On Friday, March 3rd, 2023, Ebony C. Stewart of EbonyCattouse Events launched her new company, GLAMMORE DMC Ltd., at the Watermark Hotel in San Pedro, Belize.
Our very own Muna Coterie member, Ebony C. Stewart of EbonyCattouse Events, is beginning a new chapter in her illustrious Events Planning career. With over a decade in the weddings and events world, Ebony is more than equipped and ready to spread her wings from the New York and Tri-state area to a beloved, distant land: her home country, Belize.
Born and raised in Belize, Ebony returned to her home country five years ago. Greeted by the crisp blue waves, friendly faces, and the salty aroma of the Caribbean, everything was just as she remembered it. With her Event Planning background, Ebony was falling in love with Belize’s beauty all over again. She felt compelled to share the beautiful “untouched gem” that is Belize with the world.
Featured in MunaLuchi Bride Magazine, Issue 28, Ebony’s luxurious styled shoot at the Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection Hotel, featuring Miss Earth 2021, Destiny Wagner, and a gorgeous custom gown by Muna Coterie Designer, Kosibah, was a major success.
The experience laid the groundwork for her to create GLAMMORE DMC Ltd.
From going through that process and working with vendors from here in the country and on the island, myself along with my creative partners realized that there’s something missing. And that was that luxury feel and look. And not just in tabletop decor but the overall luxury style and feel of creating luxury events on this island.”
– Ebony C. Stewart
The styled shoot was a major moment in the ideation phase of her destination management company; however, it wasn’t until she attended MunaLuchi’s annual Coterie Retreat last year in Jamaica that she had her defining light bulb moment.
Sitting amongst fellow coterie members, Ebony listened intently to our Coterie Retreat Destination Wedding Panel. Featuring Tourism Board Representatives from Jamaica, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and St. Kitts, each island shared what services they provide clients in addition to tips and advice for planners looking to create luxurious destination weddings and events.
That’s when it hit her: Belize doesn’t have these kinds of services.
Even when Ebony created her own styled shoot in Belize, importing furniture and other rentals from the U.S. and other international locations was extremely challenging.
Recognizing this critical missing piece in the destination planning puzzle in Belize, she vitalized her concept for GLAMMORE DMC Ltd.
Learning so much about other DMC companies in the Caribbean and what their services are and what they offer, and knowing that it doesn’t exist in Belize, but also that this needs to be of existence in this country, was my light bulb moment.”
– Ebony C. Stewart
Her mission statement: “Creating Luxurious Experiences.”
Located on the island of San Pedro, GLAMMORE DMC is the first and only Belizean-owned and operated full-service Destination Management Company in Belize.
She shares, “It’s all about bringing luxury to the island of San Pedro and Belize including tabletop decor, luxury, travel, and concierge. It’s also about bridging the gap within connections of vendors both locally here on the island and internationally in the US.”
To officially launch her new company, Ebony hosted an intimate rooftop Dinner With Creatives event at the Watermark Hotel in San Pedro, Belize, on Friday, March 3rd, 2023.
Bringing together local Belizean vendors and international ones from the U.S. and beyond, Ebony showcased GLAMMORE DMC’s luxury services, including planning, rentals, tabletop designs, decor, and catering.
The event was also unique for its collaborative efforts.
In addition to partnering with local vendors such as Garden Blossoms Belize for floral centerpieces, Chef Carlos Navarrete for menu curation, and entertainment by local Island Flames Band, each vendor and guest were paired with an international one. For instance, Belizean Photographer Aquila “Quilz Tamay” Flores worked with U.S. Photographer, Stay N Focus Images, and Videographer, Don Newkirk Jr., to capture the event.
Other notable vendor/guest pairings included Belizean Makeup Artist Vanessa Edwards and Canadian-born Hair Stylist, Carlie Currie; custom table linens by Chilean Designer Lola Valentina Designs complimented custom signage and stationery by Design35ny; Travel Planner, Evelyn Acevedo of Exquisite Rentals Belize, Luxury Wedding and Events Coordinator, Esmy Tzib and her Events Assistant, Manuel Flores Jr., connected with host and planner, Ebony C. Stewart of EbonyCattouse Events; Belize Hotel Association Director and GLAMMORE DMC partner, Maurice Livingston, and Crystal Samos of CanSam Realty chatted all things venues; and Belize Tourism Board Blogger, Jasmine Anderson, paired with MunaLuchi Bride Associate Editor, Linda Wallentine.
This is my dedication to my homeland. Being born and raised in Belize, I am filled with such joy to know that I get to create something so meaningful to myself and to those in the country. Knowing that we are not just bridging the gap but taking events and partnerships and creatives to a whole new level is so important.”
– Ebony C. Stewart
Keep reading below for our exclusive interview with Ebony C. Stewart on her vision for GLAMMORE DMC Ltd., how she hopes to revolutionize destination weddings and events in Belize, and photos from her exclusive Dinner with Creatives event!
- Date of Event: Friday, March 3rd, 2023
- Location: San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
- Event: Dinner With Creatives
What is your goal for today’s Dinner with Creatives launch party?
