Octopus Event Management

28th January Vicky and Alex got married at Sunset Bay

2012-02-01T13:16:00.002-06:00

For Rebecca's slide show follow her link. it was unbelievable thttp://www.rebeccadavidsonslideshows.com/WEDDINGS/VickyandAlex/index.html

Christian and Rose's beach wedding in Cayman

2012-01-30T15:32:00.002-06:00

go to www.jetfeteblog.com fora summary of this beautiful wedding.
One usually thinks of caribbean colours as vibrant fuschias and mango, or turquoise and purple, but these two took the gentle colours of evening light reflecting on the beautiful sea -palest pink,dove grey and reflective silver to express themselves.

Cayman Islands Wedding featured on Crystal Blue Wedding Studio

2010-03-08T09:06:00.004-06:00

We are so excited today seeing one of our weddings featured on Crystal Blue Wedding Studio! The wedding of Lindsay and Scott was such a wonderful day full of fun, heartfelt speeches and lots of dancing! The ceremony was on the beach at Grand Cayman Beach Suites with the reception on their unique rooftop. The colors were turquoise and orange and the weather was just PERFECT!

For more photos and information about this wedding, head over to Crystal Blue Wedding Studio!

photo credit :: Rebecca Davidson Photography

Octopus Events attends engage!09 opening party

2009-06-22T06:53:00.005-05:00

Hi all! Last night the Octopuslets attended the opening party of engage!09 at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. The theme of engage!09 is Something Blue, so we were greeted with a walk on the blue carpet, had our photo taken in true celebrity style (I wish I had known ahead of time--I would've practiced my pout) and then continued on the beach to one amazing party!!!!!

Food stations lined the perimeter, a bar right in the middle and lounge furniture throughout...all in the Something Blue theme. The Caribbean mood was set with the steel pan music of Mike Lamay and his group of talented musicians. Well known designer, Michelle Rago created the most beautiful centerpiece for the event--a large birch (well, it may not be birch, but it was a tree) covered (and I mean COVERED) with the most beautiful orchids you've ever seen!!! Truly magnificent!

The night was spent mixing and mingling--catching up with old friends and meeting new--and closed with a fabulous fireworks display by local company Fireworks Limited.

Well done to all involved!!! I'm so excited to see what today brings!!

Octopus is attending engage09! in Cayman!!

2009-06-17T10:33:00.002-05:00

Hi all. We are so excited for next week we had to share with you. On Sunday, all of the wedding industry's top folks will descend upon Grand Cayman to participate in the second annual engage! luxury wedding business symposium, called engage09! Something Blue. Names you may have heard like Preston Bailey (celebrity wedding designer), Sylvia Weinstock (famous for her fabulous cakes) and Randy Fenoli (TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress") will be in attendance as will one of our Octopuslets!!! We're going to post a blog each day to keep you in the loop on all of the happenings and post photos!

To read more about this check out the website...www.engage09.com

A huge thanks to Rebecca Grinnals (www.weddex.com), Kathryn Arce and your entire team for pulling this all together!!!!! It's going to be fab!

Real Cayman Wedding--Latasha and Henry

2009-06-10T11:39:00.002-05:00

Hello! I hope this posting finds you all well! It's been a crazy few weeks here at Octopus--but a good crazy!! Today I am so happy to share with you a fantastic wedding we worked on with Latasha and Henry. The couple was all smiles and laughter and we really had a good time!!!
The ceremony was held one of my favorite ceremony venues--Dart Park in South Sound and the reception at the ever beautiful Grand Old House. The photos below were taken by the bride and groom's very good friend and photographer, Regina Fleming. I hope you all enjoy!!

Real Cayman Wedding--Professional Photos

2009-06-03T10:56:00.004-05:00

Hi all. Oh my goodness, it's been a while! Time has definitely been passing so quickly and I really apologize for not blogging for a few weeks. My last blog post featured Pam and Ryan's wedding and I just received the slide show from the fantastic Rebecca Davidson of Picture This (http://www.picturethis.ky/). She is so ultra talented and seriously captures every single moment in the most fantastic way. I hope you enjoy the slideshow as much as I did!!!

http://www.rebeccadavidsonslideshows.com/WEDDINGS/pamelaandryan/index.html

All the best,
The Octopuslets

Cayman Islands Real Wedding--Pam and Ryan

2009-05-13T10:11:00.003-05:00

Hi all. We're back and this week we are featuring Pam and Ryan's wedding that took place last week at Grand Old House in Grand Cayman. This may be slightly premature, but I just loved this couple so much, I couldn't wait for the amazing professional photos (by Rebecca Davidson), so this week, you're seeing mine and when Rebecca's are ready, we will feature them in a later blog.

Now, back to the wedding....like I said, I loved this couple. They were so fun to work with and so excited about every detail, which I completely appreciate! I have to admit, I'm going through a little withdrawal....for some reason they didn't ask me to come on their European cruise with them...sheesh!

Colors were purple and green and like I said, they were excited about every detail, even down to the late(r) night chocolate bar that featured Hershey Kisses stamped with their names!!! Lots of fun was had by all between the speeches, "Pam and Ryan Trivia" and the surprise entertainment by the Cayman Islands Salsa Club!

