Wedding Planner: Ophellia McKnight
Venue: Villas Sur Mer, West End Road, Negril
Photographer: Merrick Cousley – Merrick Cousley Photography
Florist: Rosemarie Williams – Floral Fantasies
Hair & Makeup: Debra Barrett – Queenbee Salon
Wedding Cake : Prudence Higgin
Caterer: Oji Jaja – Ashebre
Jamaican Flava: Da Coconut Man!
Staci & Kip’s wedding was very dear to me for a number of reasons, one of the main ones being that the bride’s mom and I are friends. It is always a special gift to witness the union of my friend’s children and to know they trust me with their wedding celebrations.
It is so heartwarming to come home to emails from my couples with sentiments like “The wedding day was magical and we couldn’t have pulled it off without you. People are still raving about the amazing food and how beautiful Villas Sur Mer was…” Staci & Kip.
The wedding was held at Villas Sur Mer on Saturday, November 26, 2011 and witnessed by 95 of their closest friends and family who came from all over the world to be with them! Here are some images from their magical union courtesy of one of the island’s most dedicated shooters (check out his calendar on his website and you will see what I mean!) Merrick Cousley Photography!
Wedding Planner: Ophellia McKnight
Venue: Villas Sur Mer
Photographer: Misha Earle – Misha Earle Photography
Florist: Rosemarie Williams – Floral Fantasies
Hair: Debra Barrett – Queenbee Salon
Wedding Cake & Desserts: Signature Cakes & Desserts – Alecia Woodbine
Caterer: Oji Jaja – Ashebre
Jamaican Flava: Da Coconut Man!
I think that the best way to kick start the year with our new website and blog is to just jump right in and show you our most recent destination wedding in Negril, Jamaica!
This amazing celebration of Andrew & Adrienne’s wedding was held at Villas Sur Mer on the West End Road in Negril. Now, those of you who know me and followed my old blog, also know that this is my favourite property in Negril to stage intimate, full property takeover weddings. It is perfect because not only is the entire suite of villas amazing but you are able to do a complete custom wedding and have everything you want with no restrictions….and bride’s really love that freedom 
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The couple hails from Minnesota and we were able to help them put together their beautiful wedding celebration in just about 6 months! Here are some highlights of their day courtesy of our amazing photographer Misha Earle of Misha Earle Photography.
Did you know that there was a way to vacation that all you have to do is bring your cell phone up to your ears, say a few words and your wishes will be granted….ALL the time?
Yup! It’s called the Sandals Butler Experience and booking it is as simple as picking up the phone and calling us here at Bridal Affair Destinations .
My niche market in the wedding industry is finding the off the beaten track, hidden gems for my clients to vacation and get married on my island home of Jamaica. However, for the best honeymoon experience, I direct my clients to the only luxury included honeymoon experience that I completely endorse…a Sandals honeymoon in a butler category room!
A gentle nudge in the direction of Sandals Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort, pre-booking butler Kesmit, arranging for a cat cruise at sunset and finishing off one evening with a romantic dinner on the pier is all I need to attain super wedding planner status with my couples.
Does it really work…I have several clients from 2010 back on island for vacation in 2011 and most of my business for 2012 came from referrals from 2011 clients plus I am in destination at least once per month with my couples, sometimes twice. You tell me 
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As I settle in to work on the details for one of my 2012 clients, I am reminded how much they have saved in bar costs by incorporating a signature drink. Signature drinks have been a long standing cocktail staple at weddings and they never get dumped into the outdated bin for a few reasons:
- They really help to save on your bar costs at the reception because they only use one or two types of liquor to produce and batches are made up to serve all the guests. You can chose to close the full bar at this time and have the signature drinks passed or set up in stations around the room or even have a dedicated signature bar…think martini bar in the foyer.
- The B&G get to create something that is uniquely theirs, even naming it themselves, or freshen up something they both love and offer their guests a taste of something special to them
- It require less wait time at cocktails so instead of guest s 10 deep in a line at the bar, drinks are prepped and easily made up in batches and served quickly
- It can add colour and dimension to the décor at the reception.
Here is a special request cocktail from one of my upcoming weddings in January . Enjoy responsibly!
Midori Sweetheart
1 part Midori Melon Liqueur, 1 part Skyy Passion fruit Infusions, ½ parts Elderflower Liqueur, 2 parts Passion fruit juice (Welch’s), ½ parts fresh lemon juice, 2 drops of honey (¼ tsp.)
Add ingredients into a chilled shaker glass, add ice. Shake and strain into a chilled 6 oz cocktail glass. Garnish with pink flower petals
One Love!
It is not every day that one has the (dubious?) honour of having a tropical storm as a namesake however, it seems that I do, referencing a well developed tropical storm “Ophelia” which is the Atlantic’s 15th named storm of 2011, formed last night and has slowly intensified over the last 12 hours. Positioned 1245 miles east of the Leeward Islands, its maximum sustained winds are 60 mph. Its westward forward speed of 16 mph is forecast to continue for another day before a slight turn more to the north…as reported by the Washington Post .
Set to weaken, Ophelia behaves pretty much as I do on a rampage…goes nuts for a minute, lets off steam where it harms no one and then the drama weakens and we put it away. Only in my case, it is a very fast car ride, with very loud music until I level out and then I exit and head back home
That said, I do get many clients who are concerned about the hurricane season in Jamaica and how it will affect their weddings. The Atlantic hurricane season is designated as June 1st – November 30th but in Jamaica, the rainiest and most active months are August and September. Many rainy days consist of showers in the morning and sunshine in the evening…there is a reason we consider rain to be liquid sunshine .
