24 hrs…Caribbean Bride time.

Publisher’s Diary,
July 19th, 2009

1 pm
At Heronetta Villa in Barbados in a pair of jeans and slippers and a clip board in hand getting ready for our first ever Bride Villa wedding showcase. The phone rings and it is one of the designers for the fashion show…she just missed her flight and is stuck in Guyana. Phone rings again a vendor had problems with their booth so won’t be attending. Phone rings again two models now can’t make it. I have my third mini blueberry muffin and just smile.

4:17pm
Now changed into my garden chic white jacket and grey slacks but still have the clip board in hand. Mingling with guests and stopping in with vendors to make sure everything is going fine. Need to do a quick run back stage to see how the models are coming along for the fashion show. Pulled in two beautiful friends to be the stand in models. People are sipping champagne and chatting in the Wine World lounge.

7:45pm
I am making my thank you speech and giving away the awesome door prizes. After months of planning the event is now just a blur. Guests were saying all evening what a great show it was so I am pleased. We pulled off a successful show.

11:25pm
Sitting at Café Sol enjoying a Malibu and coke with Mere…well two as it is happy hour. I am really happy that she came to make the presentation and to give me a hand with everything. We are both exhausted but still take the moment to analyze the show and laugh a bit.

2:13am
Dropped Mere back to her hotel and went straight home. As I sit with my eyes closed I am running through the event to see what I could do better next year. I take one more deep breath and I open my eyes. I now have to pack the gowns and camera gear for the big fashion shoot in a few hours in Grenada…tired but excited.

6:03am
We are at the airport begging the café lady to please open so we could have coffee. Meredith is heading back to Atlanta and Adrian, Emma and I are on the way to Grenada for our fashion shoot at Mount Hartman Bay Estate. We have two extra bags and Adrian has a head-piece with a long veil as his carry on. This summons several questions as we go through airport security. We ask two nice business travellers with just carry-ons to check some of the camera gear for us. This saves us $150.

11:oo am
Just met Roger our contact at the Grenada Tourist Board and we are on our way to the Villa. He is really nice and extremely knowledgeable…we privately give him the name Grenada Encyclopedia. It is a beautiful day in Grenada and we make one stop at the bank to get some EC and then we arrive at our spectacular accommodations.

12:57pm
I finally meet Fadia our model and she is even prettier than her pictures…feeling very happy with our talent selection. She has a great personality and a sense of humor…aahhhh…shooting her will be easy. She brings her mum and aunt to interrogate us a bit. We quickly pass their test and everyone is laughing like old friends. We start fittings and deciding on the order for the shoot. I am now in photographer mode and getting really excited about the shoot tomorrow. She tries on a beautiful Anya gown and twirls and say “I feel like a princess”. It makes me smile.