Originally from the UK, Juliette first moved to Grand Cayman in 1999; since then, she has not looked back. She has a deep love of absorbing different cultures and ways of life which she incorporates into her events. Her partner first encouraged her to go into event planning full time and gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams. Juliette is well known locally for her love of animals and active help with dog rescues. She is the founder of the BARK prison/dog program on Island.

How long have you owned your company?
I started Five Star Wedding and Events Ltd. in September 2012.

Tell me about your job and what you do on a day-to-day basis:
As well as planning weddings and events for local and overseas clients for Five Star, I am also the Events Manager for the White House in Bodden Town, a stunning and unique waterfront restaurant, venue and resort. My days generally consist of working on weddings for the months ahead, speaking and meeting with potential clients and working with vendors.

What are your customers like? What type of people do you meet?
I am extremely blessed and always get to work with such amazing people from all walks of life. Many of my clients remain friends of mine after their event/wedding and keep me updated with their news, which I love.

Do you work in a team environment? Or do you work independently?
Both! I mostly work independently yet I am completely dependent on the incredible vendors I work with who come together time and time again when planning every element of each wedding to ensure we not only meet our clients’ expectations, but exceed them, and give them a day they will remember for the rest of their lives. I am also extremely blessed to have my daughter work with me as my “on the day” wedding planning assistant; she is priceless to me in assisting guests and helping ensure the day run smoothly by keeping me calm!

What motivates you to go to work each day?
I love what I do! I consider my job a privilege. Being an integral part of such special occasions, and being able to give couples their dream wedding, and witness their love for one another is not something you grow tired of.

What do you enjoy best about your job?
Seeing the look on my clients’ faces when they see their wedding/event set up for the first time, it is such a fulfilling moment!  It’s also a great feeling to be able to take the stress away from brides and let them enjoy the whole planning experience. On a personal level, being able to work with my daughter on the wedding day itself is the most enjoyable part of my job.

What do you least enjoy?
Taking down a beautiful setup. You spend months, sometimes years planning a stunning wedding or event and in a moment it is over.

What advice would you give to someone considering working in this industry/role?
You need to be very detail orientated.  If one item is missed it could ruin the entire event.  You also need to be confident and able to work well under pressure.

What are your future goals?
To take life one day at a time, continue to stay true to myself, to my clients and to make the most out of the life I have been blessed with. I constantly strive to be the best person I can be. If possible, I would love to open an animal sanctuary.

Where else have you worked overseas/in the Caribbean?
I have worked in London, Egypt and Cayman. I worked for a film production company in Egypt producing commercials for the Middle East that was a fun and interesting job. I was a legal secretary/assistant for many years that really helped me with the organizational aspects of weddings and event planning.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My children’s books and my rescue work with animals. I am also extremely proud of the success of Five Star Events and all of the touching testimonials I have received from brides. I first started an event planning company in 2004 with my boyfriend (the father of my daughter) who unexpectedly passed away shortly after the company was incorporated. At that time I was unable to continue with the company so actually seeing our dream come to life years later was a very proud moment, and a great tribute to him; especially as my current business partner is his father.

In your free time, what are your hobbies?
All of my free time is dedicated to my family and my 4 rescue dogs.