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Experience romance with the Karen Bussen Wedding Collection

ANN RUPPENSTEIN

Photos courtesy Weddings by Palladium

Over the past nine years as the exclusive designer for Weddings by Palladium, New York-based event and wedding planner Karen Bussen has realized couples don’t just want to have a memorable moment – they want to be able to share it.

“Everything is an experience now. It’s not enough for them to live it, they want to be able to get it onto their social feeds,” she says. “We organize all kinds of fun Instagrammable moments. The photoshoots that we’re doing, we let people do things like put a couch next to the water
and take pictures.”

Getting picture-perfect Instagram-worthy shots while making special memories inspired the author of the “Simply Stunning” book series, including Simply Stunning Weddings and Simply Stunning Bride, to introduce the Twilight Photoshoot and Dinner for Two experience. Whether it’s a surprise proposal or to commemorate a wedding, anniversary or honeymoon, clients can not only capture the moment during a scenic photo-shoot but cap off the evening with a romantic dinner for two.

“Creating beautiful things and moments – that’s what we’re all about,” she says. “I’m an innovator. I’m always looking at how I can do things differently and trying to find different things that will make a special moment.”

The Karen Bussen Wedding Collection started in Jamaica at one property and now spans across Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts and TRS Hotels in Riviera Maya, Riviera Nayarit and Costa Mujeres, Mexico; and Cap Cana and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

“One of the things that we’ve designed is a VIP check-in for our wedding couples,” she says. “For us, it was really important that when couples step out of their car onto the property they know that we feel that they are our most special guests. I wanted it to feel like a celebration the whole time. We’ve taken the time to organize their whole check-in experience, so they don’t have to wait in line, they come in and they get a special drink. They’re very well taken care of from the get-go.”

This year, three new dining experiences are being added to the offering: Love Deluxe, Bohemian Breeze and the Picnic Experience. As for wedding collections, the new options include Waves of Love Rustic – a fresh take on the classic design option with an organic wooden deck lined with Baby’s Breath and ocean-inspired elements – and Elemental, which will also be offered in a luxury version, featuring a wooden walkway and lots of tropical foliage.

“I just love textures of green,” she says. “On one hand it’s very on-trend, but it’s also timeless because it’s just like geometric and that’s how I like to design.”
Another new element is the fact that all collections are now priced the same.

“It’s not just easier for the brides and grooms, it’s even easier for the travel professionals that we work with,” she says. “They’re the same price across all the properties across all collections.”

For Bussen, what sets Weddings by Palladium apart from the competition is the level of personalization couples have. Although they may select a particular collection, they can incorporate elements and select their own colour scheme to make it their own.

“Let’s say a bride has chosen one colour, but now she decides she wants to alternate two colours, great, we love that,” she says. “It’s that level of editing and curating that really separates us. They can change the colour of all the elements. Change the curtains, change the colour of the flowers so the same collection can look totally different.”

What’s new?

Here’s an overview of the latest wedding and romance offers in the Karen Bussen Wedding Collection.

Romantic dining experiences for two

Picnic Experience: A cozy Mediterranean-style setting to enjoy a relaxed afternoon or evening accompanied with upgraded wine and exquisite gourmet platters. The laid-back scene can be set up on the beach or in the garden with a sunset view.

Bohemian Breeze Dinner: A semi-formal plated dinner with special lighting and boho-chic details for a private evening with upgraded wine and gourmet dishes.

Love Deluxe: a private formal dining experience with upgraded wine and gourmet dishes.

The latest collections

Elemental: Earthy, fresh and all sorts of lush, this chic design from the Karen Bussen Wedding Collection is the ultimate combination of an elegant beach wedding with abundant, tropical foliage.

Elemental Luxury: Take your celebration to the next level with Elemental Luxury, including upgraded elements curated by Karen Bussen. A tropical oasis in the middle of a white-sand paradise. Earthy, fresh and lush, this chic design combines an elegant beach wedding with layers of tropical foliage, organic elements and earthy textures.

Waves of Love Rustic: Etherial, graceful and romantic, this design is a fresh take on one of the most popular options in the Karen Bussen Wedding Collection. The collection features an organic wooden deck lined with Baby’s Breath and ocean-inspired elements to bring a rustic beach wedding to life.