Tiffany Mancini and her fiancé Ross Minshull knew exactly what they wanted for their dream wedding. It had to be on the beach, and it had to be in Jamaica. Due to the prolonged shutdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, they had a lot of time to talk and agree about the wedding of their dreams. They searched for options and found their ideal venue: Frankfort Villa, Prospect Estate, St Mary. The challenge was that they lived in the UK and their dream wedding needed to be coordinated on the island. So they booked the venue in faith and set out to find the right partner to have their dream realised. For Tiffany, in particular, this would be more than a destination wedding, it was an emotional connection to Jamaica. Born in the UK, she was the product of an Italian father and a Jamaican mother, who unfortunately died while Tiffany was very young. But with her army of Jamaican aunts and a husband-to-be who not only met and fell madly in love with her, but also with the island of her heritage… it was a done deal… Jamaica or bust! Their search led them to Michelle Wilson-Reynolds, an event planner and consultant, who was referred to them to be their wedding coordinator, and after almost 12 months of Zoom meetings and planning for the day, February 10, 2024…. their dreams came true.

Over 120 guests, mostly from the UK, Canada and the United States poured in for almost a week of planned celebration; from planned tours and activities, to a cocktail welcome soirée and the rehearsal dinner, leading up to the wedding day, which Tiffany described as “the best day ever. All the hard work and patience over the last year…what an amazing day it was”.

A master team of experts and top-class entertainment was put together to create the magic on the big day, beginning with the ceremony on the beach at 1:00 pm. Tiffany and Ross had officially wed in a private registry wedding in the UK for legal reasons but exchanged their vows in a beautiful beach ceremony officiated by their coordinator, Michelle, who is also a justice of the peace. The reception and party continued until well after midnight in a setting designed and executed by Dawn Leyow and her DEC Events team, supported by Arjune OJ Bewley. The venue was transformed into what bride Tiffany described as “a beautiful scenic masterpiece” that was the perfect ethereal and magical setting for the couple and their guests and for the photos that would capture the moments to relive for years to come, courtesy of master photographer Merrick Cousley. Hollywood-based Jamaican actress and make-up artist extraordinaire, Kimberly Patterson was on spot from early in the morning to provide her renowned make-up artistry on the bride, her maid of honour, and bridesmaids. ‘Eat, drink and be merry’ certainly seemed to be the theme of the event with a continuous flow of hors d’oeuvres in a pre-reception cocktail hour under a canopy of trees, and a gourmet meal at the reception and more mouth-watering nibbles throughout the night, provided by Chef Junior Francis, with drinks expertly crafted throughout the festivities by Premium Bars & Events Services. Fab 5, Gem Myers and DJ Omar kept the dance floor active with bride and groom and their happy guests for hours on end. For Ross, seeing how happy Tiffany and their guests were only added to his joy. A man of few words, he used one to describe his day: “Brilliant!”

Photographer: Merrick Cousley