Jamaica Wedding – Rockhouse Hotel
Venue
Megan and Loren wanted all their loved ones to essentially go on vacation with them, which is why they decided to have a destination wedding in Negril, Jamaica. They envisioned having a resort exclusively for them and their guests, and the exotic Rockhouse Hotel, with its 35 villas, was the perfect option.
The original spot for the wedding was on the cliffs near the pool, but on the evening before the wedding, there was a tropical rainstorm! Wedding photographer, Critsey Rowe, who had been photographing the area all week, suggested another cliff side area on higher ground. The hotel staff all worked together to transfer the entire setup to the new location. In Megan’s words, it was “incredible.”
Theme & Décor
With nature providing such a stunning backdrop of cliffs and a jeweled seascape, the couple only had to add small, personal touches to their décor. A beautiful bamboo chuppah (canopy) was installed and accented with fresh flowers and wispy white fabric. A ‘beach chic’ look was created with clear vases of white and cream blooms amidst pops of bright pink—the perfect contrast against the glowing turquoise-blue ocean. For the evening dinner, white low-hung Chinese lanterns with intertwined fairy lights framed the dining area.
Pre-Wedding Fun
Megan and Loren wanted guests to have as much of a fun holiday as they could, so they all went scuba diving, sunned out and went swimming from the cliffs, and simply enjoyed the mellow Jamaican vibe.
Traditions
The bride and groom, both Jewish, used sentimental and traditional elements in their wedding: they exchanged vows (which they wrote themselves) under the beautiful chuppah, did the circling ritual, and Loren did the glass breaking at the end of the ceremony.
Wedding Ensemble
Megan’s dress was by Nicole Miller, a flowing, comfortable and beachy number that suited her perfectly. She got her bronzy Prada shoes with floral accents from Sachs in New York—which she was extremely proud of getting at a steal of a deal! According to Megan, Loren took more time to find his suit than she did to get her dress! He finally found a dashing Calvin Klein one in a warm shade of taupe, reminiscent of the soft Jamaican sand.
Flowers
Only native Jamaican florals were used—white and cream. As Megan shared, why not, when the world’s most beautiful flowers grow in Jamaica?
Cake
The couple chose a delicious four-tier cake flavoured with banana and vanilla, and decorated with sprigs of fresh flowers.
Menu
Steak and lobster featured prominently on the menu to everyone’s delight. Food was prepared in-house by the Rockhouse restaurant and made from delectably fresh ingredients.
Music
The couple walked down the aisle to the strains of an acoustic guitar, and performed their first dance to a live instrumental version of ‘Steal my Kisses’ (Ben Harper) and ‘Under the African Sky’ (Paul Simon). A steel pan orchestra delighted guests during the cocktail hour, and a ‘rocking’ eight-piece band had them on their feet all night at the reception.
Photos by Critsey Rowe
- Published in Real Weddings
Cayman Island wedding: Ritzy “I Dos”
Venue
The couple had fallen in love with the Cayman Islands during their brief engagement getaway and thought it would be the perfect place for their destination wedding. They chose to host all their wedding festivities at the fabulous Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, known for its crystal-clear waters and silky sand.
Theme &
Vidya and Praveen wanted to incorporate elements of their South-Indian Hindu background into their wedding ceremony, and maintain a fresh, modern look. The Ritz-Carlton helped to create a beautiful mandap (special structure for the ceremony) out of their gazebo on the Great Lawn. It was the perfect intermingling of their exotic Asian traditions with the gorgeous tropical backdrop. The wedding lunch showcased a beach theme, with shells and sea pebbles strewn about lovely white floral arrangements.
The couple decided on a breezy, vintage look for their reception since it was to be housed under a clear-top marquee bordering the idyllic Sunset Bay. White linens were topped with a burlap runner and white florals were interspersed with fresh greenery. Vintage chandeliers and an all-white dance floor created a stunning ambience that contrasted beautifully with everyone’s colorful Indian outfits.
Pre-Wedding Fun
Vidya & Praveen set out early for the Cayman Islands to enjoy some much-needed family time with their close relatives. When the rest of their guests arrived, they were welcomed with a beachside party, complete with bonfire and Caribbean music. Not forgetting to add the Indian flair, they hired a henna artist for the customary pre-wedding mehendi activities. It was an amazing kick-off to the weekend with everyone dancing on the beach until 1 am! The next day, wedding guests spent a relaxing and fun beach day, lounging on floatable furniture 40 feet into the ocean, drinks in hand.
