Don’t worry, be happy

And here at Rick’s Place/very famous, just a boat or taxi ride from Sandals Negril, you can do that!!

I had long wanted to go as i had seen Rick’s place on travel shows, and the music/bands, people jumping off cliffs just seemed like a good time, and it was!! So for all my travellers to Negril, we make sure they get there.

Pre and post your trip to Rick’s place though, you get to enjoy the calm/serenity and beauty of Sandals Negril.  A lovely resort that doesn’t feel large, sits on the best beach in Jamaica, in Negril, great food and views!!

I was there just after these swim up rooms had opened and this was where i spent my time

Unless i was at the other end of the resort enjoying a gorgeous sunset dinner.

Let’s get you here for your honeymoon, vacation, or how about a destination wedding.

Same price with me as going direct with Sandals, no fee for my service!!  I have been a Certified Sandals Specialist for 15 years and have been to the resorts multi times, so you are in great hands with me!!

Till next time

Lisa

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

insta    lisasimpsonweddings

714 305 7112

Add a comment January 25, 2021

From Hawaii to OC due to Covid

Sad reason #2: We were supposed to be doing the wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, we had all gone over and scoped the space/all outdoors with ocean backdrop, they had done a tasting, and we were all really looking forward to it, plus i could add another Ritz-Carlton in the world to my resume!!

But as things work out, even though we really held off as long as we could, wedding was July 20, and as long as Hawaii was not going to make everyone quarantine as of June 1, we were still all going, well last week of May the Governor of Hawaii extended the quarantine until end of July/August, and as I am typing this in 2021 I can report he kept it in place until Oct 15 where if travelling after that and providing a negative covid test from their providers you did not have to quarantine, so we did the right thing by 1st week of June realising we needed to find a venue here in S CA. First plan was something with a Hawaiian vibe, so we found one in San Diego, liked it, but they had a lot of what seemed to be excessive rules due to covid, again, now we are in 2021 and look back, their rules were smart!! So not working for us, mom found a hotel venue in the OC that i was never really feeling was right for this wedding and after she had signed the contract the hotel came back with new rules that were definately not working for the couple, so we ended up at the hotel i had suggested from the getgo because i knew we could make it exciting/different and could kind of make not doing it in Hawaii aok. The Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach. Yes. We did the ceremony with the ocean/palm tree backdrop, did cocktails with that same view, and dinner/same view with a lovely water feature backdrop to our royal table. Then to suprise everyone, after dinner, the B&G lead the guests up the elevators to the rooftop bar/lounge area where we had dancing/socialising with 180 degree awesome views of the Pacific from Long Beach to Laguna. What were guests saying?? Are you kidding me?? amazzzzzing. Wow. Awesome.

Sad reason #3, the day before i broke my leg and was still in hospital when this wedding was happening!!! I was so mad at covid, because we would have been in Maui already and i would not have been doing what i was doing in my backyard!! In the ambulance from my house to the hospital, i called Nicole and said, i think you need to be prepared to get a call from me to come help tomorrow as i may not be very mobile, so got her set. Unfortunately the surgeon laughed when he gave me option of surgery that night or tomorrow and i said, well tonight please as i have a wedding to do tomorrow. Oh no he said, you won’t be doing a wedding tomorrow. So again, call to Nicole, you are full on tomorrow/no me. I was never worried as she totally knows what she is doing/to do/works from my timelines all the time and was working with Brittany, so i knew all would be fine between the two of them. And thank goodness, when i had to call the mom and tell her, she also knew that i would not send anyone who would screw things up, so they were all good to go/relaxed and enjoyed the wedding celebration as if i was there, i don’t think they even missed me, lol

As you can see from the pics above, all turned out lovely. We obviously had to get a new florist and karla/EBD floral stepped in and got the vision immediately, we brought the tropical/Hawaii feel to Huntington Beach, a new dj/DJ Griff a multi friend referral, but were lucky as the photographer was coming to Hawaii so she just didn’t have to fly so far, Andrea David, and the pics above/not iphone ones, are hers. Design Visage beautified the ladies and kept them on time as always. A friend officiated/she was going to do it in Hawaii also. A tropical duo for pe cere/cocktails and during dinner to again feel the hawaiian vibe, Naples String trio for ceremony, and a big thanks to the team at Waterfront Beach Resort, Vanessa jumped right in as she always does when i reach out and made it happen/work for me, love you lady xoxoxox

