Filipino Beach Wedding at Westin, Grand Cayman

There are a large contingent of Filipinos living and working in Cayman. I have been privileged to officiate at many of their weddings, usually with lots of family and friends, music and lots of colour. This wedding was no exception. Here I am waiting under the wedding arch for the bridal procession to arrive. Apart from the bridal party, Filipino weddings have sponsors and witnesses so there were about twenty people in the procession.

This is the widest and nicest part of Seven Mile Beach, in my opinion. To the left is the Governor's white picket fence, and beyond that Governor's Beach, a popular wedding spot.

The ring exchange.

In the background is the Westin Resort.

This bride and groom composed their own vows, which brought tears to my eyes, and theirs.

Posing with the bridesmaids, showing off the yellow and black theme. Co-ordination by Miss Rita of Azuquitar

Call me to celebrate your Cayman wedding, whether you are Caymanian, or here on a work permit I will walk you through the necessary steps to have your wedding in Cayman. Ask for a FAQ sheet and application form. A limited number of Sunday, and Public Holiday weddings performed, call today to book yours, at least two months notice is appreciated. Contact me at (345) 5256551 to arrange a preliminary meeting.

Walking the Plank at this fun Cayman Wedding

This weekend a north easter came in making it windy all around the island and I thought this Canadian realtor and her Austrian husband-to-be who were planning a wedding on board the "Jolly Roger" might find themselves land-locked. Not at all, I got the call that we would be embarking at the Spotts dock, the plan was going ahead.

A quick pose at the Spotts Welcome Centre before getting on the tender. The bride is carrying a bouquet of white dendrobiums and cranberry orchids with pink star-gazer lilies from Celebrations.

Here they are aboard the Jolly Roger pirate ship signing all the paperwork.

Although the ocean was choppy there was enough Veuve Clicquot to keep the ship afloat.

Will she really make him do it? That water is cold (well, not by Canadian standards) and deep.

Don't argue with the bride in charge, well not until you get back to dry land.

Here goes the bride!

Mr and Mrs in the drink off Pedro, Grand Cayman. Obviously a lot of fun in store for this couple.

Call today to book your own fun wedding in the beautiful Cayman Islands. European couples remember to ask about getting an Apostille for your Registered Marriage Certificate. Visit my new website at www.cayman-islands-weddings.ky or call me at (345) 5256551.

Grand Cayman Wedding - Why it's still an affordable option in the present economy

With all the bad news in the economy, some wedding professionals are worried about being able to attract enough business to keep their staff. Not me! My business has doubled in the last 12 months, and this is why...

Whether or not the economy slows down, people will still take vacations, and people will still get married. By combining the wedding and the honeymoon, you get to have it all for one affordable package. The bride and groom above were traveling on a cruise ship (see it in the background of the picture). They arranged to have my Cruise Wedding package which includes being picked up at the pier, all legal requirements, wedding florals, champagne, wedding cake, photography and then they were returned to George Town where they could enjoy exploring our capital city before rejoining their ship and sailing on to the next port.

This quiet spot not far from George Town is perfect for a small cruise wedding, or vow renewal.
Since I take care of all the legal requirements and all arrangements, there is no need for you to get stressed or nervous, relax and enjoy your special day.

If you choose to bring guests we can do a set-up like this with chairs, a wedding arch and even steel pan music.

Two things required by law, a licensed wedding officiant and witnesses. I have been a Civil Registrar of Marriages for 14 years, and I have performed hundreds of weddings. I can provide witnesses for your ceremony. I only do one cruise wedding or renewal each day, so that I can give you my full attention. Refund policy in effect, bad weather policy in effect. Be assured of professional service and attention to detail, I am a member of the Association for Wedding Professionals International and work to their Code of Ethics. Stay-over visitors and resident weddings call to set up a meeting today.

Please visit my new website at www.cayman-islands-weddings.ky. or call me at (345)5256551, customised packages available. Call to book your dream Cayman Islands wedding today!

Cayman Cruise Wedding for British Couple

This couple from Kent, UK came into town on the Liberty of the Seas, with a group of family and friends. It was quite hot today at Mary Molly Hydes beach and I was glad to have my daughter and my soon-to-be daughter in law to help. Wedding planning has been in our family for 25 years, starting with my mum and dad, Francine and Vernon Jackson of Cayman Weddings. I hope my daughter and daughters-in-law will take an interest, not to mention my grand-daughter who would make a great Civil Registrar of Marriages since she is so full of self -confidence.

The bride and her mom pause for a quick photo before the signing of the Register. I asked the bride if she would like to send a message back home, and she said "Please tell my sisters how much I miss them, and wish they could have been here. I hope they are having a drink to celebrate as they think of us here in Grand Cayman on our wedding day."

The groom and his guys, I am assuming all Liverpool supporters!

Explaining the set up for the signing with the Special Marriage License, the copies for filing with our Public Records Office, and my own Marriage Book and the certified copy of the Marriage License which is their copy.

The next time she signs it will be a whole new surname...I bet!

Watching Uncle Ian sign as a witness.

Posing with the little flower-girl who is just two years old.

The whole group pose together before boarding the air-conditioned luxury bus which will take them back to the harbour.

Ceremony by Joy of Weddings, arrangements by Cayman Weddings, photos compliments of Samantha and Peggy, flowers by Trisha's Roses. Ask about our new transportation package for your guests, hassle free air-conditioned comfort straight to your wedding destination and back to the harbour. Our professional service and long experience in Destination Visitor Weddings and Destination Cruise Weddings in the Cayman Islands make us the number one choice for locals and visitors alike. Call today (345) 525-6551 or (345)949-8677 for your application form and free e-brochure. Book early, only one cruise wedding or renewal per day...we give your wedding our full attention, wedding planner always on site for those last minute details.

