Engage!10 Cayman Islands
In June 2010, Engage! returned to the spectacular Cayman Islands. The event was a celebration of all things Grand Cayman, from the beautiful beachfront setting to the lemon and aqua color scheme, which took cues from the sun and sea. The welcome party was held beachside, where dishes showcased The Ritz-Carlton’s amazing culinary offerings and rustic wooden canopies were strung with tea lights to mimic the stars.
The diverse lineup of sessions featured a candid chat between Marcy Blum and Sylvia Weinstock, industry insights from Martha Stewart Weddings’ Darcy Miller and The Knot’s Carley Roney, and the debut appearance by two Engage! speakers: celebrity event planner Colin Cowie and Cindy Novotny of Master Connection Associates. Cindy’s powerhouse speech — informed by her work with luxury hotel brands around the world — gave insight on what really matters to the luxury market: speed of response, quality of service, and over-delivery of services on every interaction and received the very first (of many!) Engage! standing ovations. Two Bright Lights shared their real-time data on the relationship between media and revenue returns, and magazine and blog editors shared strategies for getting into print and online.
Engagees experienced Grand Cayman with a series of dine-arounds at top restaurants, followed by a poolside dessert party back at The Ritz-Carlton. Downtime was spent on Seven Mile Beach for sun, surf and lounging in the floating ocean trampolines. The Farewell Gala was planned by Jo-Anne Brown of Cayman’s own Celebrations Ltd., as it celebrated island culture from cuisine and cocktails, and dancing into the wee hours to tunes spun by island favorite DJ Craig.
