March 22, 2011- Cruise wedding – Approximately 70 guests
What service did you expect from your wedding coordinator?
We expected our wedding coordinator quite simply to plan our wedding. Living in the United States and planning a wedding in Barbados is quite difficult! We wanted someone who had knowledge of the local area to guide us in planning our beach wedding. On the actual wedding day, we wanted our coordinator to ensure that the day was organized and ran smoothly.
Were you pleased with our delivery of that service?
We were extremely pleased with your service. Throughout the planning process, you openly communicated your ideas and questions for us via email. You guided us in the right direction using your expertise of the local area and of wedding planning in general. On the actual wedding day, you had everything organized perfectly. You kept everything running smoothly and efficiently.
Were you pleased with the location suggested for your wedding ceremony?
We were extremely pleased with our ceremony location. We were expecting a more crowded beach, but instead had our ceremony on a beach that almost seemed private! It was a beautiful, slightly secluded area that seemed like our own beach!
Were you pleased with your wedding ceremony set-up and décor?
We felt the décor was beautiful! Specifically, we enjoyed the aisle made from flowers and the petals scattered among it. The pedestals with the flowers atop it added a nice pop of color without taking away from the beauty of the beach behind it. The set-up felt very intimate. Our guests were seated with a nice view of the ceremony, as we were facing them (rather than having our backs to them).
Did you enjoy your wedding ceremony?
We loved our wedding ceremony! Specifically, we loved being able to pick out our vows from a variety of choices. The Romantic Island Wedding Vows fit our lives and personalities well. The ceremony was the perfect length for our tastes!
How would you rate the services provided by myself?
Excellent
How would you rate the services provided by the remainder of my team?
Excellent
Did you enjoy the Steel Band; was it an integral contributor to the ambiance desired for your festivities?
We thought the Steel Band was amazing! Their sound was beautiful! They definitely created the ambiance we desired. Our wedding felt very islandy!!! I know our guests enjoyed listening to them before and after the ceremony. I couldn’t help but dance a little!
How would you describe your bouquet and buttonhole?
Excellent
Did you enjoy your Rum Punch?
Excellent – best rum punch we had the whole trip!!!
Were you pleased with the physical set-up / utilization of the SB Beach for your wedding festivities?
The SB Beach was perfect! As already mentioned, we couldn’t believe how “private” a public beach felt! We loved how the set-up made our ceremony feel secluded and special. We loved having the catamaran pick us up right on the beach!
How would you describe your Celebration Cruise experience?
We enjoyed our Celebration Cruise a lot! It was a perfect reception for a beach wedding. Our guests got to enjoy the island of Barbados while still celebrating our wedding. We loved swimming with the turtles.a unique experience for many of our guests! The buffet lunch was amazing! We enjoyed every dish. It was fun that we were able to bring an iPod with our own playlist of music. It made us happy to be able to celebrate with songs that are special to us!
How would you describe your on board lunch?
Excellent
Were you pleased with the Bar service on board?
Yes! The bartenders were friendly and attentive. It was easy to get a drink and they tasted great!
What was the feedback from your guests on your Celebration Cruise?
Our guests loved the Celebration Cruise. Everyone had a great time! Our guests loved the boat, the friendly staff, the open bar, the lunch, the snorkeling, the dancing.everything! Many had never swam with sea turtles before, which made it an exciting excursion.
Were you pleased with your transportation arrangements?
Our transportation arrangements worked out well. The buses got all of our guests to the wedding on time. The car that took us to the ministry and then to the ceremony was very nice.
Were your guests pleased with their transportation arrangements?
We didn’t hear any complaints about the transportation. Everyone was pleased to make it to the ceremony! Specifically, our non-cruising guests were picked up in taxis and brought to the ceremony location, which eased their minds about finding the wedding. Everything worked out great!
What were you most pleased about / with at your wedding?
We were pleased with everything! Our vows were beautiful. They fit our lives and went perfectly with the location of the wedding! The décor was beautiful. We loved the flowers! The Steel Drum Band was amazing. They played beautiful music that fit our desired ambiance for the wedding. The Celebration Cruise was so fun! We were extremely pleased with the buffet lunch. It was delicious! The service on the boat was great. Everyone had a fun time!
