On April 16, West Virginia native Aaron Critchfield wed his high school sweetheart Lisa Manley at Couples Swept Away in Negril. VOWS shares the story of their Rock rendezvous.

How they met…

“We met in high school, Spanish class to be exact,” Lisa recalls. “I was a cheerleader, and Aaron was a member of the football team. We spoke on occasion, but didn’t spend much time together until years later when I was studying at West Virginia College. We were reconnected by family and mutual friends. One day, after a football match, we met up and decided to hang out. It just so happened that it snowed and Aaron got stuck there for the weekend. It was that weekend that we went on our first official date at a local restaurant. We talked on the phone and made every effort to see each other — since I lived about an hour’s drive away. Eventually, Aaron transferred to the same college… need I say more? From long-distance calls to graduations, five years later Aaron proposed in Asheville, North Carolina.”

The proposal…

“A weekend was planned at the Biltmore Estate — a bed and breakfast. The concierge assumed we were husband and wife (which caused us to chuckle), but we did not correct him. We arrived at the beautiful estate and visited the lagoon to see the mansion from a distance. Almost immediately, Aaron went down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was surprised, but said yes. As we stood by the lagoon admiring the ring that he had customised, a goose appeared from the lagoon, hissed and chased us! I ran, of course, and Aaron didn’t know what to do except follow me!

“We later spent the day touring the house, gardens, and wine tasting on the estate. That evening, we decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant called Seven Mile that served Jamaican fare. Looking back, it was like we were destined to get married on Seven Mile Beach in Negril! It couldn’t have been more perfect at Couples Swept Away for our wedding.”

Picture-perfect Wedding…

The hotel’s wedding department styled the purple and white-themed ceremony under a gazebo with white linens that lined the aisles. White sands and palm trees provided a picturesque backdrop for the mid-afternoon nuptials performed by Reverend Lloyd Francis.

Barefooted and arm-in-arm, the couple two-stepped to the altar. Lisa wore an off-white V-neck lace dress from Lulus.com, cinched at the waist by a sheer belt with intricate beaded detailing. Her wavy hair was secured with a pearl-beaded headband, and her “something old” was a necklace from her mother — worn at her wedding over 25 years ago.

For her “something new” Lisa carried a locket from her mother-in-law and charms on her bouquet in memory of her grandmothers and cousin. Aaron opted for a Tommy Bahama white linen shirt and khaki trousers. Thanks to a few new friends, the newly-weds had several witnesses and plenty of friendly faces smiling and cheering them on as they shared their special moment.

After the ceremony, Aaron and Lisa continued their honeymoon in Ocho Rios at Couples Tower Isle. The reception is set to follow at Scott Hill Estate in Elkins, West Virginia, on June 13.