Enjoy!!!!!

Blog-less this week....

2009-05-06T11:15:00.003-05:00

Hi all. Sorry to say but we aren't blogging this week. We've been so busy trying to get ready for a wedding on Friday, the blog had to take a back seat this week. Just for fun, though check out a personal blog of one of the Octopuslets....enjoy and "see" you next week!!!

http://momentsbydanielle.wordpress.com

Cayman Islands Real Wedding by Octopus Events

2009-04-29T08:48:00.003-05:00

Hi all. I'm so excited to share this wedding with you today! It was the perfect combination of tradition, family, style and fun!!!

The modern day Brady Bunch, these nuptials were about more than just the bride and groom. With five children between the two of them, this was a full on family affair. The ceremony and reception were held at the family's house and each of the children played an important part in the evening.

Everyone enjoyed a fantastic dinner catered by Mise En Place (http://www.miseenplace.com.ky/), complete with chocolate fountain and dessert bar and then danced the night away under the stars!!

photo credit: www.davidwolfephotography.com

Cayman Islands Real Wedding by Octopus Events--Sneak Peek!

2009-04-27T11:21:00.004-05:00

Hi all. I hope the weekend was good! Here's the sneak peek for this month's featured Octopus wedding. Stay tuned for all of the details on Wednesday!

photo credit: www.davidwolfephotography.com

Cayman Islands Inspiration Board--The Natural Beauty of Cayman

2009-04-21T19:55:00.007-05:00

Hi all. Welcome to the last in the series of Cayman Islands Inspiration Boards. This week we are featuring the Natural Beauty of Cayman. Over the weeks you have seen so many beautiful aspects of the Cayman Islands--the gorgeous turquoise sea, the white sand beaches and the fun tropical colors. Another beautiful part of Cayman is it's natural beauty which incorporates various natural shades of green and brown. Calm, Serene and beautiful....almost better than a massage...well almost!

We hope you have enjoyed our Cayman Style Inspiration boards! We've definitely enjoyed putting them together for you!! See you next week with our Real Wedding of the month!

photo credit:

1st row, centerpiece: www.theknot.com, coconut: Danielle Cococcia, program: www.theknot.com, canopy: www.theknot.com

2nd row, grass: www.athousandwordsphotocayman.com, fan: www.theknot.com, program: www.weddingchannel.com, bamboo centerpiece: www.weddingchannel.com, boutonierre: www.theknot.com, jam with raffia: www.theknot.com, centerpiece: www.weddingchannel.com

3rd row, garden: Meg Paterson, leaf place setting: www.weddingchannel.com

Cayman Islands Inpiration Board--The Natural Beauty of Cayman

2009-04-20T16:37:00.004-05:00

Hi all. This week is the last of the series of Cayman Islands Style Inspiration Boards featuring the Natural Beauty of Cayman. Here's your sneak peek!!

photo credit: www.athousandwordsphotocayman.com

Cayman Islands Inspiration Board--The Tropical Colors of the Cayman Islands

2009-04-15T10:16:00.004-05:00

Don't these gorgeous colors just make you want to smile? If you've been following (or even if you haven't!) this board is the third of the series of Cayman Islands Inspiration Board--the Tropical Colors of the Cayman Islands. Just looking at it gets the serotonin flowing!!

photo credit:

1st row, starfish: Danielle Cococcia, orchid centerpiece: www.theknot.com, sand ceremony: www.jimgatesphotography.com, orchid centerpiece #2: www.theknot.com

2nd row, cake: www.picturethis.ky, table: www.picturethis.ky, glasses: Danielle Cococcia, chairs: www.theknot.com

3rd row, boutonniere: www.picturethis.ky, bouquet: www.jimgatesphotography.com, centerpiece: Danielle Cococcia

4th row, reception: www.davidwolfephotography.com, centerpiece: www.theknot.com, tag, www.weddingchannel.com, centerpiece, www.weddingchannel.com

5th row, invitation: www.stylemepretty.com

Cayman Style Inspiration Board--Sneak Peek!

2009-04-13T11:57:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and, if you celebrate, a Happy Easter! Just wanted to give you a sneak peek of this week's Cayman Themed Inspiration Board--the Tropical Colors of Cayman! Stay tuned...I'll post the board on Wednesday!

photo credit: Rebecca Davidson, www.picturethis.ky

Cayman White Sand Beach Inspiration Board

2009-04-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all. For the second in my series of Cayman-Style Inspiration Boards, I present to you....da, ta, da, da....The Cayman White Sand Beaches. One thing to keep in mind when using white as your wedding or special event color, it is important to use different shades of white (yes, there are different shades) as well as different textures to give your design the depth it needs to be stunning!!
Enjoy!!!!

photo credit:

first row, chuppah: www.jimgatesphotography.com, couple: www.jimgatesphotography.com, hair: www.theknot.com

second row, couple: www.jimgatesphotography.com, chair: Danielle Cococcia, reception: www.davidwolfephotography.com, starfish: Danielle Cococcia

third row, bouquet: www.picturethis.ky, sand dollars: www.theknot.com, orchids: www.weddingchannel.com, beach: Danielle Cococcia

Cayman Islands What's Hot Magazine

2009-04-07T16:10:00.004-05:00

Hi all. Just wanted to keep you in the loop....One of our Octopus-lets was a contributor for this month's Cayman What's Hot Magazine. A publication for locals and tourists alike you can either pick up a print version or have a read on http://caymanianwhatshot.cay.newsmemory.com/. This month features weddings and special events in Cayman--trends, venues and more!

Enjoy!!!

Cayman Style Inspiration Board--Sneak Peek!

2009-04-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all. As I mentioned last week, for the month of April I am sharing with you a series of Cayman-Style inspiration boards. The first one was the Cayman Sea and this week I give to you...Cayman White Sand Beaches. Here is a sneak peek of what is to come!! Check back later this week for the full board!

New Octopus Event Website!

2009-04-04T13:02:00.002-05:00

I am so excited to announce the launch of our new website! It's been a long time coming and hopefully it's been worth the wait!!! Please pay us a visit at www.octopus-events.com and contact us today for help with your wedding or special event!

Octopus Events on Facebook and Twitter!

2009-04-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. Just wanted to let you know, if you don't already, that you can find Octopus on Facebook and Twitter! Become a fan of Octopus on Facebook or follow us on Twitter....

Facebook Fan Page click here and add yourself as a fan (you will need a Facebook profile to do this).

To follow us on Twitter, our profile is twitter.com/octopusevents

See you all there!

Cayman Islands Inspiration Board--Cayman Sea

2009-04-01T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all. One of the things I love about planning weddings in the Cayman Islands is all of the natural beauty the island gives us. I thought I'd share with you the colors of Cayman through a series of inspiration boards I've created. So, during the month of April, I will be posting four different boards, starting with the first today.....The Cayman Sea. (Doesn't it just make you want to book a holiday?????)

photo credit:
top row, second from left--http://www.blogger.com/www.davidwolfephotography.com, third and fourth across from http://www.theknot.com/
second row, first from http://www.theknot.com/, second and third from http://www.davidwolfephotography.com/
third row, first from http://www.jimgatesphotography.com/, second from http://www.weddingchannel.com/, third from http://www.theknot.com/
fourth row, first and second from http://www.theknot.com/, third courtesy of Danielle Cococcia, last from http://www.picturethis.ky/

Checkin in!

2009-03-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. I just got back from a couple of weeks out of the office and just wanted to check in! I am currently working on (amongst many other things) a series of inspiration boards-Cayman Islands style!!!! Each week in April I will feature a new board focusing on the beautiful aspects of the Cayman Islands--the sand, sea, nature and tropical colors. Check back for the first one this Thursday!! Here's a sneak peak.....

photo credit: Jim Gates Photography

Cayman Islands Real Wedding-Marissa and Doug

2009-03-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

I couldn't wait to share this fabulous wedding with all of you! I love the yummy colors of chocolate brown and apple green (which for some reason make me think of Girl Scout Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies--YUM!) with just a pop of fuchsia here and there. Another aspect I loved were all of the personal touches Marissa and Doug added to the day, one in particular, a video sent by Marissa's brother who is currently stationed in Iraq. Anyway, have a look and let me know your thoughts!!

(photos by Jim Gates)

Free Wedding Planning Tools

2009-03-12T09:56:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share with you a fantastic site for all things wedding planning. Many of you know and love her already, but if not, check out Martha Stewart Weddings. The link is www.marthastewart.com/wedding. There are so many great things on the site, but the part I love the most are the various tools she offers--for free. You can track your budget, organize your timeline, keep your guest list and RSVP's and organize your seating plan all in one place--and did I mention, for FREE!

Check it out!!!

Cayman Islands Real Wedding--Marni and Zef

2009-03-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to share this real wedding with you as it combines so much of what we all think of when talking weddings--family, tradition, beauty and fun! Marni and Zef were married on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman outside of the villa they rented called Coral Reef. The beach there is gorgeous which makes for a perfect start to the setting. The couple incorporated many of the Jewish traditions into their ceremony and included each of their children in the ceremony in one way or another. Their chuppah was a combination of natural bamboo and beautiful white voile draping finished off with ivory and burgundy floral arrangements. After the ceremony and photos, the family enjoyed a lovely meal on their upper deck complete with dancing and a bonfire below!

All photos by Jim Gates.

Cayman Islands Wedding by Octopus Events featured on David Wolfe Photography Blog!

2009-03-04T08:56:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago we posted a blog about the amazing wedding of Sean and Angelique. Today, that event was featured on David Wolfe's (the photographer for the event) blog. Check it to see some gorgeous photos of the couple, the ceremony and the rest of the evening!!!

http://caymanphotos.blogspot.com

Cayman Islands Real Wedding--Sean and Angelique

2009-02-11T11:26:00.000-06:00

Usually in our blogs we focus on an element of an event and highlight a vendor, idea or something of the sort. This time, however, this wedding was too amazing to focus just on one company or one idea.

First, and most important are the couple....Sean and Angelique. An amazing couple for so many reasons--such a pleasure to work with--we felt so honored to have the opportunity!

The big day was held at a private residence. Guest entered and were greeted with a refreshing glass of Elderflower water and proceeded to the beach area for the ceremony. The ceremony was naturally and beautifully decorated with a natural bamboo chuppah wrapped with fuchsia bougainvillea and white flowing voile fabric. Kate Allenger, the solo violinist, played beautifully during the ceremony, while the sun set in the background.

After the ceremony, the guests gathered on the pool deck for a champagne cocktail and canapes and entertained with the music stylings of local band, Hi Tide.

The party then moved on to the tent for dinner and speeches. They enjoyed a scrumptious l three course dinner catered by Mise En Place and heartfelt, hilarious speeches by many of the bridal party.

Last stop of the evening was the dancing tent, for the cake cutting, first dance and boogy-ing the night away! The full moon brightened up the dance floor through the clear top tent and Sean and Angelique were greeted with sparklers, a monogram gobo (lit on the dance floor) and their amazing three tiered wedding cake.

I'd like to thank our team of amazing vendors who made all of this happen....Mise En Place (catering), Massive Equipment (equipment rental), Intec (lighting), David Wolfe Photography, Better Angle Photography, OneWorld Music (DJ and sound equipment), Kate Allenger (violin soloist), Hi Tide (cocktail hour band), and of course the team at Octopus (coordination, design and decor)!

photo credit: Oriana Smy

Resources for planning your wedding

2009-01-30T08:40:00.000-06:00

If you're planning a wedding or have planned one, you know there are endless resources out there for ideas, etiquette lessons, vendor listings, etc. Not only are they online but there are tons of magazines, television shows, bridal expos and this list goes on.....How do you know which ones to look at and where do you find the time to look at all of them?

Two well known websites are www.weddingchannel.com and www.theknot.com. I used them planning my wedding and I continue to use them for ideas, color schemes, and more. There are thousands of photos, real wedding stories, vendor listings and more.

Two others I have come across and look at every day (I WISH I knew about them when I was planning my wedding!!!) are Style Me Pretty (www.stylemepretty.com) and Snippet & Ink (http://snippetandink.blogspot.com). They both provide daily postings to get you inspired and help you find your wedding style!

Check them out!!!

Wedding and Honeymoon destination--Little Cayman

2009-01-20T12:52:00.001-06:00

Many people overlook or don't know about the amazing sister islands of Grand Cayman. The islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Both islands are beautiful in their own right and fabulous for your Caribbean Destination Wedding or Honeymoon.

This past weekend my husband and I went to Little Cayman for a mini-break. I've been there before and every time I go I think of how perfect it is for a beach wedding or simply to REALLY get away from it all! Little Cayman is, as it's name indicates, the smallest of the three islands with a population of about 150 people. When you arrive in Little Cayman, you will immediately feel welcome and relaxed.

If you are there for your wedding, there are many beautiful spots around the island to exchange vows. Owen Island and Point of Sand beach are just two to consider. Celebrate your wedding with dinner on the beach at Southern Cross or with an amazing meal by Gladys at Pirates Point.

There is plenty to do during your stay there. If you are a diver, you cannot miss Bloody Bay wall (or if you want to give diving a try, here is the place!). If you're not, you can hire kayaks and paddle your way to Owen Island, hire a scooter and explore or just simply break out your favorite beach read, find a hammock and relax! Oh, one last thing...iguanas always have the right of way!

(photo credit to Danielle Cococcia)

Grand Cayman Wedding at Caribbean Club

2009-01-16T09:41:00.000-06:00

Hi all. In an earlier blog posting I told you a little about Marissa and Doug's wedding and the music they chose for their ceremony. I wanted to also tell you about their venue as it is perfect for a destination wedding!

The location is Caribbean Club--a luxury condominium hotel on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Most of the guests stayed at Caribbean Club, so getting to the wedding was a matter of simply walking out your door. The condos are beautiful and spacious--truly the perfect home away from home!

For the ceremony, there are a few different options, but due to the weather that day (lots and lots of wind!!!!) we decided the patio was the best place (with the background of the infinity pool leading to the beautiful Caribbean sea!). For the reception, the guests simply moved inside to Luca Restaurant for a fabulous 4 course meal, amazing wines and dancing the night away. Thank you to the team at Caribbean Club and Luca--a great time was had by all!!!

(photos courtesy of Jim Gates Photography)

It's a new year for Octopus Events and Destination Weddings!

2009-01-05T11:51:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and are sticking with your New Years Resolutions!!!!

We have an exciting year ahead of us at Octopus Events in the Cayman Islands. We have made a few resolutions ourselves--one is to blog more often! Along with a number of fantastic weddings and events we are working on, we are also going to be updating our website (we'll let you know when it's finished!) as well as a number of other fun things that we will keep you updated on as they happen.

Stay tuned!!!

Wedding color trends of 2009

2008-12-19T10:30:00.000-06:00

As 2008 comes to a close, and the year ahead is just around the corner, I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about color trends of 2009. This past year we've seen a lot of black and white, soft greens and, in general, more toned down color. And yes, while trends overlap from year to year, 2009 will bring us some fantastic colors perfect for your Cayman Islands destination wedding!