Special Vows for your Grand Cayman Wedding or Vow Renewal

In the last few months I have looked at locations for your Grand Cayman Destination Wedding, and more recently I have looked at flowers. Tonight I want to talk about a topic which is dear to my heart, and this is your wedding vows.

Since I am both a wedding planner and a celebrant, as soon as you book your wedding I will start talking to you about your ceremony. I begin by asking you a few questions, such as will you have family or friends at the ceremony. Many people like to involve their family or friends in the actual ceremony, and I am happy to oblige.

One of the things I really enjoy is including children in the wedding ceremony. The start of your new family is an important milestone for children, and this should be marked and honoured in some way. This involvement can take different forms, a small speaking part or reading for the child if he/she is old enough, a special vow to the child by the step-mother or step-father, and sometimes a token given by the couple to the child. Whatever you chose it should feel natural, and the child should be comfortable with it.

As part of the ceremony I say to the couple, I want you to take each other by the right hand, look at her/him and repeat after me..."I (name) take you (name) to be my wife/husband. This is a very solemn part of the ceremony. Whether you are doing a secular or a religious ceremony under our law you must, of your own free will acknowledge that you are committed to a legal marriage. The actual words however, are not proscribed by law, and as a Civil Registrar of Marriages I can help you be creative.

While many people repeat their vows as I say them, others memorise their vows in their own words, or read them from a slip of paper. One groom even read his vows from a hand-held device. Whatever you choose to do, your wedding vows should hold significance for you.

Some brides and grooms want a more spiritual service, including a prayer. In these cases I will include a short inter-faith blessing. I also use the Apache Wedding blessing, the Cherokee wedding blessing, an Irish Marriage blessing and very frequently a spiritual blessing which was written by my own father.

Some couples like this one, choose the "Hands" blessing.

Quite often couples of a particular heritage or culture wish to honour such heritage by including
something which relates to this culture in their ceremony. So for example I have included the Seven Steps in a ceremony for a bride with Hindu heritage, the seven blessings for a groom of Jewish heritage, and various blessings for a couple who were Buddhist.

I think the strongest part of my professional practice as a Civil Registrar comes from getting to know a couple from correspondence and when I do the documentation for their marriage in our preliminary meeting. As I observe how you react to each other I can often suggest readings, blessings or additional parts to your ceremony.

Call me today to plan your own wedding ceremony, as unique as your love. Call me at (345)5256551 or email me at mywedding@candw.ky

Call me to plan your wedding vow renewal in the beautiful Cayman Islands, tell your spouse how much he/she means to you in a special ceremony for your 5th, 10th, 15th or 50th wedding anniversary, or any anniversary in-between. Surprise vow renewal requests are welcome!

Simple, Elegant, Cayman Wedding for Canadian couple

The first week of the new year I officiated at this very simple, elegant wedding for a Canadian couple living and working in Cayman. The ceremony was held in their back garden with a handful of family, friends and co-workers.

The ceremony was at 12 noon, you can see how bright it was.

Cutting the very non-traditional but delicious cake.

Topped off with lots and lots of iced cold champagne!

Sometimes a simple no-fuss wedding can be such the ticket. This was very beautifully done, and had all the ingredients for a very memorable event.

(pictures compliments of Kafara Augustine)

Call me today for your own simple, elegant and meaningful Cayman wedding (345) 5256551.
There is a different process for local weddings, call me for the FAQ sheet and application form.

Smith's Cove, Grand Cayman's Magical Wedding Spot

It was early morning, all the commuters were hurrying to their George Town offices, the tenders were plying back and forth bringing visitors from the cruise ships anchored offshore to the Rayal Watler terminal, but at this quiet oasis little was stirring except the rock lizards.

The sand along Cayman's beaches comes from coral, and it is really pink. Here is a piece of sea-fan washed up from the deep.

In an hour's time there will be people all over this little spot, but at 9 am it is truly magical.

The perfect place to be married with your toes in the sand and your feet in the surf.

Look, no shoes!

Surrounded by love and beauty.

And "Cheers" to you!

This couple had a Unity Sand Ceremony, and two starfish.

Call me to schedule your wedding or wedding vow renewal ceremony at beautiful Smith's Cove, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (345)5256551. Ceremony by Joy of Weddings for Simply Weddings, photography by Sarah of Cayman People Pics.

Cayman Islands Wedding...All's Well That Ends Well

This Virginia couple staying at Cobalt Coast had a few good weather days for diving, but the day of their wedding a bad nor'wester came in which put paid to any colour in their sunset wedding.

It was wet, and windy and I was having second thoughts as to whether we could even do the wedding as I set up under the cabana at Blue Water Beach.

The couple arrived for their wedding in matching Cobalt Coast raincoats complete with hoods!

They did not allow the storm to rain on their parade, but smiled right through it.

They said their "I Do's" with the last little bit of light and the photographer's flash.

Shall we call this a reverse sunset wedding?

The ceremony over, evening had really set in and the newly-weds can catch their breath and relax.

This wedding by Cayman Weddings, photos by Cayman People Pics. Call today to book with Cayman Weddings, over 25 years in business and over 6000 wedding ceremonies performed.
When experience really matters, call the professional marriage officers at Cayman Weddings (345)9498677, for both local and visitor weddings www.caymanweddings.com.ky