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Cristian was born in Italy and moved to Grand Cayman when he was 3 months old. My family is from Cayman Brac and has been in Cayman for generations, so we wanted our wedding to reflect both Cristian’s Italian roots and my Caymanian heritage.
Planner: Michelle Peters and Michelle Garricks | Isla Wedding
Officiant: Rev. Rohan Forrester
Hair Stylist: Trina Biliti | Utopia
Makeup Artist: Stephanie Ford Ramoon
Bridal Dress: Sottero & Midgley | Brides of Florida
Grooms Suit: Indochino
Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie
Decor: The Flower Dellhttps://www.theflowerdell.com/
THE DRESS
I think I tried on about 30 dresses and the dress I ultimately selected was one of the first. It was the only dress my mom, mother-in-law, sisters and I universally loved, so we knew we had to go back for it.
HOW DID YOU BOTH MEET
Cristian actually first met my sister, Suzanne, at work and she introduced us in passing on New Years Eve in 2017 at Cristian’s family’s restaurant. We saw each other a handful of times since then and reconnected in late 2019. After a few weeks of trying to coordinate schedules, we start dating right before COVID. The rest is history!
FIRST LOOK
We did a first look with each other, which was probably the most nervous that I felt that day! After we saw each other, all of the nerves just faded and it was only peace and excitement. It was actually quite funny because Cristian is always trying to get me to declutter and had just told me I had too many floral dresses just a week or two before. The first thing he said when he saw the dress was that it was also floral and then had to immediately back-track so I knew he loved it and I looked gorgeous, but I guess his original vision was a different dress! Our parents were crying during the first look too, which was also so special to feel like it wasn’t just us but also both our families that were now one.
UNIQUE THINGS
We really wanted the Caribbean and Italian feeling to come through in the big and small details. The wedding ceremony was at Pedro St. James on the Great Lawn (a nod to the Caymanian roots) and the reception was at Pappagallo (a nod to the Italian side, though the decor is somewhat Caymanian too with the thatch!). We had thatch fans for our guests at the ceremony, and traditional Italian bomboniere (wedding candies) and limoncello as favors at the reception. Cristian’s family also took over the dance floor at some point with traditional Italian dancing, which was such a fun experience for everyone, especially those who had never seen it before.
HOW DID CRISTIAN PROPOSE
I grew up across the street from my grandparents in the Brac and they’ve always been a big part of my life. My family and I are very lucky to still have them around (at 90 and 91 years old, and in fantastic health!) and Cristian really wanted to include them in the proposal somehow. He proposed in their front yard in the hopes that they would see it first hand from their front porch. Little did he know, my grandmother was in the back yard and my grandpa was watching TV and totally distracted, but it’s the thought that counts. 🙂 They were still the first to know post-proposal, which was such a special moment.
ANXIOUS
Rain! It rained the weekend before and we really wanted an outdoor ceremony, so that was a bit nerve-racking. Thankfully, there were only a few clouds on the wedding day, which was actually quite nice because it meant it wasn’t too hot. 🙂
RECEPTION
The reception had so many fun details. On a whim, we printed a 2’x3′ customized word search on a laminated foam board the day before, which was a popular spot during cocktail hour. That was very cool and Cayman Executive Services really came through for us with printing it so quickly. We also had a photo booth (major shout out to PartyBooth!) with customized sunglasses as props, a dessert bar, a late night cigar and rum bar outside, Eugenio Leon on the harp during cocktail hour, flip flops for the dance floor, custom signage behind the bar, advice cards, and probably a few other bits and pieces I can’t remember. It was all we could have hoped for.
RECEPTION
Ristorante Pappagallo has always been one of our favorites and very special to Cristian in particular given the Italian and family connections. We could not have asked for a better experience. Everything was seamless in the lead up and on the day itself, and the food was incredible. You’ll always have a great meal at Pappagallo, but this was next level. It’s been a month and people are still raving about the food and drinks. If you’re reading this and not sure where to host your reception, this is your sign to contact Pappagallo!