Say goodbye to chocolate brown and hello to gray. Compliment your neutrals with pops of color--turquoise, bright yellow and hot pink (ahem, TROPICAL!). You can use this color in your flowers, table settings, centerpieces, favors and more. The key is to not go too over the top on a trend--keep the classic pieces (since classic is timeless) and work the trend colors as accents for your day.

Octopus Event of the Month: Hedge Funds Care, Grand Cayman

2008-12-15T09:47:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, we had the honor and pleasure of designing and planning a charity event called "Open your Hearts to the Children" for Hedge Funds Care. The charity (www.hedgefundscare.org) is an international charity (with a chapter in Grand Cayman) that raises money for child abuse prevention. This year, we went with a theme of the Jewels of Cayman. The theme stemmed from the fact that many call the Cayman Islands the Jewels of the Caribbean. Following on from that, children are the jewels in life. So, we took those thoughts and created a beautiful jewel toned evening.

Approximately 350 guests gathered at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman for the event. The schedule for the evening included a silent auction, four course dinner, a live auction (including a car from Arch Automotive--the exclusive Audi and VW dealer in the Cayman Islands and many beautiful pieces of jewelry from Cartier) and entertainment by the String Angels (www.stringangels.com.au). We opened the evening with a performance by a local youth choir from Triple C school, followed by a solo performance from a young lady, Isabella Rooney. The two performances were wonderful and a great start to the evening.

Overall the evening was a success--money raised for the charity and a great time had by all!

Photos:

(photo credit: Jim Gates Photography)

Top: Entrance to the event

Second: Close up place setting

Third: Meg and Danielle (Octopus-lets) just before the start of the event

Last: Diamond and Emerald sections of the room

Personalizing your wedding: Ceremony music--traditional vs. modern tunes

2008-12-11T14:32:00.001-06:00

"Here Comes the Bride" is no longer the only choice for the bride's entrance to her wedding. Many brides are choosing more modern, less orchestral songs to enter to. Likewise, during the ceremony, many couples are choosing some of their favorite songs for their guests to listen to during the signing and recessional.

As an example, in one of our recent weddings, Marissa and Doug chose songs either meaningful to them or that they simply liked, instead of traditional music for the ceremony. During the signing, they played "Orange Sky" by Alexi Murdoch as a dedication to the bride's brother as well as others who could not join them for the wedding. Then, once they were declared husband and wife, Marissa and Doug walked out to "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz.

Take the opportunity to personalize your ceremony with songs that are meaningful while also reflecting the style of your wedding!

Romantic Sunset Beach Wedding

2008-12-11T13:39:00.000-06:00

Looking for a romantic sunset as the backdrop of your wedding? Well, MSNBC.com has just announced Grand Cayman as one of the top 10 most romantic Caribbean Sunsets! With the beautiful white sand beaches and the clear blue water, some of the most amazing sunsets are just another thing Grand Cayman has to offer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27829021/

Don't forget about our sister islands as well--Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Both have something special to offer for your wedding--just depends on what your looking for!

Wedding flowers and floral design

2008-11-07T11:12:00.000-06:00

One of the key pieces to any wedding are the flowers. I am lucky enough to work with some amazing floral designers, one in particular, Sharon from Every Bloomin' Thing. Sharon is incredibly creative and amazes me every time I see one of her creations. Many times I call Sharon and give her extremely limited direction--usually just a color scheme and a budget and when the flowers are delivered I am blown away!

If you are not particularly creative or if you are unsure of what you really want, I highly recommend working with a floral designer you trust and letting them run with it! You will be sure to end up with something unique and beautiful for your wedding or event!

Savings idea....If you have a large enough wedding party, one way to make your flowers work double duty (to help your budget!!) is to use the bridesmaid bouquets as your centerpieces. Simply rent or buy the vases and have each bridesmaid put her bouquet in one of them at the reception. You can supplement these with candles and perhaps 3-5 flower heads in bud vases, surrounding the main piece.

Design idea....glass vases are not the only container you can use for your flowers. Paint wooden boxes (in your signature color, of course), use small galvanized buckets or glue together mirror tiles to make a mirror box.

Let me know if you have any savings ideas or design ideas. Happy to share them with all my readers!!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Today's topic--Coordinating stationery at your wedding

2008-10-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

An element to every event, wedding and special occasion of which the importance is often overlooked is event stationery. Many people think, why spend a ton of money when people are just going to throw the invitation out? Or, why coordinate the menu with my color scheme when the venue will print a standard one for free? Well, my opinion is this...the tone and style of the event is first introduced to your guests with the invitation. Coordinating stationery adds a level of detail to your event that not only impresses but is often taken home as a keepsake by your guests. Of course I don't think you should go into debt to have coordinating stationery, but there are many ways of economically creating an impact! There are a ton of do-it-yourself companies that sell the elements and you put it all together. One I've used in the past is a company called Paper Source (www.paper-source.com). You can purchase individual paper elements or DIY packages from them and print from home!

If you're not the crafty type or don't have time or desire to DIY, there are many stationery companies you can find online who are more than happy to do it for you.