My goal for today is to bring other creatives on the island, together. They’re not just planners but also travel agents, designers, florists, bloggers, rental companies, makeup artists, hair stylists, and members of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and Belize Hotel Association. Everyone that is here for today’s launch plays a pivotal role in what GLAMMORE DMC is all about and what we’re trying to bring to the island.
A vision of “collaboration over competition”…
I was able to collaborate with other vendors in the country, and that was a great experience. And I feel like more of that needs to happen. More collaborations in Belize need to happen.
My vision when it comes to collaboration with GLAMMORE DMC here in Belize is connecting vendors (planners, designers, florists, photographers, and videographers) both locally and internationally to give the very diverse clients who are coming to the country more options to produce their destination events, weddings, or conferences.
How will GLAMMORE DMC positively impact Belize in terms of its economy & relationships with other countries?
I believe GLAMMORE DMC will have a huge impact on Belize and its economy by providing more opportunities for creatives in the country and also for other clients coming, not just from the U.S., but from anywhere abroad, and regionally as well, to come to the country to produce not just for weddings but conferences, retreats, and family vacations, reunions, etc.
How will GLAMMORE DMC bridge the gap between eco-friendly weddings & luxury?
So I noticed over the years that a lot of the weddings produced in Belize are more eco-friendly. And that’s great. But with GLAMMORE, we want to provide more options for planners to offer their clients besides just eco-friendly weddings and events.
Now, if you want to produce any event or wedding in the country of Belize and on the island of San Pedro, you’ll not just have the option of an Eco-friendly wedding, but you will also have a full luxury, tropical experience, and more in terms of design, feel, presentation, and most importantly service.
Explain your tiers of service:
The first tier of GLAMMORE DMC includes renting tabletop decor and luxury pieces for your event or wedding.
The Second tier is “Glam In A Box.”
For this tier, you can choose from one of our custom 5 – 10 tabletop decor pieces, including linens, chargers, wine glasses, and so much more. Essentially, it is a complete table decor picked out, perfectly styled, and designed by some incredible vendors and partners in Belize and the US.
So when planners or clients are coming to Belize for their event and they don’t feel like dealing with all the little details and just want to pick one of these 5-10 designs, we will have everything delivered to them, here on the island or anywhere in the country, and have it all set up for them. When they’re done, our team comes in and packs everything up in the box, and then we leave.
I call our third tier “connecting the dots” or “bridging the gap.”
We are having quarterly events where we are not just showcasing new designs and new pieces to offer, but also where creatives in the country get to connect and partner with other creatives from the US.
Photographers get to meet other photographers, planners meet other planners, and so much more. These quarterly events will be more intimate and give them the opportunity to connect, network, and create possible collaborations.
The fourth tier will provide clients access to exclusive partners & vendors.
Clients and planners hosting their destination event here on the island or anywhere in Belize will have access to the top planners, designers, videographers, and whatever vendor they are seeking. GLAMMORE DMC has them listed as our partners where clients can reach out based on not just their budget, but also their style.
Who are you most excited to collaborate with?
I am most excited to collaborate with the vendors of this country. There are so many talented wedding and event planners in Belize and I feel like they are filled with so many unique ideas. I am so looking forward to that.
Secondly, I’m also looking forward to partnering with the Belize Tourism Board (BTB). The reason is so many folks are traveling all over and coming to Belize, with Sand Pedro being one of the top destinations tourists are coming to. We want to give a continuous luxurious feel for any of your family vacations, group trips, honeymoons, you name it.
Mark your calendars…
Planning has commenced for our Q2 event, the launch of our “Glam In A Box” on June 2nd, 2023, at The Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection Hotel! The Alaia Belize Hotel is the first Resort we have partnered with, booking US clients around the country. GLAMMORE DMC also has a new storefront! Stay tuned for more updates for our quarterly events on our website and sign up for updates here.
Looking for more inspiration from Ebony C. Stewart of GLAMMORE DMC?
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Guest List:
- Luxury Wedding & Events Coordinator: Esmy Tzib
- Events Coordinator Assistant: Manuel Flores Jr.
- Travel Planner: Evelyn Acevedo of Exquisite Rentals Belize
- MunaLuchi Bride Magazine (Associate Editor): Linda Wallentine
- Belize Tourism Board (BTB) Blogger: Jasmine Anderson
- Event Planner: Ebony C. Stewart of EbonyCattouse Events
- Belize Hotel Association (BHA) Director: Maurice Livingston
- Realtor/Consultant: Crystal Samos of CanSam Realty
- Bridal Hairstylist: Carlie Currie
- Makeup Artist: Vanessa Edwards
Vendor Team:
- Luxury Table Linens: Lola Valentina Designs
- Custom Signage & Stationary: Design35ny
- Gift Box Design: ijorere
- Destination Event Planner & Designer: EbonyCattouse Events
- Florist: Garden Blossoms Belize
- Venue & Catering: The Watermark Hotel
- Photographers: STAY N FOCUS & Aquila “Quilz Tamay” Flores
- Videographer: Don Newkirk Jr.
- Destination Travel Management: EbonyCattouse Travels
- MUA: Vanessa Edwards Mua
- Table Top Decor: GLAMMORE DMC LIMITED
- Live Entertainment: Island Flames Band
- Cocktails & Catering: Chef Carlos Navarrete & Watermark Belize Hotel
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