I sure hope you’ve got some frequent flier miles burning a hole in your pocket, because after you spend some time with this Jamaican wedding from David Murray Weddings, you’re going to be turning up the Bob Marley as you zoom to the airport. You may recognize this couple from their engagement shoot a while back. You may also recognize the bride as one of our favorite LBB floral geniuses, Melanie of Le Bonne Fleur Flowers. Needless to say, we were all a tizzy when we finally got a peek into their Caribbean wedding, which did not disappoint. It’s completely stylish, completely laid-back, and completely fabulous. And there is more in the gallery. Ya mon.
About eight months before we were engaged we took a trip to The Rockhouse Hotel. My family has always liked those hidden, off the beaten path places and decided to try Rockhouse. After spending a week swimming in the lagons, cliff jumping, sleeping, eating, taking in the breathtaking western susnsets and enjoying the friendly staff and laidback atmosphere of Jamaica, Mike turned to me and said “I have never been this relaxed in my life!”
When we got engaged, we thought this would be the prefect place to get married and share with our friends and family. Since the resort was the perfect size, we figured we could occupy the whole thing and spend the weekend sharing, celebrating and entertaining those closest to us. We did just that and have no regrets!
The setting was a large part of the inspiration for the style and overall feel of the wedding. Being in Jamaica, where “ya mon” is a way of life, we wanted things to be relaxed and comfortable, from the guests’ attire (flip flops welcome) to the family style sit-down dinner.
Our palate was neutral as the surroundings of the property’s gardens, the ocean and sunset were the focus of the decor. The Rockhouse Hotel is located on the cliffs at the western most point of the island, making for the most spectacular sunsets. The ceremony, cocktail and reception all took place here.
Rocks, cliffs and jumping became a theme throughout the wedding and weekend’s events. Not only did the venue provide the perfect setting for this, being perched up on the cliffs, but also the act of “jumping-in” seemed to be the perfect metaphor for taking the leap into marriage. We incorporated hand drawn images of cliff jumping by our stationer, Paper Daisies, and select phrases custom calligraphed by calligrapher Neither Snow on the invitations and RSVP cards.
To conclude the wedding weekend, Mike and I recreated the image on our invitations in person, jumping in with both feet into our new life as a married couple – committed fully, no turning back, a little scary, but so much fun!
One memory I will never forget is how nervous, excited and hot (I think that was the warmest day of my life) I was before I walked down the aisle. Once I saw Mike standing at the end of the aisle, I didn’t feel any of that. It all went away and my focus was on him. The most vivid memory Mike has of our actual wedding day was “the beauty that glowed from Melanie as she turned the corner and walked down the aisle with her father, tears rolling down her face. I have been known to cry at times like these, but I did not. I really couldn’t do anything else but smile at that point, knowing I was about to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love.”
Photography: David Murray Weddings / Venue: Rockhouse Hotel / Event Coordination: Rockhouse Hotel / Invitations & Rock Jumping Illustration: Paper Daisies / Calligraphy: Neither Snow / Shoes: Valentino / Dress: Priscilla of Boston Vineyard Collection / Pearls: Dolmas Pearls / Groom’s Attire: Tommy Bahama / Makeup: Marissa Nemes