One company I would like to share with you is Modern Nectar Designs (www.modernnectar.com). My friend (and former bride), Brooke, started this company earlier this year and has some beautiful and fantastic designs for your event as well as personal stationery for everyday use. You will see on Modern Nectar's website that she has created invitations suites in a number of different colors and styles, however if none of those strike your fancy, she will work with you to custom create your one of a kind invitation. Brooke is an amazingly talented and creative woman with an extraordinary eye for detail. Your guests will not only be impressed, they will be amazed!! Check it out!!!!

Small intimate wedding in Grand Cayman

2008-10-20T13:06:00.000-05:00

Last week we got a phone call late Tuesday afternoon from a couple called Kayla and Jake. They were on a cruise ship headed to the Eastern Caribbean when the cruise had to divert from it's plan due to terrible weather in the East. They had planned to get married in St. Thomas and all of the details were taken care of between them and their planner in the USVI. However, due to the change of course they were not going to get to St. Thomas and needed a wedding in Cayman on Thursday.

Luckily we were available to help them! After a conquering few obstacles and ensuring there was a celebrant available to marry them, flowers and a photographer, they arrived on Thursday morning more than ready for this day!

We sorted out the legal paperwork for them and then headed to a small beach in South Sound called Smith Cove. It was a beautiful day (keep in mind it had been raining every day for the past week!!) with a nice breeze. The water was a gorgeous background for their photos and the pink in her dress and flowers brought some fun color to the wedding!

During the ceremony I was looking at Kayla and Jake. They looked completely relaxed, happy and in love. I am so glad we were able to help them and had the honor of sharing in their wedding! All the best to the newlyweds!!!!

Grand Cayman Wedding Venue--Great Rain or Shine!

2008-10-06T10:08:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we had the wedding of a fantastic couple, Crystal and James. The couple arrived on Wednesday with their guests following on Thursday afternoon. Trying to escape the bad weather at home, they looked forward to a long weekend of fun in the sun! Mother nature, however, had different plans. On Thursday morning, a tropical depression came over Cayman and the rain started--and pretty much didn't stop! I checked the weather report for the next few days and it didn't look good, however, after living in Cayman for 8 years now, I knew that even the most reliable weather forecast didn't mean much as it could be raining on one side of the island and completely gorgeous on the other.

One important piece of planning that happens for ALL of our weddings and events is a wet weather contingency plan. For Crystal and James, the plan had many different options depending on the severity of bad weather. There "good weather" plan was to have their ceremony on Seven Mile Beach (where they were staying) and then head down to The Wharf Restaurant (www.wharf.ky) for the reception.

The Wharf Restaurant in Grand Cayman is well known for it's delicious cuisine, excellent service, beautiful location and extensive wine list. One other thing that is great about the Wharf is that the deck is covered (Contingency Plan #1) and if the weather gets really bad, they have a great inside space (Contingency Plan #2) to move the event without any additional cost being incurred by the Bride and Groom.

Luckily and thankfully, for Crystal and James, the rain stopped about 10 minutes before their ceremony was due to begin. They were able to have their dream ceremony on the beach and then they all headed down to The Wharf for a fantastic dinner, great dancing and a wonderful experience overall.

Thank you to The Wharf for a fantastic job, as usual! We look forward to working with you again soon!

(photos: (TOP) Outside the Wharf at James and Crystal's wedding this past weekend; (BOTTOM) Inside the Wharf at a past wedding where we were responsible for partial decor, photo credit to David Wolfe Photography

Who says romance is dead??

2008-09-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! As you may have read last week, my husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary on Friday. My husband, the self proclaimed "hopeless romantic" really lived up to that title with what he planned for our evening. Let me tell you all about it...

On Thursday I received an email telling me to pack an overnight bag and what exactly should be in that overnight bag. I had to laugh when one of the items he listed was "hair volumizer"...I can just picture him going through my drawer of products and writing down everything he thinks I normally use. Anyway, I digress...I was to be ready by 3:45pm SHARP!

At 3:45pm, he arrived at home to pick me up. I've known from years of surprises similar to this not to ask questions and not to think too much about what we are doing. So, we chatted away, in the car and finally pulled up to the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. There are so many things one can do at the Ritz, a few ideas were going through my head, but I was hoping we were headed to the Silver Rain spa.

Much to my delight, that was where we went and enjoyed a fantastic couples massage at the Silver Rain spa. The massage was one of the best I've ever had and I loved the extra effort the Ritz goes to for it's guests...just little things like giving you a menu of music to choose from for your massage. Anyway, the woman at the spa check in had asked if we were celebrating anything, so of course we told her. Well, and I don't know how it happened, it seemed as though in minutes every person at the Ritz knew it was our anniversary. I was impressed, to say the least! When we finished our massage, we went back to the relaxation room where we were greeted by champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. YUM! What a perfect ending to a perfect surprise! Well, I THOUGHT it was the end, but little did I know, there was much more to come!

After we relaxed for a while, James said we had to get going so we could get ready for the next thing. NEXT THING??? This was amazing enough...I can't believe there is a next thing!