Program
The wedding ceremony maintained standard elements of the traditional Hindu marriage ceremony, abbreviated to the specific details that their respective families desired. The style of their wedding did not feature the traditional exchange of vows, though the couple did so between themselves, on a more personal level.
Wedding Ensemble
Both Vidya and Praveen have a flair for fashion, and this was evident in their tasteful wedding wear. Vidya’s wedding and reception ghagra cholis were designed by Anjali and Arjun Kapoor from Dubai. She wore a pair of Jimmy Choos for the wedding, and Pura Lopez wedges for the reception. Her eye-catching jewelry was sourced through various boutiques in India and Dubai.
Praveen opted for a modern Indian sherwani by Sahil, in colours that complemented Vidya’s outfit. For the reception, he wore a suit by Zegna, paired with a Hugo Boss shirt and tie.
Flowers
Vidya’s bouquet featured an all-white mix of stargazer lilies, hydrangeas, lisianthus, spray roses, dusty miller, and eucalyptus. Each bridal party attendant carried a single large sunflower.
Cake
The divinely delicious cake was prepared by Mise en Place. It was a three-tier affair, highlighting the couple’s Indian heritage. Each layer sported its own filling: vanilla sponge with chocolate; chocolate sponge with chocolate; and coconut sponge with mango filling.
Menu
In keeping with the modern Indian theme, the wedding lunch spread had some traditional items, along with Indo-Chinese fusion items, unique tropical salads (still talked about by their guests) and a delightful array of desserts. Some of their Indian relatives shared that the Indian dishes were some of the best they ever had—a surprise as they never expected that on a Caribbean island! The elegant reception dinner was replete with different food bars, including individual stations for pasta, fish fry, salads, and desserts.
Music
Guests made full use of the dance floor for the entire night to the tunes of both Indian and mainstream Western genres. They also sent off wish lanterns to “Marry Me” by Bruno Mars.
Unique Elements
Since the couple opted for a modern take on the traditional Indian wedding, they infused their reception party with elements of the Sangeet ceremony. The Sangeet, (commonly done on the night before the wedding) showcased song and dance performances by friends and family in celebration of the newlyweds. Vidya surprised Praveen by being part of one of them!
Photos by Rebecca Davidson
- Published in Real Weddings
What’s in a Cake?
As featured in the Newsday
Woman’s Weekly
Sunday 28th April, 2013
Issue 103
- Published in News
Fresh décor ideas to make your big day memorable
As featured in the Newsday
Woman’s Weekly
Sunday 14th April, 2013
Issue 101
- Published in News
How to Create an Enchanted Garden
by Francis Pollonais-La Foucade
Nature-based and eco-friendly themes are particularly suited to DIY brides. I’ve recently worked on a no fuss, no “bling”, but rather a simple and natural “enchanted garden” affair. Here are some DIY friendly elements from weddings that were impactful and super affordable.
TIP: All you’d need to replicate them is some spray paint, glitter, glue sticks, a glue gun,
good time management and a patient groom.
Table scape
This area comprises most of your décor real estate, so it’s vital that you nail your theme here. For this type wedding linens should be natural in texture and/or colour. I used ivory damask linens with chocolate napkins and burlap/crocus bag runners on the head table.
TIP: Burlap is particularly nice to use as the edges fray nicely to create a fringe (no sewing required). Burlap can also be used to create overlays if desired.
Centerpiece
The floral arrangement centerpiece comprised chrysanthemums and local anthuriums. The flowers were set in a tall glass vase, the top and bottom of which was wrapped in raw rope. The vase was filled with inexpensive sand under the roped portion and white deco stones in the exposed portion.
TIPS: Local flowers are cheaper and more easily accessible than foreign flowers; glass vases are now rentable from a number of design and accessory rental companies; and deco stone is sold by the bag at almost any garden shop, for less than TT$60.00 a bag (one bag was able to fill nine vases).
If you’re not a florist you can still create relevant drama by using flowers that lend themselves to spray type arrangements (see photo next page), which are very easy to put together. Orchids and calla lilies are good examples of this type of flower. There are a number of tasteful looking silk orchids and calla lilies on the local market that are quite reasonably priced (you can especially take advantage of wholesale prices). Silk arrangements work particularly well for the DIY bride as arrangements can be made well in advance of the wedding.
Ikebana styled arrangements or the common bromeliad (the plants that grow on trees and telephone wires) sprayed gold and lightly glittered arranged on natural stone tiles would also be quite workable with this theme.
