Ask Preston: Issue #3

Preston Bailey 1.        My fiancé and I would like to have our wedding event on a cruise ship. We are inviting close friends and relatives only. How can we make our event special on a crowded ship?

Make sure you talk to the coordinator there about what spaces are available
and ask which ones are more private. Also, where other passengers might
become spectators you can put up medium- sized trees and attach fresh flowers to
the branches. This is not only beautiful but provides a privacy screen.

2.        We plan to have our wedding and reception outdoors on a Jamaican
beach. What advice do you have for flowers and decorations that aren’t
tacky, but will hold up to the weather?

Orchids are always my favourite. They are never tacky and they are very
hearty. Also, look into native flowers to Jamaica they will be able to stand up
to any heat.

3.        I have always liked chandeliers and would like to have them as part
of the décor for my beach wedding. How can I blend the formality of
these with the casual setting of an outdoor wedding?

I too love chandeliers. You can make them more casual by changing up the
material they are made out of. You don’t have to stick to crystal
chandeliers. You can make them out of flowers – as we do all the time –
or make them out of beachy materials. I do have to tell you that I love
using formal décor in a casual setting. I think it would be fantastic to
have crystal chandeliers at a beach wedding.

4. I am trying to plan an unforgettable wedding on a shoestring
budget. What are some easy things I can do to get the design bang
without the big buck?

Use candles wherever you can. You can get a huge bag of tea lights for about
$5. They are great and so romantic. Also, using local in-season flowers
really helps on the budget.

5.        I would like to use light blue as the main colour for my wedding
decorations. What other colours do you recommend as complements?

It may sound crazy, but an orange/rust goes really well with light blue. If
that is not your style then try using other shades of blue on the darker
side—that always looks very elegant. Yellow is a great, fun colour with light
blue.  I would stay away from white as it will look too much like a baby shower.