If you’ve ever attended a Cayman wedding, upscale party or gala, odds are good you’ll be familiar with the work of events company Celebrations Ltd.
Known for extraordinary décor, design and floral arrangements, Celebrations has grown from a boutique operation into a premier provider of event goods and services. Behind it all is the creative mind and driving force of CEO Jo-Anne V. Brown.
Brown always had a knack for throwing parties, which is probably why a great friend of hers asked her to please organise a wedding for her years ago. Back then, there were not the rental options there are today, so, with over 200 guests invited, Brown had to beg restaurants and the like to lend chairs and tables enough to accommodate everyone. That kind of intuition and problem-solving ability has stood her in good stead ever since.
The first wedding was a big success, and it jump-started a business that began with a store in the corner of the former Mirco Centre (now Cannon Place), but now occupies a huge warehouse full of custom furniture, linens, unique centrepieces and anything else necessary to ‘wow’ local and international clients.
Like any other business, it has had its unexpected challenges. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 flooded the warehouse, making recovery a mammoth task. Then, of course, there has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed Cayman’s borders and completely cancelled all events for a time. Luckily, gatherings have increased significantly over the last few months, enabling Brown and her team to get back to what they love doing best.
She has expressed enormous gratitude for local clients, who have supported the company through tough times.
As Celebrations has grown, so Brown has added elements to the business, including a booming floral department. She has been featured on numerous television shows and spoken at major conventions, sharing her expertise gained from years in the industry.
Despite the impressive size of her company, she is still very much involved in every element of the operation, often found in the thick of the action, managing setups and coordinating her staff of planners.
To many clients, she is considered a fairy godmother. After all, she is the one who takes the vision and makes their dreams come true.
To learn more about Jo-Anne V. Brown, watch the ‘Wheaton Connection’ interview with her here.
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