Favor
The wedding theme was “LOVE GROWS”, so for keepsakes, each guest was given a small potted plant. In this case rosemary, lavender and balleria. These were also placed on the tables to add to the garden look and feel. To embellish these, each plant was placed into a 2lb brown paper bag with the top rolled down to just cover the pot and tied off with two shades of ribbon. The tag, depicting the theme to the front and care instructions to the back, was attached to a craft stick or as we say in Trinidad, a palette stick (available in almost any colour at local craft stores).
Note: the front and back were printed on two separate tags and stuck on the front and back of the stick to ensure that the back was readable.
TIPS: The potted plant was sourced locally for TT$5.00. Another option for an inexpensive keepsake is customized flower seed packets.
Room décor
The ceiling treatment consisted of dried branches embellished with tasteful silk flowers, handmade silk flower garlands and artificial, flickering votive candles. For a touch of “bling”, faux Swarovski crystal beads can be added.
TIP: Use whites, pastels or brightly coloured flowers for an evening wedding, as the human eye loses its ability to differentiate colour with the reduction of light.
For warm intimacy with that touch of glitz use white or amber string lights, votives and votive holders, metallic and/or crystal finishes (glitter, spray paint, metallic chargers, metallic or crystal beads).
Foyer & Guest Book
In the foyer, where the guest book table was located, I changed the wall texture of the existing wall by printing a large format stone texture on to a substrate, which was easily mountable in the space.
TIP: This may be financially out of reach for some brides but an alternative texture can be created using crumpled brown paper with a gold distressed finish applied to it, or dried leaf overlay gilded in gold.
Note: You should check with your venue regarding decorating parameters, especially as they pertain to points of attachments for props, and get the relevant approvals. The worst thing that can happen is to have your plans and props arrive only to be told that all decor items must be free standing—that is, you cannot attach anything to ceilings, walls, etc. If such rules apply, a support system would have to be incorporated as part of your plan.
- Published in Décor, Tips and Tools
An Elegant “I Do” in Tobago!
Alaric and Ngozi
The Wedding
Venue
The ceremony was held at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church, Scarborough, with the reception at Brash Villa, Mt. Irvine, Tobago. The grounds of the villa were beautifully lush and full of character, thanks to the Spanish-influenced architecture. The swimming pool—of great significance to Ngozi, Nigerian Olympic swimmer—provided a serene glow, while the unobstructed view of the Buccoo Reef was simply breathtaking.
Theme & Décor
The couple set out to create an enchanting, romantic, and sophisticated outdoor experience for their wedding. White with vibrant accents of blue and berry—expressed in different elements and luxuriously illuminated—effectively showcased their personal style: minimalist and elegant, with punches of colour. Ngozi and Alaric designed every element of their wedding, with ample help from their family and friends in putting it all together. The entire event was the couple’s ‘DIY labour-of-love’, as almost every aspect of the wedding was emblazoned with personal touches.
Bridal Ensemble
The bride had her dress custom-made at Designer Loft in New York. Designer Elen Paumere created the lace, open-backed, V-neck item with an empire waist, ending with layered lace and chiffon at the bottom. Her shoes were by Calvin Klein and jewelry came from thebridaljewelrystore.com and Akribos.
Quirky Essentials
In line with incorporating splashes of color throughout their wedding, the couple thought that colourful socks for the groom and groomsmen would be a hit. Alaric’s berry-coloured striped socks matched his tie and the lining of his custom-made suit, complementing Ngozi’s berry crystal-accented shoes, flowers and bridesmaids’ hair accessories. The groomsmen’s blue socks balanced their blue-checkered ties, which was well-paired with the bridesmaids’ blue dresses.
Wooden “I am His” and “I am Hers” signs hung at the back of the bride’s and groom’s chairs, and other wooden signs spelling out words such as “Love”, “Dream”, “Laugh”, and “Live” decorated various areas of the venue. The guest book was a unique wooden box containing wooden hearts on which guests could write their wishes.
The favor boxes, accessorized with a blue ribbon and a heart label, each contained a bracelet—as a token of the donation that the couple made to the charity One.org on behalf of their guests—along with Serbian sweets.
Candle holders on the tables and the white Chinese lanterns framing the dance area added a soft, romantic glow to the setting. The couple took advantage of the outdoor setting with its breathtaking views to send berry-coloured lanterns wafting into the sky along with their hopes, prayers, and wishes. It was an absolutely beautiful moment as Alaric and Ngozi each sent off their lanterns, while the guests lit and held sparklers.
