Michelle & Robert - The Reefs, Bermuda

Rob and Michelle met through friends at a party and although they exchanged numbers at that first meeting, Rob didn't call until a year and a half later. They went out to a carnival themed restaurant with games and a bar and the two had the most amazing first date. Only eight months later, Rob had given Michelle a ring and asked her to spend the rest of his life with him, starting with a trip to Disney the day after they got engaged to celebrate their pending nuptials. Since they were both born on the 13th, and wer engaged on the 13th, it only made sense that they continue the luck and plan their wedding for the 13th day of the month. But aside from their wedding taking place in a dream location, on their lucky date, the most special part about the whole event was being able to spend a whole week with their guests. They all took a cruise down to Bermuda together so the celebrations began three days prior to them tying the knot, and instead of ending the night of the wedding, they continued on for another three days after the big day too.

these divine chocolate covered strawberries were a kind gesture from a friend who let them use her room at the Reefs Hotel when the bride was getting. Because most of the guests came to Bermuda on a cruise from New Jersey, including the bride and groom, they did not have a room at the hotel where the event was taking place. But this sweet friend arranged for champagne and strawberries to help them relax and that it did!

Her perfume is called Bermuda by Michael Kor. It was a gift from her sister Alissa since it represents the beautiful island where she would be getting married. Having spent the morning relaxing in the cruise ship's private whirlpool bath and having breakfast with her sisters and close girlfriends, Michelle had her hair done in the salon on the ship before heading out to the hotel where she did her own make up (wow!).

Michelle is very close to her two sisters, and her sister, Alissa, was not only my point person for the entire photography planning, but indeed it turned out she had planned 90% of the event. From deciding that the wedding should take place in Bermuda to choosing the Reefs as the ideal location, Alissa booked it. She went over every detail with the bride first, but she was a star at all the organising and Michelle is convinced she should become a wedding planner. I was so impressed as well as it is not easy to plan a destination wedding when you are not there and she did a fabulous job.

Michelle's dress was made by Oleg Cassini and although the bride was not a fan of all the hoopla that went along with such an elaborate dress, she did look stunning in it and hopefully she can appreciate herself objectively now that she is not fighting with so much fabric in the boiling heat!

The bride borrowed from her friend a statue of the Virgin Mary which she used on the day to bring sunshine. Her lucky new was the lovely jewelry she wore from Rob, and her blue were her sweet knickers. And the most fun part is that she guesses her dress was her old since she had bought it a year before the wedding!

Her gorgeous bouquet was put together by Gimi and her diamond stud earrings and diamond cross necklace that she wore were all gifts from Rob for the wedding.

Michelle distinctly remembers looking down from the balcony and seeing the spectacularly blue ocean, breathing in the fresh sea air, and thinking how powerful that moment was. As she turned her head, she could see her future husband standing on Caso's Point, looking incredibly dapper, and she had a tearful moment of joy, solidarity and peace.

Pastor Dean Smith officiated the service and Chris Darrel played the strings. I find both of them so talented at their craft and they really just make a service so special.

At the beginning of their ceremony, the couple requested that each of their guests come to the altar and pour a sprinkling of sand into a heart shaped vase. There were three colours of sand representing the love, strength and support that their friends and family give them The bride and groom wanted to let everyone there know how important each of them were to the couple. Rob and Michelle added their sand, in unity, at the end, for they wanted their sand granules to be on top of the sand the others had just poured to symbolise the foundation they all bring to the newly weds' lives and their future success together.

The wedding bands were found in New York at the same jeweler who made Michelle's engagement ring. She and Rob picked them out together and they are engraved on the inside saying "Team Remco", which is a combination of both of their last names and the two refer to each other by this name.

Michelle suddenly remembered she needed name cards for the dinner so quickly wrote them out on cuise ship the night before the wedding after having had a few too many cocktails! The fun photo frames were found at a nautical shop in Long Island, New York and were carefully brought to Bermuda on the ship as favours for their guests. The frame had an Irish blessing inside since Rob is part Irish and so represented part of his heritage.

These darling cookies were hand made for the wedding for each place setting.

Rob and Michelle both LOVE red wine. They drink it all the time at home and love visiting local wineries during their travels throughout life, buying bottles of Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noire. 

Michelle was keen to have a beach theme for their cake and she found a photo she liked and sent it to Kathleen, the wedding planner at the Reefs from Bermuda Event Solutions. The bride was amazed and thrilled to see the cake was exactly like the one in the photo and just as she had hoped. The couple could not get over how hard Kathleen and her team worked on the entire event to help create their vision. The know that the wedding was spectacular because of her and the staff at the Reefs. Everyone who attended the event was beyond impressed with the superior level of cuisine, ambiance, facilities and indeed staff!

Although Michelle is mad about red wine, she knew that she had to live the full experience so for the wedding, her drink of choice became the Bermuda Rum Swizzle. She loved it and was so happy that while in Bermuda, she did as Bermudians do!

The menu was selected by the bride and her sister. They wanted to stick with a Bermudian cuisine of fish and seafood. The Reefs gave them many delicious selections that were outstanding.

Michelle and Rob - congratulations on such a perfect way to start your journey together as husband and wife. I am so happy to hear the honeymoon was so fabulous and I wish you all the luck in the world as you start your lives together living in your sweet little coop in Long Island, and as you plan to start a family. Love to you both! xxx