A Leap Year Wedding for Deniesha and Kirk

Destination

Exactly one year ago today/yesterday, this awesome couple said their vows in front of over 100 loved ones in front of a cliffside castle in Negril, Jamaica on Leap Year Day. We did most of the planning remotely as my couple is based in New York, I work out of Houston, and their must-have location was my favorite island of Jamaica. However, I am blessed with intimate knowledge of this island because 1) I was born there and 2) I have planned many events there over the years, building strong relationships with the cream-of-the-crop vendors on the island. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when Kirk and Niesh fell in love with this venue the minute I sent it over. Seriously, who wouldn’t love this castle perched on the cliffs of Negril as their wedding backdrop?

The Design

With such a beautiful venue, my goal was to use simple but timeless decor to create a stunning backdrop for their vows. My mood board featured soft blush, white, and gold tones that we incorporated in every aspect of their design. Additionally, we made it a point to use the native island palms as part of the ceremony look. Finally, we capped the initial design off with tons of candles to glow through the night.

The Dilemma

I was also really excited to have the opportunity to bring some of my Texas-based vendors with me as well and this really made all of the difference when we were faced with weather challenges the day of the wedding. This destination wedding was produced with nothing but sheer will, trust and faith by all involved. We awoke to a tropical storm that sent waves crashing to the 2nd floor of our gorgeous venue Pattoo Castle, and the winds that day were unreal. In fact, we were unable to set up for hours, and we had to throw out our original reception plan altogether.

Leap Year Wedding Miracle!

Finally, with some creativity and the blessing of the venue owner, the reception was moved inside the villa completely. Also, everyone crossed their fingers that a ceremony on the villa steps could still take place. Thankfully, just before the guests arrived, the clouds parted, the sun peeped out and our Leap Year Wedding prayers were all answered! [Check out the video their wedding highlight HERE.]