Multi-cultural Flavours
This wedding symbolised not only the union of two families, but also the harmonious blending of three cultures: Caribbean (from Alaric’s side), African (Ngozi’s Nigerian roots) and European (Ngozi’s Serbian background). Aside from hosting the wedding in Tobago, the Caribbean isle was also represented in the wedding cake—a traditional black rum fruit creation. Nigeria was represented by a special ceremonial tradition of the Igbo people (Ngozi’s Dad’s tribe): breaking of the kola nut, performed by Ngozi’s Dad at the start of the reception.
Then during the reception, the newlyweds, along with the wedding party and the bride’s parents, changed into traditional Igbo-inspired attire and performed a dance. Serbia was abundantly represented by the sprig of rosemary that adorned every guest on arrival, symbolising good luck, warding off the bad, and bringing the couple fertility. The rosemary sprig was also incorporated into the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere. Everyone also had the chance to sample Serbian treats, some of Ngozi’s favorites, as part of the wedding favors.
- Published in Real Weddings
Mexican Wedding Fiesta
Photos by Aaron Dieppa Photography
Pre-Wedding Fun
The couple envisioned a wedding weekend that would significantly incorporate their guests, as all 28 were flying to Mexico to witness their marriage. Thara and Aaron prepared welcome bags for each guest with snacks, games, and even a personal newsletter from the couple! The newsletter included an itinerary for the weekend and suggested activities that guests could enjoy while at the resort: snorkeling, tennis, spa, fishing, kayaking, etc. The wedding guests also got a handmade map of the hotel and surrounding area, a Spanish/English page of phrases, sun hats, and little painted wooden turtles to keep by their bedside with a note that said: “In Mexico, these hand-painted wooden figures are believed to keep bad dreams away”.
The day before the wedding, guests were treated to a ‘tequila tasting’. A representative from a major tequila manufacturer joined them at the resort, explained the process of making tequila, and administered the tasting of different varieties.
The Wedding
Venue
Thara and Aaron chose the extraordinarily beautiful outdoors of the El Careyes Resort for their ceremony and reception—the same place where they got engaged.
Theme & Décor
The couple went with a Mexican theme and wanted to incorporate their personal, simple yet elegant style into all the elements of their wedding and reception. They opted for light orange and light blue as their colour scheme, and created an emblem with their initials, “T&A”, which was used on the wedding invitations, welcome bags, wedding program, and other printed items.
Tall, white umbrellas were set up around the cocktail area for shade, and hanging lanterns lent a soft glow to the setting for their dinner reception at the hotel. The evening ambiance was made even more exquisite with a bonfire.
Program
On the morning of the wedding, after breakfast, Aaron—accompanied by his two groomsmen and a few of the other male guests—went to the Polo grounds. They split themselves into two teams and played a friendly game. The women had their own agenda too: after a tear-jerking champagne toast and light breakfast, they joined together for a private outdoor yoga class overlooking the water. The wedding ceremony itself was in the late afternoon, followed by cocktail hour with a live Mariachi band and canapés (appetizers). The reception with dinner, cake, and dancing brought the unforgettable night to a close.
Tradition
Although neither Thara (Toronto-born, of Guyanese parentage) nor Aaron (born and raised in Indiana) is Mexican, they incorporated one special Mexican wedding tradition into their ceremony. Mothers of the bride and groom both wrapped a lasso of orchids around the couple, symbolic of protecting the love that would bind them together for the rest of their lives.
Bridal Ensemble
Thara’s dress, by designer Jim Hjelm, was an all-lace, V-neck, and very low-back number, and her veil was custom-made by designer Sara Gabriel. Her only jewelry was a pair of earrings—that Aaron had gifted her on one Christmas—and her engagement ring.
Flowers
Orange roses lavishly decorated the top of the white-curtained ceremonial structure under which the couple exchanged vows, and potted flowering plants decorated the border of the area. The lasso used in the ceremony was made of orange orchids. Roses featured prominently in the bouquets: Thara’s had red roses (that were actually supposed to be orange!), and her two bridesmaids (her sisters) carried orange roses mixed with an array of tropical flowers.
Cake
In keeping with the Mexican theme, of course, nothing less than a tres leches cake would do—deliciously created by the hotel chef. The cake topper (ordered from etsy.com) was a custom hand-crafted paper representation of Thara and Aaron, dressed as they were on their wedding day (the bride’s favourite detail of the wedding).
Music
The Mariachi band and a solo guitarist provided the Mexican-flavored music during the cocktail hour and dinner, and everyone danced to the couple’s selected playlist at the reception.