Till next time

Lisa

insta lisasimpsonweddings

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

714 305 7112

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

Add a comment January 23, 2021

Barbados wedding

Well now, if you are feeling down because your local wedding plans, or maybe even destination to a different area/country got dashed in 2020 and you have no idea when they can be resurrected in 2021, we can do your wedding at the Sandals (couples) or Beaches (family/groups) Resorts in the Caribbean, whether its just the two of you or a small or large group, the options are many and your dreams can come true, maybe even be better

Today i am showing pictures from the newest Sandals in Barbados (there are 2 and they are right next to each other so you can stay at one but play at two, eat/drink/use amenities at both, which is awesome and this newest property there is amazing!!  Above is a picture looking down from the rooftop pool to the main pool/beach area infront of Royal Barbados, then a glass of my champagne at the beachfront restaurant looking out to the front of the main pool which has a glass front, see it!!!

Depending on your level of accommodation you may not have to share the included airport transfers with others in the shuttle, but come in style, yes that is a Rolls Royce!!  The next picture is the pool infront of the ground floor rooms right there, where you wake up, walk onto your patio and right into the pool, they are knows as ‘swimup’ pool rooms, and the last pic, is a bowling alley, yes there is one to enjoy if you want!!

This was the massage hut i had a very relaxing massage in.  A wedding table design we enjoyed, and me in the rooftop pool looking out past the resort to the ocean/bay.

This was me at a carnival party i attended and my butler came to check in on me (was he worried i had too much champagne and needed escorting back to my room, i don’t know, lol), the beach area the connects the two resorts and another view of the main pool at Royal Barbados with that glass front.

At the back of the main pool at Royal Barbados looking towards the beach, and the Sky bar up on the rooftop area where there is a pool, sun deck and the French Restaurant, one of my fave areas at the Barbados Resorts

Rooftop pool area, view from the balcony seating at the french restaurant up on the rooftop pool area, and me by the lazy river area at Sandals Barbados where it winds around infront of a bunch of lucky swim up rooms.

Let me get you here!!

Till next time

Lisa

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

714 305 7112

insta    lisasimpsonweddings

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

Add a comment January 22, 2021

First micro wedding 2020 Hyatt HB

Well, the above wedding seems so long ago now, but it was our first step into what became known as ‘micro weddings’ thanks to covid, where couples had their weddings booked/paid for and if they wanted to keep their date/location had to adjust to what the new rules were at their hotel or county or state, and that my friends was a daily changing thing we have learnt to work with and probably even worse now, when we thought that 2021 would mean we would be free and clear, but not the case.

So with this wedding at the Hyatt Huntington Beach, guest count went down to immediate family only because of guests fear of coming/attending and the couple only wanting attendees they knew who/where they had been which would hopefully mean everyone would be safe. Ceremony chairs were spread way out and based on knowing how many singles versus others were spaced that way and their names were on their chairs. In the dining room it was max 4 per table/as you can see split so there was a good 6′ between couples/singles etc. The dancefloor was used only for first dance/parent dances, no guest dancing or socialising. After cake cutting and eating after dinner, chatting at tables, no mixing or socialising, it was over.

I can remember when the guests had left, Frank Salas/photographer (his pics above) and Peter/Vive Ent-dj and I all looked at each other and didn’t know how we felt but i think each hoped this was a short term thing and we could get back to ‘normal’ wedding celebrations very soon (we are all part of the All you need is love micro wedding package at the hotel, and Elegant by Design is the florist included, as well as Jeffrey Holmes/officiant). I will tell you i heard from the bride after and she was thrilled with everything, loved how it all worked out and felt it was better with the smaller group, so that was wonderful. Covid has definately made us prioritise/change ways of doing things and as the ‘season’ goes on you will see how i think most of the celebrations turned out way better than the original plan.

