OSJ: Tell us how you ended up on St. John?

STACY: I did not want to be cold anymore during the winter. My family had vacationed in the Caribbean for the holidays when I was in college. I always knew I wanted to live on an island, but thought I would retire to the Caribbean. After my first year of marriage, my husband and I decided to sell everything we owned and move to the Virgin Islands. The year was 1993 and we moved to St. Croix. After one year on St. Croix, we moved to St. John and have been here ever since.

OSJ: How did you get in to the wedding planning business?

STACY: After I graduated from college my first professional job was working in a hotel as a catering manager. I learned how to plan parties, select flowers and linens, design tables with china and stemware and create menus for parties. After working in the hotel, I advanced to working as the Event planner/Wedding Coordinator for a private country club. It was at this job that I really became a wedding planner and have been planning ever since.

When I arrived on St. John, there was no wedding planner outside of the Hyatt Hotel or Caneel Bay Resort. There were two photographers, one florist and one ordained Minister
(Rev. Emmanuel Jaggernauth ) that worked with a few wedding couples each year. There was no one offering to bring all of the vendors together and assist with accommodations.
When I opened Ceremonies of St. John Wedding Planning, I knew my business would be successful because I was the first person a Bride could call on St. John and get everything done at one time.

OSJ: What's the most rewarding part about helping couples plan their St. John wedding?

STACY: Knowing that I just created the fantasy that the couple has been dreaming about for a long time.

OSJ: What sets you apart from other wedding planners?

STACY: First and foremost is my years of actual wedding planning experience. I have studied wedding planning and created weddings for 20 years. Also, I am a wedding planner. I do not try to take on other jobs during the wedding such as trying to be the Minister, photographer, or caterer as well. I focus directly on the couple and what they need to have a unique and beautiful wedding experience on St. John. I am with them from start to finish so that everything we have discussed happens exactly as they have planned.
Also, I am the only planner on St. John to be recognized nationally by The Travel Channel and many Destination Wedding and travel magazines.

OSJ: Tell us about your partner's cakes!

STACY: They are fantastic! My husband, Seamus, is a certified chef in both Europe and the United States. It was important to me that my clients not only have a beautifully designed cake, but it had to taste good as well. I appealed to Shay to help me create cakes that no one else had ever seen on St. John and that is how the business started. www.stjohncakes.com

OSJ: What's the funniest wedding story you can recall?

STACY: The wedding party had rented tuxedos from St. Thomas to be delivered to St. John. The Father-of-the Bride did not try on his tuxedo prior to the wedding day. As he dressed one hour before the ceremony, he realized the tuxedo company had sent him two left dress shoes. We did not have time to get another set of shoes delivered, so he walked his daughter down the aisle with two left feet!

OSJ: What keeps you on St. John? What makes the place personally special for you two?

STACY: The natural beauty of the island, of course the perfect weather year-round, all of our friends, and I really enjoy helping couple's design their wedding day. St. John has a small town feel to it and we know a lot of people on the island. I have lived on St. John for my entire married life! I love my town and I love living here with my husband.