“I am but a firefly caught in his jar and when he looks at me, I can’t help but glow.”

— Author, Kellie Elmore

On February 15, 2015, Jamaican-born Florida residents Leroy White and Diana Gentles tied the knot at a beautiful ceremony at the Panama City Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Florida. Vows shares their journey to the altar.

[PHOTOGRAPHER: Shane Dennis, ES Definitions]

How They Met (as told by Diana)…

We were both born and raised in the Seventh-Day Church of God Reformed in Jamaica, where both our fathers held ministerial positions. Leroy and my brothers were very good friends, so we became friends many years before we even considered dating. When my family moved to live closer to the church, Leroy would visit us more frequently, and as such, he became part of the family.

Leroy’s take…

I’ve known Diana all my life. We were friends who became best friends and, now, life partners. I call her my Dream Girl based on her initials — DG, but now that I have changed her initials to DW, she is my Dream Wife. We have kept our love going by keeping a strong line of active communication, a commitment to God for guidance, blocking negative outside voices and keeping a promise to never go to bed upset with each other. On Valentine’s Day, 2011 we started our journey, and the road led us here.

The Proposal (as told by Diana)…

We enjoy eating out and visiting new restaurants, so this is how we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. For my 29th birthday, Leroy escorted me to dinner at FireFly Casual Fine Dining in Panama City, Florida. While having our appetiser and trying to decide what to order, he complained of a stomach ache and would constantly excuse himself from the table. Feeling disappointed about how gloomy the evening looked, I suggested that we leave since he was not feeling well. He said no. I was then instructed to follow the server to another table.

At this table I was greeted by a few of our close friends, and they each presented me with roses. We had dinner, and like a stroke of magic, Leroy was no longer having a stomach ache (of course, he was only pretending that he did in the first place). One by one, our friends gave Happy Birthday speeches, leaving Leroy with the final word. During his speech he pushed his chair back, stood up, then knelt and took his hand from behind him to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. He then asked me to spend eternity with him. Of course I said yes, without hesitation.

Here comes the bride…

Diana wore a white, belted, vintage-inspired, off-the-shoulder, floor-length mermaid gown with long lace sleeves and a short sweep train with buttons down her back.

The bridesmaids wore black satin cocktail dresses with lace bodices and a V-cut at the back accented with buttons, and paired their dresses with yellow ankle strap pumps, complemented by yellow and white bouquets. The maid of honour opted for blue shoes to match her bouquet. The flower girl, Kayla Gentles, wore a black and white damask dress with blue ballet flats.

The bridegroom…

Leroy opted for a white three-piece Ralph Lauren fitted jacket with black and white lapels and a black bow tie. His groomsmen selected black suits with satin lapels, white shirts, black cummerbunds, and matched yellow suspenders with their socks and boutonnières, while best man Jason Williamson wore blue suspenders and a pair of matching socks. Ring bearer Kareem Gentles looked sharp in a black suit with blue suspenders and matching socks and bow tie.

The Ceremony…

The Ivelyse and Helen-led design team transformed the interior of the Panama City Seventh-Day Adventist Church with a firefly-themed yellow, blue and damask décor. All in attendance watched as the groomsmen marched to the altar, followed by best man Jason Williamson and the bridegroom Leroy. They marched in tune with CeCe Winans’ I Promise (Wedding Song) ahead of ring bearer Kareem Gentles and his sister Kayla, signalling the bride’s entrance.

Leroy was overcome with emotion and watched in awe as Diana made her way up the aisle in her father’s escort to Christina Perri’s Jar of Hearts. He could not hold back the tears, and as he took Diana’s hand, he whispered in her ear: “You found the perfect dress and you look extremely beautiful.”

With Pastor Peter S Trzinski guiding the proceedings, the couple recited their vows, which included a Bible verse from Ruth 1 vs 16: “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” They two exchanged vows and recessed to Jermaine Gordon’s Lord I Surrender.

The Reception…

Guests made a smooth transition into the dimly lit banquet hall where hues of yellow and blue set the ambience for the evening. A cocktail party ahead of the reception kept all in attendance refreshed and in high spirits while the bridal party took photographs. They were able to unwind with a photo booth of their own filled with whimsical props, allowing for quirky photo ops.

Pharrell Williams’ Happy ushered in the bridal party, followed by the newly-weds’ entrance to Bruno Mars’ Treasure. For her reception, Diana opted for a white, scoop-necked A-line satin organza dress with pearl beading along the neckline. She smiled as she witnessed her mother-in-law Gennivene White and cousin Carline Peart unveil the five-tiered cake display — designed by Publix Bakery — with three tiers of delectable chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, while the fourth and fifth tiers were marble and red velvet round cakes. Carline also made a traditional Jamaican fruitcake for dessert.

The newly-weds shared their first dance together as husband and wife to Atlantic Star’s Always just before father of the groom-turned-emcee Leroy White brought the festivities to a close by inviting well-wishers to participate in a round of toasts to the happy couple.

The Honeymoon…

The newly-weds plan a San Destin, Florida honeymoon in the coming winter.