I am so fortunate to have joined many of the top wedding professionals in the world at the Ritz-Carlton in Grand Cayman for three days of fun (and a little rum!)  Kathryn, Rebecca, and Rochelle at Engaging Concepts outdid themselves, and wedding gurus Michelle Rago and Celebrations threw fabulous parties that kept my roommates and I dancing for later than any of us intended!

Preston Bailey, Darcy Miller of Martha Stewart Weddings, the world-famous cake designer Sylvia Weinstock, and many other amazing talents were so open with their experience and insights.  I owe a special thank-you to Sean Low, who impressed me beyond measure with his business savvy and surprised me with kindness by sharing ideas on opportunities to make Azzura even better.  I'm hoping to bring Sean out to Seattle for some one-on-one consulting in the next year, so maybe we'll get to see more of him soon.

An unexpected benefit of the trip was getting to know Renee Metty from It's Eventful and Daniela Fagét from Bella Signature Design, both based in Seattle.  Although we knew each other from networking events and weddings this was really our first chance to relax and hang out together.  After closing down the farewell party thrown by the talented Jo-Anne Brown, we spent most of the night talking, laughing and encouraging each other. They are both amazing women, and I can't wait to work with them more!

At Daniela's urging, I took some photos of the farewell party.  They really just give you a glimmer of the design skill of the Celebrations team.  Believe it or not, this party was held in the hotel conference room!  The walls were basked floor-to-ceiling in beautifully lit draping, and white leather furniture was brought in to create a swanky club atmosphere.  

 The bar was created using a glass top perched on tall cylindrical vases filled with goldfish and lit from below using LED lights.  So clever! The centerpiece of the room was a 7-foot starfish adorned with gerbera daisies.  Can you imagine waking up one morning and thinking 'hmmm... I wonder where I can get an 8-foot block of styrofoam that I could carve a starfish out of for tonight's party?' 

In addition to the many wedding celebs, I got to meet Ken's cousin Karen who has lived on the island for many years with her husband Steve.  Karen reminded me alot of Ken - full of energy, loves animals, and overall just a really sweet person.  The ironic part is that she and Ken haven't seen each other in nearly 10 years, and it turns out she is coming to Seattle next week!  I'm trying to orchestrate a little family reunion so she can see her 'Kenny' again.

My favorite adventure of the trip was swimming with the stingrays.  The Grand Cayman has a crystal blue cove of waist-deep water brimming with rays and tourists anxious to get a glimpse of one another. Once I got used to being surrounded by four-foot wide rays I quickly fell in love with them.  They were the coolest animals you can imagine, with the friendly personality of bunnies and bellies that felt like portobello mushrooms. They loved to play, be petted, and even conceded to be held.  It was a magical experience, and I hope to return someday! 

According to island lore, kissing a stingray gives you seven years of good luck, so when in the Caymans ...

A special thanks to Jen from Jennnifer Driscoll Photography for the above photo!