So, we make our way out of the spa and I'm heading towards the front door. James diverted me and after a bit of a walk, we end up in our room for the night. I felt like we were completely on a mini holiday--it was amazing. So, as I mentioned above, all of the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman staff knew we were celebrating our anniversary. When we walked into our room there were rose petals everywhere, more champagne and strawberries, and a lovely note from the guest relations staff as well as a personal note from the resort manager wishing us a happy anniversary! I have to say, I was blown away by the details like this--they are small, but make ALL the difference!

We got ready and headed out and up to Ristorante Pappagallo. This is one of our favorite restaurants and if you ever go there you will know why! It's located in West Bay, in a beautiful natural setting and has the most romantic ambiance. Oh, and, of course, the food is spectacular as well!!! So, for surprise number 3, James had worked with the chef to create a fantastic meal of about 6 or 7 courses! I was so full at the end, but everything was delicious! Vico and the rest of the staff did a fantastic job looking after us and about 3 and a half hours later, we rolled out of Pappagallos and headed back to the Ritz for a good night sleep.

Overall, it was one of the best nights we have ever had! Thank you to everyone who helped make our anniversary amazing and thank you, most of all to my husband James--you are the best and I love you!!!

My First Anniversary

2008-09-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

So today I celebrate my first anniversary with my husband James. This entire week I've been reminiscing about our wedding and the events surrounding our wedding. It was perfect! For us, at least! Every bride wants the perfect wedding, however, the definition of perfect is different for everyone. We got married in Tuscany, just outside of Siena. The two of us and 35 guests stayed on an estate and our ceremony was in the garden on the property. We had our reception in the restaurant (also on the property) and enjoyed A LOT of food and wine that evening. I think about the day--getting ready, putting my dress on, taking photos--all in anticipation of walking down the aisle. I was relaxed the whole day, not stressed at all, and really enjoyed the time with my bridesmaids, mom and mother-in-law. My wedding planner (yes, even a planner needs a planner) was amazing and I had no doubt that she would make sure everything ran "perfectly".

Looking back on the day there are things that happened that we didn't plan for and things we planned for that didn't happen. This was not the "fault" of anyone, it's just the way every wedding goes. For example, our cake...I was not fussed about having a cake, but that was the one thing James had an opinion on. So, he chose the cake--pretty simple (we thought)--two tiers, chocolate on the outside, vanilla w/strawberry on the inside. Nothing too crazy, right? Well, apparently, Italy doesn't do tiered cakes...who knew??? Our planner, Jackie, persevered and found a baker who was willing to try. In our minds, the cake would be about 10 inches on the bottom and 8 inches on the top...well, when it came out, it was about 24 inches on the bottom and 6 inches on the top. Definitely not what we expected, but it didn't matter and now it's something we look back on and have a good laugh about!

What's my point??? As I said in the beginning, the definition of perfect is different for everyone. On your wedding day make sure you remember the reason for the day, soak as much in as you possibly can, and don't sweat the small stuff!!!

We're back!

2008-09-16T10:19:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Hope the summer has treated you well. We had a nice break in August and are now back gearing up for a busy Autumn and Winter season (although in Cayman it's all just Summer!). While we were away in August, we weren't complete slackers....we did have one very special wedding of our very own Octopuslet! The wedding was in England in the most picturesque little village followed by the reception the most beautiful garden and barn I've ever seen. The day was flawless, the guests had a fantastic time and the Bride and Groom were stunning!

Now that we're back, we have been so busy getting ready for events we have coming up. As I mentioned on a previous blog, we have a large gala fundraising event in November. In addition, we have a number of weddings, a trade show in October and of course, the holiday party season in December.

I know I've been slack on posting photos of what we've done and I promise you it's on my "to do" list for September!

It's been a while

2008-07-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone. Sorry for so long between posts, but we have been busy!!! Let's see...where do I begin!?!

Well, the wedding season has been a busy one and just a few more left until we take our summer holidays. We've had a variety of different types of weddings including a couple off the cruise ship, the real life Brady Bunch, and an Indian wedding. Regardless of the size, location or group of people, all of them have been fantastic in their own way!! Once I sort out the photos, I'll post them up here as well as on our Facebook group, so you can see them! One venue that was new to us was "The Great Escape" villa. It's in Cayman Kai (north side of the island) and this house, is AMAZING!!!! If you get a chance, check it out--www.caymanvillas.com (search for The Great Escape). Of course we have also had the pleasure of working up at the Reef Resort in East End where we always love to do weddings! The location is beautiful, the staff are fantastic and the Octopus Events team have always had a great time there! The last one I mentioned (but CERTAINLY not least!!) was the Indian wedding we did. The ceremony was held in the quaint church on North Side with the reception at Pedro's Castle in Savannah. The bride wore an ivory and gold Sari for the ceremony and a deep red Sari for the reception. The jewelry was exquisite and her burnt orange calla lilies really complimented both outfits. Luca Restaurant did a fantastic job catering the event and even managed to keep the tiramisu cake from melting in the heat!

In addition to weddings we worked on a booth at the Cayman Islands Island Living Show. The booth we did was for Butterfield Bank and since the trade show is "home and garden" themed, our booth reflected that while focusing on the goals of the bank. It was a great booth--interesting, colorful, fun while being informative and conducive to the show! This is our fourth year participating in the show and each year it brings thousands of people from all over the island checking out the new ideas Cayman has to offer!