Till next time

Lisa

xoxoxox

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

insta lisasimpsonweddings

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

714 305 7112

Add a comment January 20, 2021

Caribbean Golf Club wedding

Did you know that there is a Golf/Country Club option for your wedding celebration in Jamaica in the Ochi Rios area?  And what makes it even better is, if you have a group going, and couples/adults only are staying at the Sandals and the family/groups are staying at the Beaches, Resorts, in the area, this is great middle ground to have your wedding celebration if you are not wanting it on the beach/ocean view, wanting to give everyone a variety in what they see/do in Jamaica.

Let me take you there and help you have a wonderful wedding celebration for you and your friends/family, large or small group.

Till next time

Lisa

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

insta  lisasimpsonweddings

714 305 7112

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

Add a comment January 18, 2021

Elopement Monarch Beach Resort (now Waldorf Astoria)

……..and then elopements became a thing in 2020. Can’t blame the couples, for some changing dates 2-4 times, dealing with guests who were overwhelming them with questions they could not answer, stress, stress, stress, so instead, have just the two of you, make it special, and really, isn’t that what it should be!!

There were more of us than them, lol, Wendy/Harpist, Frank Salas Photographer, Kevin/Luxury Lifestyle Studio for the video, Jeffrey Alan Holmes/Officiating, Bouquet/bout by Elegant by Design, me, and Eileen and the F&B Director from the hotel, as in June when these weddings were happening there was no such thing as banquet staff scheduled.

They had a lovely ceremony, i helped the bride finish dressing after Design Visage finished her hair and makeup, then drove her down to the ceremony in my car. After a lovely ceremony at Botanical Lawn, Frank took them for a walk through the hotel grounds/staircases getting great pics, and they ended up at a sunset view table at Bourbon Steak House for a delicious dinner, then off to their suite where they had a lovely few nights. Sounds just perfect, right!!! After the wedding the groom had me go back and use a compass to get the exact spot they were standing at so he could have them inscribed on a bracelet he was going to gift her!! Let’s all say awwwwwwww

Till next time

Lisa

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

714 305 7112

instagram lisasimpsonweddings

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

Add a comment January 16, 2021

Turks and Caicos wedding/vacay/honeymoon

This is what the water looks like in Turks and Caicos and this is at the beach at the Beaches Resort (Sandals group but for families)!!  A huge resort, so much to do/experience here that you never need to leave the resort.

This was the view from our one bedroom suite on our last trip, it was at one end of the resort and very quiet/relaxing, we would pop down to the closest pool for a swim/get a drink from the swim up bar (even though lots of alcohol in our room, lol) and get food from the food stalls/restaurant right in that area, then back to our balcony/room to enjoy until we would leave to go to dinner elsewhere on property.

My fave restaurant for breakfast and with views like this, do you blame me!!

Whether you are a couple alone, with a group, a family needing multi beds in a hotel room style accommodation, or even a multi family group needing multi bedrooms/own plunge pool/living room, yard etc (as the above picture shows – these are at the opposite end of the resort from where i stayed on this trip) this resort has it for you.  Quiet areas/no kids, busy areas, kids water park and Mac N Cheese food truck, so much for everyone, oh and the Sesame Street Characters if that does it for your kids.  A resort for all.

So many restaurant options.  When you are a couple on your own you normally get a table for two, the fun part of the restaurant above is that you have to sit with others so you get a bit of interaction with others for a change, lol

If a pool cabana is your thing, then whether a couple alone, or a family cabana as shown above, your butler can make it happen and keep you going with food/beverage all day, you just relax, get in the pool/get out of the pool, relax – that’s your job!!

Lot’s of lovely places to read a book and see that beautiful ocean from.

So, if you would like a destination wedding to the Caribbean but there are guests younger than 16, so Sandals Resorts won’t work, then the Beaches Resorts (part of the Sandals family), this one in Turks & Caicos, and 2 in Jamaica, would be perfect for you.  The range of accommodations at the resorts are huge, so people can pick their style/budget to stay 3 nights or more to attend the wedding and vacay also, how perfect is that.  If it’s just the two of you and you prefer a larger resort with lots going on, then we can do your destination wedding/elopment or honeymoon or vacation too!  Let me get you here

Till next time

Lisa

http://www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

lisa@lisasimpsonweddings.com

insta  lisasimpsonweddings

714 305 7112

Add a comment January 10, 2021