CAROL Edward Junior Smith, a maintenance technician at KCT Services Limited, and fiancée Chris Evert Johnson, a UTech Industrial Engineering student, tied the knot on August 15 after a six-year-long courtship, at the Alhambra Inn Hotel in Kingston. Vows takes you to the chapel of love.

How They Met…

Chris’s uncle-in-law Anthony played matchmaker, and inevitably connected the two. While at work one day, Anthony told Carol he had a girl he’d like him to meet. The two were introduced via BBM, and hit it off instantly. After talking for some time, they discovered that they lived only three streets apart in the Cooreville Gardens community. A few days passed, and after talking on the phone, they decided to meet up. “We admitted that we saw each other before, but we’ve never exchanged words. We share a lot in common; such as sports, our goals, career, temperament, love for food, family, Christian values and the fact that we have unisex names.”

The Proposal…

According to Chris, “…he proposed while we were on vacation at Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa on Friday, September 12, 2014. We went out for a swim, and when we returned, I realised the room was filled with red rose petals. Sharing the room with us was Carol’s friend and his girlfriend, Jackie; so I thought this was arranged for them. I admired the room. The petals spelt the words “I Love You”. In a matter of seconds, Carol was down on one knee with a ring in his hand. The tears flowed, and he asked the question ‘Chris Johnson, will you marry me?’ And I said, ‘Yes, yes, a million times!’ By this time I was bawling my eyes out and covering my face. I remember holding him close and crying, I was really blown away by his surprise.”

The Ceremony…

No doubt comfortable in a pair of custom ivory Converse sneakers, Carol ushered his parents, then his in-laws to their seats near the altar. He wore an ivory three-piece suit, a tie with gold stripes to match, and a fuchsia orchid boutonnière. Best man Radcliffe Brown and the other four groomsmen wore cream rose boutonnières with black suits, purple ties and vests, and black Converse sneakers.

John Legend’s All Of Me played as the groomsmen greeted the bridesmaids and made their way to the altar. The ladies wore delicate purple chiffon dresses, in different styles, and carried bouquets of cream roses, and white and chartreuse baby’s breath.

The wedding decorator Marcel Birthwright rolled a lush white carpet for the entrance of flower girls Alesha Messam and Nyasia Brown, and page boy Xayne Aiden ahead of Chris’s arrival. Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years started playing, and Chris appeared, standing at the foot of the altar with her grandfather Alpheus Johnson, who accompanied her half-way up the aisle to her father Collis Johnson, who then escorted her to her eager bridegroom. She wore a LUXE by David’s Bridal strapless gown adorned with rhinestones and beading that flowed into the tiered scallop skirt. A cream canopy anchored by a crystal chandelier was erected at the altar, and decorated with green and purple flowers. Reverend Sheldon Anderson conducted the ceremony, and later announced the couple as husband and wife. Javaughan Clarke, a friend of the bride, sang Boyz II Men’s I Do while the two signed the marriage certificate. The couple left the altar to Pharrell Williams’ Happy.

The Reception…

The cream, green and purple theme transitioned to the reception area. Marcel Birthwright transformed the space with fancy tabletop décor and exquisite floral arrangement, which included a mélange of pink, green, purple and white flowers in the centre of the 18-foot-long head table, and glass pedestals with flowers and pearls cascading from the apex. During cocktail hour, the Alhambra Inn kitchen served savoury hors d’oeuvres. Richard Morris from RGM Multimedia Productions Limited provided music and sound, and played Walk The Moon’s Shut Up and Dance for the entrance of the bridal party. Carol and Chris danced their way into the reception to Chris Brown’s Forever, then shared their first dance together as husband and wife to Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud. Guests enjoyed a scrumptious dinner from the Alhambra Inn kitchen. After dinner, mothers of the bride and groom, Winsome Levene and Sandra Smith, unveiled the five-cake display. Marcel Birthwright created the red velvet, carrot, vanilla and German chocolate cakes, and Chris’s aunt Surine Morgan made a fruitcake.

Heartfelt toasts were raised to the newly-weds and their parents, but it was the father/daughter dance that brought everyone to tears. Collis Johnson led his daughter in a waltz to Heartland’s I Loved Her First. The bridal party then made their way onto the dance floor to perform a choreographed dance number to a medley of pop songs including Baauer’s Harlem Shake, Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk, and Silentó’s Watch Me.

Chris’s initials before marriage were CEJ, and Carol’s initials are CEJS. “Carol always told me that all I needed was the ‘Smith’ to complete my name,” said Chris. The initials are now complete. Carol and Chris honeymooned at the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa.