Boston residents Kristen and Frank Perullo live the wedding of their dreams at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.

Boston residents Kristen and Frank Perullo were not planning a small wedding, but they chose to invite the entire party to Grand Cayman for their February 2008 celebration. Not only did Seven Mile Beach provide the most magical of settings, but some guests chose to extend their visit into a much needed break from winter weather.

The Cayman Islands is becoming well known in the wedding industry as the ideal tropical wedding destination. Not only is it easy to get to, but it also boasts world class wedding professionals from planners to photographers. Not having to "BYOV" (bring your own vendors) coupled with Cayman's tranquil atmosphere, proves to be a combination savvy couples cannot resist.

For every beautiful image in a bride-to-be's mind, there are a multitude of details to perfect. Planning a wedding can easily become a second job. To help them stay focused on the joy of the occasion, Kristen and Frank worked with Melinda Easley, one of the wedding professionals at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. They shared their dream of an elegant yet seemingly effortless beach wedding and Melinda and her team brought it to life, customising the details down to the last tropical petal.

With destination weddings, time zones and busy schedules can pose challenges, so Melinda and Kristen scheduled regular phone calls to answer questions. This gave Kristen and Frank a sense of comfort and eliminated the kind of anxiety that makes brides sleepless.

But every dream wedding - no matter how carefully planned - faces potential nightmares. Disaster struck early when a garage fire destroyed Kristen's original choice of bridesmaid dresses. However, the resourceful bride quickly rebounded and sourced fresh apple green strapless dresses.

One of the best parts of destination weddings is that there is not a single "Big Day" but a long weekend during which the couple gets to spend time with all of their family and friends. Many of Kristen and Frank's guests choose to arrive a few days early.

For the wedding, Kristen wore a strapless, banded gown with a sculpted hem to show off her newly-tanned legs and perfectly pedicured toes. Her hair was woven into an elaborate "love knot", and she carried a bouquet of quintessential tropical hues featuring vibrant pink and orange roses cooled by calla lilies and soft green blossoms.

The tiny flower girl was a scene stealer with an apple green band around her tulip-hemmed white dress and a fairy garland of miniature flowers from the bride's bouquet on her hair. Frank and the groomsmen were stylishly cool in crisp white linen shirts and tan trousers.

Violinist Kate Copely provided a romantic soundtrack for Kristen's procession down the sandy aisle strewn with pink rose petals and lined with willowy calla lilies.

Pastor Desmond Whittaker, a favourite with Ritz-Carlton brides for his elegant, personalized ceremonies, officiated.

In a twist on the classic romantic proposal, Frank dropped to one knee to place the ring on Kristens finger, drawing smiles and tears from not only the guests, but also the large crowd of beachgoers who gathered to share in the couple's joyful moment.

The Reception

The ceremony was immediately followed by a cocktail hour on Seven Mile Beach. Barefoot guests sampled creations from The Ritz-Carlton bartenders while photographer Patrick Broderick, known for his gentle manner and unobtrusive professionalism, captured shots of the wedding couple against the famous Seven Mile Beach sunset.

For the oceanfront dinner under a graceful tent draped with breezy white organza, guests relaxed at tables dressed in crisp white linens. Dramatic centrepieces underscored the couple's unique sense of style: a tight bunch of orange blossoms crowned a tall cylindrical pillar anchored by two rings of pink and green blooms.

For dinner, guests made selections from chef-attended action stations, which allowed them to sample island delicacies with an extravagant shellfish bar, seafood and fruit "martinis", jerk beef tenderloin and a whole roasted suckling pig while keeping their toes in the sand and the momentum of the party building.

Even the cake paid homage to the tropical latitude. Perched on champagne flutes filled with orange flowers was a classic white wedding cake infused with the flavours of pineapple and mango and dressed with rum syrup and toasted coconut.

After dinner guests danced under the stars to the rhythms of local band Impulz. To continue the festive beach party, the bride and groom worked with Melinda to create truly memorable experiences for their guests. A Cuban cigar roller presented a once-in-a-lifetime treat for American visitors. A rummelier offered tastings and custom cocktails with this most Caribbean of spirits while torches, a picturesque fire pit and lounge chairs draped with cushions for nestling and shawls for cuddling created a magical atmosphere that the guests would never forget.