Here comes the wedding surge.
You can credit — or perhaps blame — the pandemic for the numerous save-the-dates and wedding invitations currently plastered across your refrigerator or in your email inbox.
Last year's lockdown prompted many couples to take the next step and get engaged or, unfortunately, reschedule their weddings. The outcome is that this wedding season, which peaks between June and September, is destined to be a busy one.
It's traditional for brides — and grooms — to spend a great deal of time selecting their wedding day wear, and that of those in their wedding party. However, wedding guests also often have a duty to find the appropriate apparel — whether it's to avoid superstitions, coordinate with a specific theme or to dress appropriately for the venue, climate or terrain.
Regardless of the criteria, planning one wedding outfit, much less for the umpteen you're probably now invited to, can be daunting.
SOMETHING NEW
Cayman's long-standing destination wedding status offers a built-in aesthetic for most couples who have a local ceremony. So, when dressing for an on-island occasion, classy and summery looks will often do just fine — there's zero chance of needing to find a fur coat or boots.
A stroll down Camana Bay's Paseo or along the Crescent will provide you with a variety of clothing shops — all within proximity of each other — to peruse for an easy and breezy shopping experience. These stores offer styles that can be worn to almost any wedding, featuring affordable and luxurious resort and occasion wear.
SOMETHING OLD
While some people opt for the shopping spree, others may reach into the back of the closet and take a trip to the dry cleaners. You may have already worn an outfit to your cousin's wedding two years ago, but no one needs to know — just accessorise. Think belts, handbags, shoes, neckties, jewellery, hats or even some form of outerwear as complementary additions to your outfit — emphasis on "complementary."
Here's another reason to accessorise: On a small island like Grand Cayman, there is the possibility of arriving at a wedding in the same outfit as another guest — talk about your "unintentional bridal party"! If you don't have a change of clothes tucked away in your car — which is always something to consider — the right combination of accessories will surely help to set you apart.
FINISHING TOUCHES
It's completely normal to wait until the day of an event to figure out what you're doing with your hair or make-up. However, take some sound advice: Aim for a stress-free experience by scheduling an appointment with the salon, barbershop and make-up artist ahead of time. There are no rules that say you can't be pampered in preparation for someone else's big day. Just remember that the bride should be the only one dressed in white!
This article originally appeared in the June 2021 print edition of Camana Bay Times.
About the author
Ariel Thompson is a content manager at Dart, having joined the company in 2017. A lifelong writer, Ariel was born and raised in the Cayman Islands before studying abroad at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, for her degree in public relations and film and television. With eight years of experience in communications, Ariel joined Dart after working as Cayman International School’s first marketing communications officer. As her name would suggest, Ariel is a Disney fan and has a singing voice to rival The Little Mermaid’s. She loves to conceptualise TV and movie scripts and hopes one day to be a director. When in Camana Bay, Ariel can be found enjoying Mizu Asian Bistro + Bar’s Pad Thai, or shopping with friends and a scoop of gelato in hand.