Quirky Essentials
The groom and groomsmen wore chili pepper boutonnières (an idea the couple got from a magazine), and bells, parasols and maracas were all keepsakes for the guests. Thara and Aaron hand-crafted name tags for each guest’s place setting at the dinner table, where they also placed a small bell with a note saying that the newlyweds would kiss anytime a bell rang!
Parasols were set up in baskets so that guests could each take one and use it as sun-shade during the ceremony. Pairs of maracas were also placed in baskets so that guests could take them to shake after the ceremony as the couple walked back down the aisle as husband and wife. As a parting gift, the couple gave guests a hand-painted Mexican Christmas tree ornament (Christmas would have been celebrated in two weeks).
Memorable Moments
One moment that really stands out for the couple was having Aaron’s grandfather perform a reading during the ceremony. Aaron’s grandparents were almost 90 at the time, yet still made the trip for the wedding. After the couple’s first dance during the reception, they played their grandparents’ favorite song…and the once-upon-a-time newlyweds danced alone with everyone watching.
- Published in Real Weddings
True love in pink
The Meeting
The couple met online through a mutual friend while they were still teens. Their first date was a movie “lime” at Alydia’s house. Luckily, their parents knew each other and consented.
The Proposal
Brad planned a vacation in St. Lucia which included an all day catamaran cruise. The couple had a lovely trip to the sulphur springs, went snorkeling and had lunch at a plantation. When they got back to land Brad started talking about how lovely the sunset at the hotel was (he had been there before on a boys’ lime); he was worried they were going to miss it as the shuttle was dropping off at their locale last.
When they got back to the resort Alydia opted to refresh before going onto the beach. As soon as she was dressed, Brad literally dragged her out of the hotel room and onto the beach, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him. Alydia responded, “Are you serious?”The look of sheer terror on Brad’s face told her that he was.
Alydia was totally surprised because Brad always rolled his eyes and shrugged off any mention of marriage. Brad gave her the ring his grandfather used to propose to his grandmother and his dad to his mom.
(The Wedding)
Theme
Alydia wanted her wedding to be soft, yet elegant, with a hint of romance. Pink, she says, is the colour of true, sweet, innocent love.
Decor
The reception venue was adorned with flowers in light pink and fuchsia gerberas, star-gazer lilies, white spider mums, white asters, light pink and fuchsia spray roses, purple chrysanthemums, leather leaf and rice fern.
Cake (and cake table decor)
The couple opted for an ivory and cream cake with decorative sugar flowers and a light dusting of iridescent glitter on the detail. The cake stood on an etched glass stand and was accented with flowers such as pink and fuchsia gerberas.
Bridal Gown
The bride wore an Alfred Angelo Piccione Bridal Gown in diamond white. The gown is silk taffeta with a ruched base, metallic embroidery, crystal beadings and a semi-cathedral train. The dress was originally a halter but was altered into a sweetheart neck. It was French bustled for the reception.
Accents included an Alfred Angelo ivory veil, pearl and diamante silver earrings, and a keepsake tri-string pearl wristlet with diamante detail.
Groom’s Attire
The groom wore a black pinstripe suit (locally purchased); his tie was handmade by a family friend, from a David’s Bridal watermelon satin sash.
Bridal Bouquet
The bride opted for variegated fuchsia pink roses with leather leaf base, lightly dusted with silver glitter and embellished with silver based crystal drops and crystal string beads, and hand tied with sheer fuchsia ribbon.
Boutonnieres
The groom wore a variegated fuchsia pink rose and ivory tuberose with leather leaf base wrapped with light pink satin ribbon and embellished with crystal. His groomsmen wore mini spray roses in light pink and fuchsia.
Flower Girl and Ring Bearer
The flower girls wore Alfred Angelo dresses; the ring bearer wore a Lords and Lads suit with ring pillow from A Wedding Showcase and More. Previous Page: (clockwise from left to right): couple with wedding cake; Relate Studios photobooth; photobooth with props; little girl with photobooth props; fuchsia pink roses bridal bouquet; ivory table napkin folded into a simple star with a pink gerbera.
Resources
Photography: Juma Bannister, Relate Studios, relatestudios.com
Decor and Flowers: The Flower Garden Limited, (868) 653-1789
Cake: June Peters, (868) 798-0162
Accessories (baskets, ring pillow, unity candle): A Wedding Showcase and More, www.aweddingshowcase.com
Hair: Hair by Giovanni, (868) 657-3666
Make-up: Amy Webster (868) 350-6003
- Published in Bright Ideas