What did you find most pleasing about / with our services?
We were impressed with the organization and efficiency on the wedding day.with little stress for us! Your services allowed us to relax while all the details were taken care of for us!
If you were describing your destination wedding experience with our Company, what would you say?
We had a beautiful, beach wedding in Barbados that was planned perfectly! We were able to enjoy our wedding while the staff we hired worried about the details!
Did our services a) meet your expectations OR b) exceed your expectations? How?
It exceeded our expectations because everything went so smoothly! It was planned so perfectly that there was no room for error. There is absolutely nothing to complain about! Everything was beautiful and just how we wanted it!
Which auxiliary service were you most pleased with, e.g., Officiate, Videographer, Steel Band, Celebration Cruise, On Board Catering, Décor, Flowers, etc.?
We were absolutely thrilled with each auxiliary service. Our Officiate delivered the ceremony well, talking slowly and clearly for all to hear. The videographer gave us a great video with which to remember our day. The video is awesome…we love it! The Steel Band was amazing! The Celebration Cruise staff was friendly and helpful! We thought our on-board lunch was delicious! The décor was beautiful! We thought the flowers were gorgeous. We loved the colors!
What motivated your desire for a destination wedding?
Our families lived scattered across the United States. There was no obvious place to have the wedding. So, we started thinking that if everyone was going to have to travel so far anyway, why not travel to somewhere like the Caribbean! A vacation for all!
How did you go about choosing the destination for your special day?
We decided that we were going to take a cruise for our wedding. So, we started by looking at cruise itineraries. Then, we researched which port of calls allowed for legal wedding ceremonies. We wanted our ceremony to be legal in the U.S. and we wanted the ceremony to be at the beginning of the cruise.
What influenced you to choose an island in the Caribbean and specifically Barbados?
Barbados was a good choice because they didn’t require a residency period in order for our marriage to be legal. Since we were taking a cruise, we didn’t have time for a “residency period.” Furthermore, since Barbados was the first port of call on our cruise itinerary, it was perfect! We wanted our wedding to be at the beginning of our cruise so that we would have time to relax afterwards!
What was the initial response of your family and friends when you told them you had decided to get married in Barbados?
Our family was excited that we were all going to be taking a vacation together! We had always talked about taking a cruise together and therefore everyone was excited that this is how we had chosen to celebrate our marriage!
After joining you in Barbados, and attending your destination wedding, how did your loved ones feel about your decision to treat yourselves to a destination wedding in Barbados?
Everyone had a great time and therefore was very pleased with our decision!
How would you express your sentiments about “your Barbados Destination Wedding experience”?
We had a beautiful, unforgettable wedding day!
What was the feedback from your guests about “their Barbados Destination Wedding experience”?
Many of our friends and family told us that it was the most beautiful and most fun wedding that they had ever attended!
How did you learn of our Company and the service which we offer?
The cruise agent that was helping us plan our cruise gave us the recommendation to use your company. She found you by searching online.
Did you contact other Destination Wedding Coordinators in Barbados? Names?
No!
What encouraged you to choose our services for your special day?
Our cruise agent recommended your services. After that, we did our own research and contacted your company. We were pleased with your answers to our questions and went from there.
Would you recommend our services to your friends and colleagues?
Yes! Everyone was friendly and professional! Our experience exceeded our expectations!
Please describe the most ‘precious moment’ during your wedding ceremony or festivities for the Bride.
For me, the most precious moment was putting the ring on my husband’s finger. It looked so beautiful on his hand! It suddenly felt real (and wonderful!) that we were going to be spending our lives together. I also enjoyed dancing with my father on the Celebration Cruise. It was really important to him and therefore special to me. It was also wonderful that we could bring our own music in order to make the moment as special as possible.
Please describe the most ‘precious moment’ during your wedding ceremony or festivities for the Groom.
For me, the most precious moment was watching my wife come down the aisle with her father. It was especially memorable as the Steel Drum Band played the “Wedding March” in the background. Also, my brother’s toast on the Celebration Cruise was very heartfelt and memorable. I am glad there was an opportunity for him to give his toast while aboard the catamaran.