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Jaclyn and Anthony had planned their wedding for quite sometime but it wasn’t until I got them all to myself for their first look that I totally fell in love with this couple. Jaclyn looked amazing…the UK term for looking amazing is “GOBSMACKED” and that is how Jaclyn looked on her wedding day. When she walked down the private little pathway to see Anthony for that first look, I couldn’t wait to see what he was going to say… and when he told Jaclyn just how “Gobsmacked” he was, she said to him… “well this took 4 hours so you ain’t seeing this again”… hahahaha I almost died and that is when I decided I have to start a section on my blog for all the things couples say on their wedding day that crack me up! Jaclyn gets the first post!!! I sent this couple my blog form to ask them about THEIR wedding day and how they would describe it and when I asked Jaclyn/Anthony why they chose Cayman for their wedding they told me… “We wanted our guests to experience the best”… “I think we did it!” How amazing is that!!! Make sure you read “How did he pop the question”… go ahead… read on and fall in LOVE too!!!
“I THINK WE DID IT!”
It’s unrivaled turquoise bathtub of an ocean, the excellent food, the kindness and generosity of its people, and the ability to leave your resort! There are not many places like Cayman in the Caribbean – and we wanted our guests to experience the best. I think we did it!
Each summer we go to our local dog beach in New Jersey and take our dogs for some frolicking in the water. Anthony proceeded to put a tshirt on our bulldog Dougie saying he needed “protection from sunburn”. When I was finally done rolling my eyes and telling him how ridiculous that was, I realized the back of Dougie’s shirt said “Jaclyn will you marry Daddy?” It was so unexpected, and sweet, and amazing!
Venue: Marriott Grand Cayman – Getting Ready/Ceremony | Grand Old House – Reception
Planner: Solange from Celebrations | Amy Boraston from the Marriott
Hair and Makeup: Jackie Soriano and Sally
Photography: Rebecca Davidson Photography
Jaclyn gave Anthony some gifts before the ceremony… one was a mug that said “you are the luckiest guy in the world, I would love to be married to me” I mean come on!!! what a awesome gift!!!
“Down the shore” in New Jersey. Our friend and my bridesmaid Chrissy introduced us. We were both silly college kids giving a summer romance a shot…and the rest is history!
My makeup and hair girls Jackie Soriano and her assistant Sally – they were absolutely incredible the day of – they somehow made me look amazing, and the girls looked perfect! They even brought us some treats to enjoy while we got ready. Amy Boraston at the Marriott – trying to plan a trip with 126 people is a feat in and of itself – she is a true professional and we absolutely loved working with her!
Jaclyn: Everything! People always tell you to slow down and take a moment together to take it all in, and we really did that. But I guess my favorite moments were the 1st look, the beautiful ceremony, and then seeing our non-Assyrian relatives try to do the Assyrian dances – that was quite hysterical.
Anthony: Seeing Jaclyn for the 1st time!
We did! We did 1st look as per the recommendation of Rebecca. I thought it might ruin the anticipation of the ceremony, but it just made it sweeter – it was wonderful spending that hour just the two of us to really take in the day.
Amazing. Magical. We were definitely in a fog the second we arrived. We just kept saying, “are we really doing this? is everyone really here with us?” The sky opened up to sun after a few rainy days and it was like God heard our prayers for a beautiful day on Friday. The group of professionals we had helping us made it a week we will never forget. It just re-confirmed why we chose Cayman for our wedding week.
It’s from Anthropologie’s bridal line – BHLDN. One of my coworkers who is super into fashion recommended it to me. I had no idea they even sold bridal gowns! The designer is London-based Catherine Deane. I went into NYC for a day to about 5 different bridal salons. I’m not into anything flashy, but I wanted to something formal for a beach wedding, and when I slipped this on, I couldn’t stop smiling. They put me in a veil with it and – boom – that was it!
Something always goes wrong no matter how much you plan, but embrace it because that’s usually how your best stories come about and memories are made! It rained like we had never seen before in Cayman for our welcome dinner on Wednesday, like monsooned! But our guests were dancing in the pouring rain and the pictures from that night are hilarious. We will never forget that. This was also the 1st destination wedding for both of our families. When we 1st told people we were doing this, we had some doubts, but at the end of the trip everyone said they had the time of their lives, and they were so grateful to us for planning a trip like this for them to enjoy. It’s so beautiful seeing your friends and family all in one place. Strangers become friends, friends bond like family, and your blended families create every-lasting memories together as a kick-off to your union. If you’re considering it, absolutely go for it. No regrets!!
Give plenty of time for your photographer to do their magic! I do wish we had some more time for some pictures, but Rebecca is a true professional and made sure to get some amazing pictures for us! Your photographer is capturing the only memories of your day, so don’t skimp or you’ll regret it! We had so many unexpected people RSVP that we had to cut video. I deeply regret that decision!
Incredible! Rebecca is hysterical and really tries to get those candid shots of you laughing and being natural. She never rushed us, gave us a ton of advice before hand, and even helped us when our planner had to leave for the evening regarding the best time to cut the cake! She is worth every penny and then some.
Rebecca! Hands down the most wonderful photographer on the island. Marriott – they were incredible, they dealt with so many guests and all of our requests beautifully! We wouldn’t have been so relaxed on the day of if it weren’t for our planner – I couldn’t imagine having to deal with tiny annoying details with everything else going on – a planner is essential for you to enjoy your big day!
Oh my gosh, we spent so much money on Etsy. Pinterest is also amazing, and evil 🙂 Rebecca’s blog is also great if your location scouting in Cayman.
The rain! The weather was so crappy leading up to Friday that we worked ourselves up thinking about how we would manage a backup plan. It all worked out, but it was stressful!
A super-ridiculous and sweet song called “Love your love the most” by Eric Church – I think people thought it was a mistake because its so funny! We’re not lovey-dovey people, so it was perfect for us. Father daughter dance was “Daughters” by John Mayer, but I secretly had DJ Craig cut to Van Halen’s “Jump” because my dad jokingly said he wanted to dance to that song! Anthony and his mom danced to an adorable tune: “A Mother’s Song” by T Carter Music.
Do exactly what you want, they way you want it, and don’t apologize. Your wedding day is about you and your significant other, and it should be exactly as you’ve dreamed. And hire the best people – allow them to do what they do best and you can truly relax knowing everything is taken care of!