A few good tips to keep in mind for that eventuality:
- Always to have an indoor or covered back up plan – I never plan an outside wedding without having a tent on order as my back up rain plan, especially villa weddings.
- Make sure that you know what your indoor option is at your resort and that it can accommodate your design and décor.
- Hire a wedding planner who always has golf sized umbrellas in their car in case of rain! That is a staple for all planners and assistants at Bridal Affair Destinations!
One Love!
Every few weeks I hear sighs of resignation as my friends ask “again?!!” and that’s when I get excited because it is time for another trip to destination Jamaica!
I am super excited for my trip this weekend because I am going to be visiting a few new properties as well as a couple of renovated old ones that I have seen a dozen times and my two favourite Sandals resorts on island as well!
The major source of my excitement however is my impending visit to Silent Waters Villa, which is an amazing luxury villa in the hills of Montego Bay. It sits on 18 acres, has 14 staff onsite, hosts weddings for up to 54 persons and consists of 12 buildings, a helicopter pad and a tennis court. Bigger news, I am exploring it as an option for a client’s wedding in August 2012!
I would say that we are half way there as a group of 6 from the bridal party will stay for a week in the winter to do their due diligence and I am invited for 2 nights to make sure it is exactly what we need (interject, I completely love my job and my awesome clients!!).
I completely endorse doing a site visit if you are planning a destination wedding because it helps if you are able to be in the space and envision the day. If you are able to stay on the property you are considering for your reception, it is even better as you will experience the staff, service quality and see what the day will be like. You can check out lighting, facilities, amenities and create your perfect day in your mind while allowing for contingencies.
Give me a call and I will be happy to start venue shopping with you…I will even go with you to destination to provide concierge services and a private tour!
One Love!
Pictures courtesy of Villas of Distinction website.
Over the last few months I have been working with an amazing couple who want to incorporate aspects of their life and their philosophy into their celebration. They believe in giving back to community, utilizing earth friendly ideas in their celebration, having a fantastic celebration to include their family and friends and using elements that are representative of that inner circle. I am so excited to be incorporating the following elements into their day:
- Hemp and burlap into their décor
- Wooden stands and tables from local craftsmen
- Estate styled pre owned silverware and china
- Local flowers and décor items
With my deep sense of community and the relationships that I have built with vendors on island, this will definitely be one of my favorite weddings yet. This dynamic and fun couple with a great heart and beautiful spirit will certainly make a difference in the community with their fabulous celebration.
What are you doing to bring your unique style to YOUR celebration?
Images courtesy of : Style me Pretty blog; The Slightly Obsessive Bride blog; Elizabeth Anne Designs; Veranda.com; The B-List.
What’s that…it’s a movie? Not in my world it isn’t lol!
It’s par for the course in my life and I witness it weekly (especially in the summer!) in Jamaica!
I have had a full summer of crazy, stupid love between my fashionista brides and my dashing grooms and I would love to share some shots from one of my faves for the summer.
Set at Moon Dance Cliffs in Negril, the day turned out brilliantly under a cloudless blue sky. The brilliant hues of all shades of purple set off by pewter and glass made this stunning affair worthy of the amazing backdrop of rugged cliffs and untamed sea.
The ceremony was held at the pristine gazebo on the knoll, followed by cocktails on the top lawn and then ended with dinner on the Cliffside at Annie’s Restaurant while the surf pounded the rocks below.
I worked with amazing local vendors as well as an import from Toronto, the fabulous duo of Lisa McPeek and her assistant Thomas from Ikonica!
Here are a few absolutely non worthy pre shots of the decor
Pro shots can be found at the link below!
One Love!
Irie Vendors!
Saxaphonist: Garfield Lawrence
Non Wedding Vendor: The Coconut Man at cocktails!
Routinely, the two most popular vendors that clients take with them to their destination wedding are the wedding planner (aka ME ) and their photographer. Clients are admittedly nervous, and understandably so, about using a photographer that they have not met or consulted with for their celebration.
That said, for a destination wedding to Jamaica, there is no need to take your photographer with you as you can book and work with one of the best wedding photographers on the island, Merrick Cousley! Merrick is very passionate about his craft and his photo journalistic style will capture all the moments that will make you sigh over and over again as you relive your wedding day. He is undoubtedly one of Jamaica’s most sought after wedding photographers (as his calendar will attest to ) and you will absolutely love working with him.
His website is a testament to his crafty and style and he is always willing to do a telephone consult and work with you to customize a wedding package to your needs. My favourite thing about Merrick – he does not time and charge. Once you have gone to contract on the package that suits your needs, he shows up and shoot your wedding…for as long as it goes on (within reason now;)). That to me is the mark of a professional who is committed to quality service and customer satisfaction.
Check out Merrick’s website at www.merrickcousley.com and check out a few shots from him below.
Many of my clients cite food as the most important thing to them for their wedding. They are generally worried that they will either not be able to have what they want or that the flavors will be different in destination – too spicy in the case of Jamaica!
My answer and reassurance is always the same, you are in the excellent hands my partner and culinary artiste, Chef Oji Jaja of Ashebre. As Jamaica’s leading culinary artiste and indeed celebrity chef, having worked as personal chef for Tom Cruise, Amy Winehouse and Drake to name a few, he embodies the art of modern Caribbean cuisine and can create and tailor any menu for the discerning palate.
Clients can rest assured that their expectations will always be exceeded and the problem I generally have when he caters is that guests usually break out cameras to capture the perfection on their plates instead of their tableware . Have a peek at some of his creations….hungry yet?
You can reach him for a quote at cuisine@ashebre.com.
