Author Archive
Kudos!
Posted by: | CommentsAugust 6, 2009
The Bridal Affaire is very proud to be highlighted in the Sunday Herald (Jamaica) for promoting the island as a wedding destination and for being an ambassador to it’s island nation. As an islander, I am very proud that I started my business in Jamaica over 10 years ago and learned how to create the most intimate and unforgettable experience for the bride and groom in paradise. The experience was well rewarded as I have been able to provide that expertise to many couples over the time that I have been doing business as a wedding planner. Jamaica is one of the true paradise islands of the world. We churn out exotic locales, beautiful vistas and warm and happy people! A wedding and honeymoon in Jamaica is unforgettable and something you will cherish for a lifetime. In Jamaica, everyting irie all da time!
Decor & Design - the polish on your event
Posted by: | CommentsAugust 4, 2009
Décor is big wedding business and the biggest names in décor have something in common, they focus on creating a theme and incorporating elements of it repeatedly throughout the process to create that WOW factor that make us gasp in pleasure.
Whenever I think about décor and design, I reach for my “Inspirations” by Preston Bailey and I start to dream!
Something he said when I had the opportunity to hear him present at the Wedding Expo in Toronto in 2007, stuck in my mind. He told us that no one comes to him for “nice designs”, people come to Preston Bailey for “over the top WOW!” He therefore encouraged us to use his designs as a starting point, to choose colours or elements of design from his creations and personalize it based on our clients’ style. Since I know I won’t be seeing any Preston type budgets coming across my table for design anytime soon, I look through my signed copy of Inspirations 
, dream, lust and then get real and meet with my client to discuss designing their décor using Preston Bailey inspirations but scaled to their style and budget! I have steered a client or two in the direction of the transformation of the Exhibition Hall in United Arab Emirates, a terrarium created for an after party bar for one of his clients and of course being Sandals certified, I have also introduced my clients to his Signature Weddings @ Sandals that used to be featured on their properties. Feast your eyes on incredible transformations at http://www.prestonbailey.com/PORT.htm
Closer to home I find more inspiration from Toronto’s award winning event design and décor company, Designing Trendz. I am a huge fan or Craig Gruzd and his team and having listened to him present earlier this year at the 4th annual Wedding Planners Institute of Canada conference in February, elements of the process stuck in my mind as he explained how he achieves the ultimate wow for his clients. Craig insists that he can create a design from anything that inspires him at the time, whether it is a place or a picture, a mood or an era that comes to mind when he is thinking about his clients’ event. That boggles my mind since my creative side is forced out through midnight research and blood, sweat and tears!
With permission from Designing Trendz, I invite you to view “Candy Land” below. Note how candy colours greet you from the foyer area with candy filling the bottom of the vases, incorporating the theme before you get to the room with the main display. Walking into the room, you see the wow factor of the mural on the wall, bags repeating the candy theme hanging on to the chairs, a fantastic table linen that makes me think of swizzle sticks and arrangements of flowers in a myriad of colours that make you actually feel like you are in candy land. The overall effect from above is that of a fun, happy, absolutely gorgeous design.
So the lesson for today, find a theme and use elements of it repeatedly to capture that big WOW! Décor makes an event and these creative geniuses leave us a lot of food for thought and much eye candy…no pun intended…really!
Great Industry Find - Saab Photography!
Posted by: | CommentsJuly 13, 2009
By now, most of you know that I specialize in destinations weddings to Jamaica. I firmly believe that is it the best destination for lovers and certainly one of the most memorable places to visit in the world. That said (and yes, it is a very subjective point of view :), I am still in awe of the talent on the island and in no small amount, the talent of the wedding vendors I have met in the last year. Aside from the most amazing hotels (you can check out my earlier blogs from my Sandals fam tour in April ’09 and look out for more fam tour info as I head to Superclubs this summer!), I have found the very best of photographers, floral and décor vendors, wedding cake designers and of course around every corner is a potential breathtaking ceremony location for that perfect wedding.
I feel compelled to mention the wife and husband photography team of Michael and Olive Saab in Montego Bay, Jamaica. This couple personifies what they capture, happiness being in love and being together. Their photojournalistic style captures the essence of the moment, punctuated by sweet details and amazing use of light and shadow in their work. Their website, www.saabweddings.com, showcases their work to perfection and is a testament to all the satisfied couples they have worked with over the years. Michael and Olive travel around the parishes and sometimes to other Caribbean islands as well and they definitely leave their mark wherever they go and on whomever they work with. Looking forward to capturing beautiful memories with them on my next trip south! This wedding vendor gets my 5 star rating!
