're here to help assist you in planning your wedding.

 

 

When it's finally time for the big day and the actual ceremony, we will help make that moment to be the most memorable. These are just a few examples of our previous Bahama beach ceremonies.

 

 

To top of the perfect ceremony there are plenty of options that you and your partner can take part in together to make the ceremony even more romantic and intimate. 

 

 

Just remember having a destination wedding in the Bahamas can be a dream come true and will be something that's unforgettable.