Coming up...

We are very excited as we have just been awarded one of the largest fund raising events in Cayman. The charity is called Hedge Funds Care and each year there is a Gala dinner that is put on by the local chapter in order to raise money for local projects benefiting child abuse prevention. We are so honored and excited to be a part of this event this year and can't wait to tell you all about it!

We will be on summer holidays for a few weeks in August heading over to England as one of the Octopuslets is getting married!!!!

Grand Opening

2008-05-20T17:57:00.000-05:00

This morning, although an early one, the Octopuslets had the opening of the new Butterfield Bank building. The building itself is beautiful and our decor only enhanced it. The ribbon was cut at 8:30am, so the Octopus team was there bright an early ensuring the set up was completed in time for the press to arrive. It was tight, but we did it!

Yes, more weddings!

2008-05-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we had two weddings which could not have been more different, but each fantastic in their own right. On Friday, Missy and Paul got married on Governor's Beach in Grand Cayman. Surrounded by 8 of their family members, the ceremony was incredibly intimate and the families all got along just as they were one big happy family! They had their reception at a nearby restaurant...the table was lovely--out on the beach, surrounded by nothing but tiki torches, sand and water. It was beautiful!!!

On Saturday, we had Kate and Adrian's wedding. I've been working with them on their wedding for almost a year and so, to me, it was like going to my own friend's wedding. The setting was perfect at the beautiful Grand Old House in South Sound Grand Cayman. Surrounded by 50 of their family and friends, after they exchanged vows they had written themselves, listened to toasts by Adrian's best man Geoff, Katie's maid of honor and sister, Ali and both of their parents, the party started! From the first note of the first song, everyone was on their feet dancing for the rest of the night!!!! Another fun part of Adrian and Katie's wedding was their dessert. Not fans of the traditional wedding cake, Adrian and Kate cut a wedding pie (Pecan!) to feed to each other. Following the cutting of the pie, the guests were able to help themselves to 5 different kinds of pie throughout the rest of the night.

We wish both couples all the best on their new lives together!!!!

We're not only about weddings!

2008-04-30T11:48:00.000-05:00

Last night we organized a rug auction at one of the local hotels. Rugs were brought in from all over the Middle East and Asia and along with each one came a fascinating story. It is amazing to me how each of these beautiful rugs was handmade, some taking years to complete. The detail that goes into each one and the fine fabrics used are definitely not what you are going to find at Pottery Barn!! (Although, I do have a rather nice rug in my home from PB, so I'm not knocking them!!)

Leslie and Todd's wedding

2008-04-25T12:11:00.000-05:00

This morning Leslie and Todd got married! What a fun couple and so in love!!! The ceremony was at Governor's beach on Seven Mile beach in Grand Cayman and Meg and I were the witnesses. The weather today could not be more perfect and Reverend Joe performed a beautiful ceremony. I have to say, I have loved working with Leslie and Todd...they are such an animated pair, full of fun and happiness!!!

Some people talk about fate and "how it was meant to be" and I'm not sure how much I believe in fate. I know...it's so not romantic! BUT, if there is such thing, this couple is the poster "couple" for fate. The two had lived in the same condo complex for more than 5 years without ever running into each other. One day, they were both at the pool at the same time and a quick hello turned into an 8 hour chat. They both say they knew right then and there that they had found the one!! I have to say that that, my friends, is meant to be!!

We thank Leslie and Todd for the honor of coordinating their wedding and wish them a lifetime of happiness, laughter and love!!

Wedding Frenzy!

2008-04-22T13:53:00.001-05:00

This wedding season has been so busy for the Octopuslets, but I have to say, it's been a great one! In just April alone, we have had the honor of planning a number of weddings for some great couples!!!

This past weekend we had Jodi and Keith's wedding. What a great time!! Jodi and Keith met while Jodi was visiting the Cayman Islands and Keith was living on the island. It was love at first sight and now, many years later, they came back to Cayman to celebrate this event with their friends and family. People traveled all over the globe to be with them and everyone had a great time.

One special touch they included in their wedding were their favors. As favors, they gave their guests African Lucky Beans Paperweights. This was not only special since Keith is from Africa, but there is meaning behind the beans as well. Each paperweight came with a note explaining that in each paperweight were seeds from the Erythrina Lysistemon (say that three times fast!!) a/k/a the lucky bean tree. They are regarded as royal trees and planted on the graves of Zulu chiefs. The tree is believed to have medicinal purposes but most importantly, used as lucky charms.

What a lovely, meaningful gift!! We wish Keith and Jodi all of the happiness and luck (not that they need it!) on their new life together!!

Welcome!

2008-04-22T13:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Octopus Events blog spot!! We are happy you have taken the time to visit us and hope this blog provides you with what you are looking for. We will update the blog quite regularly telling you about recent events we have worked on and what is coming up in the world of Octopus. If you have any comments or are looking for anything specific, please do not hesitate to comment or send an email to us. We look forward to hearing from you!! Enjoy!