On May 27, after a year of courting, Cooke County Revenue Department investigator Mark Phillips wed his catering manager girlfriend Askale Facey at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. Vows shares their fairytale wedding.

How They Met (Askale’s take)…

My cousin invited me to her birthday party in Chicago, after agonising over the decision to accept, I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint her so I took a flight out to see her. What was supposed to have been a short visit turned into my happy ending. My cousin had some errands to run so I strung along even though I was exhausted.

While we were out for lunch, she introduced me to a friend of hers from Jamaica who was adamant that I meet his cousin — who’s also Jamaican — he insisted that I met him that day (according to him we had a lot in common and we would make an instant connection). All this time I thought to myself “Why does this man think I’m here looking for a suitor?”.

Shortly after lunch, we went to a local bar where I met Mark. We exchanged pleasantries, sat by the bar and chatted. Prior to that day I had not known about him, seen him, nothing! I think it was a chance encounter too, because according to Mark he wasn’t going to show up, but then he thought he had nothing to lose and he also didn’t want to disappoint his cousin.

The Proposal…

“He loves to surprise me and one of the biggest surprises had to be the engagement,” Askale shared. “In his opinion, it didn’t go as planned but for me it was perfect. He bought our home in December 2014 — a surprise in and of itself — so we were busy trying to furnish it and get settled in time for the holidays. We spent Christmas Day by his parents and the evening at Mark’s behest at my aunt’s house for dinner.

Looking back, I should have seen it coming. Mark wove a tale about going to pick up my gift at his friend’s house. It was in fact his opportunity to prepare the house for his planned proposal.

He returned and we both left my aunt’s home for home. All appeared normal as we stepped in although I was a tad distracted by the fact that the lamp was on — we’d been out day. I also noticed the rose petals. My initial thought was “Who is responsible for this mess?” I followed the petals to the living room where I saw the shoes and the ring laid out on the coffee table… Mark went down on one knee and asked me to marry him — I said yes.”

The Ceremony…

One by one family and close friends filed into the Paris Hotel’s chapel for the dimly-lit ceremony performed by Pastor Keith Nelson.

Mark opted for a grey Vera Wang tuxedo with an ivory shirt, tie and vest, and matching boutonnière while his groomsmen wore similar three-piece suits with coral ties and pocket squares. The five bridesmaids wore coral dresses in varying hues and carried white rose bouquets. Flower girl (and the groom’s niece) Brielle Phillips sprinkled white rose petals up the aisle, followed by the ring bearer and son of the bride Jovanni Finlay.

Askale was stunning in a strapless sweetheart-neckline Blu by Morie Lee trumpet dress with a diamond-encrusted belt. Her stunning necklace matched her jewelled headband resting on her short, curly hairdo. Surrounded by love Mark and Askale shared “I dos”.

The Reception…

The Paris Hotel’s Le Village Buffet hosted the reception, where guests enjoyed a sumptuous fare. After dinner, the newly-weds cut into their two-tiered vanilla buttercream cake draped in coral and white flora and sprinkled with pearls. Best man Jonathan Johnson gave a toast to the bride and groom, followed by maid of honour Hukiesha Ellington and matron of honour Althea Hutchinson.

The newly-weds enjoyed an afternoon stroll on Las Vegas Boulevard and partied in the Chateau Nightclub later that night. Their honeymoon wrapped with an extended two-night stay at the hotel.

Captions

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Pastor Keith Nelson blesses the wedding rings

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Mr & Mrs Mark and Askale Phillips.

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Mark and Askale and members of the bridal party (from left) bridesmaids Sharon Malone, Kirstie Burnette, Phaedra Durham, maid of honour Hukiesha Ellington, matron of honour Althea Hutchinson, flowergirl Brielle Phillips, ring bearer Jovanni Finlay, best man Jonathan Johnson, and groomsmen Michael and Brian Phillips, and Anthony Kent.

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Family, members of the bridal party and guests enjoy a moment with the newly-weds

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Askale and her mother Angela Shaw enjoy a mother-daughter moment.

[CARRY SIDE BY SIDE]

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The two-tiered vanilla buttercream cake.

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Cutting the cake.

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Mark and Askale feed each other a slice of cake.

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Ring bearer Giovanni Finlay, quite dapper in his grey outfit.

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The newly-weds with the mother of the bride Angela Shaw and brother of the bride Marlon Saunders.

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Flower girl Brielle Phillips and ring bearer Jovanni Finlay.

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Getting ready for the big moment.

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The Paris Hotel chapel.

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Newly-weds Mark and Askale with (from left) groomsman Michael Phillips, ring bearer Jovanni Finlay, flower girl Brielle Phillips, groomsman Brian Phillips, and parents of the groom Barrington and Eugenia Phillips.