Every academic year new batches of coeds enter the gates of the University of the West Indies (UWI) to follow various educational pursuits. For Business Intelligence Analyst Raquel Roman Davis and IT Admin Andre Ricardo St Michael Seville, however, the campus had a little more in store.

When fate determined that the two be placed in the same computer science classes, little did they know that it was to be the start of a romance rooted in friendship.

According to Davis, the attraction was instantaneous for them both, but it was “ladies first” when it came to making the key move.

“Our paths would always cross, and eventually we started shyly saying hi to each other. One day I stopped Andre and started a conversation. As we got to know each other more, we became inseparable. That was the beginning of a wonderful friendship that blossomed into a relationship about two years later,” Davis told Vows.

Eight years in, the self-proclaimed “foodies” are still going strong. Now co-founders of the Jamaican eatery database eatoutjamaica.com, they enjoy discovering new music, travelling and experiencing new cultures together. So when it came to choosing the right time to propose, Seville knew exactly how to pick the perfect moment.

“It was on my birthday, November 5th last year. Andre took me out to dinner at the Indian restaurant Tamarind with his brother and sister-in-law. We enjoyed an excellent dinner, after which the staff came out singing Happy Birthday and carrying a cake lit with candles,” she recalled.

“When they placed the cake on the table before me, the words “Will you marry me?” jumped out at me; I was in shock. I was speechless, as it was totally unexpected and I had absolutely no idea he had been planning this for months, leading to that very special day,” she continued.

As far as the planning of the wedding was concerned, Davis says everything simply fell into place after the proposal, as if preordained. The theme chosen for the occasion was the peacock, a bird of personal significance to the couple. They wed on August 31, 2013 in the Chapel at UWI, Mona, with the love of friends and family to support them.

The teary-eyed bride walked up the aisle to Shania Twain’s From This Moment, a song chosen for its meaningful lyrics. The reception took place at The Ruins, Mona Visitors’ Lodge. For their first dance as man and wife the lovebirds chose a medley of three songs, one dedicated to the groom, another to the bride and the third to open the dance floor.

For their honeymoon they sailed away on a four-day Norwegian Cruise to the Bahamas before cosying up at the Grand Palladium Hotel. The newly-weds say they are looking forward to enjoying every moment of their future together, with plans to get their first place together and to relaunch their foodie website.